My first Apilio Automation - I am stuck, please check what I need to add change to make it work

[DaveKStL]

My goal:

Conditions:

Test for (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) at 6 PM

Test for Temperature above 89 degrees

Test for Rain

IF True:

IFTTT to Run RainMachine Irrigation Zones 10, 11

IFTTT to send a notification that Zones 10, 11 are watering

Steps:

Create a new Boolean variable:

Name it “high_temp_water”

Leave the value on "true"

Save the variable

Create a new condition:

Name it “its_hot_date_check”

The variable to check is “high_temp_water”

The required state is "true"

Leave “Unmodified since” empty

Leave “Modified within” empty

Go to IFTTT and create a new recipe:

The first recipe is based on the "Date & Time" Channel and must be executed every Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 6pm (this is the "if")

The "then" of this recipe is a Maker Channel Request to the "set true" URL from the variable (high_temp_water) you created at the very beginning.

The Method is "GET"

Leave the other options empty

=====================================

Do I create a condition to check for rain?

Do I create a condition to check for temperature?

Does every condition require an IFTTT recipe?

Where do I create the conditions, in Apilio or IFTTT?

[pebneter]

Hi Dave,

you are close to a solution, so let's find the solution to close the gap!

Can you state your desired behaviour in normal text? e.g. "If there was no rain and it is hot, irrigate on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays"?

With that, I can give you an idea about how I would set it up.

Cheers

Philipp

[DaveKStL]

Hi Phillip:

My goal:

If it is Monday, Wednesday or Friday at 6 PM, no rain in the forecast, and it is 90 degrees or hotter, Run RainMachine Program 12. Then send a text telling me that Program 12 is running.

Thanks for the help

Dave

[ojchase]

You're going to need a variable that keeps track of the weather forecast.

Apilio:

Boolean variable: RainInForecast

Condition: ExpectingRain and/or NotExpectingRain

IFTTT:

IF Weather forecast changes (I have no idea how you'll do this but trust the appropriate service exists.)

THEN set RainInForecast variable in Apilio to either true or false

Then you'll need something similar for temperature:

Apilio:

Variable: temperature - this could be a boolean for hotRightNow or an actual number.  It'll depend what triggers/values you can get out of IFTTT

Condition: IsHot

IFTTT:

IF The temperature changes

THEN set the new temperature in the apilio variable.

Again, I don't know the weather options in IFTTT to know how exactly this will work, but you need to get reasonably current weather data into Apilio.

Finally you string it together into a logicblock run at the right times:

Apilio:

Logicblock: waterIfHotAndDry

IF: (AND(NotExpectingRain, IsHot)

THEN: call ActivateRainMachine12

IFTTT:

IF Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 5pm

THEN: call apilio's waterIfHotAndDry

And to turn on the water:

IFTTT:

IF: Webhook ActivateRainMachine12 called

THEN: Actually start the machine

[DaveKStL]

First

Can I test the values along the way by maybe getting a live text message?

You said:

IFTTT:

IF Weather forecast changes (I have no idea how you'll do this but trust the appropriate service exists.)

THEN set RainInForecast variable in Apilio to either true or false

I have a way to test current condition and tomorrows condition. How do I set this as either will trigger the IFTTT

[pebneter]

Hi  Dave,

did you already discover my example of the "Umbrella Butler"? https://www.apilio.io/umbrella-butler.html

I recommend to read it and implement it (you can use another trigger instead of the Amazon Button, e.g. a time based trigger).

Once you understand that I'm quite sure that you will succeed in building your slightly advanced logic.

[DaveKStL]

Thanks Phillip, I am doing this next.

Sorry for the late follow up

Dave

[DaveKStL]

I have more questions, remember I am a total newbie.

In the Umbrella Butler:

2.1 Name it "wet conditions" - is there supposed to be an underscore _  to look like this "wet_conditions"

3.1 Is the Weather Channel a service in IFTTT, if so I cannot find it? I can find Weather Underground.

3.2.1 Is Maker Channel now WebHooks?

I stopped here, confused.  Be kind I am totally new, but if I can learn this one, it will easier building.

Dave

[pebneter]

Hi Dave,

2.1: You can use either. To make things more consistent, I'd recommend to use wet_conditions

3.1: Good point! I was not notified that the old weather service was discontinued. So you'll need to use Weather Underground indeed. Use the trigger "Current condition changes to" to save the condition to Apilio

3.2.1: Yes, the "Make Channel" was rebranded to "Webhooks Service". Sorry for the non-updated text...

Philipp