I recently encountered a frustrating issue with the ‘Light Turn On Motion’ shortcut SmartApp in Lights & Switches. The bug affected dimmers that were turned on by motion and then turned off after a period of no motion. If someone entered the motion detection area just as the lights were turning off, they wouldn’t reactivate immediately, creating a dead spot in motion activation. This was definitely a reproducible bug that needed fixing.
After some research and troubleshooting, I developed a solution called ‘Motion Controlled Lighting,’ a SmartApp that replicates the functionality of ‘Light Turn On Motion’ but without the bug. This app ensures that lights reactivate immediately upon detecting motion, even if they were just turned off. Additionally, it includes a feature to select extra motion sensors that must be inactive for the ‘turn off when no motion’ function, enhancing flexibility.
I also explored integrating this app with the separate ‘Light Turn Off Motion’ shortcut SmartApp and found that while it works, the dead spot issue persists, which is why the additional feature in ‘Motion Controlled Lighting’ is crucial. This app has been well-received by the community, and I’m glad to contribute to improving the functionality of smart lighting systems.
For those interested, the app is available on GitHub, and I encourage everyone to check it out and share any feedback or suggestions they might have. Let’s continue to innovate and enhance our smart home experiences together!