Simple question but Im not sure on the best option here.
Ideally a time schedule with a simple GUI where you can set times or use a slider per day is what I expect on an automation system but after a quick google it seems this isn’t so simple on openhab? or am I missing something obvious here?
How do I go about setting my on/off times for different things on my system?
Thanks
You could take a look at using
https://docs.openhab.org/configuration/rules-dsl.html#time-based-triggers
It is not that difficult once you get a hang of it. A rule to fire every weekday at 14:00 could look as simple as
rule "Light ON"
when
//Every weekday at 14:00 hours
Time cron "0 0 14 ? * MON-FRI *"
then
// update item to switch on light here
end
Yeah I saw the whole cron job thing but that seems so backwards for what should be an automation system with a decent GUI.
I was considering just writing my own python program and then regularly sending out the current status of the different schedules. That way anything connected to MQTT will also be able to pick it up.
Which actually leads me to another question, is there a simple library for schedules? the ones ive seen all look quite OTT and not actually too dissimilar to cron
Or set up a full blown configurable timer in openhab:
RULES FILE:
var Timer timer1 = null
var java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock lock1 = new java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock()
rule "Initialization"
when
System started
then
// postUpdate(WekkerTijdUren, 6)
// postUpdate(WekkerTijdMinuten, 00)
// postUpdate(WekkerMaandag, ON)
// postUpdate(WekkerDinsdag, ON)
// postUpdate(WekkerWoensdag, ON)
// postUpdate(WekkerDonderdag, ON)
// postUpdate(WekkerVrijdag, ON)
// postUpdate(WekkerZaterdag, OFF)
// postUpdate(WekkerZondag, OFF)
end
rule "Wektijd"
when
Item WekkerTijdUren changed or
Item WekkerTijdMinuten changed
then
lock1.lock()
try {
var String msg = ""
var uren = WekkerTijdUren.state as DecimalType
var minuten = WekkerTijdMinuten.state as DecimalType
if (uren < 10) { msg = "0" }
msg = msg + WekkerTijdUren.state.format("%d") + ":"
if (minuten < 10) { msg = msg + "0" }
msg = msg + WekkerTijdMinuten.state.format("%d")
postUpdate(WekkerTijdTekst,msg)
var int wektijd1
wektijd1 = (WekkerTijdUren.state as DecimalType).intValue * 60 +
(WekkerTijdMinuten.state as DecimalType).intValue
wektijd1 = wektijd1.intValue
var int nu1
nu1 = now.getMinuteOfDay
nu1 = nu1.intValue
var int delta1
delta1 = (wektijd1 - nu1)
delta1 = delta1.intValue
if (nu1 > wektijd1) { delta1 = delta1 + 1440 }
if (timer1 != null) {
timer1.cancel
timer1 = null
}
timer1 = createTimer(now.plusMinutes(delta1)) [|
var Number day = now.getDayOfWeek
if (((day == 1) && (WekkerMaandag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 2) && (WekkerDinsdag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 3) && (WekkerWoensdag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 4) && (WekkerDonderdag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 5) && (WekkerVrijdag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 6) && (WekkerZaterdag.state == ON)) ||
((day == 7) && (WekkerZondag.state == ON))) {
logInfo('Alarm Clock', 'Alarm Clock wake up time triggered')
RuleWektijdTS.postUpdate( new DateTimeType() )
sendCommand(SqueezeWakeUp, ON)
}
timer1.reschedule(now.plusHours(24))
]
} finally {
lock1.unlock()
}
end
ITEMS FILE:
Switch WekkerMaandag "Maandag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerDinsdag "Dinsdag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerWoensdag "Woensdag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerDonderdag "Donderdag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerVrijdag "Vrijdag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerZaterdag "Zaterdag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
Switch WekkerZondag "Zondag" <switch> (gWekkerWeekdagen)
String WekkerTijdTekst "%s"
Number WekkerTijdUren "Uren [%d]" <clock> (gWekkerTijd)
Number WekkerTijdMinuten "Minuten [%d]" <clock> (gWekkerTijd)
SITEMAP FILE:
Text label="Wekker [%s]" item=WekkerTijdTekst icon="time" {
Frame label="Tijd" {
Setpoint item=WekkerTijdUren minValue=0 maxValue=23 step=1
Setpoint item=WekkerTijdMinuten minValue=0 maxValue=55 step=5
}
Frame label="Weekdagen" {
Switch item=WekkerMaandag
Switch item=WekkerDinsdag
Switch item=WekkerWoensdag
Switch item=WekkerDonderdag
Switch item=WekkerVrijdag
Switch item=WekkerZaterdag
Switch item=WekkerZondag
}
The final result:
That looks so much more complicated than anything else Ive seen lol.
Also makes me think doing that, I might as well carry on with my idea of making a python program to do it and distribute it on MQTT periodically.
set it up once to your likings, rince and repeat… 
It’s not complicated… not more complicated than having an external python script triggering stuff over MQTT…
So you have all that set up for starting a timer, or to post a ‘start’ signal and then post a ‘stop’ signal some time later? So for multiple schedules, you repeat this for as many as you need?
Exactly… using this code i:
At the end of the rules file i fire specific commands.
I have this script running multiple times for multiple things ( e.g. start music in the house every morning at 06:15). Pre-heat coffee machine at 06:30 etc
I believe its in German so Im trying to decipher it, you set you start time, then it runs for a preset period of time.
What if I want to send a start at 6.30, and a stop at 10.30. The problem here is the timer function, there is no timer in a schedule.
This bit of code though it pretty useful and definitely has a good purpose but its not the function of a schedule. I might give it a try though ,if I can get my head around the language 
It’s Dutch… ;-0
Wekker = Alarm Clock
Wektijd = Alarm Time
Maandag = Monday
Dinsdag = Tuesday
Woensdag = Wednesday
Donderdag = Thursday
Vrijdag = Friday
Zaterdag = Saturday
Zondag = Sunday
Uren = hours
Minuten = Minutes
Weekdagen = Weekdays
Tijd = Time
and as a reply to you question… If i understand your use case correctly you want to start and stop a specific action at a specific time.
You could keep that as simple as using the rule as mentioned by MartinKo twice… once to start and once to stop.
Or use the alarm clock rule twice … to start and to stop whatever it is you would like to do.
@snoekieboe Thank you for sharing this simple and beatuful solution.
I tried to copy on my openhabian, but I got this error:
“org.eclipse.smarthome.model.script.engine.ScriptExecutionException: The name ‘RuleWektijdTS’ cannot be resolved to an item or type;”
I modified the line in (puted in front //):
//RuleWektijdTS.postUpdate( new DateTimeType() )
and now it’s working, but (because I’m not a progarammer) this is corrert, or better, what mean thi line?
Thank you
Not a problem… RuleWektijdTS is only used as an item to check when a my rules have fired for the last time… Commenting out this line does not impact anything else.
br
Roel
Inspired by @snoekieboe I made my own timer like this:
ITEMS file:
// ************************************************** Timers ****************************************************
Group gTimer "Timers" <time> (Home)
Group gTimerMorning "Morning Alarm" <time> (gTimer) [ "Timer" ]
Switch TimerMorningEnabled "Enabled" <switch> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningWeekdayEnabled "Enabled" <switch> (gTimerMorning)
String TimerMorningWeekdayText "[%s]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Number TimerMorningWeekdayHour "Hour [%d]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Number TimerMorningWeekdayMinute "Minutes [%d]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningWeekendEnabled "Enabled" <switch> (gTimerMorning)
String TimerMorningWeekendText "[%s]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Number TimerMorningWeekendHour "Hour [%d]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Number TimerMorningWeekendMinute "Minutes [%d]" <time> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningCoffee "Coffee Machine" <brew> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningWakeUpLights "Bedroom lights" <light> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningShuttersBedroom "Bedroom shutters" <rollershutter> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningShuttersAll "All shutters" <rollershutter> (gTimerMorning)
Switch TimerMorningTV "Turn ON TV" <television> (gTimerMorning)
SITEMAP
Group item=gTimerMorning {
Frame label="Schedule" {
Switch item=TimerMorningEnabled
Text label="" icon=""
Switch item=TimerMorningWeekdayEnabled label="Workind days"
Text label="" icon=""
Setpoint item=TimerMorningWeekdayHour minValue=0 maxValue=23 step=1
Setpoint item=TimerMorningWeekdayMinute minValue=0 maxValue=59 step=1
Switch item=TimerMorningWeekendEnabled label="Weekend days"
Text label="" icon=""
Setpoint item=TimerMorningWeekendHour minValue=0 maxValue=23 step=1
Setpoint item=TimerMorningWeekendMinute minValue=0 maxValue=59 step=1
}
Frame label="Actions" {
Default item=TimerMorningCoffee
Default item=TimerMorningWakeUpLights
Default item=TimerMorningShuttersBedroom
Default item=TimerMorningShuttersAll
Default item=TimerMorningTV
}
}
RULES:
var Timer timerMorning = null
var Timer timerSwitchOffCoffeeStation = null
var java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock lockMorning = new java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock()
var java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock lockSwitchOffCoffeeStation = new java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock()
rule "TimersInitialization"
when
System started
then
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekdayHour, 9)
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekdayMinute, 0)
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekendHour, 10)
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekendMinute, 0)
postUpdate(TimerMorningEnabled, OFF)
postUpdate(TimerSwitchOffCoffeeStationMinute, 0)
postUpdate(TimerSwitchOffCoffeeStationHour, 19)
postUpdate(TimerSwitchOffCoffeeStationEnabled, ON)
end
rule "TimerMorning"
when
Item TimerMorningWeekdayHour changed or
Item TimerMorningWeekdayMinute changed or
Item TimerMorningWeekendHour changed or
Item TimerMorningWeekendMinute changed or
System started
then
val org.eclipse.xtext.xbase.lib.Functions$Function0<Integer> getNextExecutionInMinutes = [ |
var String msg = ""
var hourWD = TimerMorningWeekdayHour.state as DecimalType
var minuteWD = TimerMorningWeekdayMinute.state as DecimalType
if (hourWD < 10) { msg = "0" }
msg = msg + TimerMorningWeekdayHour.state.format("%d") + ":"
if (minuteWD < 10) { msg = msg + "0" }
msg = msg + TimerMorningWeekdayMinute.state.format("%d")
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekdayText,msg)
msg = ""
var hourWE = TimerMorningWeekendHour.state as DecimalType
var minuteWE = TimerMorningWeekendMinute.state as DecimalType
if (hourWE < 10) { msg = "0" }
msg = msg + TimerMorningWeekendHour.state.format("%d") + ":"
if (minuteWE < 10) { msg = msg + "0" }
msg = msg + TimerMorningWeekendMinute.state.format("%d")
postUpdate(TimerMorningWeekendText,msg)
var int minuteTimeWD
var int minuteTimeWE
minuteTimeWD = (TimerMorningWeekdayHour.state as DecimalType).intValue * 60 +
(TimerMorningWeekdayMinute.state as DecimalType).intValue
minuteTimeWE = (TimerMorningWeekendHour.state as DecimalType).intValue * 60 +
(TimerMorningWeekendMinute.state as DecimalType).intValue
var int nowMinute
nowMinute = now.getMinuteOfDay
var int delta1
delta1 = (minuteTimeWD - nowMinute)
delta1 = delta1
var int delta2
delta2 = (minuteTimeWE - nowMinute)
delta2 = delta2
if (nowMinute >= minuteTimeWD) { delta1 = delta1 + 1440 }
if (nowMinute >= minuteTimeWE) { delta2 = delta2 + 1440 }
var int deltaFinal = 0
if (delta1 < delta2) {
deltaFinal = delta1
} else {
deltaFinal = delta2
}
return deltaFinal
]
lockMorning.lock()
try {
if (timerMorning !== null) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', "Cancelling old timer");
timerMorning.cancel
timerMorning = null
}
var int deltaFinal = 0
deltaFinal = getNextExecutionInMinutes.apply()
logInfo('TimerMorning', "Setting up timer delta to " + deltaFinal.toString() + "minutes from now");
timerMorning = createTimer(now.plusMinutes(deltaFinal), [|
var Number day = now.getDayOfWeek
if (
TimerMorningEnabled.state == ON &&
(
((day < 6) && (TimerMorningWeekdayEnabled.state == ON)) ||
((day >= 6) && (TimerMorningWeekendEnabled.state == ON))
)
) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', 'Alarm Clock wake up time triggered')
// perform actions
if(TimerMorningCoffee.state == ON) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', 'Turning on coffee station')
CoffeeStation_Plug.sendCommand(ON)
}
if(TimerMorningWakeUpLights.state == ON) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', 'Turning on lights')
AT_Bedroom_Light.sendCommand(ON)
AT_Bedroom_LightStrip_Color.sendCommand(ON)
}
if(TimerMorningShuttersAll.state == ON) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', 'Rolling up all shutters')
gShutter.members.forEach[ i | i.sendCommand(0) ]
} else {
if(TimerMorningShuttersBedroom.state == ON) {
logInfo('TimerMorning', 'Rolling up bedroom shutters')
AT_Bedroom_Shutter1.sendCommand('UP')
AT_Bedroom_Shutter2.sendCommand('UP')
}
}
}
if(TimerMorningTV.state == ON) {
LGWallpaperTV_Power.sendCommand(ON)
LGWallpaperTV_Mute.sendCommand(ON)
Thread::sleep(5000)
LGWallpaperTV_Application.sendCommand("com.webos.app.livetv")
LGWallpaperTV_Volume.sendCommand(10)
Thread::sleep(2000)
LGWallpaperTV_Channel.sendCommand("3_7_5_0_112_1204_1")
}
var deltaNext = getNextExecutionInMinutes.apply();
if(deltaNext == 0)
deltaNext = 1440
logInfo('TimerMorning', "Rescheduling timer to " + deltaNext.toString() + "minutes from now");
timerMorning.reschedule(now.plusMinutes(deltaNext))
])
} finally {
lockMorning.unlock()
}
end
RESULT
