CoCoHue

CoCoHue: Community Collection of Hue Bridge Apps and Drivers for Hubitat

(Hue Bridge Integration App for Hubitat)

This is a Hue Bridge integration designed to replace (or supplement) Hubitat's buit-in Hue Bridge integration. It provides several advantages, including:

1. Access to Hue bulb "effects" (color loop, select/alert, etc.)
2. Improved group support ("Change Level" capability--startLevelChange and stopLevelChange` commands implemented)
3. Scene support: create switch/button devices that can be used to activate Hue Bridge scenes
4. It's open source! Customize the code to suit your requirements if so desired

For discussion and more information, visit the Hubitat Community forum thread.

To Install (Manual Method)

1. Back up your hub and save a local copy before proceeding.

2. Install the app from the "apps" folder in this repository into the "Apps Code" section of Hubitat: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/apps/cocohue-app.groovy

   • Important for users upgrading from 1.x: if your installation is set up using the parent/child app strucutre (and you want to keep that installation), then follow these steps instead. First, update the parent app: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/deprecated/cocohue-parent-app.groovy. Then, install the (child) app as above: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/apps/cocohue-app.groovy. Finally, uncomment the line parent: "RMoRobert:CoCoHue (Parent App)" (should be around line 50-55) in the "child" app by removing the two slashes, //, in front of it.

3. Install all necessary drivers from the "drivers" folder in this repository into the "Drivers Code" section of Hubitat. (There aren't very many, so I'd recommend just installing them all, but technically all you need is the Bridge driver plus the driver for any device types you plan to use.)

   • Install the Bridge driver code: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-bridge-driver.groovy
   • Install the bulb, group, scene, plug, and button drivers:
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-rgbw-bulb-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-ct-bulb-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-dimmable-bulb-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-plug-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-group-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-scene-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-generic-status-driver.groovy
     • https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HubitatCommunity/CoCoHue/master/drivers/cocohue-button-driver.groovy

4. Install an instance of app: go to Apps > Add User App, choose CoCoHue, and follow the prompts.

To Install (Hubitat Package Manager/Automatic Method)

CoCoHue is also available on Hubitat Package Manager, a community app designed to make installing and updating community apps and drivers easier.

NOTE: Users upgrading to 4.x from 3.x will need to open the CoCoHue app and select Done once after upgrading. It is recommended to download a hub backup before upgrading (restoring this backup is the best way to downgrade, as 4.x contains breaking changes). Users upgrading from 1.x will need to pay attention to the parent app note above.

Feature Documentation

CoCoHue is designed to be a replacement (although it can also be used as as supplement) for Hubitat's existing Hue integration. If any devices behave differently, this may be considered a bug (except for differences noted below). Please report any such behavior in the Community forum, and feel free to ask any questions there as well.

Besides features offered by the built-in integration, this integration adds the following features:

1. Scenes: implemented as button and switch devices. To activate, "Push" button "1" or send an on() command. If you use scenes, it is recommended to keep polling enabled (actvating a scene will not update associated Hubitat group or bulb devices without polling). The off() command on a scene device will turn off the associated group (using the Hubitat device if available) or (for classic/"non-GroupScene" scenes) the associated lights, but in most cases it would be desirable to manually turn the group/lights off yourself instead of using the scene device (you'll have more control and know exactly what the outcome should be instead of CoCoHue inferring one for you). CoCoHue provides options for handling scene device on/off state and can optionally show other scenes for same room/zone/group as off when another is activated.

2. Groups: the "Change Level" capability is implemented, meaning the "Start Level Change" and "Stop Level Change" commands are implemented on CoCoHue group devices, not just individual bulbs. Like Hubitat, by default, most group changes will propagage to individual bulb devices. CoCoHue extends this with an option to also do the reverse, updating group states when individual bulbs are updated. (Both are optional; the former direction is on by default and the latter off.) In both cases, unlike Hubitat's stock integration, CoCoHue considers a group when any (not all) members are on. This is consistent with Hue app behavior and makes prestaging options make more sense when using both. It also means both bulbs and groups should get updated without polling when either is mannipulated, though it is recommended to configure some polling interval regardless. Additionally, an "All Hue Lights" group is available to add if desired.

3. Buttons and sensors: support for Hue indor/outdoor motion sensor and button devices like Hue Tap and Hue Dimmer (sensors work best with v2 API, and buttons are supported only with v2 API--see below)

4. Hue API V2 support (experimental): allows for instant updates pushed from Bridge instead of polling-based approach from Hubitat.

5. Color loop effect: to fit in with Hubitat's "Light Effects" capability, Hue's only effect, colorloop, is implemented using this capability and the command it uses, "Set Effect." Color loop is effect 1. It can be activated by calling setEffect(1). "None" (no effect; normal behavior) is implemented as effect 0, so the effect can be cancelled by calling setEffect(0). The nextEffect and previousEffect commands are pretty boring for this reason, but they are implemented to be consistent with the standard Hubitat capability as it is currently documented. Setting a color, hue, or color temperature will also cancel the effect (this is consistent with the behavior of other bulbs I tested). Setting a level or saturation will not because Hue allows adjustment of these while the effect (which does not manipulate these values) is in progress.

6. Prestaging: the new standard "LevelPreset" capability and its required command, presetLevel(), are implemented in all bulb/group drivers. While not (yet?) standard, analagous custom commands are implemented to preset color and color temperature. Previously, this integration used color and level prestaging options (rather than commands) to mimic those found in some native drivers before this standardization (in that case, if a setLevel [for level prestaging] or a setColorTemperature, setColor, setHue, or setSaturation command are received when the bulb is off, it will not turn on; instead, the next time the bulb is turned on, it will be turned on with those settings.) These options are still available if you have already enabled them, but they are not available for new installs, and it is recommended that you transition away from them, as once this is all standardized, it is possible they will be removoed. Regarding prestaging in general, this works well if your bulbs are manipulated entirely from Hubitat. Unfortunately, Hue itself does not support prestaging on the Bridge (these prestaged settings are "remembered" entirely on the Hubitat device), so this will not work if you prestage in Hubitat and then turn the bulbs on outside of Hubitat. For this reason, the drivers label these options "pseudo-prestaging." (Recommendation: manipulate bulbs only from Hubitat if prestaging is enabled.)

7. "Select" and "LSelect" Hue alerts: these are basically a one-time flash and a 15-time flash. These are implemented as the flashOnce() command and the now-standard flash() command, respectively. An in-progress flash can be stopped with flashOff() (or you can wait until it stops on own, approximately 30 seconds on official bulbs).