App to start at a random time/delay between two periods

[Steve_Nye]

I am looking for an App that allows me to choose a random delay between x and y minutes that can be canceled if required by another flow. Does one exist?

Steve

[SunBeech]

You can use the Chronograph app to initiate a stopwatch or timer via one flow and cancel that stopwatch/timer via another flow. There are flowcards that trigger when a timer/stopwatch completes or is stopped.

[Steve_Nye]

Thanks I did look at that app but I can’t see how to do the random function?

[SunBeech]

Ah yes, I missed that part in your question. I don’t think that app offers a randomizer. But you can use a variable as input for the timer/stopwatch. So if you first determine the random delay and put it in a variable, you can use that as input.

[Dijker]

@Steve_Nye

App that allows me to choose a random delay between x and y minutes

An App is not necessary, use 1 - 99 Sec. or Min. to have a random delay between the first and last value.

Also available in Standard Flows (since Firmware v 1.xx )

[SunBeech]

@Dijker

use 1 - 99 Sec. or Min. to have a random delay between the first and last value.

What, really? I did not know you you specify a range in that card… Learned something new !

[Steve_Nye]

Thanks for this, I am very new to Homey and I am struggling to find an option for 1 - 99 I assume it is an AND trigger but I have looked at all the options and can’t see it. I also looked as a THEN under timeline but it did it give me an option for a delay.

[SunBeech]

It’s the Delay option (‘Wacht’ in Dutch) in the flow builder’s menu:

[Steve_Nye]

Thank you I looked at that but was looking for options, I didn’t realise I just needed to key in 1-5 say.

Steve

[SunBeech]

Yeah indeed. I also did not know that. It’s a little counter intuitive…

[Peter_Kawa]

Do realize when you start using minutes as unit, the chances of flows not running as expected increase.
These delays ‘disappear’ after a reboot, and related flow won’t continue.
I don’t use it for longer delays than a minute or so.

[Steve_Nye]

Is that for all delays or for 1-n delays?

[ReneO]

yes that applies to all delays.

You can use a logic card and the app Chronograph. This timer will continue running after a restart.

Use the Logic card Calculate to generate a random nummer between 1-n:

and asign that number to a Chronograph timer:

With the IF card you can then start a flow:

[Steve_Nye]

Thanks this was very helpful.

Having input the random calculation though I can not get a number out of the equation, apologies I have only been using Homey for a short while.

I searched and found another example, which I incorporated for testing purposes and I managed to get that to work ok.

Do you type the calculation random or is it a tag?

Steve

[Steve_Nye]

I don’t quite know how but I managed to generate random numbers however it isn’t giving me the results I expected. I created a test routine to generate a random number between a range and then sent the result to my mobile. The routine is here:

The results are read from the bottom of this screenshot up showing the numbers generated. with the first number being signified by ‘Step 1’ and giving 45. In this case I thought I was going to generate a number between 1 and 15. Any views as to what I am doing wrong?

[Peter_Kawa]

One observation, you overwrite the variable “Delay” every second…

[Steve_Nye]

I send or process the message before I overwrite the delay variable, which I hoped would give it sufficient time to be used.

Or do I need to use a different variable each time but in that case why is the first attempt wrong?

[Peter_Kawa]

Oh, when the flow is only for tests, 1s delay should be more than enough.

The issue I didn’t spot before:
you omitted the comma as part of the random function; It should be entered between the start- and end values:

Results of starting this card a few times:

[Steve_Nye]

Thanks a lot really helpful.