# Creating a Virtual Drop Down List **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [January 8, 2026, 11:08am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812 "2026-01-08T11:08:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 11:08am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/1 "2026-01-08T11:08:07Z")
Is it possible to create a variable or virtual device with a drop down list/input that only allows a pre-defined set of options? Is there a way that variables can be displayed on the Home Screen as a favourite? I am trying to set a variable or device against which I can test the current period in the day to be used by flows. ---
**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 11:17am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/2 "2026-01-08T11:17:22Z")
If you create a Homey app, you can create a device with a selector (enum type custom capability) > **[Capabilities | Homey Apps SDK](https://apps.developer.homey.app/the-basics/devices/capabilities)** > > A capability is a programmatic representation of a device's state. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 11:50am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/3 "2026-01-08T11:50:18Z")
Thanks a this looks a little beyond my technical capabilites. ---
**Author:** ![dsdevries](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/dsdevries/32/80220_2.png) [@dsdevries](https://community.homey.app/u/dsdevries)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/4 "2026-01-08T12:28:05Z")
luckily, someone else already did this for you 😉: > **[Virtual Devices | Homey](https://homey.app/en-us/app/com.arjankranenburg.virtual/Virtual-Devices/)** > > Virtual Devices to simulate 1 or more real devices ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/5 "2026-01-08T12:47:41Z")
Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Draper](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/jonathan_draper/32/33978_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Draper](https://community.homey.app/u/Jonathan_Draper)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/6 "2026-01-08T13:15:58Z")
To save you some time, that app doesn’t allow you to solve the thing you were asking for. It doesn’t let you create a device with a selector with arbitrary options that you define. Best you could do is create a virtual device of some existing type and then give it one of the existing [standard built-in capabilites](https://apps-sdk-v3.developer.homey.app/tutorial-device-capabilities.html) which happens to be an enum (like Thermostat mode which can be Heat, Cool, Off etc). There is another app which gets slightly closer which is called [Device Capabilities | Homey](https://homey.app/en-us/app/nl.qluster-it.DeviceCapabilities/Device-Capabilities/) which allows you to create an Advanced Virtual Device. It’s more complex but you can add an arbitrary drop-down list capability to a virtual device. Snag is you still have a limited choice of “sets of menu items” that the drop-down list will offer. See below. ![Screenshot 2026-01-08 at 13.10.13](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/1/9139226c4ebec8f42ce9d024f137793c63eae900.jpeg) EDIT: There’s a new app called [FlowBits | Homey](https://homey.app/en-us/app/com.basmilius.flowbits/FlowBits/) which has support for modes and looks to explicitly support day periods which is the use case you were asking for. I’ve not tried it yet so can’t be sure how well it would meet your needs but worth checking out as it looks way simpler than the above options. ---
**Author:** ![smarthomesven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/smarthomesven/32/79712_2.png) [@smarthomesven](https://community.homey.app/u/smarthomesven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 1:43pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/7 "2026-01-08T13:43:06Z")
What options do you need in the list? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/8 "2026-01-08T14:26:00Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Draper](#): > > [FlowBits | Homey](https://homey.app/en-us/app/com.basmilius.flowbits/FlowBits/) I have a couple of lists I normally use for Day Period it is normally dawn, day, dusk and dream For Special Events it is Birthday, Xmas day, Xmas lead up, New Year, New Year’s Day, Valentines, plus a few others ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Nye](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/steve_nye/32/123396_2.png) [@Steve\_Nye](https://community.homey.app/u/Steve_Nye)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/9 "2026-01-08T14:27:02Z")
Thank you for this I am looking to see how I can use. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/creating-a-virtual-drop-down-list/148812/10 "2026-01-08T20:21:11Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Draper](#): > > Snag is you still have a limited choice of “sets of menu items” that the drop-down list will offer. No, it’s possible to request your own list(s), these will be added to the list in your screenshot. Only the dev can add it to the app, which is dictated by Athom unfortunately. This info is a bit splattered over the AVD topic > [@\[APP\]\[Pro\] Advanced Virtual Device (Device Capabilities App) with Unique Text Status Indicator](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/2): > > How to request a custom picker? Goto the topic for it: [Request custom picker for Advanced Virtual Devices from the Device Capabilities App - Homey Community Forum](https://community.homey.app/t/request-custom-picker-for-advanced-virtual-devices-from-the-device-capabilities-app/79440/3)