Return an error when executing a flow

Hello!

I would like to return an error when i execute a flow manually on my phone. Is there a good way other than creating a log message or send a push notification (which does not support the current user)?

I am tracking if my baby is sleeping so i added flows for “baby is now sleeping” and “baby is now awake”. When setting the new sleep status i wanna check if the status isnt already active and return an error otherwise.

Some thoughts.

You could create a Yes/No variable to track the awake state of your baby (e.g. ‘Baby Awake’). You the set this variable to Yes in the awake flow, and No in the sleep flow. Further in both flows you start off by checking this variable to determine whether the state is already active using an AND logic card. If the state is already active than you can send yourself a push message or add a timeline entry.

Another option would be to create a virtual device (e.g. via the Device Capabilities app), that shows the current status on the virtual devices tile. Your two flows then need to update the status in the virtual device.

Yes, thats what im already doing. I dropped the sleep state variable tho, cause Homey already has a sleep state for users, so i created a user for my son.

Timeline and push notification were already tested but they dont provide an immediate error message. Push kinda does but the problem here is, that the card for push notifications only allows the message send to all or a certain person. I would need something like “current user”, for example when my wife activates the flow.

Hi Milaan,

One simple way is to use a virtual device as the status indicator. Before changing the sleep state, your flow can check the virtual device’s current status. If it’s already set (e.g., already “sleeping”), you can stop the flow using a logic condition and maybe trigger a small alert like blinking a light or playing a sound as feedback.

It’s not a direct error, but it gives an immediate signal to the person running the flow.