Automagic Premium and Model S

[Andyw2100]

I had started a thread a few days ago to discuss automation in the Model S using IFTTT.

IFTTT and Model S

I have since learned that IFTTT is more limited than I initially expected, but that there is other software out there, at least for android, which allows for some very useful things to be done. Tasker may be the best known app in this class of software, but I found that app quite unintuitive, and not well documented. After struggling with it for a while, I switched to Automagic Premium, and have been really happy with it. As a non-programmer I am finding it really user-friendly, and pretty intuitive.

So in this thread I'd like to discuss that app, and what we can do with it in our cars.

So far, I have written two main "flows", and a third to basically initiate them. The third is very simple. It is always monitoring for my phone to connect to my Model S via bluetooth, and when it does, it enables the other two flows, which prevents them from running when I don't want them to be running, since they are both designed to run when I'm in the car.

The first of the other two flows is designed to help me not forget my phone in the car. It starts when the bluetooth disconnects from the phone, and then uses the AutoLocation plugin for Tasker to monitor for motion. If it finds the phone moving, it quits, as that would mean I have taken my phone with me. If it finds the phone motionless or "STILL" as the condition is called in the app, it starts a different process. It turns on the screen and plays an alert for a while, so if I've just left the car, I may still see or hear it. If I don't respond by silencing the alert within 45 seconds, it sends a text message to my wife, telling her I've left my phone in the car, and it also sends me an e-mail message. These things would help if I am with my wife, if I've left the phone in the car while parking at home, or if I'm not with my wife, but she knows where I am and that I am with someone that she can reach by phone. It won't help in all situations, but it will help in a lot of them.

The other flow I wrote offers to read me incoming SMS messages while I'm in the car. It announces the message and who sent it, and pops up a screen allowing me to tap yes to have the message read to me or no, to exit the flow. If I have had the message read to me, it then pops up another screen with the option to replay the message or not.

Having played with this app for just a couple of days I can already see that it has tremendous potential to allow us to do all sorts of things.

So...is anyone else using Automagic Premium?

 

[EVenthusiast]

Very cool thread. Advanced Tasker user here, but switched to AutoMagic several months ago, and it's just as good, if not better.

No Tesla (yet), but if anyone needs help, post!

I don't use the AutoLocation plugin, it's a battery/performance killer for me.

Also check out FLIC buttons, very useful for automation within a vehicle.

 

[Andyw2100]

I don't use the AutoLocation plugin, it's a battery/performance killer for me.

Also check out FLIC buttons, very useful for automation within a vehicle.

I'm interested in your thoughts on the AutoLocation plugin and power usage.

I've been trying to pay attention to how much more power may be being used, but it's pretty hard to gauge. I think, though, that perhaps the way I am using the plugin the additional power usage should be trivial. I'll tell you what I'm doing, and then you can let me know what you think.

I use one flow to monitor for when I connect to the car via bluetooth. When I do, that flow enables the other two flows.

The only flow that uses AutoLocation is the one that I am using to determine if I've left my phone in the car. That flow doesn't trigger until bluetooth disconnects. One of the first things it does then is activate location monitoring in AutoLocation. This is going to be active for at most a minute before the flow ends, and before the flow ends it stops the AutoLocation activity monitoring.

So unless AutoLocation is using power when it's not actually monitoring, I don't think I should be using a lot of power. Interested in your thoughts.

I googled "FLIC" but didn't find anything that shed any light on what you meant. Fault Location Indicating Console? Forward Looking Infrared Camera? Could you elaborate just a bit?

Thanks!

 

[zro ltr]

I have about two hours total experience with IFTTT, but I found it pretty limited as well. I just installed the evaluation version of Automagic, and the first impression is good. I'm excited to see what can be done with it. So far, all I've done is make it launch Waze upon connecting to my car via Bluetooth. It took about 30 seconds to put the flow together.

Edit: I also managed to get it to close Waze (inelegantly) when it disconnects from the car's Bluetooth and (equally inelegantly) turn on climate control at a specified time. I'm definitely going to get the full version.

 

[joaquinsfy]

I'm interested in your thoughts on the AutoLocation plugin and power usage.

I've been trying to pay attention to how much more power may be being used, but it's pretty hard to gauge. I think, though, that perhaps the way I am using the plugin the additional power usage should be trivial. I'll tell you what I'm doing, and then you can let me know what you think.

I use one flow to monitor for when I connect to the car via bluetooth. When I do, that flow enables the other two flows.

The only flow that uses AutoLocation is the one that I am using to determine if I've left my phone in the car. That flow doesn't trigger until bluetooth disconnects. One of the first things it does then is activate location monitoring in AutoLocation. This is going to be active for at most a minute before the flow ends, and before the flow ends it stops the AutoLocation activity monitoring.

So unless AutoLocation is using power when it's not actually monitoring, I don't think I should be using a lot of power. Interested in your thoughts.

I googled "FLIC" but didn't find anything that shed any light on what you meant. Fault Location Indicating Console? Forward Looking Infrared Camera? Could you elaborate just a bit?

Thanks!

Flic: The Wireless Smart Button

 

[Andyw2100]

Flic: The Wireless Smart Button

Thanks.

Now I'm really wondering what kinds of interesting things EVEnthusiast is suggesting could be done with the Flic buttons, AutoMagic, and the Model S. (I did check out some info on Flic, and saw some of their examples.)

I'm also wondering about the possibility of using NFC and an NFC tag to identify when the phone is left in the car. I don't know much about NFC, so I don't know if AutoMagic could have a condition in a flow just check to see if an NFC tag is nearby or not, etc. I might even be able to place an NFC sticker on the inside of the mount I use in the car, but I don't know if that location is the correct location for NFC connections.

 

[EVenthusiast]

Sorry for the delayed response, things have been hectic.

I think you should be ok with power. The only glitch I encountered was that it didn't switch modes properly, so it kept accessing GPS fulltime. It probably isn't an issue anymore (I've since upgraded to another phone with Marshmallow).

I've yet to find any major issues with AM, so I think you'll like it.

The Flic button is interesting (and expensive now). I use it to silence recurring reminders (which trigger when I missed a call, SMS, e-mail, event, etc.) without having to touch the phone, but also to control lighting at home etc.

I'm currently working on the vehicle profiles, and while I've most of my stuff automated, including music playback, I do have it configured to send out a Glympse to my wife, read most recent 'event' (SMS, call info etc), and a few other things. Also thinking about single-touch dialing for my wife's vehicle, so she can keep her phone in her purse, and use it to trigger Google Now voice recognition.

Also working on starting vehicle preconditioning (I'll hide one in the bathroom cabinet, so I can start this process right after getting out of the shower), and a few other home automation related things.

 

[ArcticSun]

I want Alexa integration as well...

 

[Allante]

Can someone explain how to get my Tesla's battery SOC to display on my Android Wear watch? Should I use Tasker or Automagic, or something else?