Smart Actions is disappointing.

[Rogus]

Smart actions on my MAXX is a great concept but very disappointing for me.

I have one set up with multiple locations to silence the ringer when I arrive at one of the locations. I can be miles from any of those locations and the action is triggered.

I have another set up for sleep that turns off all data services for the night, yet at 3:45 am every night I get a notification that I have email. Why is it checking email at that time when data service is supposed to be turned off? Don’t know why it’s that particular time every night. I have nothing set to happen at that time.

On that same sleep action, I have it set to turn off Bluetooth which it does correctly, but when it deactivates at the programed time, it does not turn the Bluetooth back on. I have to manually toggle Bluetooth on every morning.

Perhaps I don’t understand how Smart Actions is supposed to work and can use some advice, but these problems seem to indicate that the program is not what it should be. If you’re considering getting the phone because of Smart Actions, you might want to know about these issues I’m having.

 

[StormyHeather]

I'm not as thrilled with the Smart Actions, either. I find that it is too restricted as to the actions that you can restrict or allow. It doesn't allow for the screen to stay on all the time, but for limited times when docked. I also stopped the sync actions during Sleep so that it won't DROID everytime it checks for email. I don't need to hear DROID at 3:45 a.m. to know that I've got mail.

 

[xxwabbit]

Have you tried using this thread as well?

Motorola Smart Actions Developer Team

 

[Rogus]

Have you tried using this thread as well?

Motorola Smart Actions Developer Team

I had run across that thread a while back and forgotten where I saw it. Thanks for the reminder. However, there's not a lot of info on that thread. I probably should've posted my messages there. I know some forums frown on posting the same message in different threads. So I hesitate to post the same message again even if it's more appropriate to be there. Can a moderator move my comment to there as I can't find a way to delete and start over in the Smart Actions thread?

 

[Trash Can]

You might have some conflicts within your Smart Actions. Check the Help Section (menu> help). Lots of good info there.

 

[jntdroid]

moved to Smart Actions section

make sure to check out the guidelines

Also, Smart Actions does have some limitations. As you noted, if you have a trigger to turn off Bluetooth for a timeframe, it can't turn it back on. You'll have to set a second trigger to turn it on when you want it.

I'm not sure what the issue is with your locations - that seems like it's not working right.

I'm hopeful Smart Actions will continue to update and develop into an even more robust system with more functionality...

 

[SLAYER6669]

Smart actions on my MAXX is a great concept but very disappointing for me.

I have one set up with multiple locations to silence the ringer when I arrive at one of the locations. I can be miles from any of those locations and the action is triggered.

I have another set up for sleep that turns off all data services for the night, yet at 3:45 am every night I get a notification that I have email. Why is it checking email at that time when data service is supposed to be turned off? Don’t know why it’s that particular time every night. I have nothing set to happen at that time.

On that same sleep action, I have it set to turn off Bluetooth which it does correctly, but when it deactivates at the programed time, it does not turn the Bluetooth back on. I have to manually toggle Bluetooth on every morning.

Perhaps I don’t understand how Smart Actions is supposed to work and can use some advice, but these problems seem to indicate that the program is not what it should be. If you’re considering getting the phone because of Smart Actions, you might want to know about these issues I’m having.

Did you set up the sleep trigger to turn off the "Background Sync" as an action? That would stop the email from syncing.. The location triggers use WIFI to determine location which tends to be a fairly wide range of distance from the actual location in my experience but I don't know about being "miles" away.. Usually kicks on for me within a mile or less but I can't say for sure..

I have Bluetooth toggled ON with no smart actions active, then I have a Home smart action triggered by connection to my home WIFI which shuts off bluetooth. Once I leave the house and it disconnects from my wifi, it usually reverts back to being on and then I turn on my car and it connects to bluetooth which triggers my Car smart action. Occasionally I will get in the car and it never connects and then I check and find bluetooth off because it never reversed the state of bluetooth after the smart action was deactivated. Seems like there is some glitch that causes it not to kick back on at times.

moved to Smart Actions section

make sure to check out the guidelines

Also, Smart Actions does have some limitations. As you noted, if you have a trigger to turn off Bluetooth for a timeframe, it can't turn it back on. You'll have to set a second trigger to turn it on when you want it.

I'm not sure what the issue is with your locations - that seems like it's not working right.

I'm hopeful Smart Actions will continue to update and develop into an even more robust system with more functionality...

If bluetooth is toggled ON when there are no smart actions active, and then a smart action is triggered with an action to turn it off, once that smart action is deactivated, then it should revert back to bluetooth being on again (same state bluetooth was in prior to the smart action being triggered).

 

[Rogus]

Did you set up the sleep trigger to turn off the "Background Sync" as an action? That would stop the email from syncing.. The location triggers use WIFI to determine location which tends to be a fairly wide range of distance from the actual location in my experience but I don't know about being "miles" away.. Usually kicks on for me within a mile or less but I can't say for sure..

I have had issues with bluetooth not turning itself back on after a smart action profile is deactivated myself. I have it toggled ON with no smart actions active.



If bluetooth is toggled ON when there are no smart actions active, and then a smart action is triggered with an action to turn it off, once that smart action is deactivated, then it should revert back to bluetooth being on again (same state bluetooth was in prior to the smart action being triggered).

Yes, the actions set up for the sleep trigger are Ringer Volume silent, VIP Caller Mode, Cellular Data disable, GPS off, Bluetooth off, and Background Sync off. With these settings I get an email notifciation at 3:45 am every night that I have email. I think somebody else mentioned getting an email notifcations at that same time 3:45 AM. If so, then I know it's a Smart Action issue and not specific to me. Though I haven't seen it mentioend by anybody else.

RE: the Bluetooth. Somebody else on this thread said that Smart Actions will not turn back on Bluetooth after deactivating it. I agree it should do so, but that's not what's happening according to my experience and the other comment. Smart actions turns on everything else. Why not Bluetooth?

I only have two Smart Actions set up. They don't conflict with each other.

The location trigger went off last night related to a location that was at least 60 miles away. It works well enough when I'm truly at the locations set, but it does keep sometimes get triggered when I'm miles away from one of them.

 

[SLAYER6669]

Yes, the actions set up for the sleep trigger are Ringer Volume silent, VIP Caller Mode, Cellular Data disable, GPS off, Bluetooth off, and Background Sync off. With these settings I get an email notifciation at 3:45 am every night that I have email. I think somebody else mentioned getting an email notifcations at that same time 3:45 AM. If so, then I know it's a Smart Action issue and not specific to me. Though I haven't seen it mentioend by anybody else.

RE: the Bluetooth. Somebody else on this thread said that Smart Actions will not turn back on Bluetooth after deactivating it. I agree it should do so, but that's not what's happening according to my experience and the other comment. Smart actions turns on everything else. Why not Bluetooth?

I only have two Smart Actions set up. They don't conflict with each other.

The location trigger went off last night related to a location that was at least 60 miles away. It works well enough when I'm truly at the locations set, but it does keep sometimes get triggered when I'm miles away from one of them.

Some strange issues going on there. I can't really comment on the email issue any further since I don't have anything set to sync automatically within each app. I check stuff manually when I want to so I don't get those types of notifications at all. I figured you possibly just had the Cellular Data disabled and not the Background Sync (was worth a shot!)

My Bluetooth is almost always reverted to being on again after I disconnect from my WIFI and my Home Smart action is disabled.

 

[Smart_Actions]

Hi Rogus,
Your Smart Actions sounds messed up. Here are some suggestions to fix, I've posted this on other threads with good success.

First check to see if your on the latest version*2.1.2.0.

Fix your locations - try deleting then recapturing again. Go to Smart Actions homescreen > menu > my profile > locations. Press + hold select delete. I recommend testing with one location first, if that works use the same approach for all your other locations.

Fix your rule - try deleting the rule, recreate it, then test.

If that doesn't fix your issues, you can always clear the cache, but this is much more aggressive and you will lose your custom rules.*
"Clear Data" by going to Settings>Applications>Manage applications and tap on the SmartActions app.*

I have never heard about the 3:45am issue before. This is something I will investigate.

If you're still having problems just let me know, I have these issues written down and will bring back to the team.

 

[Rogus]

I've been out of town and just now am seeing this advice. Thank you. I will look further into it once I get caught up.

 

[Rogus]

Just to follow up. I deleted my Smart Actions and reprogramed them. Still had issues with location triggers and decided it just wasn't going to work correctly for one of my Smart Actions. I set it up exactly the same without the location trigger having to manually trigger it and it now works perfectly.

The 3:45 AM wake up was being caused by another app for my business. It was nice to figure out what was causing the sound to be turned back on. What is interesting, at least to me, is that the manually triggered Smart Actions d0es not allow this app to activate the sound, but the location triggered Smart Actions allowed it to turn on the sound at 3:45.

 

[Rogus]

Have experimented a bit more with a location triggered smart action. I set up a location trigger with only one location. Being at that location means I'm in a meeting and I set the Action to Silence the Ringer Volume. Today I was at that location and the trigger didn't work until I entered the Smart Actions program to find out why it wasn't working. It then didn't turn off the smart action when I left the location. I was at least 2 miles away and the smart action was still active. Eventually it turned off, but seems to me it should've deactivated much sooner. I also found that this same smart action activated itself later in the day even though I was not within a mile of the location. So, is the location trigger plus or minus a certain amount of distance, i.e. one or two miles? If so, it's pretty useless to me.

 

[Rogus]

So, is the location trigger plus or minus a certain amount of distance, i.e. one or two miles?

Still hoping for a response to this question. If SA location triggers are only good to plus/minus a certain distance, then I will stop trying to get my trigger to work differently if my trigger is going off within that distance.

 

[Smart_Actions]

We are actually investigating the location issue and why it's not being triggered. I have read similar issues on other threads.
One note, Wifi is captured in random intervals so identification of a location may not occur immediately in every case. This technique is used to preserve battery life. Have you tried waiting a few minutes if the location has been triggered? The radius of the location is very accurate so that shouldn't be the issue.
The only other thing may be if there are few wifi access points or in fringe coverage (on the edge of wifi signal).