> How do you know if it should open or close the garage?
I just have the automation to open when I arrive home and to close when I leave home. Arrive and leave are built-in HomeKit triggers for automations.
> Does it open when you start the car?
Nope, for that I press the button on the wall inside my garage as I'm walking to my car. I want the garage door open before I start the car.
> How quickly does it open the garage when you get home?
Based on using "when I arrive home" the door opens when I'm about 30 seconds away, maybe 500 yards? HomeKit also has location based triggers where you can draw the circle different sizes. I just used the canned "arrive home" and "leave home" triggers.
> That said, CarPlay gives me a button to open/close the garage (which I have linked via Homebridge to my garage door opener, works 70% of the time).
The point of this was to avoid interaction, otherwise I'd use the button on my rear-view mirror which on my Mazda is more accessible than the CarPlay button on the Mazda display.
> I’d be very interested to see the actual code of this
I've got a pair of dummy switches in Homebridge:
1. "Phone CarPlay Status"
2. "Garage Door Trigger"
I have two personal automations (via the Shortcuts app) on my iPhone:
1. When CarPlay connects -> Set "Phone CarPlay Status" to On
2. When CarPlay disconnects -> Set "Phone CarPlay Status" to Off.
I have the following HomeKit automations:
1. When I Arrive Home and Phone CarPlay Status is On, set Garage Door Trigger to On.
2. When I Leave Home and Phone CarPlay Status is On, set Garage Door Trigger to Off.
3. When Garage Door Trigger Turns On set Garage Door Target Door State Open
4. When Garage Door Trigger Turns Off set Garage Door Target Door State Closed.
The last two automations (3) and (4) are needed because a door is a secure accessory and those require confirmation if added directly to an automation. But if you trigger them via a dummy switch, you can avoid the confirmation.
I used the Meross Garage Door Opener to make my 2004 Wayne Dalton openers HomeKit aware. I'm running a pair of garage doors off of it actually.
I just have the automation to open when I arrive home and to close when I leave home. Arrive and leave are built-in HomeKit triggers for automations.
> Does it open when you start the car?
Nope, for that I press the button on the wall inside my garage as I'm walking to my car. I want the garage door open before I start the car.
> How quickly does it open the garage when you get home?
Based on using "when I arrive home" the door opens when I'm about 30 seconds away, maybe 500 yards? HomeKit also has location based triggers where you can draw the circle different sizes. I just used the canned "arrive home" and "leave home" triggers.
> That said, CarPlay gives me a button to open/close the garage (which I have linked via Homebridge to my garage door opener, works 70% of the time).
The point of this was to avoid interaction, otherwise I'd use the button on my rear-view mirror which on my Mazda is more accessible than the CarPlay button on the Mazda display.
> I’d be very interested to see the actual code of this
I've got a pair of dummy switches in Homebridge:
1. "Phone CarPlay Status"
2. "Garage Door Trigger"
I have two personal automations (via the Shortcuts app) on my iPhone:
1. When CarPlay connects -> Set "Phone CarPlay Status" to On
2. When CarPlay disconnects -> Set "Phone CarPlay Status" to Off.
I have the following HomeKit automations:
1. When I Arrive Home and Phone CarPlay Status is On, set Garage Door Trigger to On.
2. When I Leave Home and Phone CarPlay Status is On, set Garage Door Trigger to Off.
3. When Garage Door Trigger Turns On set Garage Door Target Door State Open
4. When Garage Door Trigger Turns Off set Garage Door Target Door State Closed.
The last two automations (3) and (4) are needed because a door is a secure accessory and those require confirmation if added directly to an automation. But if you trigger them via a dummy switch, you can avoid the confirmation.
I used the Meross Garage Door Opener to make my 2004 Wayne Dalton openers HomeKit aware. I'm running a pair of garage doors off of it actually.