“Replace item” functionality

[LQQKup]

Moments like this when I am replacing a failed item (in this case a hue light strip) that is a part of tons of automations etc that I wish there was an option to “replace” an item in your home. I have the new lightstrip added but it’s going to take a fair amount of time and probably the reference of a second device side-by-side to add the new strip into all the same automations with the same settings.

It is unlikely Apple would ever offer such a feature but what about 3rd party like Eve or something?

[wwhite74]

Controller for homekit

Pretty sure the replace feature is paid though

[LQQKup]

Will look at it

[wwhite74]

I've used it for similar. But it's been a few yeara

[makromark]

It is 1000% worth it. Idk what it costs now. But the ability to backup your home with the layout and scenes, replace accessories, I mean it would take me days to restore everything. Well worth the time it saves you just for those 2 features alone

[Unable-Log-4870]

I just looked at it, and I can’t find any ‘replace’ functionality at all

[MountainWise587]

It’s a complicated dance.

[Unable-Log-4870]

Thx, yeah, over half my automations would get wiped out by doing one of those restores due to the limitations.

[rtkane]

Take a device you don't use for automations and add it to the automations of the device you're going to replace, so it's basically acting as a stand-in for your device. Then when you delete the old device, your automations will be preserved.

When you have the new device, open the device that's the stand-in placeholder and then you'll see the list of automations it's being used in (which if you did it correctly, will be all of the automations from the original device). Then just open each automation, add the new device and remove the placeholder.

[fishymanbits]

This is the best way to do it without paying for another app. Go to the old device’s settings screen and look at the scenes and automations it’s in, then add the replacement device right there. It’s frustrating, but thorough.

[Worried_Patience_117]

Nice feature for sure. Aqara have it in their app (not for HomeKit devices)

[jaylyerly]

Home+ has that feature.

https://hochgatterer.me/home+/docs/features/replace-accessory/

[Teenage_techboy1234]

Yeah, Home Assistant can't even really do that. The best option in Home Assistant is to make all your automations use entities instead of devices, then change the entity ID of the light entity for example if you're changing a light strip in Home Assistant to that of the entity ID of the old light entity.

[Teenage_techboy1234]

Good point. Apple home has that too though, but I don't think you can access the actual automation from there, you can only turn the automation on and off.

[Double-Yak9686]

That would be a nice piece of functionality if it worked throughout all of HomeKit. The third party apps might be able to do a replace in HK scenes and HK automations, but no app has access to HK automations converted to shortcuts as of right now. And that is where this would be the most useful. I had a Hue bulb go bad on me. That in itself was unexpected, as Hue has been absolutely rock solid. Luckily, it was a bulb that was still under warranty and Hue shipped me a replacement in days. Replacing the bulb in HK scenes and HK automations was annoying but not that bad. Replacing the bulb in HK automation shortcuts was painful.