Trigger

This document explains the trigger blocks in Flow.

Overview

In automation Flows, trigger nodes define the starting conditions of a process and serve as the entry point to activate the entire automation. Only when the trigger node listens to a specific event (such as a device state change, schedule, manual operation, or alarm event) will subsequent condition checks and actions be executed. By configuring different types of trigger nodes, you can flexibly implement automatic responses for various scenarios to meet diverse automation needs.

In Flow, the following can be used as triggers, serving as the starting point of a process:

• Device: Triggers the process when listening for device events or state changes
• Manual Trigger: Triggers the process through manual operation
• Schedule: Scheduled trigger at specified times or periods
• Variable Trigger: Triggers the process when listening for variable changes

Device

Device-based trigger blocks allow you to listen for device events or state changes, serving as the starting point of an automation process. When the selected device undergoes a specified event (such as a switch being pressed) or enters a particular state (such as value change or status change), the process is activated to execute subsequent conditions and actions.

By configuring the device and its supported events or states, you can flexibly define auto-response trigger conditions. For example: when someone enters a room, when temperature or humidity exceeds thresholds, when a light is turned on manually, etc.—all can use device-based trigger blocks to initiate the automation process.

You can select multiple events/states of different devices to monitor, meeting various automation needs.

How to Use

1. In the left sidebar of the canvas, click the + button. Under Trigger, select Device. Then select the device you want to monitor from the device list.

2. Next, you will see a list of available blocks for this device, which are readable function points for the device. Click the required block to add it to the canvas.

3. Click the first parameter on the block to choose the specific condition to listen for (such as equal, not equal, greater than, less than, etc.).

   tip

   The available conditions for device function points vary by type. For example, switch types usually support "equal" and "not equal", whereas numeric types may offer "greater than" and "less than" as well.

   Click the second parameter to specify the target value to monitor.

   By clicking the second parameter, you can further specify the value target to be monitored.

4. After completing the above configuration, you can connect this with Condition Blocks and Action Blocks.

Manual Trigger

Manual trigger is a type of trigger initiated by the user to start a process. You can use the Manual Trigger block when there is a need to manually start an automation, or for immediate triggering during the testing and debugging of a flow.

How to Use

1. In the left sidebar of the canvas, click the + button. Under Trigger, select Manual. Then click Manual Trigger to add the block to the canvas.

2. Connect the Manual Trigger block with Condition Blocks and Action Blocks.

3. Click the icon on the Manual Trigger block to test the Flow.

   At this point, the border color of the Flow will gradually change from gray to blue, indicating the process is running.

   When the manual trigger has completed successfully, a prompt will pop up on the interface, indicating that the process has finished executing.

Schedule

Time-based trigger blocks mainly include Periodic Trigger, Scheduled Trigger, and Interval Trigger, which can be used to meet the automation scheduling needs of different scenarios.

Type	Applicable Scenario Description	Example
Periodic Trigger	Automatically executes the flow at a specific time according to a set period (such as daily, weekly, specified weekdays, etc.)	Turn on the lights at 7:00 every day
Scheduled Trigger	Executes the flow only once at a specified date and time	Open curtains at 2024/07/01 08:00
Interval Trigger	Repeats the execution of the flow at fixed intervals	Turn on the lights every 10 minutes

In addition, these time trigger blocks support a variety of parameter settings such as custom periods, designated times, and selecting time points based on sunrise or sunset (supporting manual latitude/longitude input), helping you precisely control when your automation runs. By combining them flexibly, you can easily achieve complex scheduled linkage management and make smart devices better fit actual life and work needs.

How to Use

1. In the left sidebar of the canvas, click the + button. Under Trigger, select Schedule. Click any block to add it to the canvas.
2. Configure the parameters:
   • For Periodic Trigger:
     • Select the first parameter on the block to choose the days of the week on which the trigger should occur.
     • Select the second parameter “Trigger Time” on the block. You can set it as a specific time, or choose a time relative to sunrise or sunset (such as before/after sunrise or sunset). For details, see Time Types.
   • For Scheduled Trigger:
     • Select the first parameter on the block to specify the exact date for the trigger.
     • Select the second parameter “Trigger Time” on the block. For details, see Time Types.
   • For Interval Trigger:
     Select the time interval parameter on the block, which indicates how often the flow will be triggered.
3. Connect the above blocks with Condition Blocks and Action Blocks.

Time Types

Aqara Studio supports three types of times when configuring trigger times: Specified Time, Sunrise/Sunset Time, or Relative to Sunrise/Sunset.

The descriptions are as follows:

Time Type	Description
Specified Time	Set a specific time in 24-hour format for precise control over the trigger moment.
Sunrise/Sunset Time	You need to provide the latitude and longitude of your location. Rules: North latitude and east longitude are positive numbers (e.g., 35.0 means 35.0° N) South latitude and west longitude are negative numbers (e.g., -120.0 means 120.0° W) Once set, Aqara Studio will automatically obtain the local sunrise and sunset times.
Before/After Sunrise/Sunset	Enter the latitude and longitude as well as the desired relative time interval (e.g., 15 minutes) to enable more flexible time control.

Variable Trigger

In automation workflows, the variable trigger is used to sense and respond to changes in variables within the system, enabling dynamic and intelligent process control. The system supports monitoring three types of variables: global variable, local variable, and device variable.

tip

Device variable: Refers to data points on specific devices, such as sensor values, switch status, etc.

The variable trigger allows your automation processes to be more flexible and is suitable for a wide range of complex and dynamic scenarios.

Prerequisites

Before using this block, please make sure you have created a variable or integrated a device.

How to Use

1. In the left sidebar of the canvas, click the + button. Under Trigger, select Variable. Then click Variable Trigger to add this block to the canvas.
2. For the first parameter on the block, select a global variable, local variable, or device variable. When this variable updates, the automation flow will be triggered.
3. Connect the block with Condition Blocks and Action Blocks.