It is quite easy to control your Hue lights using the Hue API. I use the Phue Python library. This library makes it easy to
control your lights. Besides the standard on/off, you'll be able to easily group your lights and control them without having to rely
on a "scene" or picture.
#replace "IP HERE" with the IP of your bridge. Leave the single quotes as is.
IP = 'IP HERE'
b = Bridge(IP)
#test command. Gets the info for light number 3. Prints the details
test = b.get_light(3)
print (test)
#additional command examples:
#uncomment out and change to test. I'd recommend commenting out the "test = ..." and "print..." statements above if you do so.
#Creates group 'All'.
#b.create_group('All',[1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30])
#Tun of lights 10 and 28
#b.set_light([10,28], 'on', False)
#create group 'lights', ID number '5', using lights 2,5,6,7,12,28
#b.set_group(5, 'lights',[2,5,6,7,12,28])
#get information for group ID 4
#test = b.get_group(4)
#turn on the all lights in group 1
#b.set_group(1, 'on', True)
#sleep one second.
#time.sleep(1)
#Set multiple values at one time:
#the command that will be executed is 'command_on2' in this case.
#sets transition time to 0, turns the light on, and sets brightness to 125
#command_on2 = {'transitiontime' : 0, 'on' : True, 'bri' : 125}
#executing the command:
#b.set_light(30, command_on2)
#Multiple value example with color:
#sets transition time to 0, turns lights on, sets color to a specific color.
#command_on2 = {'transitiontime' : 0, 'on' : True, 'xy' : [0.1768, 0.0557], 'sat' : 243, 'hue' : 47050}
#the command is run for group ID 5
#b.set_group(5, command_on2)