sjenkins

I would be curious what it looks like after an ac reboot.

I will likely move to a json string holding those variables. btw: : ip, login, and password are holdovers from pg2. They should not be required & looking at the program are not used.

@paulbates , I think the instructions have opportunities, as you have found out. think of the variable name just as a key field. Just needs to be a unique number, has nothing to do with your variables in your ISY. No mapping there. unfortunately the name is just the device type. I would like to add better naming from the plugin. You can rename it to anything you want in the ISY. I keep the number id in the name so I can keep the link. hope this helps.

@tazman , I must apologise, I was testing things out with a number of different starting settings in my local version. It must have been late when I pushed the Beta. Cleaned that up now. As the only changes that I was 'attempting' to make was refactoring, the only testing requested is that it works the same as the old version. Next step will be to start making modifications. Appreciate the feedback & if anyone has any old bugs or new feature requests.

I would say the best is to play around a bit with it. Put a virtual in a scene too. agree you can do it all with programs; this does simplify & make more readable. And we can add more devices if their behaviours are stable.

@paulbates , I do agree, some plugins are obvious ; my other plugin is an interface to HunterDouglas shades, pretty obvious ; this one on the other hand may be at the other end of the scale as I think of it more like a basic tool. So here I my attempt at at a 10k ft description of the Virtual plugin: The Virtual plugin is one way to take data from external sources and in turn use these nodes of data more effectively. The nodes become devices from which status and control are possible in programs & as an included device in scenes. It as well as cleaner display in the AC and Remote tools. I use REST to switch a virtual device from an 8266 device. My Awning controller & heartbeat from Alexa I switch a virtual device. The status of my daughter's goodnight routine. the above devices can be part of scenes or programs both status and control these devices are one way to provide scene status if you make them part of a scene virtual devices can be used to consolidate data. The temp devices, & I am looking to add a garage device. Hopefully this helps. Appreciate the question as it made me think and articulate a few things. I will likely add the above to improve the docs. Remember the above is only from my view of this generic tool plugin. I would appreciate for others to chirp in their thoughts and use cases.

**** Update, I have started to work on v3.1.x adding features. My plan is to push to production v3.0.1 (no new features, just rewrite) and use the beta channel for testing the new features. I am not hearing of any continuing v3.01 issues so we shouldn't break anything with this. Beta now has v3.1.0 with some doc changes, will update as features are added Just be aware for those who continue to follow the beta path! As I do this there may be some one-time disruption to the crowd requiring delete and reinstall rather than update. Has to do with the UID numbers are currently different from production & (beta / my local) due to when I got control of the production. Apologies for this, but I need to rip the bandaid off at some point or it will make switching between them a pain forever. Hi users of Virtual I have been using this plugin for a number of years and appreciated the 'glue' it has provided to some of by automations. A few weeks ago I asked for & received permission to take on stewardship of it from @bpwwer , thanks Bob for all you do! I have done a rewrite, putting it in the 'standard' template ; this will make it easier to maintain, add new devices and features. It is published it in the beta store starting with version 3.0.1 , no new features as of yet. So with this message, I am asking for the brave to test the beta & also to put into this thread any past, or current bugs in the plugin, as well as feature requests. I will fix the quickies & the others can kick around & prioritise development. My current list: bug-list will take priority (I don't have any but looking at the forum there may be some past complaints) In addition to current node method, allow a JSON list and/or YAML files (makes it easier to re-install or back-up) I re-name my nodes in ISY from the way they are defined in the plugin. A name should be able to be defined from the node & updated if changed in the ISY (again easier to maintain) may use Discover button to force re-examination of the above two. Not sure in this plugin if any other 'true' discovery as parameter changes should update on their own unless from file new device for garage door opener (I want this) documentation improvements - Temp device improvements The average calculation is a bit rudimentary, just high-low / 2 not hearing any great demand for change here cleaning up the code ; it has some relics hanging around adding the ability to handle variables with precision other than zero would be good too strike for now based on feedback - HERE IS WHERE YOU ADD IDEAS Stephen

This is solved as of version 0.40 of the MQTT plugin

Hi @EWhite, chugging through the issues list and am digging into them one by one. just played around on my test system with the iFan. it seems to be generating no matter where it is in the devlist as well it is interacting with the mqtt server writing and reading. Wanted to check with you and see if the issue is still happening on your system

Good news; you had me for a moment. Took me a while to unwind that one. The editor profile file was messed up for s31. Anytime the profile files are changed restarting the AC needs to be done.

The devlist is what you put in the config screen. The logs you can download from the log tab. both tabs are in the mqtt screen of pg3.

@SSamuels, would you mind sharing a copy of your devlist or devfile and the debug.log file? either here or dm is fine

@maxnorth Pushed version 0.40.1 to non-production store 'mqtt-poly' not 'mqtt' variables are available to programs now

Take a look at the edits at the top of this thread & then install from the beta (non-production) store The one you want is mqtt-poly. ** not mqtt We are using the above beta as the alpha .... if that makes sense to you. Give it a test and respond with feedback so we can move it forward.

for those watching here, potential solves for this are in the beta (non-production) store. mqtt-poly NOT mqtt If @SamM verifies he is satisfied, we will call this solved, or take another run at it.

Just putting out there a feature which you may not be aware of which was added recently. The heartbeat feature is part of the UD Template so I won't take credit for it, but many don't seem to be aware of it. Below is an example of the program you would want to have to take advantage of it or something similar. I use this in all my plugins, as well of course devices which offer heartbeat signalling. Heartbeat MQTT - [ID 00CB][Parent 0028] If 'MQTT' is switched On And 'MQTT' is not switched Off Then Wait 1 hour Repeat Every 24 hours Resource 'Heartbeat MQTT' Else Wait 1 hour Repeat Every 24 hours Resource 'Heartbeat MQTT'

Just putting out there a feature which you may not be aware of. The heartbeat feature is part of the UD Template so I won't take credit for it, but many don't seem to be aware of it. Below is an example of the program you would want to have to take advantage of it or something similar. Heartbeat MQTT - [ID 00CB][Parent 0028] If 'MQTT' is switched On And 'MQTT' is not switched Off Then Wait 1 hour Repeat Every 24 hours Resource 'Heartbeat MQTT' Else Wait 1 hour Repeat Every 24 hours Resource 'Heartbeat MQTT'

@SamM , Your devfile and your whole debug.log which includes a restart would be most helpful. Feel free to DM to me.

Sorry guys , I’m out of country for the weekend.

You are right, we have added some ability to run with the default on user password and ip in the program where it assumes the default. This goes in the category of updating the docs to reflect that they are there for flexibility but can be omitted in default condition. Keep pointing these things out. @TriLife and I will knock them off over time. This plugin is very useful but it didn’t get any love for a while as well. Time to clean it up, and make some improvements! (and not break it along the way. My plan is to put changes in beta for a couple of weeks for evaluation. Then move to production. This will give us wider testing than just @TriLife & I)

@GTench glad that worked & really good to hear the plugin is meeting your needs. I mostly wrote it for me & have had some fun/learning along the way. Feels like it’s getting pretty stable too. Have really appreciated your patience and willingness to do multiple cycles of testing of G2.

Thanks Tim, let me take a look at it tonight.

I am sorry @GTench, I didn't understand what you meant by scene. No don't bother with the PowerView. Whole basket of worms with multi-room scenes on G2. Basically a new category of device. I have never tried what you are doing with an ISY scene, have only tried programs. Does not mean is can't be done though. Can you change from default to command(I think) in the pull-down in your scene, you have the picture above? Then you tell it activate or on after that. Usually I have found that works better with z-wave devices. Let me know if that works (should be the same for G2/3) ; I am not at home to try it here.

I do agree an ESPhome version may be the right way to go. Got so frustrated with the MQTT version that I abandoned it. I have been running for now the last month with ESPHome on my Ratgdo. I put up a HomeAutomation server on a Pi4 laying around (I don't use HA for anything else) and then using the UDI plugin on HA backfed the Ratgdo flags to variables then Virtual devices on my EISY. The above chain gang of handoffs which took about 2hrs with writing the automation on the HA and some programs on the EISY has been rock solid for a month, in both directions. Go figure. My plan is to make a Virtual device to match the garage door opener I/O. For bonus points, If I can find the time, would like to take the HA out of the chain with a plugin. Just really need to find some docs with the protocol and write it. Or wait for someone else to do it.

Hi @GTench, this is the first try at a multi room scene for G2. As is usual, I seem to remember the command to activate may be different. can you activate the scene from the PowerView app?