Limit of node servers on Polisy or install 3rd party?

[Ross]

If I have a Polisy, am I limited to the 100 node servers in the store?  

For example, I have a SolarEdge inverter for my solar array; however, the node server in the store just tells you that the inverter is working - it has no info regarding the amount of electricity being produced.  I know that SolarEdge's API provides this info.  If I find a node server that meets my needs, can I go out to Github or wherever and load it onto Polisy? Sorry if I'm not using the correct lingo - I'm talking layman-ese here. 

Is there someone on the site who can be hired to create node servers?  Is there a(n easy) way to create them ourselves?

Thank you,

Ross

[Goose66]

Probably best to DM the author of the SolarEdge node server directly. Developing a node server without the hardware in your own environment to test with is very difficult.

[bpwwer]

I get the following for my SolarEdge inverters using the node server:

Which looks like it's telling me the amount of energy being produced by the solar array.

It doesn't track accumulated power over various time periods if that's what you're looking for.  But is that really useful for automation?   The node server isn't trying to duplicate or replace a monitoring solution. 

[Ross]

@bpwwer Thank you for the response Bob.

I understand that this node server is not trying to duplicate or replace a monitoring solution.  However, SolarEdge has other APIs which do.  I mention one in my other topic located here.

But my real questions are

1) How do I go about getting a node server to do its magic on one of the other APIs?

2) If I find one on Github, can I use that on a Polisy?

or 3) Can I hire someone to create a node server for me?  If so, whom?  I thought I read on this forum that if a company or service has an API, a node server could be written for it.  

These are generic questions not really focusing on SolarEdge.  I have a ton of ideas for node servers, but I'm just trying to figure out the best way for me to bring them into existence (I still want my Sonos speakers to give a shout out whenever my Padres win!)  I'm not ruling out creating them myself, but I'm not a(n adept) programmer.

I understand that the home automation angle might not be readily apparent, however, knowing how much my solar panels generated the previous day/month might play into whether the ISY changes the thermostat setting on my air conditioning in the future to compensate.

BTW, whomever wrote the topic subject didn't quite capture what I was looking for (they created this topic from a question I had asked in another topic).  It really should be: Can I use node servers other than the ones in the PG3 store?  And, if so, how?

Thank you,

Ross

[bpwwer]

Fair enough.  I didn't really answer your questions before.

2 hours ago, Ross said:

1) How do I go about getting a node server to do its magic on one of the other APIs?

Either the existing node server would need to be modified or a new one would have to be written.

2 hours ago, Ross said:

2) If I find one on Github, can I use that on a Polisy?

PG3(x) can only install node servers that exist in the node server store with one exception.  Developers can create and run their own node servers outside of the store.  If you are a registered developer, then the answer is yes, otherwise no.  But chances of you finding a node server for PG3(x) that is public on Github but not in the store is probably unlikely. 

2 hours ago, Ross said:

or 3) Can I hire someone to create a node server for me?  If so, whom?  I thought I read on this forum that if a company or service has an API, a node server could be written for it.  

Of course you can hire someone to create a node server.  Any of the folks that have created node servers could do this. You can scroll through the store and see who has authored the existing node servers.  I can't speak to the cost of hiring someone to do this, I'd probably want a minimum of $1500 just because of the time involved.  Then there's the question of long term support.  It's not easy to support a node server if you don't have the equipment needed to test it. Most of the existing node servers were written by someone who wanted the node server for themselves.

We haven't had anyone state that they're looking to hire out creating node servers but some developers have responded to requests to have one created. 

You're right in that this subject isn't really going to get the attention of existing developers.  So starting a topic asking about creating a specific node server would be the way to go. The more details you can provide the better.  The alternative is to register as a developer and learn how to create node server's yourself.  There are some resources to help with that and the existing developer community is normally pretty helpful.

[DennisC]

3 hours ago, bpwwer said:

The alternative is to register as a developer and learn how to create node server's yourself.  There are some resources to help with that and the existing developer community is normally pretty helpful.

Bob, could you elaborate on the resources available to learn how to develop a Node Server? Is there something that explains tools required and how to setup the environment?

[bpwwer]

31 minutes ago, DennisC said:

Bob, could you elaborate on the resources available to learn how to develop a Node Server? Is there something that explains tools required and how to setup the environment?

Most node servers are written in Python.  The tools needed to write them are available on both Polisy/eisy.  Which is mainly and editor and the Python interpreter.   There are also Python IDE's available like pycharm but those would typically need to be run on something other than the Polisy or eisy.

It is also possible to write node servers in Node.js and again this can be done directly on the Polisy or eisy using an editor and the node interpreter.

The environment can be as simple as ssh'ing to your Polisy/eisy as admin, create a directory and add/write the files needed to for the node server.  For Developers, PG3 can then install your node server from that directory for testing and continued development.

There are many more advanced ways to set up a development environment.  So folks use a Windows environment and mount the Polsy/eisy file system to the Windows box using NFS or Samba and can then run an IDE like pycharm on the Windows box. 

There are example node servers in the non-production store that can be used as reference and there's also a template node server that can be built and run.

PG3 includes some help files on how to build and package up node servers to submit them to the node server store, those help files show up to registered developers.

registered developers also get access to a Slack channel for developers.  That's where we help each other out.

[DennisC]

3 hours ago, bpwwer said:

Most node servers are written in Python.  The tools needed to write them are available on both Polisy/eisy.  Which is mainly and editor and the Python interpreter.   There are also Python IDE's available like pycharm but those would typically need to be run on something other than the Polisy or eisy.

It is also possible to write node servers in Node.js and again this can be done directly on the Polisy or eisy using an editor and the node interpreter.

The environment can be as simple as ssh'ing to your Polisy/eisy as admin, create a directory and add/write the files needed to for the node server.  For Developers, PG3 can then install your node server from that directory for testing and continued development.

There are many more advanced ways to set up a development environment.  So folks use a Windows environment and mount the Polsy/eisy file system to the Windows box using NFS or Samba and can then run an IDE like pycharm on the Windows box. 

There are example node servers in the non-production store that can be used as reference and there's also a template node server that can be built and run.

PG3 includes some help files on how to build and package up node servers to submit them to the node server store, those help files show up to registered developers.

registered developers also get access to a Slack channel for developers.  That's where we help each other out.

Thank you