# \[APP\]\[Pro\] Advanced Virtual Device (Device Capabilities App) with Unique Text Status Indicator **URL:** \ **Category:** Apps\ **Tags:** app, tools, virtual-device, device-capabilities, avd\ **Created:** [August 30, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198 "2022-08-30T19:24:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 11:58am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/266 "2023-03-16T11:58:01Z")
> [@DirkG](#): > > Because as you wrote, there is already the possibility to create stopwatches/timers/transitions device tiles. With one downsize, the (elapsed/running) time is not displayed in the status indicator of the tile, one has to enter device setting to view it. Also, the displayed time is not very readable and actual. But with using an AVD for it, thát is now possible f.i. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/267 "2023-03-16T14:58:47Z")
> [@Peter\_Kawa](#): > > time is not displayed in the status indicator of the tile @DirkG @Arie_J_Godschalk I made one mistake, when using the _ **text** _field with BLL time formatter like `time('HH:mm:ss')` it can’t be displayed (yet), while it is only capable of showing numeric values. But, I’ve read about a plan somewhere about making text/string fields as status indicator possible: > [@Emile](#): > > What about we just make it possible to select any custom string-type capability to show on the device’s tile? Seems like the most elegant solution to me! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/268 "2023-03-16T15:06:04Z")
Brings me to another idea: How about showing the formatted elapsed/duration time in the ‘Units’ field of the Numberfield, Arie? Is that even possible? Then it can be showed on a status indicator of the mobile app tiles Something like this: ![Screenshot from 2023-03-16 16-05-48](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/e/9e108bd4a3349426b8ebbf6d1c45137eebfa78bf.png) Just nice to show: Live view Mobile tile and HomeAssistant (via MQTT) ![Peek 2023-03-16 16-32](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/8/f/8ff95f3b82301e7258e5043f1eeddb4b3c1c94b7.gif) ---
**Author:** ![RogerSt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rogerst/32/12432_2.png) [@RogerSt](https://community.homey.app/u/RogerSt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/269 "2023-03-16T18:38:26Z")
@Arie_J_Godschalk On HP23, at present I cannot generate a TEF template; is this a known issue? Create TEF does not do anything. On v2.9.29. ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/270 "2023-03-16T18:51:09Z")
Well, TEF/Templates are not working 100% yet on importing on the HP2023, and i am waiting a bitt till i put my time in it again. Only thing that was not working correctly is finding and location your own flowtokens during import (which is hardly ever used in TEFs currently) 🙂 . However, export should work as far as i know. And import mostly also, with old TEFs or New ones. So, couple of questions: - Which version of Homey do you have running? rc50+? - Where are you generating, AVD? Ah, wait, i have found a bug when exporting TEFs from AVD it seems… ---
**Author:** ![RogerSt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rogerst/32/12432_2.png) [@RogerSt](https://community.homey.app/u/RogerSt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/271 "2023-03-16T18:58:56Z")
- AVD + Flow export - AVD v2.9.29 - HP23 fw: 10.0.0-rc.58 ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/272 "2023-03-16T19:30:47Z")
Does Tef export from app settings work? ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/273 "2023-03-16T20:55:36Z")
Found and solved this bug, now i also found another one: the icon is not imported correctly, trying to solve that one too first before releasing. ---
**Author:** ![RonnyW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/ronnyw/32/10879_2.png) [@RonnyW](https://community.homey.app/u/RonnyW)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/274 "2023-03-16T20:59:26Z")
I like AVD, but I’m not a fan of bundeling app togehter. Why not using and extending Chronograph devices so they can be used as a stopwatch without the need od AVD. Every app has its advantage but it should be usable also standalone witb full functionality. As long as this is all optional it’s ok. ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/275 "2023-03-16T21:02:55Z")
> [@RonnyW](#): > > As long as this is all optional it’s ok. It is optional… ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/276 "2023-03-16T21:09:40Z")
> [@RonnyW](#): > > Why not using and extending Chronograph devices so they can be used as a stopwatch They can already. And for most people they are fine i suppose. But personally i want a lot more customisation, and i’m not gonna build AVDs in every app that has devices you want customised 🙂 That would seem like the other way around 😉 But i’ll create a setting in the apps so you can completly disable it (altho, if you don’t set any reflection, there is not actually anything happening. **Please note that Chronograph was already sending out the realtime messages** when a timer/stopwatch/transition was updating, because it was needed in the Chronograph App Settings. “All i did” is include it (again optionally) into DC, by listening to those realtime messages. So you don’t need any flows anymore and can configure more parts of the AVDs in the settings with just one or two clicks. But nobody needs to use it if the don’t want. I personally cannot wait till i find time for myself (and a few remaining features are completed) and design a few needed AVD’s for timer-controlled-groups… But let me solve the TEF bug on the new HP2023 first 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2023, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/277 "2023-03-16T22:32:39Z")
> [@RogerSt](#): > > @Arie_J_Godschalk On HP23, at present I cannot generate a TEF template; is this a known issue? Create TEF does not do anything. On v2.9.29. Solved, in test now: [Device Capabilities | Homey](https://homey.app/a/nl.qluster-it.DeviceCapabilities/test/) ## In test now: - Multiple Bugfixes with exporting and importing TEFs (with AVDs, flows and icons) - Some improvements in those parts/views. - Toggle’s in the App Setting (under the functions logo/button) to disable BLL and Chronograph Reflection: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/d/9d4bc2fa167ea0baa302be5b7b103d3b28398aa3.png) When you disable one, it will be disabled directly, it will remove the listeners. However, if you still want to save a few hunderd Kb potential memory, restart the app after disabling it (ones ofc) to make sure it was never even initialized. (Funny to toggle Chronograph while seeing an AVD being updated with a stopwatch - and not - and again - and not… ---
**Author:** ![RogerSt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rogerst/32/12432_2.png) [@RogerSt](https://community.homey.app/u/RogerSt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 7:29am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/278 "2023-03-17T07:29:39Z")
yes there it works TEF flow export ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 7:33am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/279 "2023-03-17T07:33:42Z")
Please report it if there are things not right after flows are imported, there might still be a few bugs and i didn’t spend time on the flowtokens yet. (Flowtokens is how i find “Entities” from other apps, like find BLL Variables you have: Through it’s flowtokens. So, those kind of entities, when importing, wil show: Create new, but no items in the select list. ---
**Author:** ![RogerSt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rogerst/32/12432_2.png) [@RogerSt](https://community.homey.app/u/RogerSt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 8:07am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/280 "2023-03-17T08:07:14Z")
The 2.10.1 TEST version can export TEFs on HP23 / fw v10.0.0-rc61 see this message: > [@Share Your Device! - Advanced Virtual Devices from Device Capabilities](https://community.homey.app/t/share-your-device-advanced-virtual-devices-from-device-capabilities/68676/64): > > Automatic Light Control Mode of a zone This device tile includes a list picker (AVD) and is used to set the mode of my lights control to automatic/on/off. The idea is that there is control of the automation, in the sense that as a user, you can choose whether or not you want automatic control enabled, or just want to manually control the light to on/off if automatic control is not desirable occasionally. If automatic, the corresponding flow uses zone activity to trigger lights on/off using… ---
**Author:** ![DirkG](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/dirkg/32/118897_2.png) [@DirkG](https://community.homey.app/u/DirkG)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 10:28am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/281 "2023-03-17T10:28:48Z")
@Arie_J_Godschalk, @Peter_Kawa, in my 3 years with Homey, I haven’t seen any need to display the times of a timer, stopwatch or transition in the device overview, even with the original tiles of the Chronograph app. I also can’t think of a use case for extracting a time into a variable. That’s why I’d like to see a useful example sometime. > [@Peter\_Kawa](#): > > But with using an AVD for it, thát is now possible f.i. But for what? > [@RonnyW](#): > > I like AVD, but I’m not a fan of bundeling app togehter. I also support Ronny’s point. Arie, you say that such functions are optional, but still the apps become more complex and complicated to understand. And if I wanted to use a complex and complicated SmartHome system, I would switch to Home Assistant and not buy a new Homey Pro 2023… 😜 I want to mention that you are doing a great job Arie. And the many additional features you’ve added to your apps over the past weeks and months (probably) make sense. I just haven’t understood the point of some of the features yet. That’s the point I was asking about meaningful use cases. There is no need to reply to my post, as the features have already been explained multiple times. However, what I would like to see and understand is a meaningful use case so I can move forward. ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2023, 11:57am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/282 "2023-03-17T11:57:39Z")
> [@DirkG](#): > > And if I wanted to use a complex and complicated SmartHome system, I would switch to Home Assistant and not buy a new Homey Pro 2023… 😜 Good point! Perhaps you (and others) can create a (short) list of functionalities that could be considerd “Advanced”/“Complicated” and we can hide some stuff behind a “Advanced mode” toggle!? ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/283 "2023-03-20T20:20:28Z")
In [test](https://homey.app/a/nl.qluster-it.DeviceCapabilities/test/) now: @DirkG and @Peter_Kawa Part two of reflection: Devices. You can now select (multiple) devices to be reflected on an AVD field: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/3/e/3ec2ea98c4c1da3141ae90c1ed26dc654e848e3d.png) Does it need further explaination? This also works for all fields: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/e/0/e0647c02923be5139d3a846fa3f8ac99eca5f549.png) ---
**Author:** ![Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/arie_j_godschalk/32/63027_2.png) [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](https://community.homey.app/u/Arie_J_Godschalk)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/284 "2023-03-20T22:55:00Z")
Okay, last [update for today](https://homey.app/a/nl.qluster-it.DeviceCapabilities/test/): @DirkG and @Peter_Kawa Here is a practical example of part2 of Reflection: I finally have created my AVD smoke-detector (part 1). I have created one new AVD, added one filed (for now) with Smoke Detectors, set it to reflection:devices, and selected all my smoke detectors. Now this AVD is automaticly updated if any smoke detectors change. This works for all types of fields. N.b. No real new loadings or anything has been build: this just uses the existing Watch-flowcard functionality plus other existing parts of DC; thus no extra performance required. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/b/9/b92ac0f49dc2d68fbce7066cc33e0bb5fee9ca33.png) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/f/f/fff6d39f11e98fa71ffeb9ea188a682adc42c110.png) I will also be rebuilding my grouped Lux-Sensors with this: because this has an option to automaticly exclude device-values that are older then (setable) x number of seconds, f.i. 3600 seconds old. So, if create an AVD with lux and group a few devices together with reflection, if one LUX is not being updated, it will be automaticly excluded. This will be very handy, because sometimes my lights don’t switch on/off, because one of the lux-sensors in the group is not working. This will solve that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/285 "2023-03-21T00:22:22Z")
I think I get it, Arie, fiddled with it and it does what I think it should do 😉 #daretoask Is it possible to control the grouped devices as well? If only OnOff would be possible that’ll be great. > [@Arie\_J\_Godschalk](#): > > if one LUX is not being updated, it will be automaticly excluded. That is a very practical idea! [Previous page](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198.md?page=13) [Next page](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198.md?page=15)