[APP][Pro] Archive Insights - export all your Insights data to a NAS, FTP or web folder

Apps
, , , ,
266

Thanks for this update!

I have been performing some tests and am running into an issue with SMB. I also have some questions.

First some context
I have a flow that exports yesterday’s insights (all) every day just after midnight, via FTPS. It saves the insights into a folder, I determine dynamically based on yesterday’s date, under the share/main folder called Homey Pro on my Synology NAS. As such the FTP Folder is configured accordingly in the app’s settings:

Export Insights 2
Export Insights 2856×140 3.86 KB

For illustration the part of the flow that determines the export folder and resulting structure:

Export Insights
Export Insights1816×688 105 KB

SMB 1
SMB 1320×628 19 KB

As an example, the folder provided to the Export Insights flowcard for yesterday (April 11, 2026) would be: Insights/1 Dagelijks/2026/04 April/20260411.

Tests performed
I have tested my existing flow to determine if it works with the FTPS, SFTP and SMB connection methods.

Exporting via FTPS (still) works and also via SFTP it works without a problem (also on my custom SFTP port) :+1:.

Via SMB it partly works. I have configured SMB similarly as SFTP/FTPS, using the same network share/main folder. Note that I left the subdirectory field empty as I provide the subdirectory dynamically as part of my flow:

Arch Insights 3
Arch Insights 3856×256 12.2 KB

The app is able to connect to my NAS and also able to export to the NAS when I tick the option in the apps settings to store each export in a separate folder. The app then disregards the custom folder I provide and saves the exports directly in a time stamped sub folder under the main folder/share:

SMB 6
SMB 6332×116 15.1 KB

But when I switch off the option to store each export in a separate folder and provide the same custom sub folder path that works with FTPS/SFTP, the export via SMB fails.

I have tried the following folder formats, however in every case the app’s log keeps on saying that it cannot find the path:

  • Insights/1 Dagelijks/2026/04 April/20260411 same as for FTPS/SFTP

    SMB 2
    SMB 2832×340 22 KB

  • Insights\1 Dagelijks\2026\04 April\20260411 using backslashes instead of slashes

    SMB 3
    SMB 3848×328 21.8 KB

  • \Insights\1 Dagelijks\2026\04 April\20260411 same are previous, but adding a leading backslash

    SMB 4
    SMB 4832×284 18.7 KB

I suspect that for SMB the custom path must be provided in a different format than for FTP, but I don’t seem to be able to get it right.

Hope you can provide me with guidance on how to proceed.

Questions

  • I currently use the option that uses low CPU resources for exporting insights. In the prior version, if I did not enable that option, the app would crash and be restarted by Homey during the export proces. Using the low CPU resource option works, though it takes approx. 30 minutes to export the daily insights. In the change log you mention that the app uses fewer resources. Does that also mean that the app is able to perform daily exports of all insights without the low CPU resource option enabled?
  • Would it be possible to add a WHEN card that is triggered when the app completes the export? So that I would be able to act on that event (e.g. put a notification on the timeline)?
  • In the app’s settings you can indicate which connection method is used for performing exports. What happens if you select multiple connection methods, like SMB and SFTP. Does the app then randomly select one of them?
267

Just try and let us know :wink:

Yes, wil implement that in the next release (if I dont forget)

All storage methods will be used (almost) simultaneous, while the hard work is done only once. So it will not use more resources of your Homey.

Will look into that.

268

Well…it works without crashing :-). Thanks for fixing that.

Thank you. Just FYI: I thought maybe for the SMB export to work I need to provide the full path to the flowcard, instead of the relative path. But also in case of a full path (in my case: \\DISKSTATION\Homey Pro\Insights\1 Dagelijks\2026\04 April\20260411) I get the same ‘path not found’ error.

SMB 7
SMB 7832×364 24.3 KB

269

I notice the use of whitespaces and capitals in directory names; Aren’t the whitespaces causing problems?

270

Interesting point. Though that would mean that for SFTP/FTPS/FTP-connections different folder rules apply than for SMB in this app.

Nevertheless, I tried the earlier scenarios on a new share named TestShare and using folders without spaces. The results are the same, unfortunately.

SMB 10
SMB 10836×324 20.8 KB

SMB 11
SMB 11848×324 20.2 KB

SMB 12
SMB 12832×328 22.2 KB

271

v5.1.0 is ready for testing: Archive Insights | Homey

  • Added export finished flow.
  • SMB recusrsive folder creation fix.
  • Fix and improve purge flow card.
  • Force UTC timestamps in ZIP.
  • Set low cpu mode as default.
  • Many resource and speed improvements.

@Peter_Kawa please test the timestamps. But it could be caused by your NAS. In the Homey app UTC is used as timestamp (which is now forced).

@SunBeech Please test the new flow card. This update should also fix your folder naming issue for SMB.

272

Both are working :grinning_face:. Thanks for the fix/add :+1:

IMG_2565.PNG
IMG_2565.PNG717×648 84.2 KB

273

Thank you for looking into this, Robin.
The problem indeed is local:
After testing and checking intensively, it appears to be an odd local issue: the combination of the used mobile FTP client (Total Commander) & Synology.

When using that FTP Client & Homey storage (Micro web server app), timestamps are shown correctly.

Timestamps also appear correctly when using the native mobile Synology app.

274

Did you find time test the updated app, @Machtien ?

275

New version 5.2.0 ready for testing: Archive Insights | Homey

  • Significant MEM footprint reduction.
  • Fix FTP concurrency and stability.
  • Fix error handling in flow cards.
  • Fix handling corrupt insights data.
  • Migration to Homey Compose.
  • homey-api@3.18.2

This version is completely focused on high app stability and significantly lower memory usage. It should be able to run on all Homey’s without the need to select ‘low cpu’ mode.

Athom (@Robin ) was kind enough to quickly fix a critical bug in homey-api to be able to handle corrupt Insights data without crashing the app.

276

Thanks @Peter_Kawa for reproducing the error and the log files.
Thanks Robin de @Gruijter for the rewritten version of the app (testing v5.0.0).

I just tested the new version, first mentioned the new layout of the settings screen, as to confirm there is a new version indeed.

Then tested the connection, which replied ‘Ok! Ready to save the settings!’, which is a much more preferable reaction than ever before.

Next thing is to create an actual export and to explore it. I’ll keep you posted.

277

Yep thanks for your support, see other message in the thread.

278

Just made an export for three main devices:

  • Energy supplier
  • Calculated sum of generated solar panel power (per 5 min)
  • Sum of all internal used power (per 5 min)
    for the past 24 hours.

The reports are quite nice in the specified folder in the NAS, created in a map with a timestamp.

I can now import the meters in Excel and start to create my own calculations and insights.

This is very nice! Thank you Robin de @Gruijter for providing this new version of Exporteer Insights.

Now for the next version(s):

It may become an option in the settings (generally) or in the flow (specifically) if you want JSON or CSV output from the export. Currently you get both.

I can imagine there are different types of usage, and different preferences for the delivery format, but usually the preference is not for both. It would reduce the storage footprint somewhat if one could choose which one to use in a flow.

279

@Gruijter: Regarding the new WHEN flowcard that triggers when an export is finished: in case multiple exports are running at the same time, then this card only seems to trigger when the last export is finished. I would expect it to report the completion of each individual export task.

For instance, I make daily and weekly exports of the day/week before just after midnight. At the end of the week, if both export tasks run, then the app only reports the completion of the weekly task, as that runs the longest of both.

Is this a limitation of how the app works, or is it a bug?

280

Well, it is not how I intended it to work. Will look into it.

281

Hi Robin, we you able to track down the issue? Let me know if I can provide you with further info to help you solve it.

282

So many apps, so little time :face_with_peeking_eye:

283

No worries, take your time. You really shouldn’t create all kinds of popular apps :wink: :sweat_smile: .

284

New version 5.2.1 is ready for testing: Archive Insights | Homey

  • Fix export finished flow trigger
  • Fix boolean timezone
  • Implement safe purge
  • Stability fixes
  • Upgrade dependencies

Some important dependencies were upgraded to a major new version. Please test if all types of exports (SMB, SFTP, FTPS, FTP, WebDAV) still work as expected.

285

The completion trigger now works for simultaneous exports. A separate trigger is fired when each export completes.

I tested exporting via SFTP and SMB; both are still working :grinning_face: :+1: .

Thanks!