[APP][Pro] Device Capabilities - Enhance the capabilities of devices

Hey Erikje,

I am currently out of running / sick, but as soon as i am able, ill pick up all support items.

Well that will come another time, hope you feel better soon. That is really more important

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Hey Erik,

Is the device you are using an AVD?

By any change, have you created the AVD or field, then the flow with the watch in it, and then enabled create Insights for this field?

If so, i found a bug that it would not refresh the insight reference if the watch was put in place (the first time) before the insights where created by the AVD. This is resolved now in develop.

For all normal devices, i have found no issues.

So, please, let me know if it was an AVD, and if so, update to the new version and check again?

(You could also just restart the app and then it already should work because the watches are reloaded).

I have just update DC in Live to version 2.7.10.

Changes are:

  • In AVD Settings, Create Insights is hidden for buttons that cannot have insights.
    That are all pushbuttons (not On/Off) that you can only push (also buttons like Speaker Next f.i.).
    There is one exception :slight_smile:, the Pushbutton and separate indicator.
    This is the only know (virtual) pushbutton in Homey that can have insights who pushed it!
  • Improved sorting of ShowAs of Buttons.
  • Added Homey icon (old one i guess now) to the default icons (category Devices).
    Thanks @RonnyW!
  • Added icons to defaults that i got from Athom through nl.qluster-it.DeviceCapabilities request for icons ¡ Issue #159 ¡ athombv/homey-vectors-public (github.com)
    Thanks @Ivo_Derksen!

Bugfixes:

  • Watches would not give correct insights if insights were created after the watcher (only happend with AVDs)
  • Set Warning (AVD flowcard) was not registered anymore.

If i missed any tickets for support, let me know, but i believe i have handled all support tickets :wink:.

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Just so people know, who want to switch to the new Homey Pro 2023, but don’t want to rebuild al there flows.

With The Flow Exchange(r) (TFE) - Exchange Your Flows with Others! from the Device Capabilities App voor Homey | Homey you can completly export/migrate your own flows from your older model to your new model.

During import, all old devices will show lists of compatible devices on your new homey.
image

You can then select the device on your new homey, which would have the same name i guess.
After that a script is created to recreate all your flows (including variables and stuff like that).
Also, internal references to flows itself are already correctly by TFE.
And many apps are supported by it.

Personally i already use it a lott to copy/paste complex flows which are the same for all (bed)rooms but with different devices, changing it during import.

Now, currently, it only supports advanced flows, but i’ll change that so it will include normal flows (which is almost done already).
Also, recreation of flow-folders will be included, as will other requirements needed to copy the complete flows from an older Homey to a newer Homey, like beeing able to copy/paste your own flows including HomeyScript codes in there original cards.

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Hey Arie,

No it’s just an ikea lamp where it didn’t go well. But since update today, it totally works :). Thanks a lot

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Just an ignorant question: is there no way to restore a backup from a different (older) Homey model? Would it not recreate everything?

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Yes that could be done, you can allready exchange flows between Homey’s, and reselect devices during import.

But currently, it creates new flows, not update existing flows.

If athom doesn’t have migration available, i will make The Flow Exchange(r) beter to handle the migration, if that is what you mean?

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I’m serching an easy possibility to create a mode-like capability. I know modes are only predefined and not possible as virtual device. So I made a device with am “main” on/off switch and 3 mode switches:

grafik
grafik

The example shows a heating mode devide. The main device is: heating on/off.
The other switches are: at home, away, at work.
I change the heating plan depending on the selected switch.

Currently I act with flows on a switch going on and then I switch all other states off, so only one is active.
It’s a bit ugly, but I have no other Idea so solve this in a better way. Has anyone a better solution?

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No, sorry, what I means was: If there is a backup-restore option that can help me move to a newer Homey model, then why do I need flow exchange? I mean it’s great for copying devices for myself and for others, so I do see the value, just not for the scenario of replacing a Homey device itself.

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No, before, the thought was that there was gonne be no migration to the new Homey right now.
In that case, The Flow Exchange(r) could help to migrate.

But now it seems migration (through backup-and-restore) might be supported by Athom, so in that case, no need for TFE to help there.

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I would like to replace Virtual Devices with Advanced Virtual Devices, since the first one is not maintained anymore and will not be updated for New Homey Pro.

However, i use it for a specific purpose and cannot find how to do that with this app.

I have made a tile in my app. Once my actual PC comes online (checked through Advanced Presence Detection), the tile turns on (lights up) and when my PC goes offline the tile turns off. Also, when i click the tile, and my PC is not online, it will send a signal to Switchbot to turn on the computer.

Reason i do it this way: i want to see if my PC is online and be able to boot it from the same tile.

Is this possible with your app, and could you point me in the right direction. I cannot find a setting to show the app tile as ON or OFF.

Sorry if this is in the wrong section. Wasn’t sure which of the posts to use as i found multiple.

Schermafbeelding 2022-10-18 140447

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Yes it is!

I created this Template for this precisely:
Pushable Device Tile and Separate Device Status (Light/Dark) - SYD Template

This is a good place to ask it, but i guess it should go at the Advanced Virtual Device Topic.

But it’s just the same app: Device Capabilities, so it’s fine to ask it here :slight_smile:

Yeah, you’re the best. Thanks this worked perfectly!

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Hi Arie,
I used to use the Virtual Device App (the other one !) but as it will not be supported with the new Homey I would like to use Device Capabilties.
I have created a simple on/off switch using the provided template and I would like to see it in Amazon Alexa to be able to activate by voice but it seems it is not detected by Alexa. Anything I am doing wrong ?
Thanks in advance for you help

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You need to set the class correct (to light for instance) or, probably: the on/off switch: put Create Flow Cards on! :slight_smile:
This makes the OnOff button “real” and alexa will see it i guess :wink:

Alexa only recognizes device types fitting to it’s system. So only a VD as switch would be recognized, no buttons.

But in most times I use another approach:

  • create a flow and give it a name (like “radio”)
  • set the flow as favorite.
  • let Alexa search for new devices
  • the flow will appear as scene
  • you can now say “Alexa, start ” or "Alexa, activate .
    That’s more flexible because you can do more thing in one flow (e.g. turn on radio, set volume. set source…)
    With the combination of VDs and flows you have all possibilities.

Thank you for your help, I have succeeded with a wall plug on/off. Your app is really great !

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Many thanks for this great apps. It brings nearly the possibility to do everything you can imagine with it. Absolutely awesome.

I just have one issue. I’m also a fan from “Power by the hour”, and don’t manage to use it for Devices that I created.

Did somebody already managed to use device created with this Apps (in my case I read a watermeter) together with power by the hour ?

Below the device that I created:
image

And here power by the hour :


image

Should I do something special as source device is a virtual flow ?

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