Generic virtual devices, able to display existing variables

Hi all,

I’m an happy Homey user. Still I definitively miss a very basic featue: the ability to story “any” variable in a virtual device.

I use VD app, but I’m stuck with specific value (for instance that I get from HTTP request). I can store them easily in a variable and then… how to put them into a device ?

why can’t we have a generic device, where we can add variable as capability ? It would virtually enable us to create any possible device from a 1 to N variables.

  1. Add new devices => generic VD
  2. Setup which existing variables are “part of the devices”
  3. that’s it.

wdyt ?

With the VD, you set the capability of the device via a flow, and the capability is effectively the variable. So I’m not sure what you are trying to do?

Thanks for your quick reply.

My challenge is that with VD, I dont always have a VD at disposal where I can store the capability that I need.

Two examples:

My washmachine:

I would like to store Program, Status and ProgramEnd. Unfortunately, I don’t find a VD able to store 3 text capabilities.

"DeviceName":"","
Serial":"xxx",
"Inactive":"false",
"Program":"40°C Linge couleurs",
"Status":"Dernier rinçage\nFin à 14:43","
ProgramEnd":{"End":"0h17","EndType":"2"},
"deviceUuid":"xxx"}

Another one is my AC-ELWA (water heating), I took the HTTP request + BetterLogic + VD (heater), still, I would miss a lot of capabilities.

{
"device":"AC ELWA-E",
"fwversion":"00202.02",
"status":3,
"power":0,
"boostpower":0,
"temp1":490,
"ww1target":502,
"boostactive":0,
"legboostnext":"7",
"loctime":"14:33:32",
"unixtime":1657197212,
"ctrlstate":"Conn. to Fronius. P Grid=10",
"blockactive":0,
"surplus":-10,
"m0sum":-10,
"m0bat":0,
"tempchip":48,

}

So what I’m trying to do is to have a modular device, where I can store any variable in a capability. Is it more clear now ? Did I missed something with VD ?