# How to get virtual device to show text from variable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [November 16, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685 "2024-11-16T16:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paxman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/paxman/32/128050_2.png) [@Paxman](https://community.homey.app/u/Paxman)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/1 "2024-11-16T16:11:25Z")
Hey Homeys! In [this thread](https://community.homey.app/t/change-wind-direction-from-degrees-to-letters-i-e-s-w-n-e/77765) I try to get help to convert wind angle in degrees to N, E, S, W and so on. I have been able to create a flow (copying one of the answers in the thread) that does the conversion the way I want. I confirmed this by using notifications when the wind direction changes so now I get phone notification with the correct letters corresponding to the wind direction. However I’m stuck at the next step: displaying the result in Homey. I have created a virtual device and tried to point to it from the flow but if I choose the sensor device and use the device capability “measure\_wind\_angle” the VD expects a numerical value and since the variable I created reports letters nothing is displayed in the VD. I then created a new VD using speaker and the capability “speaker\_artist” and that gave me this: ![Skärmavbild 2024-11-16 kl. 17.05.04](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/b/7/b7b3891601dd867dbdd982d425677e350297193f.png) 😅 As you can see the vind direction “NV” is displayed but it looks a bit corny with the note symbols. Also, the wind direction does not show on the device icon, which is what I want. Is there no device alternative with a device capability that is just text from a variable? How can I solve this last step of the flow? Cheers! ---
**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:** [November 16, 2024, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/2 "2024-11-16T23:31:59Z")
Use an [Advanced virtual device](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198) instead. You can set the device status to anything you like. When you use a Better Logic string-variable instead of the build-in variable, it shows the value without needing additional flows to set the status: Example, I created a Better Logic variable called `Wind_angle` AVD settings: > ![1000037668](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/1/1/11ac81081191a5d0b85e2590308948401996bd32.jpeg) Next, select Textfield 1, which I called WindAngle, as Status Indicator: > ![1000037673](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/f/9/f96f7674d31b930e183e5c0c295e6ad805190efb.jpeg) > ![1000037670](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/1/f/1ffbc8e46133cf76d4403158867605d66783a923.jpeg) So, as soon as the value of the variable changes, it’s new value is shown as status indicator right away. ---
**Author:** ![Paxman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/paxman/32/128050_2.png) [@Paxman](https://community.homey.app/u/Paxman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/3 "2024-11-17T12:45:18Z")
Thank you Peter! 🙏 😃 I had found Advanced Virtual Devices and tried to get it to work…but I couldn’t remember how to create a Better Logic variable. 😳 I can see in the list that I have done it before…but that was a long time ago and I haven’t done it since. I finally found the way and followed your instructions. All went well until I was supposed to set the Status Indicator. The field was greyed out… 🤔 Head scratching ensued until I realised that your screen shots was from a phone (I do most of my Homey stuff in the web GUI). Opened up the app and clicked the AVD and settings…there it was! 😃 Now it looks like this in my phone: ![IMG_8753](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/d/5/d58f9115623277bf9ea96bdfff630e296de3017d.jpeg) However…in the web GUI the Status Indicator menu is still greyed out and there is no letter on the icon. If I click the icon to open up the device it looks great but I was hoping to be able to see the wind direction letter(s) in the icon. ![Skärmavbild 2024-11-17 kl. 13.40.39](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/c/2/c2523ee580e44e67fdd2c52ae75387bcda9009b4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Paxman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/paxman/32/128050_2.png) [@Paxman](https://community.homey.app/u/Paxman)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2024, 12:47pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/4 "2024-11-17T12:47:37Z")
![Skärmavbild 2024-11-17 kl. 13.46.45](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/1/5/1596722e816c165be24f1ff4ef07307b60d6ca78.png) ![Skärmavbild 2024-11-17 kl. 13.47.22](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/d/0/d0690c2324b90b3db9589e38900b557f4eb2bb73.png) ---
**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:** [November 18, 2024, 2:53am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/5 "2024-11-18T02:53:53Z")
YW! Correct, the web app isn’t aware yet we can use text as status indicator ([since Aug. 2023](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-advanced-virtual-device-device-capabilities-app-with-unique-text-status-indicator/68198/456)), so it just don’t shows them as selectable. When you pick the web app ‘small’ tile view > ![1000037732](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/3/d/3d656e7da73d3dff64f81bcf57354f1006d63e31.jpeg) It simply sais: `NaN` (Not a Number) > ![1000037728](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/d/c/dc855ba8ade1f45a8b042b7f729d2a526b94f191.jpeg) While it’s showing fine at the mobile app: > ![1000037730](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/8/7/870940a4850f70776b0d69b6d401a5defec88d60.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Paxman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/paxman/32/128050_2.png) [@Paxman](https://community.homey.app/u/Paxman)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2024, 11:16am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/6 "2024-11-18T11:16:00Z")
Actually…if I chose big icons in the web app it does show up: ![Skärmavbild 2024-11-18 kl. 12.14.33](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/2/c/2cd3877c471329ca8e6bfa193196ff2ab0e788ab.png) So the web app is aware…but something stops it from displaying it in small icon mode. ---
**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:** [November 18, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-get-virtual-device-to-show-text-from-variable/120685/7 "2024-11-18T19:14:00Z")
Yes, that’s true, the “big” tile shows all capabilities. But the ‘Status indicator’ part just seems to have missed some love.