When I say « Turn off the garage lights », it also turns off the water heater because my MQTT device is an on/off light.
I had the same problem with my underfloor heating. I solved it with the Switch feature in the Air Conditioning section.
Today, I want to create a button that allows me to access my heating calendar (vacations…) online so I can edit it from Gladys.
I’m looking for how to use Node-RED to open my calendar window.
This button, or rather selector, has to be a plug, a lamp, or an Air Conditioning switch even though it’s nothing like that.
I don’t know if there’s a more appropriate feature.
Hi @pierre-gilles,
1.
In fact, it doesn’t matter what type of device is being controlled. It would be a button for all use cases where the existing ones don’t fit.
For example, I want to start the pre-conditioning of my electric car.
I put this button that sends the info to Node-RED via a scene. That avoids programming the selector to return to its initial position.
I have the same problem with all momentary physical buttons:
In the bathroom, I have a Zigbee button. I press it to turn the heater on for 30 minutes.
If I control it from Gladys via the living-room tablet, I had to create in my scene a return to the selector’s « inactive » state after 10 seconds so that I can re-trigger it and so it looks neater.
And it’s the same for all selectors that are actually push-buttons.
Yes, the link would be fixed: weather site, Framagenda site, link to the MagicMirror
In Gladys, we try to make things specific, not generic.
Why?
Because it allows having a more « intelligent » system:
-\u003e On the dashboard, widgets are smarter if Gladys knows what the end device is. Example: widget « humidity », « temperature »
-\u003e If you use Google Home/Alexa/HomeKit, you find the device in the right category (light, heating, etc…), and you benefit from all the features of these assistants (« Ok Google, turn on the living room light »)
-\u003e All AI-related features can only work if the device is properly categorized.
So yes, it does matter
Ok I understand!
We can indeed make a « momentary button » for small uses like that, but if it’s a common need (e.g.: your need for pre-conditioning an electric vehicle) I think it’s better to have a specific type so that these features are perfectly integrated into Gladys
I understood that about Gladys’ philosophy and that’s very good.
My « it doesn’t matter what type of device is controlled » was in no way aimed at Gladys’ essence.
It’s just that sometimes the functionality we want isn’t available and, while waiting for development, this dummy device would help to make up for that lack.
Even if, as with heating devices that were « recognized » as lamps, it would be changed once the « appropriate » functionality is implemented. Here, even if it’s not entirely coherent for a heating device, « Switch » from the Air Conditioner section.
