@Kai, first of all, sorry in case I am reopening an existing discussion.
After some time using it, I really like OH, but I am a bit surprised that at OH3 we still do not have some some kind of support for specific color temperature items.
Would not it make sense from the user perspective to have UI specific interface and controls for it?
Some challenges I find with today’s implementation (using a dedicated Dimmer channel):
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Not user friendly: going in the direction of user simplicity, not having a specific item type prevents the UI from having a color temperature picker.
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No standard “units”: due to lack of definition, PercentType does not mean the same for all things having a color temperature item, as it depends on the underlying thing supported range (i.e. 45% means something different for different lights, while 2700K would mean the same).
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Inconsistent with other item types: current approach (one channel for on / off brightness) and another for color temperature on things supporting it looks incosistent with the approach for color items (where color functionality is extended from the dimmer item).
On the other side, I only see one benefit on the current implementation (unless I am missing something), which is backwards compatibility.
I understand that adding it may be a bit of a breaking change, but also I see things complicating more and more to work with this, and the later this is done, the more difficult it will be. Maybe we could find a way to introduce this gradually without being disruptive?
Bindings might add support for it gradually once implemented, or even providing both channels during a transition period, letting the user choose the channel to link (old vs new), being less disruptive.
Happy to support on definition and implementation (probably not able to dedicate enough time to do everything on my own).
If moving forward with it, I can think of three approaches:
- Extending a new Item type from Dimmer as done by Color.
- Extending a new Item type from Color, as somehow Color Temperature is a kind of color.
- Implementing it directly in the Color item.
Probably implementing it in the color item is the less disruptive, but the other two might seem cleaner when distinguishing item types, and also considering the “native” state would not be HSB but some new “color temperature” state.
Any thoughts on this? (and sorry again if this has been already discussed and I have not been able to find it)
Pedro