That is the recommended way. 
Please post the items file also.
EDIT:
Also it may help to set the binding to DEBUG or TRACE via the console and see if there is any additional info that may help.
How to do that?
From the command line type sudo openhab-cli console this will take you to the Karaf console. Once in the console type log:set TRACE org.openhab.binding.gardena and replace TRACE with DEBUG to for the debug output.
Afterwards you will want to turn this off so replace TRACE/DEBUG with INFO to set it back to normal.
@CHTHSCH looking back at the log in OP it mentions the “device” does not contain the property. Makes me wonder if the device or OH version is not up to date. 
I can’t help much with the device but I can provide a link to a more recent snapshot of this binding.
From the link use only the jar file not the one ending with sources.jar
You will want to uninstall Gardena binding via PaperUI first then place the jar file in usr/share/openhab2/addons, restart OH, and rediscover your Things.
If the above version does not work there is a 2.5.3 you can try.
https://openhab.jfrog.io/openhab/libs-pullrequest-local/org/openhab/addons/bundles/org.openhab.binding.gardena/2.5.3-SNAPSHOT/
FYI you will need to remove the 2.5.2 jar when adding the 2.5.3 and like above restart OH the rediscover Thing.
Thanks for your support. Much appreciated!!
turning on DEBUG and TRACE did not provide any additional information except:
2020-02-23 21:35:19.251 [DEBUG] [ng.gardena.internal.GardenaSmartImpl] - Refreshing gardena device data
I also tried the two SNAPSHOT versions. Both with the same result as the 2.5.1. version. So these did not solve the problem
Update
I finally put the vale outside. Do not expect frost anymore. When I tried to start irrigation, I got this error message:
2020-03-14 13:48:50.407 [nt.ItemStatePredictedEvent] - Wasser_Ventil predicted to become ON
2020-03-14 13:48:50.424 [vent.ItemStateChangedEvent] - Wasser_Ventil changed from OFF to ON
==> /var/log/openhab2/openhab.log <==
2020-03-14 13:48:50.448 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Ability 'outlet' not found in device 'Bewässerung'
org.openhab.binding.gardena.internal.exception.GardenaException: Ability 'outlet' not found in device 'Bewässerung'
at org.openhab.binding.gardena.internal.model.Device.getAbility(Device.java:115) ~[bundleFile:?]
at org.openhab.binding.gardena.internal.GardenaSmartImpl.sendCommand(GardenaSmartImpl.java:331) ~[bundleFile:?]
at org.openhab.binding.gardena.internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler.handleCommand(GardenaThingHandler.java:228) [bundleFile:?]
at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor686.invoke(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) ~[?:1.8.0_222]
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498) ~[?:1.8.0_222]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.internal.common.AbstractInvocationHandler.invokeDirect(AbstractInvocationHandler.java:152) [bundleFile:?]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.internal.common.InvocationHandlerSync.invoke(InvocationHandlerSync.java:59) [bundleFile:?]
at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy8108.handleCommand(Unknown Source) [?:?]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.thing.internal.profiles.ProfileCallbackImpl.handleCommand(ProfileCallbackImpl.java:74) [bundleFile:?]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.thing.internal.profiles.SystemDefaultProfile.onCommandFromItem(SystemDefaultProfile.java:48) [bundleFile:?]
at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor651.invoke(Unknown Source) ~[?:?]
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) ~[?:1.8.0_222]
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498) ~[?:1.8.0_222]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.internal.common.AbstractInvocationHandler.invokeDirect(AbstractInvocationHandler.java:152) [bundleFile:?]
at org.eclipse.smarthome.core.internal.common.Invocation.call(Invocation.java:52) [bundleFile:?]
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266) [?:1.8.0_222]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1149) [?:1.8.0_222]
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:624) [?:1.8.0_222]
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:748) [?:1.8.0_222]
Please help. There is something wrong with the binding.
I am using:
Release = Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
Kernel = Linux 4.19.97-v7+
Platform = Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Plus Rev 1.3
openHAB 2.5.2-1 (Release Build)
Gardena Smart System Firmware 4.2.7
Looking at the Things pic posted above and the log I do not see Bewasserung?
Ability 'outlet' not found in device 'Bewässerung'
Do you have simple mode turned on in PaperUI?
Bewässerung is the name of the device in Gardena Smart System
May it be, that the problem is caused by the ä in the name of the device?
No, renamed to Wasserhahn and still have the same problem. I deleted the device in PaperUI and searched for it again after I did the renaming.
Not sure if the ä is the issue, b/c the log found the device, but try changing it and see what happens.
I would think the problem is “outlet” not being found in the device. If you have simple mode turned on and created the things manually you may have duplicates that are causing this.
To check for duplicates:
Look in /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb/org.eclipse.smarthome.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink.json and make sure there isn’t a Link hanging around. Also, for items check: /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb/org.eclipse.smarthome.core.items.Item.json
Note, If you find a duplicate make sure to stop OH before making any changes to these files.
Don’t know what you mean with simple mode. I added the thing automatically in PaperUI: Inbox - + - Gardena Binding …
The thing gets discovered automatically
This file: /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb/org.eclipse.smarthome.core.thing.link.ItemChannelLink.json is empty, only contains {}
This file /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb/org.eclipse.smarthome.core.items.Item.json is also empty
Opened both with nano.
It a setting in PaperUI that auto creates your things.
That’s good, you have no duplicates.
You can view the contents of a file using cat e.g. cat /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb/org.eclipse.smarthome.core.items.Item.json
I would stop OH and clean the cache then do a few restarts (make sure OH has fully reloaded between restarts, watch the logs) and see if that helps.
If the problem continues try using files to create the Thing and items like in the documents examples.
Hi all,
I create all my things and items on file level, not in PaperUI. Also for Gardena. Since I started this season ~1 week ago, I face the same problem as described above, only with watering_computer, and those 5 channels as mentioned by CHTHSCH: outlet#valve_open, outlet#manual_override, outlet#button_manual_override_time, ambient_temperature#temperature, ambient_temperature#frost_warning, while the rest are working. Watering Computer received a firmware update when I started it. Sensor and power outlet act well. Cleaning and rebooting openHAB doesn’t add any value. Used PaperUI to crosscheck channel detection, all expected show up. As Gardena/Husqvarna did quite some internal changes for the Feb release, I do expect some blocking changes in communication or naming of those parameters in their protocol: properties are promoted to the binding, but cannot be found/read from the query.
This file does not exist on my system
You checked it earlier?
It’s empty or is not listed in /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb directory?
When I open with nano it creates a new one. When I used cat I got the message, that the file does not exist. Sorry for confusion.
If you used nano then the file was created b/c nano is a file editor. To see if a file exist inside a directory type ls or ls -al to show all existing files.
Example:
ls /var/lib/openhab2/jsondb
Since you have the Thing created in PaperUI I would create the items in a file and simply use the channel syntax that’s given when looking at PaperUI. Look at post number 5 and you will see the channel. Copy that info for the items and use the doc’s example as a reference.
Example:
// smart Water Control
Switch Watering_Valve "Valve" { channel="gardena:watering_computer:home:myValve:outlet#valve_open" }
Number Watering_Duration "Duration [%d min]" { channel="gardena:watering_computer:home:myValve:outlet#button_manual_override_time" }
// smart Power Plug
String Power_Timer "Power Timer [%s]" { channel="gardena:power:home:myPowerplug:power#power_timer" }
// smart Irrigation Control
Number Watering_Timer_1 "Watering Timer 1 [%d min] { channel="gardena:ic24:home:myIrrigationController:watering#watering_timer_1" }
// smart Pressure Pump
Number Pump_Timer "Pump Timer [%d min] { channel="gardena:electronic_pressure_pump:home:myPressurePump:manual_watering#manual_watering_timer" }
You will also want to unlink the channels created in PaperUI before saving the items file to prevent duplicate channels.
Thats what I did. Here the file:
// Gardena Geräte
Group gWasser "Bewässerungscomputer" (OU)
Group gSensor "Feuchtingskeitssensor" (OU)
DateTime Wasser_Datum "Letzte Messung am [%1$td.%1$tm.%1$tY %1$tH:%1$tM]" <time> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:device_info#last_time_online"}
Number Wasser_Battery "Ladezustand: Bewässerungscomputer [%.0f %%]" <battery> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:battery#level"}
String Wasser_Battery_Status "Batteriestatus: Bewässerungscomputer [%s]" <text> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:battery#disposable_battery_status"}
Number Wasser_Quality "Verbindungsqualität: Bewässerungscomputer" <qualityofservice> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:radio#quality"}
Number Wasser_Verbindung "Signalstärke: Bewässerungscomputer" <network> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:radio#state"}
Switch Wasser_Ventil "Bewässerungscomputer [%s]" <faucet> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#valve_open"}
String Wasser_Manuell "Manuelle Steuerung [%s]" <text> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#manual_override"}
Number Wasser_Dauer "Bewässerungsdauer [%.1f Minuten]" <time> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#button_manual_override_time"}
Number Wasser_Temperatur "Umgebungstemperatur [%.1f °C]" <temperature> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#temperature"}
String Wasser_Frostwarnung "Frostwarnung: Bewässerungscomputer [%s]" <text> (gWasser, gVar) {channel="gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#frost_warning"}
DateTime Sensor1_Datum "Letzte Messung am [%1$td.%1$tm.%1$tY %1$tH:%1$tM]" <time> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:device_info#last_time_online"}
Number Sensor1_Battery "Ladezustand: Sensor Balkonkasten [%.0f %%]" <battery> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:battery#level"}
String Sensor1_Battery_Status "Batteriestatus: Sensor Balkonkasten [%s]" <text> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:battery#disposable_battery_status"}
Number Sensor1_Quality "Verbindungsqualität: Sensor Balkonkasten" <qualityofservice> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:radio#quality"}
Number Sensor1_Verbindung "Signalstärke: Sensor Balkonkasten" <network> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:radio#state"}
Number:Temperature Sensor1_Temperatur "Umgebungstemperatur [%.1f °C]" <temperature> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:ambient_temperature#temperature"}
String Sensor1_Frostwarnung "Frostwarnung: Sensor Balkonkasten [%s]" <text> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:ambient_temperature#frost_warning"}
Number:Temperature Sensor1_Bodentemperatur "Bodentemperatur [%.1f °C]" <temperature> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:soil_temperature#temperature"}
Number Sensor1_Humidity "Luftfeutigkeit: Balkonkasten [%.0f %%]" <humidity> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:humidity#humidity"}
Number Sensor1_Illuminance "Beleuchtungsstärke: Balkonkasten [%.0f Lux]" <sun> (gSensor, gVar) {channel="gardena:sensor:60da5fa7:15a292a1-9dff-4ec3-8dfc-d6e6c1f60819:light#light"}
Switch Gardena_Network_Online "Gardena Smart System Online?" <gardena> (gWasser) {channel="network:pingdevice:192_168_1_114:online"}
Number:Time Gardena_Network_Pingzeit "Gardena Smart System [%.3f ms]" <time> (gWasser) {channel="network:pingdevice:192_168_1_114:latency"}
DateTime Gardena_Network_Date "Zuletzt online [%1$td.%1$tm.%1$tY %1$tH:%1$tM]" <time> (gWasser) {channel="network:pingdevice:192_168_1_114:lastseen"}
The problem is with
- Channel ‘gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#valve_open’
- Channel ‘gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#manual_override’
- Channel ‘gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#button_manual_override_time’
- Channel ‘gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#temperature’
- Channel ‘gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#frost_warning’
Not with any other channel and this is the error message:
2020-03-14 18:33:16.941 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Channel 'gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#valve_open' cannot be updated as device does not contain property 'outlet:valve_open'
2020-03-14 18:33:16.943 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Channel 'gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#manual_override' cannot be updated as device does not contain property 'outlet:manual_override'
2020-03-14 18:33:16.946 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Channel 'gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:outlet#button_manual_override_time' cannot be updated as device does not contain property 'outlet:button_manual_override_time'
2020-03-14 18:33:16.950 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Channel 'gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#temperature' cannot be updated as device does not contain property 'ambient_temperature:temperature'
2020-03-14 18:33:16.952 [WARN ] [internal.handler.GardenaThingHandler] - Channel 'gardena:watering_computer:60da5fa7:810c2728-ce1b-4b26-9a4c-68eb24a6e164:ambient_temperature#frost_warning' cannot be updated as device does not contain property 'ambient_temperature:frost_warning'
And when I switch I get the error as documented in Gardena Binding: Various problems / errors - #11 by CHTHSCH
Everything looks correct in your items file so I’m wondering if there has been a change in the firmware or something else that is device related? Is it possible to downgrade the device firmware?