[SOLVED] GoControl NGD00Z-4 Garage Door Controller Configuration

Hi All,

I’m an openHAB newbie and this is my first post to the community. Please let me know if I am violating some kind of etiquette that I maybe unaware of.

I come to the community because I have a problem… <- “of course he does.” - Everyone

Running openHABian on a RP3b+ and I have the Aeotec Zwave USB adapter. I have some Zwave light switches that are working just fine, but yesterday I got the GoControl NGD00Z-4 Zwave Garage Door opener. I got it paired securely through the Zwave binding in PaperUI. This was very straight forward and paired immediately without any issues. I was surprised, as I’ve found many others have been as well, to find that the only channels available for this product were “Barrier State” and “Alarm”. I cannot figure out how to use this product as it is intended within OpenHab2. I’ve tried to resolve this issue on my own, but I haven’t been able to piece together the right information to get a total solution.

  1. It looks like the Alarm state channel is just to alert on the coin cell battery that is in the tilt sensor that accompanies this product. This is not my concern.

  2. The Barrier State channel has a numerical item. Apparently from what I’ve already read 0 is what should be read when the garage door is in a “closed” state and 255 is what it should read in an “open” state. Ok fair enough I can work with that. My problem is, how do I direct this thing to a 0 or 255 state? I’ve googled and searched the forums and I cannot find a complete set of instructions on how to properly configure and use this product, though I think it can work. I am optimistic!

I have two goals. 1. Get my garage door controller working :stuck_out_tongue: 2. Create an easy and complete guide to help someone else in the future get this device going with their openHAB2 installation.

Can anyone help me? Thank you in advance!

Welcome!

Please check this post_

:+1:

@sihui
You beat me to it. Use your magic to find the configuration parameters for this device, please :wink:

https://www.cd-jackson.com/index.php/zwave/zwave-device-database/zwave-device-list/devicesummary/11

There is no configuration command class in the xml, so I guess there are no parameters.

Thank you both for your responses.

I’ve seen both of these data points already and this is where it gets confusing. It is probably just because I don’t know what I’m doing. It is obvious even to me. If I go to the Barrier State Channel on this Thing and try to add a new Item with a type value = Switch it is not available. Number is the only type available in the options.

You need to READ the links provided, please:

The barrier_state channel should be linked to a Number Item

Yes, thank you. I did read what was provided. The barrier_state channel is linked to a Number Item. LATER in the post, which i read, it says to create an ADDITIONAL item. This specifically appears to be where the limits of my understanding occur, because I am not able to add additional items other than Number type items. I do sincerely apologies if this is confusing. I have been frustrated for a day now trying to cobble together data from several different places to get this to work, which is why as I stated early I’d like to create a COMPLETE guide on how to get this device working because a lot of the data appears to be spread out and in pieces. Something that is also mentioned in the thread that you linked to.

That means to create a Number item for that channel and then create a virtual Switch item which is set to ON/OFF through the itemstate of that Number item in a rule.

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I created a new Switch Item in PaperUI’s Items menu that I will use for the garage door switch. I understand that I need to create a Rule to update that switch’s state based on the barrier state’s numerical value. However, when I go to create a rule to do just that, even though the Barrier State item is a numerical type the only options I get are boolean (on/off, open/close, up/down) not numerical. Any advice?

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Yes, again, read the link (and the next link in that link):

Thanks, I’ve read that too. Is that in a configuration file somewhere that I need manually update? Is this something that it is not possible to do through PaperUI? That is fine if I can’t. I’m not scared of some terminal time. I just don’t know what to do. Telling me what values to set doesn’t really help if I do not know where to set them or how and that is not explained in the link or the link within the link. I realize that this is probably like a super newb problem that I’m having and I am sorry. If there are more links to things that would explain to me at a more fundamental level what it is that I can do I’d be happy to read those as well and any links within those links.

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I think, reading quickly, you need to create a Number item linked to the thing and also a virtual Switch. You then use rules to update the Switch when the Number item changes.

Thanks Bruce. I agree that seems like it is what I need to do. How to do it is beyond me. I’m trying to RTM as I have been told to do several times but there is a gap somewhere that I’m not able to cross.

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I’ve got the Number Item and it is linked to the the Barrier State channel on the Thing. And I have create a switch Item that I intend to use to control the door. How I “use rules to update the Switch when the Number item changes” is one issue. Also from the links that @sihui provided it appears that I need to somehow map these numerical values (0, 255, etc) to positional values (open, closed, etc.) and that I don’t know how to do either.

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i have created all my rules using text files like in the example. The new way of creating rules in the PaperUI is not yet fully developed and stable.
Let me look at this further when I get home in a few hours and see if I can come up with a better example for you.

OK thank you! I’ve only created rules through the PaperUI. I wasn’t aware I could create rules through a text file. That would be much appreciated!

Welcome to the forum!

I plan to consolidate the instructions for barrier_state devices and door locks into tutorials.

Which version of OH are you using? If 2.5M2, I’ll post my Jython version of the rule (you’ll need the helper libraries), which can be used in a UI rule. It sounds to me like you need to read up on the basics of OH, specifically rules and transformation services.

There is also a very simple solution with no rules, but it has less functionality…

I’m up the latest stable version. I believe 2.4.0_1. Some tutorials would be great!

I will leave you in the more capable hands of @5iver :smiley:

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That won’t happen anytime soon, but it’s on my list! I’ll help you to get this going though. Are you OK with the simple version using a sitemap and no rules?