This is already possible, but not through marketplace…
We do it within the semsnticHomeMenu.
You can post the page code with instructions how to create the page, together with an items template to be imported via API explorer.
The masses.
I know this is an answer noone can use. But the thing is, most of us have some idea and know the difference between borring design and a moderne “good looking” design. When a user see it, they will know.
Sure it will fit somebody!.
But if you try to please all, you will fail. Thats a fact!
However, that shouldnt stop anyone from trying to please the most. (This is where I feel we get stuck in the debate over and over again).
As for the “many informations”…
I´m pretty sure that both you and I can mention what kind of stuff most (new) people would like to see, when they get an interest in a smart home system first time. That could be:
Light. (with or without colors)
Switchs.
Thermostats.
Presence detection.
…
Just to mention a few.
Think of it like at “basic package” of widgets, matching a specific already done nice looking/modern looking design.
If a user needs more than whats inside the “basic package”, then the user can fiddle with it by himself, or ask for help. This is where the experience should start to grow!
We dont need to debate what a nice looking or modern looking design is. Thats a matter of taste. But whats important regarding OH as it is today, there is no such a thing available, except for a basic (in my opinion borring) design, which Im pretty sure, most people would s´never react to with an “wow!”.
Which is great, and what this community is also all about. @ohb1138 probably went to the community to ask for help. And you responded… Everybody is pleased, and you did a great job, for him. For me, Habpanel is borring, inconvient and highly difficult to use, while taking alot of ressources. But that just my opinion 
But what about those who would like to get off from start, without having to deal with the comminuty, (which in many ways also can be rather overwhelming in both positive and negative ways in here). Sometimes users dont even know how to ask the right question, or even understand themselves what they actually want.
Why not trying to give them an easier start, at least so they know what to ask (and how), if they get stuck?
Please all, be ware - This is my SUGGESTIONS! Just in case someone get the idea, that i´m demanding.
I´ll add a few design examples taken from others, which hopefully will clear of the matter, of what I believe is good looking modern design.
This I can not comment on… I how no idea how complicated it will be to make. Im not a developer, not even designer. Im a user, with ideas!
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Funny that I have had the same idea to introduce something like page templates.
Feel free to start working on something, TBH I haven‘t touched the code for the other templates (yet) so definitely nothing I could do „quickly“.
Abstract, I would imagine page templates like:
- have a template of the actual page with configurability like rule templates
- have a list of required marketplace widgets that are automatically installed when installing the template
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If you have Android Auto, you probably have also voice control in your car, for example for street navigation.
Then I would go a more elegant way: tag your item which opens the garage door to be used by Google Assistant, here is my example:
Rollershutter Garage_Google "Garage" (gRestore) { ga="GARAGE" }
(this is a virtual item which triggers a rule to actuate the physical garage door switch)
Then add that item to Google Home (app is called only “Home”).
Now you will be able to open your garagedoor via voice control from your car. (“Google, open the garage”)
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This is quite easy. Create a page in MainUI, open the code tab, copy all from there and post it in yaml code fences with some additional information. This is a basic template.
But we should move this design discussion to another topic.
When you post some examples, please start a new one.
Fully agree. I guess it is the first hurdle that is a bit high to take to once get familiar. But from what I learned in only one day. Your are fully able to build your own design. My exeperience of the last two dyas is that the Main UI is much better commonly presumed but it takes a first bold step.
I support the idea that there should be a way to provide one or more template like e.g. mine that @hmerk very quickly “migrated” from HABPanel to Main UI. Once the mechanism is understood it is fairly simple 
@Kim_Andersen,
and who do you think is responsible for providing these templates … a community based solution lives from the input of the community. So, it should be to support the developers to provide such templates. Maybe they can help to find a way to provide dashboard templates but everyone that builds his iwn dashboard should be invited to make it a template for the rest of us.
I do not know if from that discussion a method can be derived to make a collection of dashboards and probably help to implement a certain design but with shadows and borders for the shapes there is already quite a good foundation to start.
I personally like the HABPanel design and I will now migrate all my dashboards.
Maybe we could establish a collection of dashboard YAML files?
A dashboard template designer/developer.
Ofcouse… Anyone who has ideas and knowlegde to do so, could create templates in different design, if they want to participate.
My suggestion goes for a few designs to start off with, which hopefully incorrage others to participate as well. And then let it develope/grow from there.
Thanks for the fast feedback…
- The request which is linked, is from 09/2022, so more that two years, and no improvement in that area… So I ask for a wish, because on x-mas time, normal we can ask for wishes…
The stuff with the voice command under Google home is interesting. But for all the stuff,
you need to open and allow the local OH installation to connect to the cloud.
Most (not all) of my more than 70 different devices in my OH setup are local stored only.
So NO connection to the cloud e.g. for the shelly, which are security releant.
Some temperature devices are allowed to connect to the cloud.
This the main focus is, to protected the local OH Installation which goes only for not important deivces to the cloud.
When now using the Android Auto, and connect to the OH Smarthome, I use the Tasker App and open the VPN Tunnel from the AA phone in the car to the Smarthome at Home.
This is a quick, and secure scenario, to have access to the device at home, only when I need it.
And here OH for AA and a working UI would be perfect.
I’m running OH since serveral years. I thing starting with 2.1 or so… now since yesterday on 4.3.0 is running.
But I have to say, I was going two weeks before the first time outside OH and installed on an old RPI3 an Home Automation Installation. It took me 1/2 hour to install and one hour to learn what ist what, and how to configure. Final I have a HA installation which has only two active devices, and with that I can do what ever I want over the native AA installation. Also here the VPN is activated when BT in the car is connected to the mobile, and shut down, when not connected.
As I’m a big, big fan from OH, I want to have everything in one soultion.
So thanks for understanding and let’s cross the fingers that somewhen OH meets AA
And who is that ? Anybody from the community can do this.
Copy what from where? (this is the missing link ).
Additional information can be quite overwhelming, if someone is suppose to build something from a Yaml code, unless your familiar with yaml. But the idea of how to transfer a template to a result, copy/paste could be usefull. The issue about how to place and configure the widget would become a challenge though.
I can do that. But I fear we´ll end up in a parallel debate regarding the same… But I´ll give it a try very soon. Then we´ll se what happens.
It balances with few others asking for config file removal in the current discussion. And it shows there is clearly a fear of this feature to be removed.
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I thought it was clear. When you open a page in page editor, you will see the code tab. Copy the complete code and post it in anothe topic, surrounded by code fences.
Additional information would be what type a potential user needs to create in page editor.
Then its like the same, take the complete code from the post and paste it into the code tab.
Further information would then be, what Items need to be created.
And off you go…
I don‘t think so. At least myself would be glad to provide information, how such examples can be designed.
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I must have missed that post. I dont see any code anywhere… Or are you talking about an example use in the future?
I know this is how to add widgets, if thats what you meant. And I assume the same could be used to add a whole design/page including widgets. But to create a dashboard filled with widgets, that will require alot of knowledge.
This was an example, I did not post code here. If you like, I can send you the code for the dashboard I created.
But It would not be very usefull for you, cause of the many items used, which ared surely different from yours.
That‘s correct! Not much knowledge needed…
@hmerk
I started a new thread with a few dashboards examples.
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I am still looking for a (simple) way to monitor many (200+ MQTT) things, e.g. with a Blockly rule, to see if they have gone offline and then send a message with a name of them, for example.
The solutions presented so far have been too cumbersome for me
Just like dashboards, rules are user domain and not part of OH itself, so if you think you need that for your application, please create those rules yourself.
Anyone to have good solutions, please share them on the marketplace.
But I don’t see any motivation for anyone to build that into OH itself.
Yes, I agree with you Markus. But perhaps it could be made easier for the user to read out this status. But perhaps it’s still too small a topic that doesn’t affect or interest many people.