Item naming in Simple Mode

[kai-bcn (Kai S)]

I’m trying to continue with Item Linking = Simple Mode set to on, but seem to have hit a wall here.

The naming of my things is easy …

However, the names and labels of the items seems to be very designed for users who have only 1 item of each type:

In other words: neither the Name nor Label use the Name of the Thing. Instead, they are constructed based on the device ID and on the function.

Questions:

1. Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong ?
2. Is there a way to modify how Simple Mode is creating the Item Name and Item Label ? I wish I could include the Thing name in both.
3. In general, do you have any tips on how to remain in Simple Mode … or is everyone switching this off at some point ?

Thank you very much in advance.
Kai S.

[Dim (Angelos)]

@kai-bcn

In other words: neither the Name nor Label use the Name of the Thing. Instead, they are constructed based on the device ID and on the function.

The “simple” item name does use a variation of the name (not label) of the thing.

In your example:

<thing name> = zwave:device:15bbbaa26de:node7
<channel name> = <thing name>:blinds_control = zwave:device:15bbbaa26de:node7:blinds_control
<item name> = <channel_name_with_underscores> = zwave_device_15bbbaa26de_node7_blinds_control

@kai-bcn

In general, do you have any tips on how to remain in Simple Mode … or is everyone switching this off at some point ?

Well… I personally switch it off from the very beginning and define my items in flat files

[kai-bcn (Kai S)]

@Dim

Well… I personally switch it off from the very beginning and define my items in flat files

OK, thank you.

After testing this a little bit, I am now also convinced that Simple Mode = OFF is the much better way.

Yet, I didn’t see any need to dive into flat files for Item creation, because both Paper UI and Habmin allow to do so from the web GUI, directly from the channel of the Thing. It’s in the same place as with simple mode enabled (big blue circle), or after expanding the section via Link channel → Create new item.
Awesomeness: this has given me control over both the label and the name of the item.
And in fact Paper UI’s default name now looks perfect to me - it does indeed use the label of the Thing as the basis. I like that much better …

And once the Item is created, there is this handy feature to copy the item name into the clipboard - this is awesome for filling my sitemap with content. I wonder would took me so long …Simple Mode = OFF for the win.

In that window I just change the Label (“Shutter Office”) and if it would be a light switch, I change the Category from “Switch” to “Light”.

FYI Here is what HABmin defaults look like for the same Thing and channel … notice the default name doesn’t contain the Thing label.