Items are showing on sitemap without being defined in the sitemap file

Hey there,

I was just starting to customize my sitemap and I clicked on some of the groups and sub-groups I had.
And it showed me my solar panels which I don’t have configured in the sitemap file, only in the items file.

I defined a group called garage where all the data from the solar panels are in. So in my items file the solar panel ONLY is in a group called garage.

On my sitemap I also have a sub-group called garage and that’s where they are shown on the sitemap, but the solar panel is not defined on the sitemap and does not even appears once in the sitemap file.

I changed the group of the panels in the items file and they disappeared. (Well if not i would’ve a much bigger problem.)

But my question just is, is that normal like is that supposed to happen? Because I thought only items defined in the sitemap file will appear later in the sitemap. Since when is it possible to define items on the sitemap via the items file?

I’m just wondering maybe you can help me out. Thanks!

Reading this :
Clicking on a Group element will reveal a new view showing all group items using the [Default](https://www.openhab.org/docs/configuration/sitemaps.html#element-type-default) element type. In addition, Item groups may be configured to hold a value, just as with normal items. Please refer to the documentation on [Item groups](https://www.openhab.org/docs/configuration/items.html#groups) for details.
that behaviour sounds as expected to me.

1 Like

Here might be the source of your confusion. You don’t define any Items in the sitemap. All your Items are defined in your .items files (or through the UI). What you define in the sitemap is how those Items are displayed. The elements chosen to display an Item need not, and often will not, match the type of the Item.

For example:

  • A Group might be put on the sitemap as a Text so only the Group Item’s state is shown
  • A String Item might be put on the sitemap with a Switch element and mappings
  • A Switch Item might be put on the sitemap as Text to make it read only.

This is pretty much how sitemaps have always worked.

Thank you both so much, I got really confused. Thanks for helping me!