OH3: How to use follow profile in mainui

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

Hi there,

i tried to use the follow profile in oh3 using the mainui to configure it, but i failed.

The reason is very simple. When using the follow profile i need the option to select or enter an channel to follow. main ui does not offer this option.

i opend an issue in github and discussed this with @ysc Outcome ist that entry field for profiles are autogenerated from the a xml definition: https://github.com/openhab/openhab-core/blob/master/bundles/org.openhab.core.thing/src/main/resources/OH-INF/config/offsetProfile.xml

Unfortunately the is no xml for the follow profile.

Could some one explain what is expected for the follow profile and how to use it.

Thanks in advance
Thomas

[cweitkamp (Christoph Weitkamp)]

That is a really good question and I do not yet have an answer for it.

A possible configuration description should probably use context “channel” and define a filterCriteria on the kind “STATE”. Something like this - be aware of typos, I wrote it in a second:

	<config-description uri="profile:system:follow">
		<parameter name="channelUID" type="text" required="true">
			<context>channel</context>
			<label>Channel</label>
			<description>Some description.</description>
			<filter>
				<criteria name="kind">STATE</criteria>
			</filter>
		</parameter>
	</config-description>

But - to be honest - I have not clue if it is working.

[ysc (Yannick Schaus)]

@Dibbler42

i opend an issue in github and discussed this

for reference, this is the discussion:

[mainUI] Follow profile does not have parameters

I believe it is a misconception of what the follow profile is, and thus a documentation problem.
“Follow” means that the channel you’re linking will reflect state updates of the item and treat them as commands, while not reflecting the state updates from the channel to the item.

So you have an item linked to the living room lights, and when you switch on your living room lights, you also want your kitchen lights to be switched on, but you don’t want updates to the kitchen lights reflected in the item representing the living room lights.

Therefore linking the kitchen lights channel to the living room lights item with the ‘Follow’ profile saves you from writing this rule:

when
  Item LivingRoomLights changed
then
  KitchenLights.sendCommand(newState)
end

At least that’s how I understand it.

[cweitkamp (Christoph Weitkamp)]

Yes, that is correct. Beside the state update of an item a command from a handler will be forwarded too. In your example you do not need the rule and you do not necessarily need the Item KitchenLights. In other words you can say - with caution - it is a one directional channel to channel link.

I am mainly using this profile to connect my motion sensors to the bulbs.

So my suggested configuration will not work. We need a different way to configure it via UI. In textual files it looks like this:

Switch motionSensorFirstFloorPresent {
    channel="...<SENSOR ID>:presence",
    channel="...<LIGHT ID1>:brightness" [profile="follow"],
    channel="...<LIGHT ID2>:brightness" [profile="follow"]
}

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

@cweitkamp @ysc

Maybe i have missinterpreted the profile. My expectation was that i could select the channel from a kind of drop down menu.

From Christophs example i recognized that i could link more than one channel to an item and “tag” one or more channels as “follow”.

I will check that this evening.

[rossko57]

@ysc

Therefore linking the kitchen lights channel to the living room lights item with the ‘Follow’ profile saves you from writing this rule:

As an aside - being pedantic, it’s more like -

when
  Item LivingRoomLights received update
then
  KitchenLights.sendCommand(newState)
end

It’s a subtle difference, but allows users to build screaming loops if they attempt to cross-link two swtches, stairway style.

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

So startet to check the profile fuctionality, but get it to work. I startet with the offset profile.

I opend from the model a temperature item.

then i clicked on the channel links

Then i select “versatz” (Offset), enterd 20 and saved

From my understanding a value of 20 is added to the value comming from the sensor, but nothing happens

So what i am doing wrong?

[rossko57]

Hmm, sure you don’t need to tell it 20 what you’d like to add to a Quantity type, e.g degrees C or F etc.

Mind you, I’m only guessing it is a number:temperature type channel, the UI is hiding that.

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

Tried it with 20°C -> Nothing happens. With “20 °C” it works,

but now i do not get rid of the offset. If i change the profile to “No Profile” and click on save the profile is not deleted.

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

It is even worse. If i select standard the offset profile is still used

[cweitkamp (Christoph Weitkamp)]

@Dibbler42

So what i am doing wrong?

Nothing. See:

[profiles] configuration change not activated

[Dibbler42 (Thomas Bail)]

So the the offest profile works in general. Unfortunately i get still some log messages.

The follow profile is still not working. tomorrow i will test the follow profile in a different configuration.