Openhab 3 models and pages empty

Hi,

i upgraded to openhab 3 a while ago.
Because we basically only use google home i didnt need the interface so much, + the old sitemaps is still working.
But… i wanted to look in to the new models and pages thing to create new dashboard and switch our mobile devices to the new layout as well.

I have read up on symantic model, seen an hour video, multiple times:
Bk hobby
i also found the rewritten tutorials.

But i just dont understand this new way of working, and can not find a step by step guide.
Used too i added a binding via the UI, and the rest was created via items, sitemaps and rules txt files.

to start:
everything is pretty much empty qua layout.

  • On the homescreen (by clicking openhab logo on top left)
    • overview and locations are empty.
    • In devices i see my 4 blinds available in a category, thats it, no idea why these are automatically recognised.

So tried looking into Models - and adding new locations.
I can not use the same name as my groupname i used in home.items file.
I also notice all the locations/ groups already beeing there if i check the non-symantic box.

I want to recreate what i have in my site map, First Floor (Eersteverdieping) - Office - item1/item2
I feel i need to do this with locations.


So i created a few new ones, but when adding the equipment… i can not save it because there are no channels available to choose from, and i need to select at least one before it allows me to save.

Do i need models? According to the video these locations should have been updated automatically of my groups.

So i gave up on that and just thought… maybe i can just make a dashboard.
I believe this is via pages.

  • opened the overview page
    - added a toggle card
    But this item only turns my light ON, tho i can toggle it back to off, it does not turn my light OFF.
    This does still work via the old ways.

I dont know where to start with this tbh.

No, but if you want to use the Semantic Model via Items files you need to correctly ‘tag’ your relevant Items.

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Dear @hafniumzinc
Thank you for the response.
that does seem to populate the models, i will start testing more.

i added it for a floor, a room and a switch.
first 2 worked.
The switch didnt, if i add the lightbulb or variants… items and models shows empty untill i remove it again.

image

What is needed for a switch for a light please?
I am afraid that the tag [ “Lighting” ] that is needed for google is making this go wrong.

I’m not sure of the answer, but I don’t think you can split the tags like you have done. Get rid of your Lightbulb tag after the {...} and move it into your existing Lighting tag, though double check that they don’t interfere.

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Ok , ok , that all seems to work fine.
Thank you.

Now i still have the same issue as when i manually created a widget in the pages.
The button turns on the light, but it does not turn it OFF.
even in Frontail i see the ON appearing, but not the OFF.

Would you have any idea about this please?

Yes, probably this issue:

Try using a different device and/or browser…

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@hafniumzinc You are right again!

opened my mobile app, logged in to the 3.0UI, and here the button does toggle.

“dude” you are a god!

i think i am at least on my way now to start testing so more locations and such.
I will see where i get stuck then.

Thank you so much!

Maybe a quick side question:
Because your such a guru.
I advised a colleague to go OH3 (he is new to any home automation), i am afraid i can not rly help him with UI info.
what would be a possible default way of working?
add binding - search for things - add thing - here i am confused… do u still need to link an item to the thing? - add to model - add pages
he found and added the thing in the inbox, searched via binding, but now what.

i have not added any new devices yet in ages, not to mention… that was not via UI.
Or is here a clear tutorial somewhere?

thank you

Your friend should start here, read it all, then move on to the next page which is the start of the tutorials.

Yes, you still link Thing Channels to Items. If you’re not using Items files, easiest method is to use the ‘Create Equipment from Thing’ ‘Add Equipment to Model’ button when you’ve created your Thing: this is a visual method to create relevant Items (Equipment is just an Item).

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@hafniumzinc thank you.

and with create equipment, you mean this button:

after clicking the thing you want to add as an item

Yes, that one - apologies, I got the name wrong!

no worries, just needed to be sure.
Thank you for all the assistance!

It seems that hafniumzinc has you well on your way. I just wanted to provide a little bit of background and explanation.

In no particular order:

  • Do not fall into the trap and try to add all your Items to the model. Not all Items and especially Groups need to be in the model. In particular, the model represents the physical configuration of your home automation so functional Groups like AllLights should remain outside the model (i.e. refrain from giving them a semantic tag).

  • Any given semantically tagged Item or Group can only be a direct member of 1 other semantically tagged Group. This makes sense as the model is the physical model of your home automation and a given Point Item (e.g. light switch) cannot physically be a part of two or more Equipment at the same time nor can it be in two or more Locations at the same time.

  • Based on my experience, if you are going to use the model, it’s going to be way less work to move your Items out of .items files. To recreate the Items use “create equipment from Thing” on the Model page, or the “Add Equipment to Model” option you’ve already found. Both do the same thing. You can be careful to choose the same names for your Items as you had before, or take this opportunity to normalize the names or use a new naming scheme.

  • Make sure your Items have meaningful labels that include enough information to uniquely identify the Item. Most places in MainUI the Items will be shown based on label, not Item name and the Properties tab is going to group all like Point Items together and if they are all labeled “Temperature” you won’t be able to tell them apart.

  • Definitely look into custom widgets. You can combine multiple Items onto one widget (e.g. a Garage door opener might combine the status of a sensor with a Switch to trigger the opener). When you combine Items on a single widget in this way, you can often exclude some of those extra Items from the model.

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