Yes if you took that approach I would call it a challenge, as that would still require changes to the cloud connector (on top of the three app you mentioned) and possibly the myopenhab.org server to add the ability to pass error messages back to the log files.
What I am suggesting is not a big challenge at all. Yes it would not prevent any of these issues from causing headaches for users, but it would allow yourself and others on this forum the ability to find the cause of the issues much quicker if people posted log outputs. For people that do check logs they would then not post and have saved hours of pulling hairs out.
I am NOT suggesting a syntax FILTER that removes anything from the data steam, instead I am suggesting a fail safe warning system that does not prevent new tags or in fact does not change any data that is passing through. A warning in the logs would get raised but the tag still is allowed to pass.
Perhaps a better definition is in order…
The problems:
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All lower case tag names break “sync my devices”. eg [“lighting”] fails but [“Lighting”] works.
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Smart quotes breaks any tag. Do not copy the tags above as they have smart quotes. EDIT: this actually does create a warning in 2.3 and the entire items file does not parse. Happy this is no longer an issue directly, but it will trigger number 5 if all your items are in the same file.
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Missing labels from any items that include a tag breaks functionality.
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The order you type the fields in causes things to break. eg tag must come directly before channel.
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No tags at all in your items and it fails with no warnings and google will not even link.
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A simple typo will cause it to fail with no warnings as to why or where to look. eg [“Lightning”]
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Any corruption in the JSON database is not picked up with warnings, a number of users have posted where their item files are 100% fine but a glitch in the database has broken everything.
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Only if your name is matt1 the system will refuse to allow you to add more then 5 items without failing with no errors. EDIT: I fixed this issue by decreasing my MTU/MRU values in my routers WAN settings. This link has more info:
https://kb.netgear.com/19863/Ping-Test-to-determine-Optimal-MTU-Size-on-Router -
Using a valid tag that is not supported by X addon/application causes it to break. See list of valid tags below.
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If set to notification only mode, the cloud connector fails and gives no reason in the logs. Remote mode is required.
Have I forgotten any or are any fixed? I do not believe I have ever seen all these issues posted in the one place before.
Also these two links help with finding the cause of issues.
Should return all your items and the tags.
http://openHABianPi:8080/rest/items/
This link should return the same above above, only through the cloud.
https://myopenhab.org/rest/items
What I am proposing would drastically reduce that list down to be much shorter and would not stop new tags from passing through. A syntax checking system that does not change the data stream in any way, it only watches and makes comments in the logs for a users to respond to. This could be implemented ready for testing in as little as 24-48 hours time and does not require any changes to the myopenhab.org server, no changes needed to the 3+ applications which may require signing off from slow moving companies and does not stop any more advanced features from being implemented over time in those higher level pieces of the architecture.
The list of valid tags which some will break certain applications from working. In brackets the apps which can use the tags, taken from documentation…
- Lighting (Alexa,Hue, Google, Homekit)
- Switchable (Alexa,Hue, Google, Homekit)
- CurrentTemperature (Google, Alexa, Homekit)
- Thermostat (Google,Alexa,Homekit)
- TargetTemperature (Alexa,HUE, Homekit)
- homekit:HeatingCoolingMode (Alexa,Homekit)
- Fahrenheit (Alexa, Homekit)
- CurrentHumidity (Homekit)
Any missing, or any cause issues? please post to let me know.