Setting up mqtt items syntax

Setup, Configuration and Use Scripts & Rules
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Because the Zigbee Binding isn’t working with all Xiaomi Aqara devices, I decided to setup all my configuration through zigbee2mqtt and the mqtt binding.

Before I start with my problem, is there a way to use a normal, understandable syntax for the configuration? Like xml, json or yaml?

Okay back to my problem:
Currently my item looks like this:
Number THSensor "Temperature [%.2f °C]" {mqtt="<[broker:zigbee2mqtt/0x00158e12345065dd:state:JSONPATH($.temperature)]"}

But I found a syntax like this too and I’m confused, but nothing works:
Number THSensor "Temperature [%.2f °C]" {channel="mqtt:topic:broker:zigbee2mqtt/0x00158d00045065dd"}

Then I tried to set it up through PaperUI, that worked without problems. What do I wrong?

I also have a bit different question, maybe off-topic:

  1. is it possible to create variables inside the items file?
  2. is it possible to create things/items/channels (don’t know which I’m meaning) at once like the simple mode in PaperUI?
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recent post

No. xxx.items files are for Items. Nothing else.

You can allow things to be discovered that can be discovered. Ordinary MQTT devices/services cannot be auto discovered.

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I recommend using mqtt 2.4 and also adding this to your zigbee2mqtt ymal file to help with transformations:

experimental:
output: attribute

For more info and examples see this topic.