Simple Question about manually created items

Why can’t manually created items be processed further via the Paper UI?

Ummmm

Because they are primarily text files, not entries in the core JSON files until they are imported.

If you ‘manually’ created the items using the REST API, then they would be editable by any other interface (for example PaperUI)

Does that help you?

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Just to add some more detail. Anything you define in text config files (.items, .things, .rules, etc) takes precedence. These are also written in a syntax that openHAB does not know how to write to, only read from. Therefore, as far as the REST API is concerned (e.g. messing with stuff through PaperUI) they are all read only. This is one reason why the recommendation in the docs is to pick one approach for a given concept (e.g. Items) and stick with it.

Personally, I define all my Items using .items files and all my Things through the REST API (i.e. stored in the JSONDB). When I move to OH 3 I’ll move my Items and Rules over to the REST API too. OH 3 has import and export functions for much of what goes into the JSONDB in the new UI that will replace PaperUI.

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Hello, thanks for the helpful answer.
I was wondering why I cannot switch switches that I have created manually via the Paper UI but via the app.
Hence the question.