[SOLVED] Astro Binding - Sunrise and Sunset Start Time (UI configuration)

Hi All,

I’m running OH3 M2 on a rPi 4. In using the Astro Binding, I need to link items to the channels rise#start and set#start. However, when I link one of them and then link the other, both get updated to the currently linked item values. In other words, when I link rise#start then link set#start, the rise#start gets overwritten with the the values in set#start.

Is this is bug or am I not using the binding correctly?

Thanks,
Randy

Likely not using the binding correctly but we cannot determine that unless you post your Item definitions, preferably within code fences. The volunteers here do not have access to your configuration.

Thanks for the quick response @Bruce_Osborne.
I configured everything through the UI:

Used valid GPS coordinates entered during initial configuration of OH in the UI.

In the Channel view, I configured the rise#start item link which shows the correct value:

I then configured the set#start item link which shows the correct value for sunset but then overwrites the value for rise#start sunrise:

When I minimize and then maximize the rise#start linked item, you see the linked item has been completely overwritten with the set#start values.

I’m perplexed!

Thanks,
Randy

I configured my test server defining the Thing from the UI Inbox and configuring my Items in text files. I have not experienced that issue.

I will need to try & look at that this evening.

Look closely, you’ll see it’s actually the same item.
I think it’s a little flaw in the default suggested name when you use the “Add as Equipment/Add Points” screen, since the 2 channels have the same label.
Try again and pay attention to the names, they have to be different.

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Thanks @ysc.
Yes - you are correct:
Screen Shot 2020-11-20 at 9.12.52 AM

The Item name “LocalSun_StartTime” is linked to both rise#start and set#start Channels. Unfortunately, the item name cannot be changed in the UI. Would this be considered a bug then? The fix would be to give unique items names to the items linked with rise#start and set#start.

Thanks,
Randy

Please disregard. I see where the item name gets updated.
To be more specific, I unlink the item and recreate it with the new item name.
Thanks!

Randy

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If you delete the original item make sure to unlink it first.

Kind of, I’ve only seen this in the astro binding (identical labels) so little incentive to fix, for now you’ll have to be careful :slight_smile:

If I delete from text it is automatically unlinked, at least in OH2. The UI should ideally do similar.

There was a long thread on this on the forum already and the tl;dr is it’s not that simple. The only reason it works that way using .items files is that when you reload it, all of those Items and links are deleted and then recreated.

But when stuff is stored in JSONDB, the links are stored separately from the Items and the Things and there is a ripple effect that can cause serious problems. I think the conclusion was that it cannot be handled strictly in the UI and the core maintainers do not want to implement that in core because of the complexity and potential for corruption. That’s my recollection at least. I may be misremembering.

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