Zwave Items Format

Currently, I’ve just been copying the clipboard item from Habmin into the site map in testing and learning OH2.

But what is correct format to move this info to your items file? I tried the below but couldn’t seem to control the light

items file

Dimmer AeonLight “Aeon Light” {channel=“zwave:zwave_aeon_zw098_00_000_1533469ce02_node7_switch_dimmer”}
Dimmer AeonTemp “Aeon Temp” {channel=“zwave:zwave_aeon_zw098_00_000_1533469ce02_node7_color_temperature”}
Color AeonColor “Aeon Color” {channel=“zwave:zwave_aeon_zw098_00_000_1533469ce02_node7_color_color”}

And my sitemap

Slider item=AeonLight
Slider item=AeonTemp
Colorpicker item=AeonColor

I also thought about that and asked … But got more like a flame post :wink:

I would support your question as I also think it would be very helpful.
:+1:

My advice would be to look in Paper UI at the channels. Channels UIDs are denoted with colons e.g.

Number Temp "Temp" {channel="zwave:aeon_zw100_00_000:controller:node4:sensor_temperature"}

What you are copying and pasting is an autogenerated item. When the system generates items automatically for you it replaces the colons with underscores.

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@shorty707 Oh I’ve been searching. I always try to find and research/test the solution first. Sometimes google searches find the answer better then the forum search as well.

And I did get the a Hue bulb item format figured out correctly

@danielwalters86 Thanks for the tip that when the system generates it replaces the colons with underscores. I’ll try this again later tonight when I get home. Based on your example, I think my light should be:

{channel=“zwave:aeon:zw098_00_000_1533469ce02:node7:switch_dimmer”}

So you need to be a little careful (I think) and still keep the underscores within item number of 00_000 area.

Yes but like I said if you check Paper UI for the channels you can copy it from there verbatim rather than having to be “careful”.

@danielwalters86

I missed that earlier, misreading that for copying from Habmin. So yeah, I see that now in the PaperUI and that is probably the best way.

What was confusing me is that copying the item info from the clipboard in HabMin into a sitemap also worked.

So, strangely (or not), this worked in a site map.

Slider item=zwave_aeon_zw098_00_000_1533469ce02_node7_switch_dimmer label=“AeonLight”

But to include that same item in your items file it should be be

Dimmer AeonLight “Aeon Light” {channel=“zwave:aeon_zw098:00:000:1533469ce02:node7:switch_dimmer”}

You’re missing the point here. An auto-generated item is just that, it’s already an item. You can’t specify an item as a channel for another item.

What you were trying to do is essentially this:

Switch mySwitch1
Switch mySwitch2 {channel="mySwitch1"}

Hopefully this makes it a bit more obvious what’s happening:

// this is your manually defined item
    Dimmer AeonLight "Aeon Light"           {channel="zwave:aeon_zw098:00:000:1533469ce02:node7:switch_dimmer"}

// with the auto-generated item the system has essentially done the below for you
    Dimmer zwave_aeon_zw098_00_000_1533469ce02_node7_switch_dimmer "Aeon Light" {channel="zwave:aeon_zw098:00:000:1533469ce02:node7:switch_dimmer"}

As I’m sure you already know you add items to sitemaps therefore the auto-generated item name is perfectly fine to use in a sitemap.

Oh dear, I guess I also got it wrong then?! I’m a newbie on oh…

I add my items manually in my items file e.g.
Dimmer Light_FF_Orange "Orange Lamp" (gLights,FF_Office) {channel="zwave:reitz_064394_00_000:controller:node9:switch_dimmer"}

And when I startup oh2, in Paper UI, I see node 9, I press the blue checkbox to add as “thing”.
Now since I added already the node to my .item file, the white dot is already filled for dimmer channel, in the channel configuration window, so I don’t do anything here.

My .sitemap file only lists groups. i.e. FF_Office, so everything is working out of the box.

But if I understand you correctly, you are suggesting this is not the correct way of doing it?

@vespaman I see nothing wrong with what you have done (the channel parameter is correct in your case). I’m not sure why you think you think I suggested you are doing it wrong?

@danielwalters86
OK, now I see the difference between my config and ptmuldoon’s. I guess I got blinded by all the underscores and colons everywhere… :slight_smile:

Thanks for clearing that up for me!

@danielwalters86

The big lightbulb turn on in my head after you explained how the auto-generated item works. That makes complete sense now as well. I changed my items file here remotely from my office. So crossing fingers, it should work later when i get home.

Best of luck! Hopefully it all works out for you :slightly_smiling:

Sorry, think I need some more clarifications…
Does that mean that auto discovered items doesn’t need an entry in the items file?
And basically the item file can be empty in an ideal system (where everything is discovered)?
Were are the auto-generated items stored?
In the items file it was easy to change name, group and icon for the item, where do I do that now?
Thanks in advance

Let’s see if I can help.

yes! The items file is not required any longer. There are still some things that can be done in it, and it can be used to map things, but it is not necessary. I have no items file anymore for my z-wave items, so not just an empty one, but none.

They are stored in a database inside of the userdata folder called mapdb.

Either through th e API or any of the front ends that allow altering these parameters. PaperUI or Habmin are common ones, of course. Habmin is recommended for z-wave as it has some advanced features, but Habmin can also edit non-zwave items as well.

if you dont use manual items how do you format eg. stuff like % and Celcius?

Add them to the label:

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ah ok didnt find a documentation telling me thats possible… :-/

how do you create a new group like a room or lights group etc?
-> I still do that in items file

are you also creating rules without rules file?

Well, it is in a transition phase. There are groups in OH2 that you can get to with PaperUI if you switch the mode of PaperUI, but for now I personally am using Groups in the items files. I have a .items file for groups, and one for each of the 1.9 bindings I am still using. I also have sitemap files still. I do not have items files for 2.0 bindings. Rules I have files for as well.

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Many thanks to good replies.
One more question in this area…
In a sitemap I would reference a “name” of an item.
Where do I find the “name” (to reference in a sitemap) of an auto-generated item?

The easiest way I have found is to go to the console and just type ‘items’. It will give you the complete list. You can also use some simple unix commands such as grep. For example: items | grep node3