Example of V_CUSTOM

[172pilot]

I want to make a device in Vera UI7 that shows up with arbitrary text. I can't find a pre-defined data type that seems to let me do an arbitrary string, but I see this "Custom" type, but I can't find any way to use it or examples on people using it like I'm talking about..

I thought maybe it would be as easy as some code like this:

//define and present
MyMessage msgCustom(0,V_CUSTOM);
present (0, S_CUSTOM, "Custom String Sensor");

//and then use it like this:
send(msgCustom.setSensor(0).set("Hello World"));

BUT.. This doesn't seem to work. I'm only beginning to learn this stuff, so maybe there's a total newbie error in here..

Can someone point me to an example sketch that perhaps gives the ability to return arbitrary string values to the Vera dashboard?

Thanks!!
Steve

[hek]

You have to use dev branch on Arduino and install the following device on Vera (created by @BartE):

https://github.com/mysensors/Vera/tree/development/LcdText

It sends V_TEXT message to the node (S_INFO device).

[172pilot]

AWESOME!

Thanks a lot! I'm already using Dev branch, so this should be easy to test!

I guess I know what I'm doing tonight!

-Steve

[Nuubi]

Out of curiosity....what is your use case for this? [just thinking new ways to expand my system]

[172pilot]

Well.. My initial use is for a pool temperature / level sensor.. The temp is easy - It's registering as a V_TEMP and working great, but what I want is for the level to say "1.5 inches low" or "2 inches high", etc.. I currently have the value implemented as another V_TEMP, and have my arduino code calibrating the code to show 0 degrees if it's "perfect" and then plus/minus one degree for each inch the pool is high or low, but to have a sensor that is named "Pool level" and the data being "1.5 degrees F" isn't intuitive. I thought about using a distance sensor, but I couldn't get the distance code to work in the first place, and then I'd have to just remember what "distance" is normal (ie: is 0 the "top" of the pool, the the distance represents how far down the water is?) It just seems simpler in many cases to have a few english words displayed in the Vera website.

Another idea I have is to replace all my "expensive" z-wave door sensors with MySensors on Pro Mini because I hate that the output of the door sensor is just a picture of the door sensor with the "rainbow" on top either colored red, or not, and I have to remember which color is "open". I'd rather have a Vera output that just says "OPEN" or "CLOSED" and I can't figure out any way to do that with the regular sensors so I was just going to build my own..

I'm sure I'll think of more, but that's enough to keep me busy for a while!
.. didn't get to try any of this last night as I had hoped.. we ended up going to the town carnival instead... Will try again tonight!
-Steve