Controller developers news for 2.0.x

[hek]

This post describes changes for controller (and plugin) developers for supporting 2.0.x.

The serial protocol is identical to 1.5.x. But a few more sensor and variable types has been added.

New Sensor Types

• S_INFO (36) - LCD text device / Simple information device on controller, uses V_TEXT
• S_GAS (37) - Gas meter, uses V_FLOW, V_VOLUME
• S_GPS (38) - GPS Sensor, uses V_POSITION
• S_WATER_QUALITY (39) - Water quality sensor, uses V_TEMP, V_PH, V_ORP, V_EC, V_STATUS

New Variable Types

• V_TEXT (47) - For S_INFO. Text message to display on LCD or controller device
• V_CUSTOM (48) - Custom messages used for controller/inter node specific commands, preferably using S_CUSTOM device type.
• V_POSITION (49) - GPS position and altitude. Payload: latitude;longitude;altitude(m). E.g. "55.722526;13.017972;18"
• V_IR_RECORD (50) - Record IR codes S_IR for playback
• V_PH (51), - For S_WATER_QUALITY, water PH
• V_ORP (52) - For S_WATER_QUALITY, water ORP : redox potential in mV
• V_EC (53) - For S_WATER_QUALITY, water electric conductivity μS/cm (microSiemens/cm)
• V_VAR (54) - For S_POWER, Reactive power: volt-ampere reactive (var)
• V_VA (55) - For S_POWER, Apparent power: volt-ampere (VA)
• V_POWER_FACTOR (56) - For S_POWER, Ratio of real power to apparent power: floating point value in the range [-1,..,1]

MQTT

We had to drop the MQTT-gateway-server example as it was utterly un-maintained. Instead we introduce a new MQTT client gateway. It mimics the serial protocol, so it should be much easier to support once you handle the serial/ethernet gateway.

MY_MQTT_PUBLISH_TOPIC_PREFIX/NODE-ID/SENSOR-ID/CMD-TYPE/ACK-FLAG/SUB-TYPE

Example outgoing topic (with default prefix) :
mygateway1-out/1/2/2/0/1

Example topic for sending data to your sensor network (with default prefix) :
mygateway1-in/1/2/2/0/1

This also means a controller can (and should) answer the id-requests and time requests via the MQTT broker just like it is handled for the serial protocol today. Ack messages from sensors is also supported.

[CrankyCoder]

Will this be able to support OTA updates?

[scalz]

@Jason-Brunk OTA for nodes should work. It's already working since 1.5. Or do you ask for ota by mqtt? or ota in mqtt client gw? I had one esp8266 mqtt gw with arduinoOta working on it.

[CrankyCoder]

I guess I will have to try to dig up some documentation on the OTA. I am wanting to use mqtt client gateway, but the idea of being able to update my nodes OTA is very appealing.

[yoram]

Where can I report a bug?

			(void)WiFi.begin(MY_ESP8266_SSID, MY_ESP8266_PASSWORD);
			#ifdef MY_IP_ADDRESS
				WiFi.config(_ethernetGatewayIP, _gatewayIp, _subnetIp);
			#endif

The order should be different, otherwise the gateway will always be initated with DHCP and not with static IP
The correct code would be

			#ifdef MY_IP_ADDRESS
				WiFi.config(_ethernetGatewayIP, _gatewayIp, _subnetIp);
			#endif
			(void)WiFi.begin(MY_ESP8266_SSID, MY_ESP8266_PASSWORD);

refer to:
Wifi lib config

[tekka]

@yoram Please report it here. Thanks

[tekka]

@yoram Addressed in PR#517.

[Honk]

I've found some typos on the serial api page.

S_DIMMER	4	Dimmable device of some kind	V_STATUS (on/off), V_DIMMER (dimmer level 0-100), V_WATT

V_DIMMER needs to be V_PERCENTAGE

S_HVAC	29	Thermostat/HVAC device	V_HVAC_SETPOINT_HEAT, V_HVAC_SETPOINT_COLD, V_HVAC_FLOW_STATE, V_HVAC_FLOW_MODE, V_HVAC_SPEED

V_HVAC_SETPOINT_COLD needs to be V_HVAC_SETPOINT_COOL