NodeManager: plugin for a rapid development of battery-powered sensors

[user2684]

@vikasjee tracking both with https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/90 and https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/92. Mean while I will order the samples and wait for their delivery, if you have any link with demo code to share, please feel free to do so on the two github issues.

Regarding the external file based extension, this is definitively a good idea. I did spend some time at the beginning trying to identify the best way to package this but my weak programming skills prevented me to identify an optimal solution I'm sure. I did not go for multiple files mainly because I thought during upgrade this would have required overwriting multiple files in multiple projects so I gave up. As a workaround, I also tried to put all NodeManager's files in a dedicated folder or create an arduino library but it didn't work (but don't remember why).

So the only way now to expand the existing code in a clean way is to write in your main sketch an inline class deriving from the Sensor class or the other NodeManager's classes and use registerSensor() providing an instance of this class. But I am of course open to any other better way to achieve the same :-)

[user2684]

@gohan since you have set a sleep interval of 10 minutes, what you should see in the logs (and in your gateway) is NodeManager starting up, presenting all the child nodes (one of more for each sensor), running SENSOR_BME280's and SENSOR_MCP9808's onLoop() and a bunch of messages set out with the measures and finally going to sleep for 10 minutes and waking up and sending out a V_TRIPPED message if SENSOR_MOTION triggers.
Generally speaking you can get the measures in the serial output, in the controller or by sending the node a REQ message to each of the child ids. Do you see something different?
Thanks

[gohan]

Ok, I mean from code like if I want to use them to show on local LCD

[user2684]

@gohan never thought about it but it is a good idea to add some "output" capabilities. Tracking this with https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/95 but would require some time since it has a few dependencies. Thanks!

[gohan]

I'll give you a feedback sooner or later... I lost so many hours trying to figure out what was wrong with my test sensor but at the end it was a fried nrf24 module that was working since some time ago

[user2684]

I've added a rain gauge out-out-the-box sensor for the latest dev release called 1.5-dev5 (https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/tree/126812a9d01311640416222be8225fdcca1e7266). This is intended to be the last enhancement for the upcoming v1.5 version but of course I'll wait for some additional days to collect (and fix) any issue all the new sensors might have.

The implementation of the rain gauge sensor has to be different than the one from the build section for a good number of reasons and limitations. All the details here: https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/90.

[mar.conte]

Sorry but the name of the sketch can be different both in the node and in the gateway?

[gohan]

Sure, that's for your use to know what software is running on each sensor

[mar.conte]

@gohan
Should the gateway have the right nodemamager sketch?
Tanks

[gohan]

Why do you need nodemanager on gateway?

[mar.conte]

@gohan
User2694 say:"Setup MySensors

Since NodeManager has to communicate with the MySensors gateway on your behalf, it has to know how to do it. Place on top of the config.h file all the MySensors typical directives you are used to set on top of your sketch so both your sketch AND NodeManager will be able to share the same configuration. For example:"
link text

[gohan]

He is referring on the node side, on the gateway you can just run the default sketch

[mar.conte]

@gohan
Ok Tanks 😉

[user2684]

@mar.conte said in NodeManager: plugin for a rapid development of battery-powered sensors:

Should the gateway have the right nodemamager sketch?

Just to confirm what already discussed: a node/sensor with NodeManager running does not require a gateway with NodeManager on it. Generally speaking, there are two situations in which you may want use NodeManager on a gateway as well (available starting from v1.5):

• It as to run on a Sonoff device which requires to be configured as a gateway
• The gateway has sensors attached to it so you may want to use NodeManager's capabilities to configure your sensors in an easy way

There is also a third situation: you are just lazy and have NodeManager already open in the arduino IDE so you just configure the gateway's settings in config.h and upload the sketch :P

[mar.conte]

@user2684
👍🏾😉

[user2684]

Last chance guys to report any issue for those who had tested the dev version of v1.5 :-)
The final version will be out in a day or two otherwise.

Thanks!

[gohan]

I am waiting for the LCD mod :D

[user2684]

@gohan LCD unfortunately has to wait for the another release (https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/95), I would like to find a way to provide the info on the LCD without the need for the user to configure it for every sensor but this would require investigating on the best generic approach and will take some time :-)

[gohan]

If you could provide a method to retrieve sensor data from main loop(), it is quite easy for everyone to print it to LCD

[user2684]

@gohan I wonder if something can be done even right now based on what you're saying. In the main sketch, after invoking nodeManager.loop(), you can actually retrieve the instance of each sensor and do something. The last "value", depending on the type of the sensor, is stored in a variable (e.g. _value_int) BUT it is private. I'll add a getValue() function so you can get out this value. Not ideal but I think it can be a workaround I can easily add before releasing 1.5 (https://github.com/mysensors/NodeManager/issues/104)