api String value

[syedamerali]

I am trying to display a string in the status field by defining the input as follows:

for some reason I cannot keep the unit field blank. If I define it as a null or space the plugin puts a zero in it ??
my advanced tab for this device displays:


What I wish to be displayed is "steady" instead of "10 m" which it is in the hs3 devices page:


My status graphics tab where everything is defined is as follows:



The device history chart displays the values correctly (see the labels on the y-axis):



I cannot for the life of me figure out what I am doing wrong. Can someone help please.

[enigmatheatre]

If you want to show the device Status Value you need to set update to Value not value and string then HS will replace the Value with the status string.

Greig.

[syedamerali]

Thank you so very much for the lightning response. It worked.
Just to understand what is string for?

PS
unrelated. I have a number of esp boxes all over the house reporting to homeseer with JSON URL's and I use VB scripts to communicate with these boxes. Your plugin makes life so simple in two way communication with these boxes. Will switch them all over to this plugin.

[enigmatheatre]

If you set it to Value and String it will update the device value and also update the device string with the value and the unit which is why you had
"10 M" but Homeseer will always display the string over the value so to display the value the string must be blank.

Thank you for your kind words about the plugin it has taken some time to get to where is and it has been a learning curve.

Greig.

[randy]

Thank you so very much for the lightning response. It worked.
Just to understand what is string for?

PS
unrelated. I have a number of esp boxes all over the house reporting to homeseer with JSON URL's and I use VB scripts to communicate with these boxes. Your plugin makes life so simple in two way communication with these boxes. Will switch them all over to this plugin.

There are three different variable fields for all devices, Status, Value and String:

• Status=The text that is assigned to any value in the Status Graphics tab. This is only for user interface, it has nothing to do with the inner workings of HomeSeer control and events. When you control or trigger based on a Device's Status, HomeSeer internally looks up the numeric value assigned to that Status. A value within a range is addressed by the value.
• Value=This is the numerical value assigned to the device which HomeSeer uses for control or Event Triggers and Conditions. This is the only thing HomeSeer cares about of the three.
• String=A string of characters that can be assigned to a device. This can contain HTML, images and other data. If there s a string assigned to a device, it will show in the device Manager instead of the Status Text. It will remain until changed, regardless of what the device's value is. The data stored in the String is only for user interface, it has nothing to do with the inner workings of HomeSeer.

This and more information about HomeSeer Devices is here

[syedamerali]

Thank you so much - your explanation is crystal clear and clears up my foggy mind.

[syedamerali]

I was wondering, to fully expand the string capability SendToHS() should have a version which can take a String argument. Currently it seems to take just numeric arguments.