Apple Homekit(Siri) integration with Homeseer

[supergolfstick]

I followed your instructions, but I cannot get the .rar to extract. I am using unrar-free and here is the output I am getting:

pi@7630_PI3_1:~/Downloads $ sudo unrar-free -x RPiHomeBridge.rar

unrar 0.0.1 Copyright (C) 2004 Ben Asselstine, Jeroen Dekkers


Extracting from /home/pi/Downloads/RPiHomeBridge.rar

unknown archive type, only plain RAR 2.0 supported(normal and solid archives), SFX and Volumes are NOT supported!
All OK
pi@7630_PI3_1:~/Downloads $

Can you help me understand what I need to do in order to get this image to extract and load per your comments on this please. Is there a read.me file that talks through the steps and helps understand the process and output please.

I was able to find my issue and problem. IS there a complete JSON example that shows all fields of support that this middleware will support. Clearly turning lights on and off works no issues, but I don't see the details and expansion on events and scenes. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[AutomatedJim]

Hi, yeah, I just finished making a new version. This one is kinda like two applications in one -

The First piece -
- Will automatically generate the config.json file.
- This new version has an Advanced option, where you can customize the strings and values, and decide which type of devices it should query (I'll be adding more device types soon). I have numerous Z-Wave devices by different vendors, and it works with all of them, but for non-zwave devices, you might have tweak the strings and values a bit.
- I've also added a lot of error correction and error catching, so hopefully if something goes wrong, it will tell us what happened.
- Once you have the correct JSon file, you can copy/paste it into your own setup.

The second piece -
- It comes with a companion Raspberry Pi Image that's already FULLY configured. It already has the latest version of everything, and it's shrunk to fit on a SD Card as small as 2GB (compressed image is only 279MB).
- HomeBridge will automatically start when it boots, and it's designed so you don't even need a monitor & keyboard for it.
- The goal is for the Windows app is to fully control the Rapsberry Pi image.
- It can upload the config file to your RPi
- It can reset your RPi HomeBridge if need be
- And there's a button there called, "First Boot", which will automatically expand the image to fill the entire SD card (I will be adding more features to this. For example, for it to upgrade and update all the packages automatically).

Please let me know if you guys notice any issues with it (I'm sure there are tons of bugs). Hopefully, I can make this so easy, that people will have HomeKit up and running within minutes.

Here's the Windows App (just download and extract) -
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...ThDbTRsOHJRRjg

Here's the RPi Image (extract with WinRAR and burn with https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/ )
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...WlVc054QmZZNFk

If this is useful, I will continue to improve it till somebody makes a native plugin again, or comes up with an easier way to get HomeKit going (oh, and I have absolutely no intention of ever charging for it).

I have tried both pieces and can't get the first piece to work. Get error stating "Couldn't find dimmable lights with those properties:
Sequence contains no elements.

In HomeSeer check device Control values."

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

[AutomatedJim]

I have tried both pieces and can't get the first piece to work. Get error stating "Couldn't find dimmable lights with those properties:
Sequence contains no elements.

In HomeSeer check device Control values."

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

Update: If I uncheck Enabled for Dimmable Lights in the advanced section and only have non-dimmable lights & Thermostats checked, a JSON config is generated. What could be the issue with Dimmable Devices? They are all HS-WD100+ switches.

Thanks,

Jim

[jumper4000]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I've been pretty busy, but I'll try to help you out as I can.

I just uploaded a new RPi image. This is what I added -
- This one should play much nicer in a Windows network (you can access it by name instead of IP).
- Added the HomeBridge camera plugin (although the camera experience on RPi is not the greatest). I'll add support to my tool for it later.
- Applied all latest updates

@supergolfstick - This image is compressed using RAR 5.0 to achieve the smallest file size. Use WinRAR (http://rarlab.com/download.htm) to extract it, and then burn the image with "Win32 Disk Imager" ( https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/)

Once you create the image and boot up your Raspberry Pi, wait about a minute, then go to my tool, and click on that "First Boot" button. It will expand the Rapsberry Pi image to fill the entire SD Card and reboot the device. Then you're ready to upload you json.config file.

As for a complete JSon, you can see a complete sample here - https://www.npmjs.com/package/homebridge-homeseer
Out of those supported devices, my tool currently supports Dimmable Lights, Non-Dimmable Lights/switches, Thermostats, Door Locks, and Garage Doors. Security devices like alarms, motion sensors, and cameras are next on my agenda. I'll add Events soon too.

Let me know if you have other questions and I'll see if I can help you.

@AutomatedJim, I have a ton of those dimmers too, and the tool finds them just fine. This is what you should do -
- In HomeSeer, locate one of your dimmers and click on the sub device (not the root) that represents on/off/dim.
- Then click on the "Advance" tab and see what it says for "Device Type (String)"
- Next click on the "Status Graphics" tab, and see what it says for "Off" and "On"
- Next go to my tool, click on "Advanced" and compare the values to what you have above. They should match, exactly. (it's not case sensitive though)

Let me know if everything matches and you're still having trouble.

[jezza]

hey Jumper4000

I got your tool and the image running. Works great.
If you get a chance to add readings from motion sensors that have temp in them also that would be great.

thanks

[jayman13]

hey Jumper4000

I got your tool and the image running. Works great.
If you get a chance to add readings from motion sensors that have temp in them also that would be great.

thanks

Looking forward to trying this out. Thanks for doing this.

[jayman13]

Mine won't find any devices and I checked the "device type string" and on/off statuses in homeseer to make sure they coincide. Not sure why not but it won't generate a config.

[jumper4000]

@jayman13 - Does it work for any type of device type at all (in the tool, click on the "Advance" button, and run it individually for each device type)? Can you also run these two commands in your web browser to see if you get anything back?

http://{IPAddressOfHomesser}/JSON?request=getstatus
http://{IPAddressOfHomesser}/JSON?request=getcontrol

If so, PM me the results and I'll see if I notice anything.

@jezza - I can add temperature sensors pretty easily, but it gets a little tricky to distinguish between temperature sensors that are associated w thermostats and the ones that are associated to other devices. I'll give it a try though.

[jayman13]

@jayman13 - Does it work for any type of device type at all (in the tool, click on the "Advance" button, and run it individually for each device type)? Can you also run these two commands in your web browser to see if you get anything back?

http://{IPAddressOfHomesser}/JSON?request=getstatus
http://{IPAddressOfHomesser}/JSON?request=getcontrol

If so, PM me the results and I'll see if I notice anything.

@jezza - I can add temperature sensors pretty easily, but it gets a little tricky to distinguish between temperature sensors that are associated w thermostats and the ones that are associated to other devices. I'll give it a try though.

Thanks for looking into it. I tried for each type of device and nothing could be found. I pm'd you the results.

[supergolfstick]

Device type (String) will not work on default entry

Jumper4000-

I tried your JSON configuration tool and it does not work. Here is what I found out. In the Device Type (String) for homeseer switches, buy default the entry is "Z-Wave Switch Binary". When you execute the tool, it errors our on device value entry. When you change that string to something else "Test" as an example, the tool abstracts and generates the config. For some reason, you tool does not like the entry as loaded by homeseer when you include there switches (Non-dimmable" ones as an example. I have over 200 switches in the house and your tool would be a huge time saver. Can you please look into this. To build on "jayman13" issue as he is seeing similar problems.

please advise.

[jayman13]

I can confirm that chaning the device type string to "test" works on my end. One can then create a config file. However, I still can't find homeseer as an accessory using the image file provided.

[jezza]

hey Jumper4000
That would be great if you can get it working. Do you know by any chance if the Raspberry Pi plugin will work at the same time? I've had a go of installing it but haven't got it working yet and it seems to stop me being able to shh into it.
Thanks

[AutomatedJim]

Jumper4000-

I tried your JSON configuration tool and it does not work. Here is what I found out. In the Device Type (String) for homeseer switches, buy default the entry is "Z-Wave Switch Binary". When you execute the tool, it errors our on device value entry. When you change that string to something else "Test" as an example, the tool abstracts and generates the config. For some reason, you tool does not like the entry as loaded by homeseer when you include there switches (Non-dimmable" ones as an example. I have over 200 switches in the house and your tool would be a huge time saver. Can you please look into this. To build on "jayman13" issue as he is seeing similar problems.

please advise.

Same here. The binary HS switches are detected and added to the config.json file just fine. The dimmable HS switches "Z-Wave Switch Multilevel" are not found. If I change one switch in HS under advanced to "test", the tool finds it.

[AutomatedJim]

Hi Guys,
@AutomatedJim, I have a ton of those dimmers too, and the tool finds them just fine. This is what you should do -
- In HomeSeer, locate one of your dimmers and click on the sub device (not the root) that represents on/off/dim.
- Then click on the "Advance" tab and see what it says for "Device Type (String)"
- Next click on the "Status Graphics" tab, and see what it says for "Off" and "On"
- Next go to my tool, click on "Advanced" and compare the values to what you have above. They should match, exactly. (it's not case sensitive though)

Let me know if everything matches and you're still having trouble.

Everything does match. In my last post, changing the string to test for one device in HS and your tool was able to import it.

I ended up just editing the config and adding the dimmable devices manually.

Thanks,

Jim

[AutomatedJim]

So I can control every device added to Homebridge via Homekit & Siri. I know I can invite other family members to use Homekit on their devices.

Is it possible to only allow the kids a subset of devices? Multiple config.json files with different Pins and HS users (I use authentication).

Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Jim