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    Device and Event Organizing

    This probably should be two topics. If needed I'll split it.

    1. Device Organization
    There's floor, room, device name (created when adding device)

    For many devices there's several entries. Like for a door sensor I get 4 things, root device, Access Control Notification, Battery, Sensor Binary Door_Window.

    This is similar for lots of devices, like motion sensors as well. Minus the access control.

    Question is which should I rename to be "my device" the root device? The access control notification or the Sensor Binary?

    I've also noticed that with creating events things get ordered by floor,room,name which made it difficult at first, now I've just moved everything to floor=interior/exterior and room=well room. But it still make it difficult to pick the right device. Example I have two "Access Control Notifications" that show up when creating a scene, but it doesn't tell me the floor just the room/name so I don't know which is which. So I'm looking for tips best practice for organizing things.

    Second:
    Events have Group -> Events -> Your Event

    Inside the Group there's a "Group Conditions" and "Group Actions". With that I'm wondering on usage and with organizing. Take what I have now.

    Now I have:
    Groups
    -- Interior Lights
    ----- Bathroom
    -------- Bathroom Lights - On
    -------- Bathroom Lights - Off
    -------- Kitchen Lights - On
    -------- Kitchen Lights - Off
    -- Exterior Lights
    ---- Area1

    etc etc

    I'm thinking I may not be doing this "correctly" with how HS3 works. Can someone give me some guidance on this? Maybe a link to a more comprehensive manual? Is there one? I don't want to be the pest and get the RTFM responses, but I really haven't seen an actual "manual" yet.

    #2
    For root devices, I name them root. I use a shorthand naming convention across all devices so that the names are never duplicated. For fan control in my server closet, I name the root SC Fan Root, the scene control SC Fan Scene, etc.

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    I find that many have their own methods. I use Functional Group instead of Floor. This allow further break down filtering. I can have Thermostat in rooms or Thermostat Controls for virtual devices. Since most virtual devices are controls, I can filter on all items in the functional group and only on Controls for the subfunction. These might be Lighting, Power Control, Utility, Weather, etc. Then I use Room, Location or Subfunction instead of Room. This allows me to filter both locations and find a specific device, or filter on Lighting for all lights. The beauty of naming is that you can make bulk changes to change your naming as your system evolves. The method I have chosen lets me filter down to specific devices quickly. I have over 2400 devices.

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    Last edited by randy; April 15, 2018, 02:18 PM.
    HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

    Comment


      #3
      I like that method. How did you change the naming for "floor" and "room"? I'm guessing things can be very custom if you know how.

      Comment


        #4
        Go to '' tools ''
        then '' setup ''
        then '' custom '' and look at ''Device Location Display Options''

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by rprade View Post
          For root devices, I name them root. I use a shorthand naming convention across all devices so that the names are never duplicated. For fan control in my server closet, I name the root SC Fan Root, the scene control SC Fan Scene, etc.

          [ATTACH]68013[/ATTACH]

          For a I find that many have their own methods. I use Functional Group instead of Floor. This allow further break down filtering. I can have Thermostat in rooms or Thermostat Controls for virtual devices. Since most virtual devices are controls, I can filter on all items in the functional group and only on Controls for the subfunction. These might be Lighting, Power Control, Utility, Weather, etc. Then I use Room, Location or Subfunction instead of Room. This allows me to filter both locations and find a specific device, or filter on Lighting for all lights. The beauty of naming is that you can make bulk changes to change your naming as your system evolves. The method I have chosen lets me filter down to specific devices quickly. I have over 2400 devices.

          [ATTACH]68014[/ATTACH]

          [ATTACH]68015[/ATTACH]
          I just did the same. Great idea ! thanks

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Summerguy View Post
            I just did the same. Great idea ! thanks
            I just spent the last couple hours re-doing all of my stuff as well. See how this works out for me.

            Any suggestions on the Events?

            Comment


              #7
              I group my events in two ways. By room and function. Most of my groups are rooms. Then I have a global group, lighting event, test, etc..
              HS4 Pro on Shuttle NC10U, Win10; Z-NET
              Number of Devices: 1005
              Number of Events: 293

              Plug-Ins: BLLock, DirecTv, EasyTrigger, Honeywell WiFi Thermostat, Marquis monoprice Amp, MeiHarmonyHub, PHLocation2, Pushover 3P, UltraM1G3, rnbWeather, Worx Landroid, Z-Wave

              External applications: Homebridge-homeseer, Geofency, EgiGeoZone.

              Comment


                #8
                Is there a way for a plugin to extend the device to add a new database field?
                ...a user definable Device Category would help.
                ... built-in Device Types aren't standardized / consistent and not really usable for sorting or use in events

                To help fill the gap, I've been using:

                Composite Devices script I posted
                - creates dynamic (on-the-fly) device groups based on any combination of location fields, device name and device type

                Easy Trigger plugin
                - Device Groups (static) or a single device filter uses in events


                Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

                Comment


                  #9
                  For Devices I use the Floors and Rooms but also added what I guess could be called Virtual Floors and Rooms. For instance, I have a "Floor" called Outside for exterior items and set "Rooms" to be Front/Back Yard, Deck, Porch, etc. I also have a "Utility" floor where misc virtual devices are and a floor called "HSTouch" where devices are stored that are used for touch screens.

                  I also have a hybrid approach to the Events with Groupings for each Floor, HSTouch, "Utility" events, and even "Temporary" events which might be something like turning the front porch light on at a specific time because we have guests coming that day. All of these are normally set to not run. I do not use the Event Types. If I were to have more Events I may.
                  Karl S
                  HS4Pro on Windows 10
                  1070 Devices
                  56 Z-Wave Nodes
                  104 Events
                  HSTouch Clients: 3 Android, 1 iOS
                  Google Home: 3 Mini units, 1 Pair Audios, 2 Displays

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by rprade View Post
                    For root devices, I name them root. I use a shorthand naming convention across all devices so that the names are never duplicated. For fan control in my server closet, I name the root SC Fan Root, the scene control SC Fan Scene, etc.

                    [ATTACH]68013[/ATTACH]

                    For a I find that many have their own methods. I use Functional Group instead of Floor. This allow further break down filtering. I can have Thermostat in rooms or Thermostat Controls for virtual devices. Since most virtual devices are controls, I can filter on all items in the functional group and only on Controls for the subfunction. These might be Lighting, Power Control, Utility, Weather, etc. Then I use Room, Location or Subfunction instead of Room. This allows me to filter both locations and find a specific device, or filter on Lighting for all lights. The beauty of naming is that you can make bulk changes to change your naming as your system evolves. The method I have chosen lets me filter down to specific devices quickly. I have over 2400 devices.

                    [ATTACH]68014[/ATTACH]

                    [ATTACH]68015[/ATTACH]
                    Randy, would you be able to post a complete list of your "Functional Group" and "Room Location Subfunction"? I am looking at doing a bit of reorganizing and really like your approach.

                    Thanks for your help is is appreciated.
                    Billy

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by rprade View Post
                      For root devices, I name them root. I use a shorthand naming convention across all devices so that the names are never duplicated. For fan control in my server closet, I name the root SC Fan Root, the scene control SC Fan Scene, etc.

                      [ATTACH]68013[/ATTACH]

                      For a I find that many have their own methods. I use Functional Group instead of Floor. This allow further break down filtering. I can have Thermostat in rooms or Thermostat Controls for virtual devices. Since most virtual devices are controls, I can filter on all items in the functional group and only on Controls for the subfunction. These might be Lighting, Power Control, Utility, Weather, etc. Then I use Room, Location or Subfunction instead of Room. This allows me to filter both locations and find a specific device, or filter on Lighting for all lights. The beauty of naming is that you can make bulk changes to change your naming as your system evolves. The method I have chosen lets me filter down to specific devices quickly. I have over 2400 devices.

                      [ATTACH]68014[/ATTACH]

                      [ATTACH]68015[/ATTACH]

                      @Randy
                      I often us shorthand method for things but I see one potential (big) problem if using voice control via Google Home Or Alexa. Currently I can use voice control for lights, mainly, and this would kinda hose that - no?

                      Also, any 'methodology' we come up with is still a workaround for a gap where the ability to add custom (user defined) fields to the devices would easily solve the problem - at it root cause, no?

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Ltek View Post
                        @Randy
                        I often us shorthand method for things but I see one potential (big) problem if using voice control via Google Home Or Alexa. Currently I can use voice control for lights, mainly, and this would kinda hose that - no?

                        Also, any 'methodology' we come up with is still a workaround for a gap where the ability to add custom (user defined) fields to the devices would easily solve the problem - at it root cause, no?
                        I use shorthand for lights and then fill in the "Voice Command" box and I haven't had any problems with Alexa. I haven't setup my google mini for anything other than TTS.

                        It would be a nice fix to have user definable fields for more categories.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by jeubanks View Post
                          I use shorthand for lights and then fill in the "Voice Command" box and I haven't had any problems with Alexa. I haven't setup my google mini for anything other than TTS.

                          It would be a nice fix to have user definable fields for more categories.
                          Sure, but then I have to modify EVERY device I want to control with Voice... Homeseer should make it easy to do things, not need a workaround for everything it makes difficult. More we need from HS3 the more it acts like an SDK and not an app.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by bdraper View Post
                            Randy, would you be able to post a complete list of your "Functional Group" and "Room Location Subfunction"? I am looking at doing a bit of reorganizing and really like your approach.

                            Thanks for your help is is appreciated.
                            Here you go. I had to build a couple of composite images as this board will only allow 6 attachments and I was not inclined to type them all in by hand.

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                            You can sort of see how it works as you filter functional groups or subfunction. If I filter on Hydronic as a function , I have Controls, Display, Temperature, Valve Actuator and Valve Status. If I filter on Valve Status as a subfunction I will have Irrigation, Utility (water) and Hydronic as functions. Rather than explain all of the categories, feel free to ask about any particular items.

                            This has evolved to a system where I can easily find and control or display any device in the HSTouch default project.
                            HS4 Pro, 4.2.19.0 Windows 10 pro, Supermicro LP Xeon

                            Comment


                              #15
                              The one feature that I have wished for some time is the ability to save filter "states" for rapid recall. That is, if I have a set of location 1 filters that I find useful to combine with a set of location 2 filters and a set of device filters, I'd like to be able to name and save those groups of sets for easy reuse. Storage for even a large number of such groups would require a trivial amount of overhead, but would greatly improve the utility of the filters.
                              Mike____________________________________________________________ __________________
                              HS3 Pro Edition 3.0.0.548, NUC i3

                              HW: Stargate | NX8e | CAV6.6 | Squeezebox | PCS | WGL 800RF | RFXCOM | Vantage Pro | Green-Eye | Edgeport/8 | Way2Call | Ecobee3 | EtherRain | Ubiquiti

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