Why is the copy devices function not there?

[jryan15]

Hi all, I keep trying to copy a virtual device for my motion controls using the bulk select / copy command, but it never seems to work. When I press copy, I get a warning pop up about using the bulk copy command but the new devices never appear after both refreshing and clearing the search filters. Any help would be great.

[randman]

I'm using HS4 version 4.2.15.0 Seems there's still no way to create a status only virtual device. So, I tried copying a virtual device that I created back in HS3. I did a bulk copy, and .... nothing happens. No new device created, nothing in log, no error message. So, copy still doesn't work?

[langenet]

Check jon00's site.i believe it created a script to create virtual devices.

[randman]

Check jon00's site.i believe it created a script to create virtual devices.

I only needed to create a couple of virtual devices, so to keep things simple, I just found out, and wound up using the <homeseer ip>://deviceutility HS3 page to create my status only virtual devices. This inability to create status only virtual devices with HS4 interface has been around a long time apparently.... Kind of strange (upsetting?) that I need to go back to using an HS3 interface to do this (I just upgraded to HS4 a couple of weeks ago).

[Bradkw]

I just found out, and wound up using the <homeseer ip>://deviceutility HS3 page to create my status only virtual devices.

Interesting that the HS3 pages are still available hidden within HS4. I wonder if these HS3 pages can be reliably used when the bulkier HS4 pages are too heavy.

[kenm]

Interesting that the HS3 pages are still available hidden within HS4. I wonder if these HS3 pages can be reliably used when the bulkier HS4 pages are too heavy.

Rich has stated on several occasions that they may be removed at some point in the future.

That being said, I have no problem creating a virtual device in HS4. Yes, it is a root/feature pair with a status/control feature. Simply edit the status/control feature and delete the controls to make it a status device. Once that's done, duplicate the feature to make more status devices under the same root.

[randman]

Simply edit the status/control feature and delete the controls to make it a status device. Once that's done, duplicate the feature to make more status devices under the same root.

I tried that, but after deleting g the controls, the feature won't show up anymore in HomeSeer Mobile.

[kenm]

I tried that, but after deleting g the controls, the feature won't show up anymore in HomeSeer Mobile.

Ugh. Sorry about that. I don't use HS Mobile so I never saw that.

[Ltek]

Rich has stated on several occasions that they may be removed at some point in the future.

That being said, I have no problem creating a virtual device in HS4. Yes, it is a root/feature pair with a status/control feature. Simply edit the status/control feature and delete the controls to make it a status device. Once that's done, duplicate the feature to make more status devices under the same root.

It is not totally ridiculous that 2 years after HS4 launch so many removed features and gaps still that we must use workarounds for a ton of stuff just to get the functionality MANY people used in HS3? HS4 was 2 steps forward (baby steps) and 4 steps back (big boy steps)

[kenm]

It is not totally ridiculous that 2 years after HS4 launch so many removed features and gaps still that we must use workarounds for a ton of stuff just to get the functionality MANY people used in HS3? HS4 was 2 steps forward (baby steps) and 4 steps back (big boy steps)

I guess I have to ask "Why didn't you just stay with HS3?".

[Ltek]

I guess I have to ask "Why didn't you just stay with HS3?".

I held off 2 yrs! A few reasons I finally gave in... Some of the plugins (HS Buddy, JowiHue, etc) were getting new features I wanted but only on HS4 version. Other HS3 plugins broke and were not being fixed (MyQ, PHlocation, etc). So basically for the only reason HS can do anything worth a darn... the plug-ins.

[pistacheL0]

I also think Ltek didn’t have a crystal ball near him to predict hs4 state in the next two years .

[kenm]

I held off 2 yrs! A few reasons I finally gave in... Some of the plugins (HS Buddy, JowiHue, etc) were getting new features I wanted but only on HS4 version. Other HS3 plugins broke and were not being fixed (MyQ, PHlocation, etc). So basically for the only reason HS can do anything worth a darn... the plug-ins.

I hear ya on this. I held off a while as well and I also explored other home automation systems. I ran HS3, HS4, and Home Assistant in parallel for almost 15 months before finally settling in on HS4. During that time, I did a lot of "what's different?" and "what works (or doesn't)?" so I had a plan in place when I decided to commit to HS4. HS3 plugins not getting new features was one reason for me as well. Now that many HS3 plugin developers have moved on, HS3 plugins breaking is gong to become a bigger issue. More than 50% of the plugins I use are "Legacy HS3" plugins that are all going to stop working when HS4 moves to .Net 6.

[Ltek]

I hear ya on this. I held off a while as well and I also explored other home automation systems. I ran HS3, HS4, and Home Assistant in parallel for almost 15 months before finally settling in on HS4. During that time, I did a lot of "what's different?" and "what works (or doesn't)?" so I had a plan in place when I decided to commit to HS4. HS3 plugins not getting new features was one reason for me as well. Now that many HS3 plugin developers have moved on, HS3 plugins breaking is gong to become a bigger issue. More than 50% of the plugins I use are "Legacy HS3" plugins that are all going to stop working when HS4 moves to .Net 6.

If the Legacy plugins stop working and Rich doesn't integrate them, for free, into HS4 he'll have put the last nail in the HST coffin. HS is walking-dead... offing HS4 for $99 hoping to scoop up beginners (who are really better off with a few other systems - all of which I've owned/used). Rich hasn't learned his target market is (or really was) the power users... which he's losing all of them to open source which out dramatically paces HST development and user base growth

[Dweber85rc]

If the Legacy plugins stop working and Rich doesn't integrate them, for free, into HS4 he'll have put the last nail in the HST coffin. HS is walking-dead... offing HS4 for $99 hoping to scoop up beginners (who are really better off with a few other systems - all of which I've owned/used). Rich hasn't learned his target market is (or really was) the power users... which he's losing all of them to open source which out dramatically paces HST development and user base growth

The 3rd party plugins for HS are a double edged sword. They allow HS to extend functionality by allowing independent developers to add features, without having the higher cost of having all those developers in house which is great for them. The draw back is when those devs leave or cough cough, become employed by HS and seem to have no time for their own PI's, we're left stranded without many options. I have certainly been frustrated by lack of response or support by many of those 3rd party devs, some of whose plugins are a major component of my system... But there isn't much I will do other than make an occasional gripe about it, so I digress. Any paid software platform could certainly go belly up at any given time or get bought out for the intellectual property and be shut down-happens all the time. Its a calculated risk no matter how you want to slice it. For me homeseer is still the best overall platform to stick with and if I am using something that will not work after an upgrade, that is a bridge I will cross when it happens. Worst case scenario I stay on the last version of things that work for as long as I can. For me I have just about hit my capacity for tech in my home so the need for new features is not as critical as when I was first starting out and growing my system. But everyone is at a different place.