[APP][Pro] Virtual Devices - Virtual Devices to simulate 1 or more real devices

I don’t think I can import devices from Broadlink into the Homey system, so if I want to use a device in a flow, it’s handy to use the VD option. I can also just send commands directly using the Broadlink app linked to Homey but honestly, I just like seeing all my devices together, ha.

@Arie_Laxed : Thx for the detailed Information! I understand. Sad though.
I started really liking the Multi modes. So no Chance to add another mode – at the moment?

Then I have to live with the modes I already have.

Still big thx for this great app!!!

Hello everyone! Has anyone been able of changing a virtual motion sensor value with a Flow? (My idea is to show a virtual motion sensor in HomeKit and use IFTTT to change the state of the sensor each time I get into bed)

See this post: Heimdall - Let Homey watch over your home

It’s the old UI but it still works the same. You will have to set the alarm_motion capability to either true or false

Instead of using the message, test by setting the string value of true to it and try again.
If that works, send the ‘message received from topic’ to your phone/mail to see the exact massege.

You might need to ‘convert’ the text to true or false…

Thank you, my error was to recall the sensor as tag instead of just writing “alarm_motion”!

Hi,

I have created different virtual buttons to enable/disable flows, i’m using this now true HomeyDash and that works great, but is there a way that I can visually (in HomeyDash) see if a flow is enabled, disabled, for instance with a different icon or a value from a variable that I can write with Better logic or something.

image

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Hi Danny,
same problem - other topic :laughing:

For some other solutions (showing a sensor state longer time with possibility to clear this state)I created a VD with 2 possible settings (sensor state and on/off like a switch):

  • insert device
  • choose name/icon
  • I took “home alarm”
  • I selected both “on/off” and “window opened”

This case you can set the sensor state in a flow and in addition you can set the of/of state like a switch.
The sensor state should appear in Homeydash as orange background. The switch state should be visible as active/inactive button.
This should be possible with other sensor types. But only alarm_motion, alarm_contact, alarm_vibration and alarm_generic are recognized in Homeydash I think). But beside these alarms you need to add the on/off property for the switch state.

I hope I could help
Ronny

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Is it possible to get sensor parameters “moisture” and “nutrition” (like Mi flora sensors)?

I would like to set these parameters via MQTT, values from a ESP module for irrigation control.

@Arie_Laxed I see you cant support the multi mode device any more, as you say due to an Athom api issue. But will there or can there be any other multi state switch in the future?
It would really be great to have a virtual device that we could custom select the number of toggle buttons within it and custom the names of these buttons. eg an alarm VD has a 3 selectable “modes” Can this be redesigned to be a virtual device that can have custom labels (instead of armed/disarmed/partial) or the receiver VD that has momentary touch buttons for volume control. Is this possible? Because I really miss the multi mode VD option.
Thanks again for all your hard work on this app, its a great app.

This is not possible in a generic way.
But I believe you can make an app for specific cases, probably with a specific capability. I may make an example, but just haven’t got the time for it.

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New Case: Garagedoor open/close/opening/closing
My garagedoor is equiped with two magnetic contact-sensors. One is ‘on’ when the door is closed and the other is ‘on’ when the door is open.
I would like to have a button that indicated wether the door is still opening/closing (orange bulb) or the door is fully opened/closed (green bulb).
My thoughts are that this should be possible by using a VD-device that acts as a ‘light’ that has the ability to change colors. However I am still unable to change the blub-color on a VD-device.
Can someone help me in the right direction?

Nice idea!
You can have a ‘change to color’ card in the then column to set the color. At least it works with a simple push-button.

Hmm, I think I found a small bug.
If I select a light-virtual device with only the capability COLOR / TEMPERATURE, I cannot change its color via the settings of the device itself, let alone via a flow.
Can you point me in the proper direction? What kind of device did you create that allows you to change the color via a flow?

You need the ‘Hue light’ capability.
BTW: the flow-cards are provided by Athom when selecting a capability. Please take it up with them if you need different or other cards.

I’m using the ”kettle” virtual device to have on/off, target temperature, measured temperature and power variables for use to represent our sauna.

  • on/off to show the power state of the sauna stove
  • measure_power is set to 6800W if power state is on
  • measure_temperature is set by a http request get script to the current temperature in the sauna

So all that works, however I can not set the target temperature to 57 degrees. Is there a validity check on ”Set the temperature” card?

BR, Tapio

the build-in target temperature capability is capped:

{
  "type": "number",
  "min": 4,
  "max": 35,
  "title": {
    "en": "Target temperature",
    "nl": "Ingestelde temperatuur",
    "de": "Ziel-Temperatur",
    "fr": "Température cible",
    "it": "Temperatura nominale"
  }

source can be found here

That would explain it. For a kettle one would expect 100C for boiling water :wink: . Now just using a logic variable for target temperature. It just can’t be shown on the device itself.

yeah, the classes aren’t taken into account for range in capabilities, first time i see this issue for virtual devices, seen it before but those people were writing there own app so could change the range themselves.

The slider for setting the temperature manually ranges 0-50, so VD does set new min and max for the range. Maybe it should be configurable from device settings.