Zhouse HomeControl v2.0.1 beta

[zhouse]

There it is. Zhouse HomeControl 2.0.1.

We released sedcond version of our app. There is not much that You can see but all of app was rebuild to offer android developers our API. So soon we release documentation of our API. If everyone is interested to develop apps that cooperate with our, please write to us.

First app that uses API is Zhouse Electric Widgets. For now this is two widgets for electric devices in size 2x2, but finally it will be about 5-7 widgets in different sizes. Widgets uses connection engine from Zhouse HomeControl, so You need to have booth apps.

P.S. Chixxi for now Your plugins are supported with "category solution". As soon as we will get the compromise, we will fix this. But for now You can test it.

[chixxi]

I tested this beta on my Nexus 10 as well as my Galaxy S3 and it is working just fine. On issue I found is that sometimes the app crashes when I change the vera. But I was not yet able to figure out the steps required to reliably reproduce this.

I also bought the widgets, and I absolutely love them!! It would be nice if the dimmable switch could also be controled directly. Switches are toggled as soon as you touch the widget, dimmers open a window first, I would love to control dimmable lights directly too. I also hope to see similar widgets for scenes to! I hope there will be smaller widgets too, on my Nexus 10 I am only bale to place 4 widgets in one row, I think this is not enough for a 10 inch tablet. Great work!

Concerning the plugins:
I did add a variable called "category_num" to my virtual switches and set the value to 38. Are there any further steps that need to be taken? Is the value 38 what your app is expecting? So far the virtual switch is not yet recognized.

By the way, I am a little sorry for raising that huge discussion about the plugins, I really hope you will find a solution that fits for everybody!

[garrettwp]

I tested this beta on my Nexus 10 as well as my Galaxy S3 and it is working just fine. On issue I found is that sometimes the app crashes when I change the vera. But I was not yet able to figure out the steps required to reliably reproduce this.

I also bought the widgets, and I absolutely love them!! It would be nice if the dimmable switch could also be controled directly. Switches are toggled as soon as you touch the widget, dimmers open a window first, I would love to control dimmable lights directly too. I also hope to see similar widgets for scenes to! I hope there will be smaller widgets too, on my Nexus 10 I am only bale to place 4 widgets in one row, I think this is not enough for a 10 inch tablet. Great work!

Concerning the plugins:
I did add a variable called "category_num" to my virtual switches and set the value to 38. Are there any further steps that need to be taken? Is the value 38 what your app is expecting? So far the virtual switch is not yet recognized.

By the way, I am a little sorry for raising that huge discussion about the plugins, I really hope you will find a solution that fits for everybody!

chixxi,

Widget control types are pretty limited in Android. There is no way to allow a slider control in a widget. Here is a list of what type classes the android widget system supports:

AnalogClock
Button
Chronometer
ImageButton
ImageView
ProgressBar
TextView
ViewFlipper
ListView
GridView
StackView
AdapterViewFlipper

The ProgressBar class only displays the progress and does not allow the ability to control/seek. I have code in my app for widgets, but with the functionality being limited, I have put it on hold for now.

- Garrett

[chixxi]

Hm, to bad, didn't know that. I've never coded an app for android. I was playing with your widgets from AutHomation right now to see if yours can do it, this is also explained now. 

By the way, you two are giving me a very hard time, up to now I can't decide myself for one of your amazing apps. Usually I tend to only have one app per need, but I love both of them!

[garrettwp]

chixxi,

Which ever one you decide to use, there will be no hard feelings if you did not choose mine. Choices are great!

- Garrett

[chixxi]

I have bad news: Th widgets are very unstable. Ass soon as any of my devices (Nexus 10, Sony Tablet S and Two Galaxy S3) are rebooted, the widgets are gone. I get a message that the widgets have stopped working  and had to be closed.

[zhouse]

Yes. Garett has right. Android does not allow to put progressBar on the screen widgets.

Chixxi please check if You still has problems after update.

[chixxi]

Hello, thanks for your infos.

Yes I am still having problems with the widgets. They are so severe I am not even using them at the moment. Basically the widgets work fine, since the update they don't crash anymore and after a reboot of the tablet (Nexus 10) they are still there.

But I have problems with dimmable lights. As soon as I add a second dimmable light as a widget the widgets get confused really badly. I can add a second dimmable light without any problem, but then when I try to change the dimlevel of the second light it also controls the light of the first widget.

I will do some testing this evening and compare the behaviour to my Galaxy S3, then I can tell you if it is a device specific problem or not.

I really hope to get a further update soon, I really love the look of these widgets and I hope I will soon be able to use them. Also, please please please please make the same widgets to run scenes, I'll even pay another few dollars for it.

[zhouse]

Please check this problems and let me know, because that was first problem that we worked with. With version 1.2 (i hope You are telling about version 1.2, with 1x1 widget) the problem was solved. So any information about this will be very important for us.

All idea with widget is there will be about 5 widgets packs, with about 20-30 widgets:
-electric widgets: switches and dimmers
-climate widgets: thermostats, window covers
-sensor widgets: temperature, humidity, movement, etc.
-security widgets: camera, locks, etc.
-other widgets: notifications, voice commands, scenes, decorations (clocks, etc.)

So as You see the scenes widgets was planned to last pack. But i try to move team to release some early version of "other pack".

But we need Your help. If "confused widget"problem still exist, then it will be in "other pack" too.

[chixxi]

Ok, I did some more testing on my Galaxy S3, running on Jelly Bean 4.2.1, zhouse 2.0.3, widgets 1.2:

I was not able to find any problems at all! The 2x2 as well as the 1x1 widgets work just perfectly for dimmers and switches. Also there was no "confusion" going on at all. Also the staus update (when changed on vera) was always transmitted correctly to the widgets. Great, thank you!

Since my Nexus 10 is at home I can not test this for now, and I also can't tell you which version of the widgets it is. I will do this tonight and post it here.
Edit: No more problems with the widgets on Nexus 10 Jelly Bean 4.2.1 Zhouse Widgets 1.2. Great!!

Concerning the "other pack". Maybe it would be possible to sperate the scene pack as an extra one. I would love to see you move this closer to the beginning. I think these widgets could also be used to work arround other widgets until they are published. The reason this is so important for me is that I control my hous using scene's, rather then turing on/off 10 individual devices i usually just say "i want to watch tv" and then the scene does the rest.

Concerning the design off the 1x1 widgets: I like the design of the 2x2 switches way better, for me personally this just fits better in my android setup. I would love to see 1x1 widgets which look exactly the same as the 2x2 widgets.

I hope this helps, let me know if you need any further information.

By the way, could I now develop widgets and support for my vera plugins in your app?

[chixxi]

Any news on how you are going to proceed?

Also I would be interesste in testing your sdk, for example creating some widgets for virtual switches...

[zhouse]

Currently we have some bugs in app. Also working on "other" pack.

About API: for now, we have first version to connection for the engine. That means that from API You can send informations to devices, and register to content obserwer. So You can get messages only whan data changes.

Also firing engine (when android shut it down) is published.

We are working on Trello, so i created board: https://trello.com/board/zhousedeamon-api/50f69b169f1dc94c1300aee8 For now it is empty but i will try to add some content in few next days. You can send me Your trello login, then i will add You as member.

[slajgaj]

Hello Zhouse!

What is the next version published time in Android Market? ("other" pack. other devices,...)

[chixxi]

Hello Zhouse!

What is the next version published time in Android Market? ("other" pack. other devices,...)

I am also wondering when we can expect the next updates? Especially the "other" pack...

[chixxi]

I guess no response for more than half a year is also a response.

To bad, I liked the design of the app!