Virtual Device - Dimmer Switch -Bulb RGB - bug switch OFF

lord55 · December 3, 2023, 6:44pm

Hi, It’s a lot of time I try to create virtual devices like dimmer-switch and bulb-rgb to use them also with Alexa routines.
It’s alway impossible to switch OFF them on Ezlo Dashboard and also in Alexa Routines, it’s impossible to swicth off a dimmer or a bulb because the percentage start from 1% to 100% and can’t go to 0%.

Can I have support for this?

lord55 · December 3, 2023, 6:49pm

in virtual device is it possible to create also a Tri-state virtual swicth (0=off, 1=on, 2=void) with delay-reset timer?

Discredit · December 4, 2023, 2:56am

Hi, Lord55.

In order to get more accurate information regarding to the issue that you’re having, we would suggest you to properly open a ticket on our Technical Support email as long as some personal details are needed in order to investigate this issue further.

You are really welcome to open your request at the email: support@ezlo.com explaining your situation and we will be more thatn please helping you with this issue.

lord55 · December 4, 2023, 10:32pm

Thank you! I’m sending an email.
Just to know, is this link still working? Service Desk
because I asked more time ago also there the same problem.

cw-kid · December 6, 2023, 3:19pm

I just looked at this and noticed for my Virtual Dimmer device (none RGB one I think) there is no ON / OFF button on the tile for some reason. Looking in the API Tool for this devices items there is no “Switch” item present, which seems incorrect.

items:
0:
_id: "649ad438123e431498fec7de"
deviceId: "649ad438123e431498fec7dd"
hasGetter: true
hasSetter: true
maxValue: 100
minValue: 0
name: "dimmer"
show: true
value: 100
valueFormatted: "100"
valueType: "int"
1:
_id: "649ad438123e431498fec7df"
deviceId: "649ad438123e431498fec7dd"
hasGetter: false
hasSetter: true
name: "dimmer_up"
show: true
value: 0
valueFormatted: "0"
valueType: "int"
2:
_id: "649ad438123e431498fec7e0"
deviceId: "649ad438123e431498fec7dd"
hasGetter: false
hasSetter: true
name: "dimmer_down"
show: true
value: 0
valueFormatted: "0"
valueType: "int"
3:
_id: "649ad438123e431498fec7e1"
deviceId: "649ad438123e431498fec7dd"
hasGetter: false
hasSetter: true
name: "dimmer_stop"
show: true
value: 0
valueFormatted: "0"
valueType: "int"

maxValue: 100
minValue: 0

Looks like the min value is 0 however for the “Dimmer” item.

When I drag the Dimmer slider on the tile from 100% to the left hand side it does then turn OFF the device, which suggests it does go to 0% at least from that dashboard UI point of view.

EDIT: I reported this to a dev and he has created a ticket to fix this and add the “Switch” item - ON / OFF button.

The dev also said that the Virtual Dimmer devices would have to be deleted and re-created for them to pick up the new change and the new ON / OFF button, as they don’t currently have a migration mechanism for these types of virtual devices.

cw-kid · December 6, 2023, 4:01pm

Also note when creating these virtual dimmer devices there is “Bulb RGB” and “Dimmer Switch” I used the Dimmer Switch one I think. I will try Bulb RGB next and see if that has a min dim value of 0 or 1 ???

cw-kid · December 6, 2023, 4:23pm

I just tried the other one the “Bulb RGB” and that does have an ON / OFF button already on the tile, which I can now see in the OP’s screen shot also.

However there is also a bug with this “Bulb RGB” device type and there is no actual “Switch” item present in the API. So the ON / OFF button and dimmer slider appear to not be linked and working together as a result. So I have reported that to the dev as well.

But regarding the dimmer slider, likewise when I drag its dimmer slider from 100% to the left hand side it does appear to go to 0% and then turn OFF the device (as far as the ON / OFF text on the tile says).

Looking at its dimmer item in the API it looks like this:

0:
_id: "65709a87123e43147c078fbb"
deviceId: "65709a87123e43147c078fba"
hasGetter: true
hasSetter: true
maxValue: 100
minValue: 0
name: "dimmer"
show: true
value: 0
valueFormatted: "0"
valueType: "int"

So the dev is going to ensure that moving forward, both “Bulb RGB” and “Dimmer Switch” virtual device types have a “Switch” item present in the API code. This I expect should then fix the problems you have been facing.

lord55 · December 6, 2023, 11:08pm

Thanks for explaining the problem so precisely to the dev team!

cw-kid · December 8, 2023, 1:51pm

The dev just said that it is fixed, but we have to wait for the next beta firmware release for this update, as the Virtual Devices plugin is an inbuilt plugin and not like the usual ones in the Plugin Marketplace.

If your controller is enrolled in the beta program, this fix will be in the next firmware release version 2.0.51.xxxx

lord55 · December 8, 2023, 5:17pm

Great and thanks for your support and that of Ezlo!

lord55 · January 18, 2024, 11:41pm

Hi, after the last beta update 2.0.51.2471.2 [production-167]
[TestPlugin] Add “switch” item to dimmable devices

seems there is still something to fix:

switch on but dimmer stay on 0%
switch off but dimmer is still up
on Alexa side if switch off, dimmer still up
on Alexa side if switch off, dimmer has not 0%

cw-kid · January 31, 2024, 2:26pm

I don’t think the hubs firmware version is to do with these virtual devices as its a separate plugin. I have asked the developer for an update on if he added the required missing “Switch” item in the API for the virtual “Dimmer” and virtual “RGB Bulb” devices?

cw-kid · January 31, 2024, 2:28pm

oh was that in the release notes? I didn’t see that. I will have to test mine again then and check they now have a “Switch” item in the API ? And how those virtual devices now behave?

cw-kid · January 31, 2024, 2:33pm

As an example my virtual Dimmer (None RGB) still has no ON / OFF button on the tile. Perhaps we have to delete the virtual device and create a new one, did you try doing that ?

EDIT: Creating an new virtual dimmer device I now have an ON / OFF button on the tile OK. So that seemed to work at least.

So you need to delete any old versions of the devices and create new ones now.

lord55 · January 31, 2024, 10:00pm

Yes, at least there is on/off. Still there is the problem and they don’t work with Alexa in my case (I can’t slide lamp at 0%).
They are ON at 0% or OFF at 100%

cw-kid · February 1, 2024, 1:38pm

I’m not sure what the expected behaviour should be for virtual dimmers. So when you turn ON the switch you want the dimmer slider to go to 100% (or last known dim level) and when you turn OFF the switch you want the dimmer slider to go to 0% right?

I might try looking at a virtual dimmer device on the old Vera firmware hub to compare and see how that behaves

As a work around can you not use “dimmer” commands instead of “switch” commands. e.g. dimmer = 100 or dimmer = 0

Not exactly sure what you are hoping to achieve with these virtual dimmer devices and Alexa?

cw-kid · February 1, 2024, 2:08pm

OK I tried this for myself here are my test results using a none RGB virtual dimmer device on Ezlo.

Starting point Switch was OFF dimmer slider was 0%

Test 1 - Turn ON the Switch button
Result - Button and tile turns ON dimmer remains at 0%

Test 2 - Whilst button still ON move dimmer slider to 100% then turn OFF button
Result - Button and tile turns OFF dimmer remains at 100%

Test 3 - Whilst button is still OFF and slider is still at 100% then drag slider to 0%
Result - Dimmer slider can be moved to 0% OK and the text on the tile changed from OFF 100% to just saying OFF

Test 4 - Whilst button / tile still OFF drag dimmer slider from 0% to 50%
Result - Dimmer slider is moved to 50% and tile text then says 50% but button remains OFF still

So it seems the Switch button and the Dimmer slider are not connected or related to each other as they would be on a real light dimmer device.

Same tests but on a Vera hub in UI7

Starting point Switch was OFF dimmer slider was 0%

Test 1 - Turn ON the Switch button
Result - Button turns ON and dimmer also goes to 100%

Test 2 - Whilst button still ON move dimmer slider to 100% then turn OFF button
Result - Button turns OFF dimmer also goes to 0%

Test 3 - Whilst button is still OFF and slider is still at 100% then drag slider to 0%
Result - Cannot do this on the Vera system as the button and dimmer slider are properly linked as you would expect.

Test 4 - Whilst button / tile still OFF drag dimmer slider from 0% to 50%
Result - Dimmer slider is moved to 50% and tile text then says 50% and button is turned ON

So these virtual dimmers on Ezlo still seem to be broken and do not work as expected. The dimmer slider and the button should be linked together. The virtual dimmers on the Vera system act and work just like real dimmer devices the ones on the Ezlo system do not.

EDIT: I create another new ticket, hopefully the plugin dev will fix this also then.

lord55 · February 1, 2024, 6:42pm

wow! I had to be more specific like you to explain it and thanks to verify it hoping for a fix after two years I repeat the same things
So we are hoping for a virtual dimmer that acts like a real dimmer ready to be used for Alexa or Siri or any other voice controller!

osman · February 5, 2024, 7:51am

Hi @lord55 , @cw-kid

we are coming up with another idea to make virtual device creation parametric. so any type of device with any capability can be created. We are constantly adding new device type structures and this virtual devices help us internally as well. So It is already into schedule. I’ll update you when we have some ETA.

Best