I’m a very new user of SmartThings. I purchased an iTach Ethernet to 3-relay device that I thought would be a piece of cake to setup with SmartThings. It takes input over TCP on a specific port and then responds by closing or opening a contact closure. I can telnet to the port and paste in the very simple command “setstate,1:1,1” and it will set the state (1 or closed) of module 1, relay output 1 (1:1). To open it I simply change the state to 0 “setstate,1:1,0”. To pick another relay, you simply change the second number (1 to 3). “setstate,1:3,1” closes the contacts on relay 3.
What I want to do, is write a very simple (or 3 very simple for now) apps that I can command with Alexa. Each relay will be installed in parallel with a garage door switch. I want to be able to say “Alexa, Garage Door 1” and SmartThings will send a closure request (state 1), wait 500ms and then send an open request (state 0) to port 1:1. If I say “Alexa, Garage Door 2”, then…
This seems really easy in theory, and for now I’m thinking to get started I could create three apps, each controlled by a separate Alexa command (not really sure how to pass in the port argument via one app). Another nice option would be a “3-button remote” app that does the same thing using the same commands. I’m not sure how deep I have to go to make this happen. Started looking through the docs, but I must admit I’m a bit in over my head. Is this simple to do? Is there sample code I could reference that would be similar? The device is on my LAN using a static IP and port 4998.
If the devices are Lan-connected TCP, then there is no official support with SmartThings. For TCP, many have developed an always-on bridge running node.js with a HTTP link to SmartThings and TCP to the device.
Some have tried direct TCP comms, but few (if any) have succeeded.
Thanks Dave. That’s what I was gathering from the various threads, although it looked like some have succeeded using the “HubAction” method to accomplish it. I’ll keep digging/trying. I have an ISY994i on the network too and I think from there I may be able to do it. Thanks again!
Dave, one more question. Do you know if I can mess around with a simple code sample just using the HubAction or do I need a lot of other stuff around it (the “from form” option is adding a bunch of sections but I would like to just experiment with essentially running that one command to see if I can get it to work).
See code below for a Device Handler. It will have a single tile to press. You will need to install and add IP / Port for the unit under test then play with the hub action near the end to get a TCP stream.
> /*
> */
> metadata {
> definition (name: "TP-Link Plug-Swich (XOR ver)", namespace: "V1.0", author: "Dave Gutheinz") {
> capability "Switch"
> }
> tiles {
> //-- Switch (on/off) Tile - off: white, on: blue, turning on/off: yellow, offine: red -----
> multiAttributeTile(name:"switch", type: "lighting", width: 6, height: 4, canChangeIcon: true){
> tileAttribute ("device.switch", key: "PRIMARY_CONTROL") {
> attributeState "on", label:'${name}', action:"switch.off", icon:"st.switches.light.on", backgroundColor:"#00a0dc", nextState:"off"
> attributeState "off", label:'${name}', action:"switch.on", icon:"st.switches.light.off", backgroundColor:"#ffffff", nextState:"on"
> }
> }
> main("switch")
> details(["switch"])
> }
> }
> preferences {
> input("deviceIP", "text", title: "Device IP", required: true, displayDuringSetup: true)
> input("devicePort", "text", title: "Device Port", required: true, displayDuringSetup: true)
> }
>
> def on() {
> // TYPE YOUR COMMAND BELOW
> sendCmdtoServer('COMMAND YOU ARE SENDING', "response")
> }
>
> //-- iF YOU GET A RESPONSE, YOU CAN USE THIS TO PARSE.---
> def response(response){
> log.debug response
> }
> }
>
> //-- BELOW IS AN HTTP EXAMPLE. THIS IS WHERE YOU PLAY.
>
> private sendCmdtoServer(command, action){
> sendHubCommand(
> new physicalgraph.device.HubAction([
> body: encrCmd,
> headers: [
> HOST: "$deviceIP:devicePort",
> ]],
> device.deviceNetworkId,
> [callback: action]
> )
> )
> }
I think I’d spend all weekend getting to this point. Thanks again!