# Virtual Devices

**URL:** <https://community.smartthings.com/t/virtual-devices/6436>\
**Category:** Device Ideas\
**Created:** [November 2, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/virtual-devices/6436 "2014-11-02T00:56:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![notoriousbdg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@notoriousbdg](https://community.smartthings.com/u/notoriousbdg)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/virtual-devices/6436/7 "2014-11-15T14:54:32Z")

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> [@psfunatyo](#):
>
> @notoriousbdg
> 
> In your SmartApp, you call the parse() method of your virtual device directly:
> 
> settings.target.parse(“temperature: ${average}”)
> 
> What is the difference with calling parse() directly or using sendEvent()? What would be the preferred way?
> 
> sendEvent(target, [temperature: ${average}])
> 
> Anyone, I just need to pass the temperature from the multi-sensor to the virtual device. Having a SmartApp just to pass a value, seems like an overkill. Is it possible to “link” the virtual device directly to the physical device?

The virtual temperature tile that I’m using had the parse command builtin, so that’s what I used. I actually didn’t even try sending the event instead so I don’t know if that works or not.

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