4 days on my new Hubitat-please address these common issues

You mean you want to set up direct associations between switches and lights ? .. and to do that from a suitable webpage in Hubitat ?

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I think he is using z-wave relays that accept a dry contact switch input. The behavior of these inputs on the relays can be configured via z-wave config parameters.

Sounds like the default is for a toggle switch (i.e. a switch that stays on or off). User needs it to be configured for a momentary input. Press once for on, and a second time for off.

When the popup that tells you to put the device in exclusion mode disappears, I've always taken it as a sign that the device was successfully excluded. If it doesn't get excluded, the popup stays open--and if it doesn't get excluded after a while (15 or 30 seconds or something?), it will give you the option to force-remove and stay open until you take some action (or the device is successfully/properly excluded). I'm sure the logs will give more detail, but this is all I usually need. And, of course, the device will also disappear from your "Devices" page (and the "Z-Wave" section in "Settings" should you really want to check).

On SmartThings, there is a driver (they call them "device type handlers") called "Z-Wave Tweaker" that sort of does what you want: provides a UI to set Z-Wave parameters, with the intention that you'll then switch back to an appropriate driver to actually use the device. While it can address shortcomings in generic drivers that might not provide access to set parameters, I'd say this also arose out of a different need on ST, where any custom device type handler (that you might need to set parameters if ST doesn't support the device natively) executes in the cloud, so using this device type and then switching back to a local one gives you the best of both worlds. On Hubitat, custom drivers (like everything) run locally, so that is less of an issue, but you're right: if Hubitat doesn't have a customized driver for that device, even if the device can be used with a generic one, there is no way to set configuration parameters.

I can think of a couple workarounds. The "easiest" is probably finding a custom Hubitat driver for your device, but since Hubitat is relatively new, it may not exist yet. If there is a device type handler for SmartThings (that provides access to these parameters), it can usually be ported very easily, often with minimal, find-and-replace changes. You can use that long enough to set the desired parameters, and then you can either keep using that driver or switch to a generic one if it's compatible (the generic driver will not erase/overwrite parameters on the device, though like now you won't have a way to modify them--but I trust the generic drivers as being well-written and tested to work well on Hubitat, whereas community code can vary). The second would be to find something like Z-Wave Tweaker, but a quick search suggest nobody's ported or made anything similar (maybe I'm wrong).

The logs are "live logs." Unfortunately, we don't have a way to view history on these (I suspect support does if you're really having problems and want to look into something like whether a device or app is throwing a bunch of errors that might bog down your hub). As you may have figured out, the trick is: open the "Logs" link, then wait for it to start populating as apps/drivers/etc. log things. If you close it or refresh the page, you'll lose the history, so you'll want to keep it open as long as you're troubleshooting something. (The "Events" tab you mentioned before shows major events a device/driver is configured to log--e.g., on/off events for a switch--and sometimes can hint at what caused it, though not as much as a similar area on a certain other platform.)

Also, welcome to Hubitat. :slight_smile: I tried Vera for a while after I got fed up with SmartThings, but then I switched to Home Assistant since I found both awkward and figured I'd rather use something awkward for free than pay for it (and it worked with more of my devices, but neither with all I had on ST). I was quite happy when Hubitat was introduced since it worked with almost all my devices and was much easier to set up than Home Assistant and much more comfortable for me than Vera (though perhaps because it was inspired by the ST model I was already used to).

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Excellent info and I think you understand my problems.

The Hubitat excluding process -
"When the popup that tells you to put the device in exclusion mode disappears, I've always taken it as a sign that the device was successfully excluded." This is not the case as I find. Hubitat exclude popup disappears after 30 sec....period. It does not care it excluded or not. It goes away on mine and never have I got a option to force remove. (That may only apply to a device that Hubitat already included 1st.) If it is a device coming from say Vera, if it fails, there is nothing to say so. I have to just try to include it, and if it does not show up, than I know it never got reset. But in all cases Hubitat should report "Found device, excluding-then success or fail" right in the exclusion page. I have had several devices I had to exclude several times before they took.

Parameters- Now you are talking! Hubitat needs this app ASAP! I should be able to at least set parameters right after inclusion or my device is screwed as is my case now. Then I could load a generic driver if need b and at least have some control via manual or via Hubitat. I have 5 year old (1st generation Fibaro devices) and Hubitat has no drivers. I tried newer Fibaro community drivers, but they don't really work/ More importantly my physical switches don't work. (Wife mad about this!) My new Hubitat has made things worse as far as she is concerned.

Even as new devices come out, and older ones used, Hubitat should have this app to basically cover this issue. I am not a coder. No way I could attemp to "port" some kind of ST thing into a Hubitat thing. Just no way.
Hubitat should cover this base with a "Tweaker Tool"

I ported someone else’s ST device handler for a fairly obscure z-wave device to Hubitat without much difficulty. I’ve never written a single line of computer code in my life.

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I understand your frustration and the stress of an unsettled household, but Hubitat just started shipping in January. It's still very much a work in progress. Vera and SmartThings both have many years of development under their belts. No offense intended, but it's a bit much to expect that they should already have all the tools anyone could want and all the drivers for every device there is, even devices that are 5 years old. Also, you're just 4 days into this. I didn't feel my setup was even close to what I wanted after a month, and I had experience with SmartThings.

Just like SmartThings (which is where the founders of Hubitat started), you are the "Tweaker Tool". As @bertabcd1234, I and others have suggested, you can typically modify groovy code from SmartThings to run on Hubitat with little to no effort. If you get stuck, you can ask for help and you'll get a lot of great advice. Sometimes you'll even get a tweak done for you. All depends.

Here's some guidance as a start, that should help you understand what things to look for and change when porting groovy code from SmartThings to Hubitat. I'm not a coder either, but I would suggest at least familiarizing yourself with groovy code a little bit. It's going to make the transition easier.

You are in the UK, is that correct? There are already many Hubitat users in the UK, Europe and Australia. Many SmartThings users in just about every country where those devices you have would be popular. Try asking on the SmartThings forum about the device. The terminology is DTH on SmartThings. Just ask for a DTH for your devices and see what's available. If you find something more appropriate than what you've found so far, it would be a good base, or maybe a perfect fit for Hubitat.

Just trying to be straight forward with you about the reality of the platform. Good luck and do feel free to call on me. If I can help, I will. If I can suggest something or someone that might be able to help, I will. We're all on the forum (most of us anyway) because we want to learn and help each other.

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I had a similar requirement. I have a Dual Realy type device and I looked up the Manufacturers instructions and found that I had to set Parameter 1 with the value appropriate for the switch type. Sadly for me, the default is.. yea, momentary. I needed to set the parameter to be a 1. Because it's a Dual relay, I also had to set parameter 2 to be a 1 also.

I found a "configure ()" section that had a zwave command.

I duplicated the lines and updated the values:

zwave.configurationV1.configurationSet(parameterNumber:1, configurationValue: [1]).format(),
zwave.configurationV1.configurationSet(parameterNumber:2, configurationValue: [1]).format()

That was all it took. My Dual Relays now react to a toggle switch.

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Actually I am in China. There is nothing remotely here and besides I don't read/speak Chinese. I'm on my own.
I understand HA is an ongoing effort no doubt. I tweak my HA almost daily and did so in the Vera luup language environment. I can do some things, but I cannot sit down and just create code.

I appreciate the fact Hubitat is new. The purpose of my input as a user is to help Hubitat devs to improve their base product. An app that can access a z-wave device's attributes for initial parameter changes would be a powerful tool for users to get a device (any device) breathing so to speak.

Finally, I use a LAN interfaced security system (Elk M1) that 90% of my sensors connect to.(Motions, dr sensors, occupancy sensors) that are integral to pass state info into Hubitat for device control. (Motion lights, window shade control, alarm trip lighting, water and gas leak functions, etc)
So that becomes phase 2 for me. Phase 1 (right now) is just getting devices basic operation. I never suspected including a zwave device would whack it's internal parameters as it has.
A poster mentioned his dual relay device. Usually a controller would include this relay with a child device as well s each device is a single relay. With a app that tweaks zwave parameters, creating a child device would be easy in Hubitat.
I am not criticizing you guys. I want to see Hubitat develop into the ultimate controller and not being a coder, I can only offer ideas for your future FW or app development.

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I agree with you regarding the zwave device parameters. I have some devices that have no specific driver (TBK plug in switches and dimmers, Everspring relays) that have configuration parameters that I know details of, but have no way to access in Hubitat. I've got round it with a temporary bodged driver for the TBKs but could not use my Eversprings with a momentary switch if I needed to. I think some way of setting device parameters is essential.

Exactly.
When a Zwave device is included, all these device parameters are also enrolled within the zwave software. I have to clue what needs to be done to access these variables in the zwave stick, but they are there.
Even in the Vera they were exposed and each device could be opened to access the parameters and change them. Then you sent them back to the device.
The Fibaro manual that comes with a device even has the parameters list and recommended default settings. All this has nothing to do with the Vera itself. It should be available via any zwave chip, One just needs a simple app to access them for changing. I also have a few Chinese zwave devices (Wintop)and even they have the parameters listed for the user to change.
I think Hubitat needs to expose these parameters to the user with a built in app to allow changing. Device drivers are another matter alltogether.

Does anyone know of a zwave app that can do this? Even via ssh using putty or WinSCP. There must be a way since Vera, HSM, and ST seemed to do it.

I could be talking absolute rubbish (as I don't know) ... but would OZWCP help here ?
(Open Z-Wave Control panel) .... lots of Google hits

I'm writing a super simple zwave configuration driver that I'll post in our public code repo, this will allow you to read write any parameters that you want.
It should be done in an hourish...

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With anything I've seen most people suggest so far, you wouldn't really be creating code--I just suggested seeing if there's a SmartThings device type handler for your device, then doing minimal (when I said "find-and-replace,"I was being literal) changes that might be necessary to adapt it to Hubitat. Beyond that, it's basically copy and paste into the "Drivers Code" section the Hubitat admin UI.

In fact, what's the make and model of your switch? I'd be willing to look for an ST DTH myself and, if one is available, see if the typical changes are enough to make it work on Hubitat. If that doesn't exist, if you know the specific parameters you need to set (as csteele mentioned for the switch above), it might be possible to just modify a Z-Wave switch or similar drive enough to set them and then you can switch to whatever driver works best for actual use of the device.

Saying "ST could do it" is giving ST a bit too much credit--it was a third-party device-type handler, and it apparently used undocumented methods that Hubitat does not implement (which is part of the reason it's been difficult for people to port). However, there are people who have taken their Z-Wave stick (probably a Z-Stick for you?) and used it with different software, like OZWCP, temporarily for various purposes. Sounds like a lot more work than finding a driver, though. :slight_smile:

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So just to be clear, if I use this driver to set parameters they will "stick" unless I select configure in the actual driver's settings? If so, this is awesome, it gives full access to the advanced parameters of the device, but still allows me to run the "system" driver!

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that is correct, settings will stick unless the device is factory reset, removed, or configure is run from the base driver.

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Works great! I've just set the momentary/toggle switch parameter on one of my Everspring AN179s.

Log says it worked

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@buckchucko This is what I’m talking about. You get this kind of support from Vera? And less than 24 hours from when you requested something like this! Simply outstanding support.

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You the man Mike. This is going to be so important! Thank you very much.

But just so I don't screw up, The set Parameter box has 3 boxes for numbers.
Is this correct?.......
1st Box = Parameter to change
2nd Box = Old value
3rd Box = New value
???

I can tell you, the ONLY thing that kept Vera alive was the great community support. Despite Vera itself taking a cold shoulder to people who wrote Plugins and luup code to keep Vera functioning, the http://forum.micasaverde.com/ was jamming with support, very active.

Hubitat community appears to be plugged in as well and this is so important to Hubitat's success. I checked about this before I ordered my Hubitat.

So nice to see this and be part of it. I will help anyway I can as well.

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