Hi all, migrating from SmartThings over the last few days. So far so good, figuring things out.
For the dashboard, I wish we could customize down to the specific attribute/text that is shown on a tile. For example, Door or Window sensor shows, by default, the open/close status and battery percentage. Why not add temperature or other data that the sensors may have available to the same tile though? Additionally, I have to say working with the dashboard is miserable and tedius and one by one. Every time you forget something, you have to move EVERYTHING to accommodate it, and there's no drag and drop either. Just my 2 cents =).
Is there any advanced dashboard capability that people have made? I tried searching these forums a lot but can't find anything as clean as "install this app" or similar.
I wish Package Manager had the ability to know "popularity" and/or ratings + direct links to the relevant forum thread for each package that shows up. That would greatly help new folks (i.e. smalltime app store).
It's hard to know what people use for automations: There's Event Engine, Simple Automation Rules, Rule Machine, Webcore, Node Red?, maybe more... where do I start?
Both Actiontiles and Sharptools have integrations available.
Yes, that suggestion has come up before. I don't think the package manager is engineered to track downloads though. However, there are lost of posts in the community where people share their favorites!
When I first came over from ST I used webcore because I was used to it. I finally cut the cord and went with RM, which I now use pretty much exclusively unless there is a community app that does what I need better than I could do with RM. There's a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're used to webcore, but it's pretty powerful. But a lot of simple stuff can be done with basic rules... so I guess maybe the answer is start with the simplest and move your way down the complexity ladder all the way to groovy if you are so inclined.
It sounds like you may be interested in checking out Hubivue. The way it's set up you can have multiple (Up to 3) attributes per tile. It is a pretty new app (I think under six months), so it is definitely still in the growth and development stage. To that end, the developer @gslender is very good about taking suggestions and trying to understand them and implement them. there has been a tremendous amount of refinement and improvements based on this feedback.
That really depends on your experience level, and your technical prowess. I had (and still do to a degree) have a hard time wrapping my head around Rule machine. I found Event Engine was easier for me to grasp. @BPT seems to think in a fashion similar to me, and is usually very responsive to questions, or requests for assistance. To get his apps you need to install bundle manger (I think that is the only one of his apps now available on HPM). make sure before you reach out to him for assistance, you are on the most current version, and you have logs.
Habitat has implemented several other automation tools to make it easier for the average person to get started, Simple automation was designed for that reason. I've been experimenting with room lighting lately, but to be honest that one has me stumped. I have never tried WebCore, but with it soon to be a system integration, I may give it a try. Node Red requires a separate device (for instance a RaspberryPi) to interface. Unless you are getting into some seriously complex stuff it may be a bit of overkill, at least initially. The answer to this question is really what are your needs, and what are you comfortable with doing?
Even though my main interest here is dashboards, I would start be echoing @brad5 's comment that the more you get involved in the Community, the more you will find out what people use and what works best for your situation and setup. As much as we would all like a single spot to go a find the most appropriate tool for the job, their is so much variation in each of our homes that it is hard to offer a single solution that suits everyone. Not ideal, I know, but the process can be an enjoyable one, if you approach it with the right attitude... (Not saying you won't....)
With dashboards... If we look at what is offered out-of-the-box.... There is actually quite fine-grained control made available through the Custom CSS section of the dashboard settings. You can access this by clicking the Settings cog (typically in the top-right of the screen), click the Advanced tab and select CSS.
There is a great overview and long list of examples of the power you can achieve with this in the Noob's CSS topic, often linked throughout the Community. Feel welcome to post any questions you have there, or in your own topic, whatever suits.
That said, for the new user, particularly those without any prior experience with CSS, a blank text editor definitely poses a kind of a barrier. I have tried to reduce this somewhat through the Simple CSS Editor I have developed (and continue to), trying to put some of the CSS adjustments into more easily digestible terminology and quicker and easier to implement, blatantly stealing much from those posted on the noob's thread and elsewhere . You are welcome to give it a go and offer any feedback is welcome.
There are other Community efforts that have been made in the past to make the built-in dashboard experience smarter, which I would encourage you to seek out.
There are also the dashboard options outside of Hubitat, which I would equally encourage you to try out, such as HubiVue and the Android Hubitat Dashboard App. SharpTools also has a strong level of support and use from what I have observed.
. You are welcome to give it a go and offer any feedback is welcome.
