Programming for IO Expander

[zranger1]

@vitaliy, this still doesn’t solve the string formatting problem, although it makes it a lot easier to write an HE app that will do the job.

You’re right that the Hubitat isn’t the easiest thing for users to actually program. Simple rules are Ok, but I’d trade a RuleBasic or RuleLUA for their no-code Rule Machine in a heartbeat.

[Vitaliy]

@zranger1

However, because this nice use case just appeared, I’ve posted a new version of the driver to the experimental branch of my repo that does support this, via the “setVariables” command. (It will appear as a new button on the devices page, and in RM.)

Hi @zranger1 ,

I just loaded the updated driver version 2.0.3 but I am confused.
“Set Variables” button was already present in a first driver version
what I tried (V2.0).
And I already tested sending vars to PB from HE’s RM:

What is actually new in 2.0.3 driver version?

[wizard]

@Vitaliy

Another words, array [0x54, 0x65, 0x73, 0x74, 0x20] also cannot be passed to PB.
The only way to pass this message to PB is to use Decimal (not Number)
representations for the ASCII characters.
I.e only array [84.0, 101.0, 115.0, 116.0, 32.0] is working.

Right, JSON format does not support HEX. You don’t need to add “.0” to an integer. This will be identical:

[84, 101, 115, 116, 32] 

@Vitaliy

Unfortunately there is no easy way on the HE side to compose
the above message as a single piece.

I’m not familiar with HE, but this is a string concatenation and/or formatting problem that most tools with string support handle. Converting the number 72.0 to a string “72.0” isn’t native to PB yet, but could be implemented. You could then have 3 variables: a string, a number, and another string, which are then concatenated and displayed using PB code. Yes more SW! Anyway, thats all to say…

@Vitaliy

It looks like I am trying to use a PB in a way it was not designed for.

Perhaps, though PB has enough basic tools that just about anything is possible. PB doesn’t have String support, so it is more challenging, but it supports enough that the C implementations can be ported.

[Vitaliy]

@wizard

Perhaps, though PB has enough basic tools that just about anything is possible.

Yes!
I love PB and from now it will be my main controller for many LED related projects.

@wizard

You could then have 3 variables: a string, a number, and another string,

I maid some progress. I just realized, only one single preformatted sting is enough.
Because message/buffer is circular, string after number (message tail) becomes
actually a message head. This way number will be always at the end and it is
much easier to reformat it for nice looking (i.e. leading zeros could be easily
removed and message length adjusted accordingly. This is already working but
still needs some tweaks.

@wizard

PB doesn’t have String support, so it is more challenging, but it supports enough that the C implementations can be ported.

Thank you for the tip. Definitely I will check this.