[Android] Habitat - Open Beta test

Discussions about Z-Way software and Z-Wave technology in general
IgoriokLT
Posts: 87
Joined: 09 Oct 2016 15:24

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by IgoriokLT »

Yes, I did sent a couple of feedbacks, don't know did you get them. Actually, it starts, but when I put credentials in and try to connect, it crashes. I've tried to connect with anonymous access - same. I used this app on Alpha, was working OK. Maybe it has something to do with Android 7.1?
Aegis
Posts: 37
Joined: 04 Jan 2017 22:26

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by Aegis »

Hmm, I can't see any new crash reports. But the app crashes when you submit the username and password? What version of Z-way are you running?

The app has been tested on most recent versions of Android including 7.1 so that shoulndt be the problem.
IgoriokLT
Posts: 87
Joined: 09 Oct 2016 15:24

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by IgoriokLT »

Yes, I did report it. Maybe, it has something to do with Android 7.1, as on earlier versions it did work well.
robbelt
Posts: 6
Joined: 27 May 2016 09:00

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by robbelt »

I just want to say that I really like your App. It works fine for me. I have only 2 wishes:
- widgets (to switch/control single devices/scenes)
- remote access
Provo
Posts: 112
Joined: 19 Oct 2016 19:54

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by Provo »

I like it (apart from a kind of crippling problem). In addition to widgets and remote access, there are a couple of things to improve:

- After I disconnected from my wifi the first time, the app now gives "authentication error" whenever I try to see rooms or devices even when back on my wifi.

- Is it not possible to change credentials?

- Hide all vdevs that are either hidden or deactivated in Zway. I have a bunch of them and it clutters the UI.

- Support scanning the QR code under Zway Settings -> "Add mobile device" to set up credentials.

- Make a Tasker plugin so that Tasker can react to device events and states and control devices.

It seems a bit faster than the official app (perhaps because it's local only), but right now the only thing I notice that this has and that the official app doesn't have, are scheduled events. On the other hand it lacks a few things that the official app has, like remote access. Widgets and Tasker support would be real differentiators, I think, although it is claimed that at least the former is being worked on for the official app. :)
Provo
Posts: 112
Joined: 19 Oct 2016 19:54

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by Provo »

Gave this a try again, and I have a few more comments/suggestions.

1) The relative time in the notifications view isn't my cup of tea. The granularity is (almost by necessity) too large. I prefer to have the exact time, and even if the granularity was on minute level, it's almost always the absolute time that interests me. I would consider at least adding a setting to choose between relative and absolute time.

2) Support the Z-Way dashboard. You considered making your own dashboard solution, but what is the chance one wants different dashboards in the Z-Way UI and in the Habitat UI? Almost zero, I would say. If you really think it's useful to have a separate Habitat-specific dashboard, I would give the user the option to choose here as well. :)
Aegis
Posts: 37
Joined: 04 Jan 2017 22:26

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by Aegis »

Hi and thanks for all the feedback! The first beta version has now been released and I'll take all your suggestions with me for further improvements.

A couple of comments.

1) I totally get your preference for exact times of events rather than the relative times. I'll absolutely add a option to toggle this.

2) I will replace the custom dashboard solution currently in use with the one from the Z-Way UI. The problem is that I have yet to figure out how the dashboards exposed by the API can be mapped or associated with the credentials you have logged in with.

3) QR code support is on my todo list.

4) I'll look into tasker support.

Finally, regards to your hidden/deactivated devices cluttering up everything, notice that you have an option in settings to hide everything that's not associated with a room. Does this help?

Thanks again all!
Aegis
Posts: 37
Joined: 04 Jan 2017 22:26

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Beta test

Post by Aegis »

Oh, and you can log out using the nav menu to log in with different credentials. I'll look into a more elegant solution though.
Aegis
Posts: 37
Joined: 04 Jan 2017 22:26

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Beta test

Post by Aegis »

And I also believe integrated manual and automatic backups is a unique feature :)
Provo
Posts: 112
Joined: 19 Oct 2016 19:54

Re: [Android] Habitat - Open Alpha test

Post by Provo »

Aegis wrote:
27 Dec 2017 17:58
Finally, regards to your hidden/deactivated devices cluttering up everything, notice that you have an option in settings to hide everything that's not associated with a room. Does this help?
No, not really. Whenever I add a new device to my network, I associate all the virtual devices created by that device to the room in which it's located with the "Move all elements to room" feature. This is simpler than associating each of the virtual devices. From the same page, I mark the ones I am not interested in as deactivated. With Fibaro dimmer modules, the number of uninteresting virtual devices is pretty high.

But I note that the Rooms overview in the app shows "N devices" for each room, and this number is the correct one – meaning, it excludes hidden and deactivated devices. But when I enter the room, the deactivated/hidden devices are listed. And what's strange, is that it seems to show most elements that are deactivated or hidden, but not all. For example, it lists all the deactivated Fibaro alarms and power measurements associated with these dimmers, but does not show the same dimmer modules' deactivated togglebutton elements associated with button press for those who have this feature configured. In other words, it doesn't seem perfectly consistent. Could there perhaps be something fishy with the logic checking for "permanently_hidden" and "visibility", and possibly some other parameter like "deviceType"?

By the way, do you also have plans to do remote support, and implement functionality for the mobile presence device? :)
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