Contextual menu

Posted on
Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:04 pm
berkinet offline
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Contextual menu

I would like to have contextual menus (right-click) for Indigo devices. The menu would contain references to Actions and possibly arbitrary code, like in plugin menu-items , which would be executed when selected. Similar support would be available in the Indigo-Touch app using a 3D press. To connect the menu-entry to the device, it would be necessary to pass the device, or at least the device number, to the Action or code. This implies the ability for Action to receive arguments on their input. For example: indigo.actionGroup.execute(12345678, devid="12345678")

The immediate use case would be to add a "bypass zone" capability to an alarm zone device.

EDIT: I should have labeled this; Contextual Menu Addition. Since these functions would be added to the bottom of the existing contextual menu.

Posted on
Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:10 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: Contextual menu

This (well something like it) has been on the request list since Indigo 5. Demand is just never high enough to make it in (since you can put an action in the plugin's menu to perform it "on the fly" it's just a few extra clicks).

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Posted on
Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:19 pm
berkinet offline
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Re: Contextual menu

jay (support) wrote:
...you can put an action in the plugin's menu to perform it "on the fly" it's just a few extra clicks).

Except then the Action is not specific to a device. I was thinking about adding addition contextual actions to the device, rather than the plugin.

Posted on
Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:33 pm
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Re: Contextual menu

True, though the value that level of filtering is questionable. Suffice it to say that the amount of additional plumbing necessary to make it work well is another deciding factor in terms of priority.

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Posted on
Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:19 am
durosity offline
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Re: Contextual menu

I'd very much +1 on contextual menus for devices.. it'd be exceptionally handy for things like setting the alarm to away rather than having to go to action groups and find the appropriate one.

Computer says no.

Posted on
Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:25 am
autolog offline
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Re: Contextual menu

I would +1 this as well - it would be very useful. :)

Posted on
Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:12 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: Contextual menu

durosity wrote:
I'd very much +1 on contextual menus for devices.. it'd be exceptionally handy for things like setting the alarm to away rather than having to go to action groups and find the appropriate one.


Is there a menu item in the plugin's menu for doing that? Then you could just select the Plugins->MyAlarmPlugin->Set Alarm Away menu item. Just say'n... ;)

I understand that the feature is a nice-to-have (and as I said it's been on the list for a long time), but I think it's importance is somewhat overstated given that plugins can put menu items in their menu. And stacked up against other priorities...

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Posted on
Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:26 am
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Re: Contextual menu

Alas not! Perhaps travis or monstergerm can add it.

Actually what would be ideal (and something you kinda alluded to back when the UI was modified in the indigo 6 betas) where plug-in developers can have their own custom buttons at the controls section below the device list - I assume that’s kinda what the plan was as you suggested the custom states and what not had been moved below the controls to give more room for something else you planned.. and as nothing else has went in there it’d be perfect positioning for it ;)

Computer says no.

Posted on
Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:42 am
berkinet offline
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Re: Contextual menu

durosity wrote:
I'd very much +1 on contextual menus for devices.. it'd be exceptionally handy for things like setting the alarm to away rather than having togo to action groups and find the appropriate one.
I think that application, while using the same UI interface I requested, is actually a little different. Since arming an alarm system is system wide, the placement of the "action on a contextual menu is one of convenience rather than truly contextual. That is, there is no semantic inference based on the location of the action.

What I was hoping for was the ability to contextualize the action request to a specific device and pass that information to the action. The simple use case was to bypass an alarm system zone. In effect, this would allow the simple management of additional device states. This has already been done by the creation of different device types: sprinklers, thermostats, etc. implement the control of devices beyond a simple on/off. The mode of operation is different, double-click rather than right-click, and a custom UI is supported., But, the underlying functionality is essentially the same.

Other applications might be; a simple speed/power control with options for low, med, high; setting a camera to a preset position; or the equivalent of scenes for a complex lighting device.

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