Re: new plugin input request
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:09 amNow that I'm at a keyboard, I'd like to start off by saying two things:
First, the fact that I have to really think hard about an answer to "What do I want Indigo to do that it doesn't already do?" is an extraordinary accomplishment by Matt and Jay and all the plugin devs. Seriously, I cannot think of a single thing I actually need that isn't already addressed, except for things that would require huge hardware expenditures I don't want to make. And in fact, in many of those cases (like solar panels) there IS a solution ready to be implemented if I pick a compatible system.
Second, This is incredibly generous of you Karl, especially as many of us are already deeply indebted to you for the excellent work you have already done. Your Unifi plugin in particular is transformative for my system, allowing an entire layer of integration that would otherwise be impossible. Thank you.
Onward!
Not sure this falls in your preferred area of play, but I recall when I was starting with Indigo that a way to ease into control pages would be very useful for beginners.
So how about this: Control Page Creator.
Features include automatic generation of a control page for every folder appearing in the left hand pane of Indigo's Home Window under Devices. So if a newbie sorted his/her devices as Living Room, Bedroom, Basement, and Catchall, the plugin would create a page by that name, and put an appropriate control graphic on the page.
Other features could allow similar names in Action groups to also be populated to that same page. So if there's a Living Room folder in Action Groups, those Action Groups also appear on the Living Room page. And default controls to advance to the next auto generated page.
Dynamic management of graphics on the page would be awesome, so as devices or actions are deleted, they would also be deleted from the page.
So would being able to set the default images from a selection of appropriate choices.
Yes, to a large extent, this is already present in the default web landing page for Indigo. But there's no way to turn that default into the start of a custom control page--beginning that process involves a lot of time and experimentation, while this proposed plugin would cut a lot of that time, helping newbies get going faster.
First, the fact that I have to really think hard about an answer to "What do I want Indigo to do that it doesn't already do?" is an extraordinary accomplishment by Matt and Jay and all the plugin devs. Seriously, I cannot think of a single thing I actually need that isn't already addressed, except for things that would require huge hardware expenditures I don't want to make. And in fact, in many of those cases (like solar panels) there IS a solution ready to be implemented if I pick a compatible system.
Second, This is incredibly generous of you Karl, especially as many of us are already deeply indebted to you for the excellent work you have already done. Your Unifi plugin in particular is transformative for my system, allowing an entire layer of integration that would otherwise be impossible. Thank you.
Onward!
Not sure this falls in your preferred area of play, but I recall when I was starting with Indigo that a way to ease into control pages would be very useful for beginners.
So how about this: Control Page Creator.
Features include automatic generation of a control page for every folder appearing in the left hand pane of Indigo's Home Window under Devices. So if a newbie sorted his/her devices as Living Room, Bedroom, Basement, and Catchall, the plugin would create a page by that name, and put an appropriate control graphic on the page.
Other features could allow similar names in Action groups to also be populated to that same page. So if there's a Living Room folder in Action Groups, those Action Groups also appear on the Living Room page. And default controls to advance to the next auto generated page.
Dynamic management of graphics on the page would be awesome, so as devices or actions are deleted, they would also be deleted from the page.
So would being able to set the default images from a selection of appropriate choices.
Yes, to a large extent, this is already present in the default web landing page for Indigo. But there's no way to turn that default into the start of a custom control page--beginning that process involves a lot of time and experimentation, while this proposed plugin would cut a lot of that time, helping newbies get going faster.
. I looked into doing something similar a year or two ago and once I wrapped my head around the actual scope of the finished work I said "no thanks". 