Location and HomeKit Bridge

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:19 am
mundmc offline
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Re: Indigo Touch pushing location to Indigo server

jalves wrote:
I'm intrigued by the HomeKit location trigger thing. But I keep getting confused up in trying to set this up. Can somebody step me through it on a fairly novice level? [Background: I've got HKB set up and functioning well on my Indigo installation. There are two people I would want to know if they are home/away, myself and my wife. ]

    So, I'm guessing I have to set up and Indigo Virtual Device for each person?
    ...and a variable for each person?
    ...and then add the two virtual devices to HKB so I can see them in the Home app?
    using the device state to trigger a change in the person's variable? right?

But in setting up a virtual device (which I have no experience with) I'm not sure what options to pick in the configuration dialog.

Note to Moderators - this might be better off in a separate thread.


Oh, by no means do you need to use a virtual device, that’s just how I did it as HomeKit can turn them on and off quite neatly.


for me (from memory)
1) make an Indigo variable denoting the on/off state
2) make 3 action groups that use “Modify Variable.” 1 sets the Indigo Variable to on (or true), 1 sets it to off, and one uses “Toggle Variable”
3) make a virtual device with on/off/toggle choices that use the above action groups. Check “supports status” and use the Indigo Variable from step one as status.

Basically, for me it’s the poor man’s plugin for devices :)

Once you have it made, publish it under HomeKit, and the “Automations” tab in the HomeKit app will now let you change the device state (and corresponding variable).

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 11:06 am
brianlloyd offline
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Re: Indigo Touch pushing location to Indigo server

mundmc wrote:
Oh, by no means do you need to use a virtual device, that’s just how I did it as HomeKit can turn them on and off quite neatly.


for me (from memory)
1) make an Indigo variable denoting the on/off state
2) make 3 action groups that use “Modify Variable.” 1 sets the Indigo Variable to on (or true), 1 sets it to off, and one uses “Toggle Variable”
3) make a virtual device with on/off/toggle choices that use the above action groups. Check “supports status” and use the Indigo Variable from step one as status.

Basically, for me it’s the poor man’s plugin for devices :)

Once you have it made, publish it under HomeKit, and the “Automations” tab in the HomeKit app will now let you change the device state (and corresponding variable).


It is this last part that is not clear. What do I actually do to export the device to HomeKit with the HomeKit plugin, and what do I do inside HomeKit to import the device from Indigo? Like I said earlier, I looked at the quickstart for the HomeKit plugin but it's example is very different from what is actually displayed by the HomeKit Plugin. I am guessing that the HomeKit plugin has changed but the doc wasn't updated. I am not sure what all the fields mean or how to use them. I am equally sure that, once explained, it will be intuitively obvious to even the most casual observer, but right now, not so much.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 11:15 am
mundmc offline
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Re: Indigo Touch pushing location to Indigo server

Definitely check C4W’s forum on HomeKit Bridge. Off the top of my head:
1. Make a HomeKit bridge device
2. Click edit device
3. Select Indigo devices that you want to publish to the HomeKit bridge

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 11:20 am
virgahyatt offline
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Re: Indigo Touch pushing location to Indigo server

mundmc wrote:
Definitely check C4W’s forum on HomeKit Bridge. Off the top of my head:
1. Make a HomeKit bridge device
2. Click edit device
3. Select Indigo devices that you want to publish to the HomeKit bridge


Agreed, the forum is quite active viewforum.php?f=201 and I would suggest creating a thread there if you can't find what you need. It's been a while since I set mine up so can't recall the exact details.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 11:41 am
siclark offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

Brian, do you have the indigo home kit hub set up in the Home app yet?
If not you need to add that. I think you just click add accessory in the home app and enter the 8 digit code number shown against the indigo device. You'll need to enter manually rather than scan it.
Then on the indigo home kit device, click edit and you can then add a device.
I've just got added the virtual service directly, rather than with action groups and variables above. Add the device and set it as an on/off device.
It should then show in t home app once the indigo device restarts automatically. You can then set up an automation on it. If the automation in the home app turns on that switch it will show as on in indigo and you can build a trigger on that.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 12:17 pm
brianlloyd offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

siclark wrote:
Brian, do you have the indigo home kit hub set up in the Home app yet?


I have installed the Indigo HomeKit Plugin. It appears to start.

You have just thrown a new term at me 'HomeKit Hub'. What is a HomeKit hub? Now it seems like there needs to be some other bit if kit installed. I just assumed I would be configuring the HomeKit software from Apple that is running on the same machine as Indigo and that would be the HomeKit hub or server or whatever Apple wants to call it.

If not you need to add that. I think you just click add accessory in the home app and enter the 8 digit code number shown against the indigo device. You'll need to enter manually rather than scan it.


What produces the 8-digit code? Is that generated by HomeKit or by Indigo?

Then on the indigo home kit device, click edit and you can then add a device.


Now I am really confused. I need to understand the flow. If I understand correctly, the device has to exist inside Indigo first. Once I create the device in Indigo I do something with HomeKit plugin to export it to HomeKit, where I can somehow add it to HomeKit.

So in this case, I want a variable for a person being home. It end up being a boolean (on/off). I either create an action group or virtual device that has on/off so it can be treated something like a light switch from HomeKit. I export that to HomeKit. Inside home kit I think invoke automation and do something like, "turn on this light when someone comes home." That then changes the state of the variable in Indigo which I can then use in a trigger to do whatever I want to do.

I've just got added the virtual service directly, rather than with action groups and variables above. Add the device and set it as an on/off device.
It should then show in t home app once the indigo device restarts automatically. You can then set up an automation on it. If the automation in the home app turns on that switch it will show as on in indigo and you can build a trigger on that.


I can see lots of ways to make an on/off device in HomeKit then invoke action inside Indigo. The problem for me is getting things set up initially.

But I appreciate your assistance.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 12:33 pm
jay (support) offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

virgahyatt wrote:
Agreed, the forum is quite active viewforum.php?f=201 and I would suggest creating a thread there if you can't find what you need. It's been a while since I set mine up so can't recall the exact details.


I've split off the HomeKit discussion from the original Location Services feature request for Indigo Touch (since they aren't directly related) and moved those discussions here (to the HomeKit Bridge forum). So continue discussing it here, it's now in the right place... :)

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 1:33 pm
siclark offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

Cheers Jay.

Sorry, in used hub which is how apple describes it. It's the virtual hub that is in indigo.

You create a new Homekit device in indigo. You only need one, or can create several to separate out security devices from others for example (no need though)

You just need one Homekit device in indigo and when you edit that, that is where you add all the actual indigo devices, lights, locks, virtual devices etc that you want to appear in the home app.

The code is the address that appears on the indigo device screen for the Homekit device you have created.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 3:01 pm
brianlloyd offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

siclark wrote:
Cheers Jay.

Sorry, in used hub which is how apple describes it. It's the virtual hub that is in indigo.


I'm sorry but I don't understand the above. Is there some device that Apple sells that is the hub or is the hub software running on a Mac? Or am I just totally confused?

You create a new Homekit device in indigo. You only need one, or can create several to separate out security devices from others for example (no need though)


That much I get. Create the device in Indigo or use one that already exists. Have HomeKit Plugin export it to HomeKit.

You just need one Homekit device in indigo and when you edit that, that is where you add all the actual indigo devices, lights, locks, virtual devices etc that you want to appear in the home app.


Oh, OK. I think what you are telling me is that the HomeKit Device is an instance of the HomeKit plugin? When I configure HomeKit Plugin I am creating that device?

The code is the address that appears on the indigo device screen for the Homekit device you have created.


Ah, OK. It is the device ID as generated when one creates a device in Indigo. That makes sense.

Part of my problem is I tend to have certain preconceived notions about interprocess communications. I am assuming that the HomeKit plugin is a protocol conversation gateway between Indigo and Apple HomeKit. Once I start it up I am guessing that all the Indigo devices may be seen by and added to HomeKit or do I have to export them individually through HomeKit Plugin?

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 3:17 pm
siclark offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

Sorry, I've confused you.
Indigo creates a virtual bridge (correct word, not hub sorry). You just need one.

You need to create a new device, select home kit bridge as the type and follow instructions.
The ID you need to use to add to home app is the address, not the device id.

Then within that indigo device, you pick which devices you want to be"published" Its only those that the Home app will see.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 4:22 pm
mundmc offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

I STRONGLY advise downloading the HomeKit plugin, installing it, and reading the instructions- it’s hard to abstract if you’re not used to the virtual bridge concept. Once you can turn a light (controlled by Indigo) on and off (from HomeKit), this will all be much clearer.

The flow (of the original topic of geofence triggering) is:
GPS proximity (iphone)
Trigger (HomeKit)
Toggle Device (HomeKit) that is also recognized by Indigo.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 6:32 pm
brianlloyd offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

mundmc wrote:
I STRONGLY advise downloading the HomeKit plugin, installing it, and reading the instructions- it’s hard to abstract if you’re not used to the virtual bridge concept. Once you can turn a light (controlled by Indigo) on and off (from HomeKit), this will all be much clearer.


I have downloaded and installed the HomeKit plugin. I have read the instructions ... only to find they don't match the software.

I understand the virtual bridge concept ... I think. It doesn't seem that difficult a concept to grasp. The devil is in the details, which I haven't grasped yet due to the difference between the instructions and the windows associated with the actual software. There are a LOT more fields that appear than are described in the instructions.

The flow (of the original topic of geofence triggering) is:
GPS proximity (iphone)
Trigger (HomeKit)
Toggle Device (HomeKit) that is also recognized by Indigo.


If only ...

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:01 pm
mundmc offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

Sorry I can’t be more helpful- check around in the HomeKit Bridge subforum if you haven’t already, somebody will put you in the right track.

Posted on
Wed Nov 21, 2018 9:04 pm
brianlloyd offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

Thank you. I appreciate your help.

Posted on
Mon Nov 26, 2018 11:49 am
Colorado4Wheeler offline
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Re: Location and HomeKit Bridge

brianlloyd wrote:
I have downloaded and installed the HomeKit plugin. I have read the instructions ... only to find they don't match the software.

I understand the virtual bridge concept ... I think. It doesn't seem that difficult a concept to grasp. The devil is in the details, which I haven't grasped yet due to the difference between the instructions and the windows associated with the actual software. There are a LOT more fields that appear than are described in the instructions.

A few things got updated after the docs. I try to keep the docs updated as I release things but a few releases were in rapid succession. What question specifically can I answer for you?

As for the geo-location abilities of HomeKit I can say that they work REALLY well for me and have replaced all Geo Fencing that I used elsewhere through IFTTT and others.

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