Finally back online and ready to start...

[Chameleon]

Dear all

Thanks for all of your notes of support. It's been a very busy period - not least because the UK has decided to leave the EU meaning that I've a lot of very worried clients who'd like some support changing their business models (and reducing costs) and getting it done quickly. Just as I was thinking - hmmmm I think I'll enjoy semi-retirement and spend more time doing what I really like doing (private tutoring for Maths GCSE->Uni) and some code development the world just changes around me. Not that I'm complaining - I enjoy working almost as much as the other things.

However, that's meant that I've spent precious little time with my indigo setup and neglected some of it's functionality.

There seem to be some common themes around the current issues with iFindstuff. The main problem is that Apple have changed their 'security' login process which means that many of you will be getting a 'you've logged into... from another browser" emails every time it checks where the phones are. I know how annoying it is because I was getting the same message. The issue is to do with cookies and the fact that apple isn't checking properly that you've logged in from the browser before by glancing at your history. I had to fix this problem once before in the code and I think I have a fix now. I'm testing it on my system first and then I'll release it to the wider audience. It is annoying tho in the meantime - leave it with me.

As an aside, I've also been learning Swift and developing an iPhone based app that will automatically send an update when a location changes rather than iFindStuff constantly polling your phone to see if something has changed. This greatly enhances battery life and also gives additional functionality.

I'll work on all of the issues over the weekend and provide a hotfix for the apple cookie issue in a standard release format.

Regards

Mike

[TOPS]

NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK MIKE!!! ......lets get going.....ready to help....

Best regards,

Dave

[Japple55]

As an aside, I've also been learning Swift and developing an iPhone based app that will automatically send an update when a location changes rather than iFindStuff constantly polling your phone to see if something has changed. This greatly enhances battery life and also gives additional functionality.

That would be awesome!

[Different Computers]

As an aside, I've also been learning Swift and developing an iPhone based app that will automatically send an update when a location changes

I'm not familiar with IFindStuff, but the above sounds very interesting as Presence is the one thing Indigo seems a bit off on. May I ask: What is it that this app will be sending an update to? And can I run it on my phone AND my wife's and have Indigo know who's home?

[Chameleon]

As an aside, I've also been learning Swift and developing an iPhone based app that will automatically send an update when a location changes

I'm not familiar with IFindStuff, but the above sounds very interesting as Presence is the one thing Indigo seems a bit off on. May I ask: What is it that this app will be sending an update to? And can I run it on my phone AND my wife's and have Indigo know who's home?

The iPhone app will allow communications in both directions. It will inform iFindStuff (via the Indigo Rest API) when the location of the phone changes beyond a certain tolerance or it leaves a geofence. It will also retrieve the location of other phones in the group on request. So I guess the answer is yes. As it's device specific it can be installed on any of the devices that Indigo knows about at the same time.

Mike

[Different Computers]

Sounds great! But let me ask for clarification:

The iPhone app will allow communications in both directions.

To and from Indigo?

It will inform iFindStuff (via the Indigo Rest API) when the location of the phone changes beyond a certain tolerance or it leaves a geofence. It will also retrieve the location of other phones in the group on request. So I guess the answer is yes. As it's device specific it can be installed on any of the devices that Indigo knows about at the same time.

And a phone with iFindStuff appears as a device in Indigo?

If the answer is yes to both of these, sign me up! Even if the answer is only yes to the second one.

[Chameleon]

Sounds great! But let me ask for clarification:

The iPhone app will allow communications in both directions.

To and from Indigo?

It will inform iFindStuff (via the Indigo Rest API) when the location of the phone changes beyond a certain tolerance or it leaves a geofence. It will also retrieve the location of other phones in the group on request. So I guess the answer is yes. As it's device specific it can be installed on any of the devices that Indigo knows about at the same time.

And a phone with iFindStuff appears as a device in Indigo?

If the answer is yes to both of these, sign me up! Even if the answer is only yes to the second one.

If you mean that a phone will appear as a device in Indigo - it already does in the iFindStuff devices folder. iFindStuff logs into the Apple Accounts you provide and lists the phones/devices that you've got against that account. You can then create devices for each phone/iPad/iPod. Can't do the Apple Watch yet but I suspect they'll add that functionality in version 3.

Here is what's in mine...

iPhone Devices in indigo/iFindStuff

Screen Shot 2016-07-13 at 14.26.40.png (29.47 KiB) Viewed 7056 times

As you can see I have iFindStuff devices for each phone amongst others.

The process is:

• Add your Apple Account (as a device) along with your Apple Id and password (we don't support two step authentication yet but plan to soon)
  
  then
  
  Add each of the devices from that account. In my case my daughter's and son's devices are held in my family account as well as their own so I select them all from my account. My wife's is held in her own account.
  
  Add Geofences (you must have at least one geofence - Home

You can choose either approach. iFindStuff allows you to have multiple devices from one account, multiple devices from many accounts or any combination

The new app will look for Apple devices in Indigo in the iFindStuff ecosystem that's created when you install it. If you look at the forum you'll find a user manual which explains the features and how to configure it for the latest version. The app functionality will be added in the next couple of weeks. If you have any problems let me know. So iFindStuff in indigo allows you to monitor your iPhones automatically, draw maps, keep historical tracking and manage geofences and acts like any other Indigo Device. If you've got NESTs it will also control those as well.

The new app will be simply a way of sending the location of your phone when it moves automatically without iFindStuff having to poll your phone on a regular basis for it's location. That will make a impact to any battery life reductions. Actually, with the changes that I've made recently the impact on battery life is greatly reduced anyway.

I already maintain a control page for my setup that provides me with all the information I need on the phones and I can access that anywhere (I have an internet link)....

Typical Control Page

Screen Shot 2016-07-13 at 14.37.35.png (492.91 KiB) Viewed 7056 times

I also have more detailed information on each phone as well as a separate page.

iFindStuff also has other features such as emailing, messaging and other such things. We've actually found it more reliable that iFind My Phone at times.

Is that what you were looking for?

Regards

Mike

[Different Computers]

Looks excellent!

I admit I had never really tuned in to this app. I think I had confused its name with some app that tracks phones based on MAC addresses and signing in to WiFi on the home router.

Looking forward to trying it out.

[Different Computers]

OK so now the barrage of questions start:

Looking through this forum, I don't see the manual mentioned.

This is an Indigo/python/desktop app that reads iCloud accounts, not an iOS app?

does it require Google Maps?

[Chameleon]

OK so now the barrage of questions start:

Looking through this forum, I don't see the manual mentioned.

This is an Indigo/python/desktop app that reads iCloud accounts, not an iOS app?

does it require Google Maps?

Sorry about that - I did assume that I'd actually put in a post that pointed to the manual. I had but it was somewhat obscure. You can find all the information you need in these posts including the link to the manual. I think the first one covers just about everything but I've included the others for information.

http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic. ... 81&t=14736
http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic. ... 81&t=14572
http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic. ... 81&t=15173
http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic. ... 81&t=14748
http://forums.indigodomo.com/viewtopic. ... 81&t=15039

There are a few stages to getting it going but they're not too complicated and I've haven't had a user who hasn't got it all working fairly quickly.

You were thinking about the FingSCAN plugin to identify if a user is at home or not. Actually, Karl (the developer) and I created a link between the two plugins so you can get the best of both worlds but they also run independently.

iFindStuff is currently an Indigo Plugin that creates and manages Apple Devices as part of your Home Automation system. The feature list is in the manual but it's quite comprehensive. Currently I'm working on an Apple App that would be run on an iPhone or other tracked device that would send information to iFindStuff automatically when it's location changes. This app isn't necessary because iFindStuff polls the devices automatically but that does have some impact on battery life if it's done too often. There are a number of options/features in iFindStuff that mitigate this. A device app would only send information when something changes thus reducing the impact even more.

It does use Google Maps but it isn't necessary to install it on your machine. You get a special API Key from Google (it's free) and then add it to the configuration. Once you've done that you can access the mapping features and display locations, historical movements, etc... on a Google Map image automatically. You don't have to do this but obviously you lose access to some of the nicer features.

Let me know how it goes and if you've any other questions - it's being used successfully by a lot of users at the last count so hopefully it'll work for you as well. Don't worry about asking questions - it's what I'm here for and it helps me keep the plugin stable.

Regards

Mike

[Different Computers]

This looks awesome, thanks!

[TOPS]

.....I agree with IFS looking awesome.......IT IS......!!!!!