Hi – I see there used to be an issue with QR scans and Samsung phones. I have Samsung Galaxy Avant – with latest updates. I downloaded and updated Blyndktoday and have 2.12.0
I am trying to scan the QR code for OpenGarage as printed on their info sheet. Nothing happens. I’ve tried Autofocus on and off, and a variety of lighting. Is there supposed to be a reticle? I don’t have one. How far away from the paper should I be, or, alternatively, how much of the screen should the code fill?
I can scan the code with other QR scanners, and have the scan output saved. Can I put it into Blynk some other way?
And, by the way, where can I see my Energy balance?
Could you please share the QR code you are attempting to use? QR codes do expire when a new one is made so its not the best method to share a project long term.
Should be pretty obvious in the app. Click on every menu until you see it.
The code is on paper. The problem is I can’t scan any QR code at all with this app. Is there supposed to be a reticle or some sort of guide for positioning it? Is it supposed to trigger automatically, or am I supposed to touch something? And I can scan it with other apps.
I wouldn’t have asked about seeing the Energy Balance if I hadn’t already looked at every place on the app. All I see is a big green + labeled “Create New Project.” At the top, there’s a + in a circle that creates a new project, the symbol for QR, and an i in a box, which leads to an About page and links to Community and Third-party Libraries
Where did you get this from then?? (found it… see Edit below)
And as far as seeing your energy and getting started, just click in the plus, chose the hardware and connection method that matches your hardware, Then you can scan the QR or place a widget and load an example sketch into your hardware (see the upper left of this screen for the Sketch Builder).
EDIT - I found this on the >website about OpenGarage<. They have their own forum for that project… I recommend you check in with them about it
News and Updates
We’ve recently found a technical issue with Blynk’s QR code scan feature that makes the Blynk app not work properly on some iOS devices. The symptom is that the app can receive push notifications but the distance value, read count, and LCD widget are not updating. Please check this forum post for solutions. This seems to only affect iOS devices.
QR Code works fine on my Android… If you still can’t get it to work, just add your own Widgets and assign to the Vx pins as shown below. You will have to check thier sketch for any settings for the LED & graph.
This is like going to Walmart and buying a lawnmower (OpenGarage) that comes in a box (Blynk). I can’t get the box open. It has nothing to do with the lawnmower.
The Blynk app’s QR scan page wouldn’t scan the code on the paper that came with the OpenGarage hardware. However, there is an image of the code on the opengarage.io website, and it did scan that. This revealed to me that, unlike most QR scanners, there IS no reticle or guide to positioning the code in the image; there IS no vibration or beep when a code is accepted; and there apparently IS no error message if the code is read but rejected – which is what I think was happening, as there’s been a firmware update since the printing of the paper.
Although I have over 40 years experience in IT, none of it is in Linux or the IoT. I find that the vast majority of documentation for these are based on these principles:
1. Assume the reader knows what you’re talking about, and so doesn’t really need TFM;
2. Proceed logically from there.
Opengarage starts blithely talking about widgets as if the newbie knows what the hell those are. The same thing happens in this thread. All I want to do is open my friggin’ garage door.
My latest problem is that Blynk doesn’t show up as a search result in the AppStore on my iPad. Nor is there any information from OpenGarage about how to use their Blynk app, now that I have it on my Android phone. I’ve pushed everything and nothing happens. Alas, these are problems for other posts. Thanks to those who tried to direct me here.
I don’t think the iPad is properly supported with Blynk. Even though it is marketed as designed for phones… Many Android tablets do work, but Apple tablets, not so much.
(i.e. box must be opened with box cutter, not butter knife - sorry, just kidding, Apple is very preeety)
As for your Android Phone… I still don’t understand what issue you are describing… The second you hit the QR scan icon, the camera kicks in and once the QR code is in focus, it is quickly highlighted (so fast I don’t remember, but I think is is bracketed in a green box?) and just clicks over to the project… simple.
Re-analysing this statement… did you mean that you have finally installed the QR code??
If so, then you also need to install whatever sketch Open Garage has created into your hardware device; ESP, Arduino, etc… whatever it is they support in their sketch. Then connect both Android App and Hardware MCU to a server (generally Cloud based, but advanced options include your own Local Server on anything that can run Java.
I understand you are having concerns… and can even relate to many… however my rough half century has taught me that Marketing != Reality.
It has everything to do with the lawnmower… when it is free, because then there is some assembly required…
Taking the analogy a step further… Pick up a free garage door opener at Wallmart and it will probably come with the assumption that you know it needs to be installed, and will somehow figure out how to do such, thus a rather limited FM, that strangely doesn’t cover teaching general carpentry or mechanical engineering, before being able to be installed and simply opened.
…And, that’s what this forum is here for… we are mostly all fellow makers and voluntarily willing to help others as best able. Can’t promise the answers will be simple or even clear, but ask away
I’m with you on this. Blynk is for developers and experimenters, but OpenGarage is trying to use it for a user interface. That’s fine if their market is us nerds, but they won’t be selling many without an interface that is usable to the public.
I have a Rachio sprinkler controller that you can now buy at Walmart or Amazon. Their app is reliable and elegant. I know there’s a difference in that Rachio obviously started as a commercial endeavor and OpenGarage is a step up from hacking. I had been looking for a garage door monitor for a year, and this was the first one I found that cost less than $200 and looked like it might actually work.
Ahhh, you know, I hadn’t dug into their product that close… I didn’t realise it was a for purchase item. Yes, then if they are charging, they should supply a better grade of support. But, that is something to be discussed on their site with them… this is the free Blynk forum… Freeedooom!
- sorry, just kidding, Apple is very preeety)
