Need help in Timer Widget

Need Help With My Project
1

Hi,

I was looking at functionality provided by Timer widget. As per my understanding, timer widget give ON and OFF signal based on perticular time entered in widget. But when I run the project I can not update it. Hence to update, I need to stop it and change it. I am not sure how it will work in business mode. i.e. when the app will be given to end user how user will be able to enter time in that.

Thanks,
Krunal

2

You should look at the new Time Input widget if you want to change the trigger times without stopping the project.

You will need the latest libraries (unreleased) from Github to use the full functionality of Time Input and the latest version of the app (1.14.2).

The details above are for Android, not sure what the status of the widget is for iOS.

3

In business mode user will be able yo change it in runtime. this is already done.

4

@Dmitriy it’s not really clear from @bhavsak1’s post whether he wants end users to be able to change the time or not and if he wants to stop the project to change the time.

Maybe you can elaborate @bhavsak1

5

Hi @Costas,

  1. End user should be able to change the time on run time. Currently when I use stop the project only then it allows me to change start and end time.
  2. I am looking to publish the app (business mode). In that end user should be able to change start time and end time as they want in run mode. I also have similar questions for other widgets like email, rtc ect. where I can change properties when I stop project but not when project is running. I am not sure how these widgets works in business mode.

Hope I am clear. Let me know if more clarification required.

Thanks,
Krunal

6

@bhavsak1 that is what I thought you wanted to do.

The answer is covered by my first post.

7

Thanks @Costas. Just a question, from where I can check version of Blynk app :slight_smile:. Also from where I can download latest libraries from Github. From Githun I can see latest library is 0.3.8 which I am using right now.

Thanks,
Krunal

8

Are you using Android or iOS?
Go to Google Play on an Android phone, enter Blynk and it will indicate if you need an update.
Last update was within the last 24 hours so unless you have auto updates set on your phone it will be out of date.
The latest features are not in the official release of 0.3.8 you need to use the latest master branch from https://github.com/blynkkk/blynk-library

Keep an eye on all the announcements at http://community.blynk.cc/c/announcements

9

Thanks @Costas. I got my android app upgraded and also the libraries. So I can control one virtual pin by one Time widget. For another virtual pin I need to add one more time widget. Corret ? It is not something similar to Menu or any other widget where you can kee padding multiple things.

As I need to add separate Time widget for each pin, that can not be given in business mode as users will not flexibility to select different pins.

Thanks,
Krunal

10

@bhavsak1 you can control up to 128 virtual pins with one timer.
Some hardware defaults to 128 virtual pins (decent ESP’s) and some hardware you have to force 32 pins up to 128 pins.

Depends what you want to do but basically once the timer activates a virtual pin that virtual pin can call the other 127 into action.

11

Thats correct. But if that is possible that each pin has different start and stop time?

Thanks,
Krunal

12

How many different start and stop times do you want?

Menu Widget and Terminal Widget allow you to allocate different start and stop times to the 128 virtual pins.

Maybe if you said what you want to do it might help.

13

@bhavsak1 using timers is not a blynk issue at all. The app would respond to whatever you configure it to do as long as your three tier network (hardware + server + app) is responsive.

If I were you, I would’ve implemented those timers on Arduino side with simple timer(s) library which can be configured using virtual pins if needed on runtime.

Just pay attention to send massive data to your server to avoid data loss.

14

Sorry I guess I was not able to put my question correctly.

Say for example, the fan should be on from 2 pm to 4 pm. As user should be able to change time from app, I will add a time widget so user can select whatever time he wants the appliance start.

Also if I want to keep light on from 6 pm to 10 pm I will have to add another time widget. For another appliance I will need to add one more time widget and keep adding.

So what I am thinking here, for each condition I will have to keep adding time widgets. Please correct me if my understanding of widget is wrong here.

Thanks,
Krunal

15

@bhavsak1 basically you are right but try to think out of the box a bit.

Project Heating

Project Lighting

Project Other

Just move from project to project etc.

16

I guess I understood your need. However, pay attention that your app may be generic at certain points. I recommend you commence by having an app with limited number of timers to be managed easily in your code. Then you can release different versions with variable prices.

Just one worthy point. How are you going to fetch the current time?

17

@wbadry current time isn’t actually needed for the Timer as it all handled by the server.

18

Nice feature. Never tried it.

19

It has always been that way. In fact it can create problems if your Smartphone time is “wrong” i.e. fast or slow compared with real time on the server.

1 Like
20

Hi Costas,
it is means that the Timer Widget now can be change from the hardware? Or I should use RTC widget?
is there any example sketch for that?
TIA