Support for multiple devices

[Dmitriy]

Hello everybody.

We would like to discuss with you here one cool feature. As you know - at the moment when you need to control multiple devices from 1 project you have to use either 1 token for all devices or bridge. That is fine for some projects but not suitable for many other cases.

So what we have in our mind is - add some kind of TAG system. Imagine next scenario :

1. When you create project - you have ability to add more tokens (not only 1 like right now).
2. You can assign any string value to any token or you can assign multiple strings to 1 token.
3. So as output you’ll have something like “token1-tag1”, “token2-tag2”, “token3-tag3,tag4”.
4. Every widget will have additional text field where you can specify required tag (maybe we can reuse label here?)
5. You upload same code to all hardware but with specific token.

Some use cases :

1. When you need to turn off all lights in house, you assign to button multiple tags : light1, light2, light3. 1 click and 3 lights turned off.
2. When you need to show on 1 dashboard values from multiple devices. Just create required widget, assign required tag.
3. Some aggregation functions on data from multiple devices (max, min, average, median). We don’t have clear vision here yet. Only ideas.

What do you think? Maybe you have some other ideas how it could be done? Please tell us.

[elgato]

I think it will be great.
I see only one problem, lack of space. Currently i got one project with multiple graphs, buttons and settings. I think expanding workspace to slide down it will be great and not so hard to implement.

[Dmitriy]

I see only one problem, lack of space.

It will be fixed. Don’t worry .

[mikekgr]

I like the idea !
It will be very nice to have “grouped” virtual switches, leds and many of your gui components.

Best Regards,
Mike Kranidis

[hernani.galindo]

Very good!
Good tool for creating lamps scenarios.

[hammerandtongs]

It would be great! My next project is to Blynkify all of the lighting in the house, so couldn’t be more perfect. What sort of time frame are we talking if you decide to go ahead?

[Dmitriy]

@hammerandtongs hard to say. 2 weeks should be enough.

[hammerandtongs]

Wow! You guys work fast! Can’t wait!

[hernani.galindo]

I like the possibility of instead App generate a token and this is written to the device, the App sync with a token existing on the device?

[Dmitriy]

@Costas @Lichtsignaal @tzapulica @Dave1829 @Toshi_Bass hm… was expecting your feedback here first of all .

[tzapulica]

will comment tomorrow, currently too tired to wrap my head around it seems. although this could be a sign it s overly complicated?

cheers

[Dmitriy]

It could be. But for those who don’t need it - everything will be the same.

[Thomas]

Really like it, this will expand the possibility

[Dave1829]

We would like to discuss with you here one cool feature. As you know - at the moment when you need to control multiple devices from 1 project you have to use either 1 token for all devices or bridge.

yes, i use singe token on one dash board with many ESP8266 sending many values

That is fine for some projects but not suitable for many other cases.

i am limited in some respects, but getting by mostly…

[quote]So what we have in our mind is - add some kind of TAG system. Imagine next scenario :

When you create project - you have ability to add more tokens (not only 1 like right now).
You can assign any string value to any token or you can assign multiple strings to 1 token.
So as output you’ll have something like “token1-tag1”, “token2-tag2”, “token3-tag3,tag4”.
Every widget will have additional text field where you can specify required tag (maybe we can reuse label here?)
You upload same code to all hardware but with specific token.
[/quote]

i am having trouble imagining this… could you perhaps elaborate?

upload same code to all my devices? i really don’t understand how that will make my life easier! all my devices do different jobs…

i must be missing something here!

Some use cases : 1. When you need to turn off all lights in house, you assign to button multiple tags : light1, light2, light3. 1 click and 3 lights turned off.

but i can do this with a function already?

2. When you need to show on 1 dashboard values from multiple devices. Just create required widget, assign required tag.

but all my devices send different values? i need to see these differently on my dash… i just do this with code.

are you moving the code from the device to the app?

3. Some aggregation functions on data from multiple devices (max, min, average, median). We don’t have clear vision here yet. Only ideas.

i can do all this with functions, but would be convenient to have the Blynk magic do it,

but as i have said before - i dont use history graph as it is too limited. i need to use Thinkspeak for my data logging etc… if you make a ‘average’ or median’ for ‘most’ Blynkers, it might not provide sufficient flexibility (for me) etc…

What do you think? Maybe you have some other ideas how it could be done? Please tell us.

needs more clarity of purpose…

[Dmitriy]

upload same code to all my devices? i really don’t understand how that will make my life easier! all my devices do different jobs…

Tags good for cases where devices perform similar tasks. For example you want to deploy 10 smart switches. In general all of them do the same job. So it makes sense to use same code for all of them. Right now you have to use different pins for every separate device. This is ok if you have only few of them, but what if you have dozens? Hundreds?

but i can do this with a function already?

Yes, you can. However with tags you are much more flexible. Case : you have kitchen with 3 lights, you have room with 3 lights and you have hall with 3 lights. In order to control lights by groups (turn off/on on lights in kitchen) with 1 token you have to code this in every device. With tags - no need in coding. You just assign tags to button and that it and you can remove tags or add more tags at any time and no need to upload new sketch.

but all my devices send different values? i need to see these differently on my dash… i just do this with code.

Yes. You do that with code and with 1 shared token you have to use different pin for every new hardware. With tags you use same code on all this devices and use 1 pin, so code the same among all devices (if all of them doing the same). And in project you just assign tag + pin for displays.

[Dave1829]

in my country it is 100% illegal to perform any wiring work on light switches/power points, so the Mains AC control thing kinda is of no interest…

sounds like it is very much focused on simplifying a lighting controller… or maybe irrigation?

[Costas]

@Dmitriy I have to say I am in general agreement with @Dave1829 in that I neither fully understand the system you propose or the need for it.

With ESP’s costing just a few dollars it is easy enough to have them all over the house if a Blynker wanted to.

If regular Blynkers don’t understand the system then new Blynkers are sure to fail to grasp the concept and they are the life blood of the Community.

As Dave points out you can’t just go messing around with electrics so I think you are using a bad example and I for one wouldn’t want to do all the wiring of one ESP to several rooms.

We have been working on systems where the ESP’s can metamorphose into different projects and although it is quite a complex set up it can already be done.

Perhaps if you could provide a better example of how the system would be used we might find it more appealing.

[structure7]

I think this is a great idea… I just need to think of some uses!

I will say this caught my attention:

3.Some aggregation functions on data from multiple devices (max, min, average, median). We don’t have clear vision here yet. Only ideas.

This might be useful for things like multiple temp sensor averaging.

[Dave1829]

This might be useful for things like multiple temp sensor averaging.

hence moving processing from the device into the cloud

better battery, shorter code etc…