To Blynk or not to Blynk?

Perhaps there’s no simple answer but I’d like comments from the experts on whether to pursue my work with Blynk given that my only (to be fair limited) experience is with MicroPython and I am going to stick to it. I am a retired electronics engineer with a background in embedded systems development and I am working on projects that are fixed wing drone guidance and management oriented - the context.

I have had some difficulty pulling the information together which would allow me to get on line with Blynk (I think because I have not found any comprehensive MicroPython based guidance). My mp based code is working fine running on the ESP32 so I have a good handle on the i/o sensor/control aspects, alongside working WiFi connectivity.

This is not a critism as I appreciate strategies differ; but knowing how mainstream the Blynk team view MicroPython to be would help me with my strategic choices.

Best Regards,

Harry Wilson
France

I’m not speaking on behalf of Blynk here, I’m just a moderator on the forum, but I’ll share my thoughts…

Your problems getting online are probably because you’ve installed what is showing as the latest uP library from Github, but that’s actually the old library. The BlynkLib.py and associated files from here:

are the latest ones, but they’ve never been bundled into a proper release. You have to install the files manually to get them to work with Blynk IoT.

You should then see the version number as 1.0.0 rather than the old 0.2.0 release version.

C++ is the primary development language for Blynk, and the is is where the development effort is focussed. I see the uP and NodeJS libraries as hobby projects rather than the primary focus.
However, the library does work, and as the Blynk protocol is public knowledge it’s possible to fork that library and build on if if you wanted to.

Pete.

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Thanks for the prompt response Pete and for your insight and advice. I will check out the library version issue. My guess is you are right however, but will confirm. I can understand the logic behind focussing on C++ but nevertheless am pleased to hear that the MicroPython solution can be made to work. We’ll see where it take me.

All the best.

Harry

Hello,

Just to quickly close the loop Pete - I was using an old Library so you were right.

I now have a very simple proof of concept working based on an ESP 32 running MicroPython. This gives me control of a relay via a Blynk web-dashboard amongst other things.

I don’t seem to be able to set up a mobile-dashboard though, because I can’t see my template on the phone as per the documentation, but that’s another story.

Regards,

Harry

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I guess you mean that you’ve created a device in the web console, and that device isn’t showing-up in the mobile app?

Pete.

Hello,

Yes that is right. I can see my profile but I get No devices yet and when I go to the Developer Mode screen it is blank. Nothing on the templates screen either.

Harry

How did you create the device in the web console?

What happens if you create a new template, and a device from that template, do they show-up?

Are you certain that you only have one Blynk IoT account and that you are signed-in to that same account in both the web console and the app?

Pete.

Hello,

“How did you create the device in the web console?”

Difficult to be sure of the exact process at this point. First time around while going up the learning curve it can be a bit messy. I first created a template with a button and a led widget and then added a device from that template. I failed to get that device on line (wrong library) so deleted everything and started again with a new template this time with only a button on it. Needless to say the Python code was updated with the new template name, template ID and authority token. This is the current position - it works.

“What happens if you create a new template, and a device from that template, do they show-up?”

  1. If I create a new template on the mobile the same template shows up on the desktop but the widget added on the mobile template is not visible on the desktop dashboards (either web or mobile).

  2. If I delete the template from the mobile it remains on the desktop. Deleting it on the desktop works.

  3. Creating a new template on the desktop results in the same template appearing on the mobile. But, adding a widget (button) to the mobile leaves the desktop web and mobile dashboards unchanged.

  4. Trying to add a new device to the mobile based on the given template works and the device appears on the desktop too; but, there is a message displayed which says that there are no dashboard widgets. At this point the new device has no hardware associated with it so the new device has not been on-line

“Are you certain that you only have one Blynk IoT account…”

Not sure how to confirm this but I am only using one email address and given the fact that some of the desktop to mobile comms is working might suggest that this is not the problem. You are better placed than me to understand what might be happening here I think.

I hope this helps Pete. I can add the Python code if that would help, just let me know what you think and what other tests or clarifications would assist you.

Regards,

Harry

Okay, I think you’re totally misunderstanding the relationship between the web and mobile dashboards. The Blynk documentation says this…

Which I think is a pretty good form of words that describes the two dashboards.
The mobile dashboard has many more widgets to choose from compared to the web dashboard, and some of the web dashboard widgets are different to anything found on the mobile dashboard, so there is no way that there could ever be a 1:1 relationship allowing widgets added in one place to automatically to appear 8n the other. Also, the screen formats are totally different, so that wouldn’t work either.

Personally, I use the two dashboards for totally different things, so I don’t even try to mimic one layout in the other dashboard.

Pete.

Great, now I understand. Thanks for the prompt and clear response. I don’t have a problem after all then, - it seems everything is working as it should. Good news.

Regards,

Harry

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