openHAB - API Bindings

Warning

The openHAB bindings are still in beta, but the development was stopped.

The openHAB bindings allow you to control Bricks and Bricklets from your openHAB installation. The ZIP file for the bindings contains:

  • org.openhab.binding.tinkerforge-[version].jar, a precompiled version of the bindings
  • in org.openhab.binding.tinkerforge/ the source code of the bindings
  • in examples/ example DSL rules for some Bricks and Bricklets
  • tinkerforge-2.1.26.jar, the currently required version of the Java bindings

Requirements

  • openHAB 2.5.0 or newer, openHAB 3 is currently not supported.

Installation

Note

Currently the bindings also require installation of the Java bindings version 2.1.26 or higher. They are available in in the zip file or alternatively in the Central Maven Repository. Put the jar into the addons directory, next to the openHAB bindings jar.

To install the bindings, just copy the JAR into the addons directory of your installation. openHAB will then load the bindings.

Usage

To control Tinkerforge hardware with the openHAB bindings, Brick Daemon has to be installed first. Brick Daemon acts as a proxy between the USB interface of the Bricks and the bindings. You can then connect the bindings by adding a Brick Daemon thing in openHAB's Paper UI.

Attached devices are automatically put into the inbox after adding the Brick Daemon thing.

Devices and channels can be configured: Channels typically allow changing the update rate. The configuration of some things can show or hide channels, for example the IO-4/16 pin configuration will dynamically create input or output channels. Sometimes PaperUI needs to be refreshed by pressing F5 to show new channels.

Changing device configuration is only supported, if it is stored in the RAM of the device. Persistent configuration has to be set externally (e.g. by using Brick Viewer), because openHAB will often reconfigure devices, for example on startup or when reconnected to a Brick Daemon. Writing persistent configuration every time would use up too many write-cycles.

Actions

There are actions available for each thing. To use actions of a thing in a rule, first the actions have to be loaded with: var devActions = getActions("tinkerforge", "tinkerforge:[devicetype]:[Device UID]") Then they can be used with devActions.[actionname]([parameters]). The following example shows how to show a GUI on an LCD 128x64 Bricklet with the UID "HQ6":

rule "GUI example"
when
    System started
then
    var lcdActions = getActions("tinkerforge", "tinkerforge:brickletlcd128x64:HQ6")
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64ClearDisplay()
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64RemoveAllGUI();
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUIButton(0, 0, 0, 60, 20, "button");
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUISlider(0, 0, 30, 60, 0, 50);
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUIGraphConfiguration(0, 1, 62, 0, 60, 52, "X", "Y");
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUIGraphData(0, newArrayList(0, 10, 20, 40, 20, 15));
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUITabConfiguration(3, false);
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUITabText(0, "Tab A");
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64SetGUITabText(1, "Tab B");
end

The parameters and return values typically correspond to those of the respective function in the Java Bindings. Functions that expect arrays as parameters can also be called with lists, as shown in the call of setGUIGraphData in the example. Results are returned as a Map<String, Object>, that can be used as follows:

rule "invert image"
when
    Item Enx_Button changed to OFF
then
    val lcdActions = getActions("tinkerforge", "tinkerforge:brickletlcd128x64:HQ6")
    pixels = lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64ReadPixels(0, 0, 127, 63).get("pixels")
    val inverted = pixels.map[p | !p]
    lcdActions.brickletLCD128x64WritePixels(0, 0, 127, 63, inverted)
end

This rule is triggered if the Item Enx_Button changes to OFF (i.e. if the corresponding RGB LED Button is released). It will then read the pixels currently shown on the LCD Bricklet, invert them and draw the inverted pixels back on the LCD.

Nearly the complete API of devices can be used as actions. Functions that change the state of a channel will refresh it automatically. Alternatively you can use items associated to the channels with .sendCommand to change those. Not supported are operations, that would write EEPROM or Flash Storage, to avoid unnecessary write-cycles.

API Reference and Examples

Links to the API reference for the IP Connection, Bricks and Bricklets as well as the examples from the ZIP file of the bindings are listed in the following table. Further project descriptions can be found in the Kits section.

Name API Examples
Bricks    
HAT API Examples
HAT Zero API Examples
IMU 2.0 API Examples
Master API Examples
RED API Examples
Silent Stepper API Examples
     
Bricks (Discontinued)    
DC API Examples
IMU API Examples
Servo API Examples
Stepper API Examples
     
Bricklets    
Accelerometer 2.0 API Examples
Air Quality API Examples
Ambient Light 3.0 API Examples
Analog In 3.0 API Examples
Analog Out 3.0 API Examples
Barometer API Examples
Barometer 2.0 API Examples
CAN API Examples
CAN 2.0 API Examples
CO2 2.0 API Examples
Color API Examples
Color 2.0 API Examples
Compass API Examples
Distance IR API Examples
Distance IR 2.0 API Examples
Distance US 2.0 API Examples
DMX API Examples
Dual Button 2.0 API Examples
Dust Detector API Examples
E-Paper 296x128 API Examples
Energy Monitor API Examples
GPS 2.0 API Examples
GPS 3.0 API Examples
Hall Effect API Examples
Hall Effect 2.0 API Examples
Humidity 2.0 API Examples
IMU 3.0 API Examples
Industrial Analog Out 2.0 API Examples
Industrial Counter API Examples
Industrial Digital In 4 2.0 API Examples
Industrial Digital Out 4 API Examples
Industrial Digital Out 4 2.0 API Examples
Industrial Dual 0-20mA API Examples
Industrial Dual 0-20mA 2.0 API Examples
Industrial Dual AC Relay API Examples
Industrial Dual Analog In 2.0 API Examples
Industrial Dual Relay API Examples
Industrial PTC API Examples
Industrial Quad Relay 2.0 API Examples
IO-16 API Examples
IO-16 2.0 API Examples
IO-4 2.0 API Examples
Isolator API Examples
Joystick API Examples
Joystick 2.0 API Examples
Laser Range Finder 2.0 API Examples
LCD 128x64 API Examples
LCD 20x4 API Examples
LED Strip 2.0 API Examples
Line API Examples
Linear Poti API Examples
Linear Poti 2.0 API Examples
Load Cell 2.0 API Examples
Motion Detector 2.0 API Examples
Motorized Linear Poti API Examples
Multi Touch API Examples
Multi Touch 2.0 API Examples
NFC API Examples
OLED 128x64 2.0 API Examples
OLED 64x48 API Examples
One Wire API Examples
Outdoor Weather API Examples
Particulate Matter API Examples
Piezo Speaker API Examples
Piezo Speaker 2.0 API Examples
Real-Time Clock API Examples
Real-Time Clock 2.0 API Examples
Remote Switch 2.0 API Examples
RGB LED 2.0 API Examples
RGB LED Button API Examples
Rotary Encoder 2.0 API Examples
Rotary Poti API Examples
Rotary Poti 2.0 API Examples
RS232 API Examples
RS232 2.0 API Examples
RS485 API Examples
Segment Display 4x7 API Examples
Segment Display 4x7 2.0 API Examples
Solid State Relay 2.0 API Examples
Sound Intensity API Examples
Sound Pressure Level API Examples
Temperature API Examples
Temperature 2.0 API Examples
Temperature IR 2.0 API Examples
Thermal Imaging API Examples
Thermocouple 2.0 API Examples
Tilt API Examples
UV Light 2.0 API Examples
Voltage/Current 2.0 API Examples
XMC1400 Breakout API Examples
     
Bricklets (Discontinued)    
Accelerometer API Examples
Ambient Light API Examples
Ambient Light 2.0 API Examples
Analog In API Examples
Analog In 2.0 API Examples
Analog Out API Examples
Analog Out 2.0 API Examples
CO2 API Examples
Current12 API Examples
Current25 API Examples
Distance US API Examples
Dual Button API Examples
Dual Relay API Examples
GPS API Examples
Humidity API Examples
Industrial Analog Out API Examples
Industrial Digital In 4 API Examples
Industrial Dual Analog In API Examples
Industrial Quad Relay API Examples
IO-4 API Examples
Laser Range Finder API Examples
LCD 16x2 API Examples
LED Strip API Examples
Load Cell API Examples
Moisture API Examples
Motion Detector API Examples
NFC/RFID API Examples
OLED 128x64 API Examples
Piezo Buzzer API Examples
PTC API Examples
PTC 2.0 API Examples
Remote Switch API Examples
RGB LED API Examples
RGB LED Matrix API Examples
Rotary Encoder API Examples
Solid State Relay API Examples
Temperature IR API Examples
Thermocouple API Examples
UV Light API Examples
Voltage API Examples
Voltage/Current API Examples