Custom Driver / WindowCoverings command class

tamorgen · April 12, 2023, 3:59pm

Good morning,
I have 14 iBlinds Horizontal blind controllers in my home. I’ve been experiencing wonky behavior with them, and I’ve been back and forth with their support. I’ve been told several things, but not really offered a real world solution.

They suggested that I may be able to create a custom driver. Is this actually possible? I had searched for it, and what I saw suggested it was not in HA, unlike Hubitat or Smarthings.
They suggested that HA needs to permit a Window Coverings command class, which they say no hub is currently implementing. To quote their CFO response to me:

Horizonal blinds are relatively new to the smart home environment. Z-Wave just recently implemented a specific command class for Window Coverings which includes horizontal blinds. However, to date, there are no hubs that have implemented the new command class. Instead, all hubs are still using the Z-Wave Multilevel Switch command class to support window coverings. While this works well for roller shades and curtains, it is not ideal for horizontal blinds where 50% is fully open and as you are aware can cause problems for our implementation.

There is an issue with battery reporting 100% until there is actually a low battery signal sent from the iBlinds controller. They claim that this is an issue with the HA driver. How would one address this issue.

So, my question, what an I do about these issues. Is this something that HA dev team needs to address, or is this something the ZWave JS team needs to be involved with?

freshcoast · April 12, 2023, 4:17pm

No, there is no such thing for HA + Z-Wave JS.

HA is not the z-wave driver, it relies in Z-Wave JS for that. Since Z-Wave JS does not implement the command class, HA cannot make use of it.

See status of implemented CCs:

github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js

[Tracking] Implementation status of Command Classes

opened 01:35PM - 19 Mar 19 UTC

AlCalzone

help wanted infrastructure

| | CC name | Version | Interview? | API? | setValue? | pollValue? | | --- | --…- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ✔ | Alarm Sensor (deprecated) | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Alarm Silence | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Anti-Theft | - (3) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Application Status | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Association | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Association Command Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Association Group Information | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Authentication | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Authentication Media Write | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Barrier Operator | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Basic | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Basic Tariff Information | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Battery | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✔ | Binary Sensor (deprecated) | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Binary Switch | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Climate Control Schedule (deprecated) | 1 (1) | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Central Scene | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Clock | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Color Switch | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Configuration | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Controller Replication | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | CRC-16 Encapsulation (deprecated) | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Demand Control Plan Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Demand Control Plan Monitor | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Device Reset Locally | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Door Lock | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Door Lock Logging | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Energy Production | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Entry Control | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Firmware Update Meta Data | 7 (7) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Generic Schedule | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Geographic Location | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Grouping Name (deprecated) | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | HRV Status | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | HRV Control | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Humidity Control Mode | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Humidity Control Operating State | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Humidity Control Setpoint | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Inclusion Controller | 1 (1) | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Indicator | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | IP Association | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | IR Repeater | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Irrigation | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Language | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Lock (deprecated) | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Mailbox | - (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Manufacturer Proprietary | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Manufacturer Specific | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Meter | 6 (6) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Meter Table Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Meter Table Monitor | - (3) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Meter Table Push Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Multi Channel | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✔ | Multi Channel Association | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✔ | Multi Command | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✔ | Multilevel Sensor | 11 (11) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Multilevel Switch | 4 (4) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Multilevel Toggle Switch (deprecated) | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Network Management Basic Node | - (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Network Management Inclusion | - (3) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Network Management Installation and Maintenance | - (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Network Management Proxy | - (3) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | No Operation | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Node Naming and Location | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Node Provisioning | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Notification | 8 (8) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Powerlevel | 1 (1) | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Prepayment | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Prepayment Encapsulation | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Proprietary (deprecated) | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Protection | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Pulse Meter (deprecated) | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Rate Table Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Rate Table Monitor | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Scene Activation | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Scene Actuator Configuration | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Scene Controller Configuration | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Schedule | - (4) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Schedule Entry Lock (deprecated) | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Screen Attributes | - (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Screen Meta Data | - (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Security | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Security 2 | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Simple AV Control | - (4) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Sound Switch | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Supervision | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ❌ | Tariff Table Configuration | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Tariff Table Monitor | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Thermostat Fan Mode | 5 (5) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Thermostat Fan State | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Thermostat Mode | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Thermostat Operating State | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✔ | Thermostat Setback | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Thermostat Setpoint | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Time | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Time Parameters | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Transport Service | 2 (2) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | User Code | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Version | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Wake Up | 3 (3) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✍🏻 | Window Covering | 1 (1) | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP | - (4) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP 6LoWPAN | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP Gateway | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP Naming and Location | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP ND | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ❌ | Z/IP Portal | - (1) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | | ✔ | Z-Wave Plus Info | 2 (2) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ |

Window Covering has already been requested. You can give the request comment a “thumbs up” to voice your support.

github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js

Command Class Wishlist

opened 02:06PM - 09 Mar 20 UTC

AlCalzone

**All users of this library:** here's your chance to influence which CCs I will …implement next. The rules are simple: 1. Pick one of the [un-implemented CCs](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/6) 2. Vote for it: a. Search this issue. If there's a comment for your CC, vote for it using the thumbs up button. b. If there's no comment yet, please add one. Unrelated comments and comments that don't follow the rules will be ignored and deleted. --- **These CCs are next:** 1. _this could be your CC!_ --- **Already requested:** * ~~[Application Status](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/729#issuecomment-757484381)~~ - Won't be supported. Supervision is better in every regard and we can't match the Application Status commands to the requests they belong to. * [Association Command Configuration](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/729#issuecomment-730310783) * [Meter Table Monitor](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/729#issuecomment-1008287040) * [Schedule](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/729#issuecomment-736788671) * [Screen Meta Data](https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js/issues/729#issuecomment-1267181540)

Not enough information to determine this one. Perhaps you need to poll the battery level. Maybe they can give you more technical details as to the cause of the problem.

FYI, iBlinds has contributed to Z-Wave JS before with device files and they support the firmware update service, so there is somewhat of an established relationship. Maybe they can reach out to Z-Wave JS and explain the issues?

tamorgen · April 12, 2023, 4:29pm

That’s what I had believed. Their response was that they thought since HA is open source, that you must be able to create custom drivers.

I’ll do that. I was pretty sure that Z-Wave JS was what needed to address the issue, but they were saying HA was the issue, not differentiating between the add-on and the controller itself.

I’ve tried polling the device, and I have an automation to poll it hourly. Again, I’m reporting what they claim is a “known issue”, and they keep talking about drivers. I had found another thread on this community where someone reported the same battery reporting problem, and that they did not have the issue with Homeseer. I had the same battery reporting issues with Vera, but it didn’t stay at 100%. It just didn’t update consistently.

I’m glad to hear this. Hopefully they are trying to address these problems. I’ve spent a lot of money on these, and they give me constant headaches.