How to create a topic @ MQTT-broker

Configuration
1

Hi,

I need a pointer.

I want to control Rpi from HA through MQTT.

I have a broker running on HA

pic
pic816×387 70 KB

And have the Paho-MQTT Library installed on my pi

I now want to make a “hello world” and I get stuck there.

The first step seems to create a MQTT topic within HA, but how do you do that?
1)
Here in the config tab?

pic2
pic21197×198 31.8 KB

I assume not here in the developers tab (mainly for testing and debugging I assume)

pic3
pic3903×538 43.1 KB

Somewhere else in the HA GUI?

Via configuration in configuration.yaml?
And if yes, what is the most convenient way to do that: putty + nano, or …?

All your tips and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Regards, Ko

2

You don’t need to create a topic. Topics are created automatically when you publish something to the topic.

3

what exactly do you want to do?

MQTT switch as one option

4

Ok, thanks.

5

To test, you can go to Developer Tools -> MQTT and in the Listen to a topic enter # and press start listening (this will listen to all topics). Now publish a message from another device to any topic you like and see if it shows anything. You can also check out this page for more info on MQTT testing

6

I am builidung a measurement and controller application for my aquarium with an Rpi that I can manage from HA.

For example, being able to give an order from the HA to the pi “start temperature measurement”.
And then get back a status and measurement value that I can further process in HA (storage in database, making images, etc.).

I build it up slowly.
First I want to send a meesage from HA via MQTT to the pi that starts a python script (I think via developers tools “publish a packet”?).
And then being able to send a message to HA from a python script and receive it there (I think through developers tools “listen to a topic”?).

Is this a good approach, or would you do it differently?

7

Thanks, your msg crossed mine :wink:

8

I’d use HA and some devices I can control from HA - like Wemos D1/Nodemcu flashed with ESPHome.