Gary,
Can you start adding these updates in HACS? It’s fairly simple to create them as a “pre-release”.
@wifiguys
My previous note included a link to the documententation about authentication. You need to review it to understand the steps to get authenticated.
I did review it. But thanks for your help, anyway.
Gary,
Have you thought about creating a video showing the installation and setup process for the various authentication options?
I noticed that 2.2 documentation doesn’t seem to mention anything about creating an extra iCloud account specifically for use with iCloud3. Are there any recommendations on which tracking method to use? FMF, FamilyShare, FMF with Suffix, App only?
What are the pros/cons of each? Which is easiest to setup? Which is easiest to maintain?
IIRC there was a 2FA issue in earlier versions. Is that still an issue?
Off topic, but has anyone suggested you change the name of this project to something else? iCloud3 is just too easy to confuse with iCloud.
Is icloud3 log stating you are using Home Assistant ios app V1.0?
Also: I had something weird happen to me once (back at rc11b or c i think) where I ended up having to delete the Home Assistant iOS app integration completely, remove icloud3, and remove device from the know devices file. the reboot HA, then re-install from scratch the ios app integration, and taking care in naming correctly all devices, then insall icloud3.
also, not sure how many devices you are tracking with icloud3, but start with just one. once you get it right, you can start adding. (i am tracking 2 phones,1 ipad, 2 apple watches with icloud3. it’s been 100% rock solid reliabl since the rc11b issue I had (which was my fault entirely in the first place))
- Docs are not done. The Getting Started chapter needs some cleanup and revisions. Pros and cons of each method are scattered about and I lost part of it several weeks ago that addresses those topics.
I use FmF tracking method. With it, you have better control of the devices you track and iCloud Location Services only locate them when requested. It locates all the devices in the FindMe people list. Family Share FamShr is Walter to set up but it locates all devices on the Family Share list on your iCloud account, not just the ones you are tracking. I have no need to track 3 iPads that are always home, my Mother’s iPad and an iwatch.
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The 2fa issue is gone and it’s addressed in the v2.2.0 change log that is not part of the docs. Perhaps I should add it at the end of the docs but it’s getting pretty long now.
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You’re the first person to mention changing the ICloud3 name. It was based on the original iCloud component and the iCloud2 variant and it’s here to stay.
I had planned to have the docs done several weeks ago but some other priority projects came up that needed to be handled (Guest bedroom/bathroom remodel) which is now done. Plus a bug or 2 and a few new things. Theme support including a Dark Mode support for the Event Log is almost done. And doing the documentation is not as much fun as chiding.Text
Thank you for the helpful reply, Alex. I’ll try what you’ve suggested. Last night, I wiped out the integrations for both iCloud and iCloud3, restarted HA, then installed the integrations again. This finally caused the authentication steps to happen.
However, I’m still getting 2FA challenges every 30 min. So it’s on to your suggestions. I’ll let you know.
@WiFiNetGuy
Here is the link again for the authentication steps in v2.2.0.
The docs show the the Apple Signin Requested and Verification Code windows and explain that these do not authenticate or verify your device and the code is not entered anywhere. (This code is for authenticating apps, not programs. HA is a program.)
It then goes on to explain that the HA Notifications area will contain windows where you select the trusted device to get a 6-digit code on the trusted phone which you then enter into the next Configure window in the HA Notifications area.
BTW- What version of iCloud3 and HA are you using? iCloud3 v2.1.0 does not support 2fa.
Do you have the iCloud3 Event Logger Card installed ? If not, I highly suggest you do. From there, you can check the integration startup logs. This where you will know if iCloud3 resorts back to Home Assistant iOS App 1.0 instead of using 2.0 version. It is also kind of crucial to 2.2.0 correctly working, from what I understand. It took me some time to realise that.
I do have the Event Logger installed.
I fully understand the verification and authentication steps. It looks like I have solved the “every 30 minutes” fiasco by the steps I took from Alex’s suggestions. Also, I’m using iC3 v2.2.0 and 0.114.4 of HA.
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I’m still unclear, do we still need to have an extra iCloud account?
@FutureTense
I don’t have the HA iCloud integration on my system, so no you do not need one. iCloud3 does all the communications with the iCloud Location Services, just like the HA iCloud integration. The only reason I can think of is iCloud3 did not immediately present the verification request in the HA notification area on new installs where the iCloud integration may have. This has since been fixed and iCloud is still installed.
If you have both running, iCloud and iCloud3 will both poll your phone for your location which may cause your battery to run down faster.
How they get the phones location … The HA iCloud integration uses an interface/support program, pyicloud.py, to communicate with iCloud Location Services (currently maintained by Quantame) to get the phone’s location. It does not support Find My Friends, only the Family Sharing tracking method is supported.
ICloud3 includes a customized version of this program, pyicloud_ic3.py, to get the phone’s location. This also has code to support the Find-my-Friends tracking method not in the one used by the iCloud integration (written by ZZeleznick).
So if I have 2 iPhones that are in the same iCloud “family” for sharing apps, etc. then FmF and their iCloud emails for logging in are all I really need to implement iCloud3?
@FutureTense
You would use the FamShr (Family sharing) in that case. FamShr gets the location info for all of the devices in the family Sharing list on your iCloud account. The fmf (Find my Friends) locates the friends you are sharing Location info with in the FindMe app.
@gcobb321 thanks for RC11g. Everything works perfectly regarding transitioning in and out of defined zones. The only issue that persistent is when exiting a dynamic stationary zone the device_tracker entity for the phone in question (i have two configured) get stuck in ‘Stationary’ status, even when the device re-enters/returns to a defined zone i.e. ‘Home’.
What’s interesting is that in the Event log, when re-entering the zone i.e. Home both iOS App and iC3 Zone are in the correct states i.e. ‘home’ & 'Home respectively. My question is why does the device_tracker entity get stuck in ‘Stationary’ and not track the zone that the device is in?
PS: When rebooting IC3 from Home, the device_tracker entity reverts to the correct state i.e. Home.
Thank you for the effort you have put into this component.
@bastero
The device tracker entity should be updating to the iOS state when entering a zone. The zone name and state is based on searching the zone table using the distance from the center of the zone to the current location. Is less than the zone size, that zone is selected. The event log shows the distance from each zone during the zone selection. This should work with regular and stationary zones since the stationary zone is treated like a regular zone.
Use the Action button and select Show Event Log Details to display more info that might point to what is going on.
@gcobb321
Thanks for the details and suggestion. In my case there are some peculiar things going on that perhaps point to something that you’ve seen previously.
In my case, when exiting a dynamic ‘Stationary’ zone, iC3 Zone initially indicates movement into the ‘Home’ state (iC3 Zone) even though I’m @3.28km from Home. Within the first poll cycle i.e. 2.5 mins, the (iC3 Zone) state then changes to’ Away’. After a further 1 min, the iC3 state reverts to ‘Home’ and then to ‘Away’ you get the picture… Once I do arrive home, the device eventually does enter into the ‘Home’ zone.
The only reason I bring this issue up is that my alarm system is triggered based on being in the ‘not_home’ state. Any suggestions or is this an issue with GPS being inconsistent, or can I make some tweaks to the parameters ?
Update: With RC11j-Beta installed and resetting HA iOS App in all my iOS devices being monitored the issue with prematurely exiting and re-entering zones was corrected.