Trying to configure SmartIR to work with my Air conditioner but getting a bit stuck setting up a 'config flow'

charsiufan · June 7, 2023, 6:15am

I’m new to HA and getting a bit stuck on something I think should be straight forward if someone can point me in the right direction. I have added SmartIR as a custom repository using HACS however the next step in the instructions I can’t figure out. They are:

“Config Flow - Integrations can be set up via the user interface by adding support for a config flow to create a config entry. Components that want to support config entries will need to define a Config Flow Handler.”

I have been going round in circles trying to figure out how to do this. Is this simply copying the suggested code on Git into the configuration.yaml file and restarting HA?

I also came across this and I don’t understand what it is referring to:

“Updating the manifest - You need to update your integrations manifest to inform Home Assistant that your integration has a config flow. This is done by adding config_flow: true to your manifest (docs)”

Thanks for any guidance here!

koying · June 7, 2023, 11:11am

Those are developer instructions. Where do you see that?

Just follow the SmartIR instructions regarding HACS (GitHub - smartHomeHub/SmartIR: Integration for Home Assistant to control climate, TV and fan devices via IR/RF controllers (Broadlink, Xiaomi, MQTT, LOOKin, ESPHome)) then add it through HACS itself

charsiufan · June 7, 2023, 5:58pm

Thanks @koying - yes I added the repository through HACS. The next step in those instructions is where I’m getting stuck in the Platform setup instructions which has a link to the Climate setup. In that part of the instructions it says I need to:

“Add a Broadlink RM device named “Bedroom” via config flow” - this is the bit I’m not clear about.

Here’s a link to the page

github.com

smartHomeHub/SmartIR/blob/ba0b46b140796a86f85a601326cb90bbaa1b84d8/docs/CLIMATE.md

<p align="center">
  <a href="#"><img src="assets/smartir_climate.png" width="350" alt="SmartIR Climate"></a>
</p>

For this platform to work, we need a .json file containing all the necessary IR commands.
Find your device's brand code [here](CLIMATE.md#available-codes-for-climate-devices) and add the number in the `device_code` field. If your device is not working, you will need to learn your own codes and place the Json file in `smartir/codes/climate` subfolders. ~~[Keite Trần](https://github.com/keitetran/BroadlinkIRTools) developed [an amazing web-based app](https://keitetran.github.io/BroadlinkIRTools/) for this job.~~
_Please note that the device_code field only accepts positive numbers. The .json extension is not required._

## Configuration variables:
| Name | Type | Default | Description |
| ---- | :--: | :-----: | ----------- |
| `name` | string | optional | The name of the device |
| `unique_id` | string | optional | An ID that uniquely identifies this device. If two devices have the same unique ID, Home Assistant will raise an exception. |
| `device_code` | number | required | (Accepts only positive numbers) |
| `controller_data` | string | required | The data required for the controller to function. Enter the entity_id of the Broadlink remote **(must be an already configured device)**, or the entity id of the Xiaomi IR controller, or the MQTT topic on which to send commands. |
| `delay` | number | optional | Adjusts the delay in seconds between multiple commands. The default is 0.5 |
| `temperature_sensor` | string | optional | *entity_id* for a temperature sensor |
| `humidity_sensor` | string | optional | *entity_id* for a humidity sensor |
| `power_sensor` | string | optional | *entity_id* for a sensor that monitors whether your device is actually `on` or `off`. This may be a power monitor sensor. (Accepts only on/off states) |
| `power_sensor_restore_state` | boolean | optional | If `power_sensor` is set, and the device is likely to turn off and back on while still in the set mode (for instance, a minisplit cycling on and off while in heating or cooling mode), setting this to `true` will cause the climate state to update dynamically, following the state of the `power_sensor`. |

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aceindy · June 7, 2023, 6:34pm

That part is for when your AC is NOT on the list of already supported devices…
Those json’s are already included when installed by HACS

If your device is on the list, you need to mark this code, and enter it in here for a broadlink-controller

if not supported, it is another story, you need to create the json file yourself by learning the IR codes (and store them in the json).
The author of the addon would appreciate it if you push that json to the repository (as i did with for my TristarAC-2760.json), if everyone that uses this addon does that, the list will grow more (as it already has grown a lot)

PS I can recommend to use BroadlinkManager to capture the IR codes which worked very nice for me

charsiufan · June 7, 2023, 6:45pm

Thanksaceindy. Yes, mine is supported and I have the code. I have the device number. Where do I put this code below? The instructions state “Add a Broadlink RM device named “Bedroom” via config flow” but I don’t understand what ‘via config flow’ means.

Smartir:

climate:

platform: smartir
name: Office AC
unique_id: office_ac
device_code: 1000
controller_data: remote.bedroom_remote
temperature_sensor: sensor.temperature
humidity_sensor: sensor.humidity
power_sensor: binary_sensor.ac_power

aceindy · June 7, 2023, 6:55pm

By config flow he means the configuration.yaml (or any !include you might be using)

smartir:
climate:
  - platform: smartir
    name: [[ any name you want to use ]]
    unique_id: [[ any unique id you want to give it ]]
    device_code: [[ your device code drom the list]]
    controller_data: [[ the entity name you use for your broadlink controller in HA]]
    temperature_sensor: [[ the entity name of your temperature sensor ]]
    humidity_sensor: [[ optionally your humidity sensor]]
    power_sensor: [[ optionally your ac_power sensor]]

so for example mine:


smartir:
climate:
  - platform: smartir
    name: Master bedroom AC
    unique_id: masterbedroom_ac
    device_code: 2760
    controller_data: remote.wi_fi_master_bedroom
    temperature_sensor: sensor.masterbedroom_humidity
    humidity_sensor: sensor.masterbedroom_humidity
#    power_sensor:

charsiufan · June 8, 2023, 7:00am

Brilliant, thanks! All working now. I guess I could have just tried updating the configuration.yaml and ‘see what happens’ but I’m very much still learning and don’t want to break anything just yet.

aceindy · June 8, 2023, 10:34am

@charsiufan Then please mark it as solved by selecting the solution (so it will help others finding this info

charsiufan · June 10, 2023, 5:48am

Done. Thanks for reminder

aceindy · June 10, 2023, 8:57am

@charsiufan your own post is the solution??

charsiufan · June 10, 2023, 8:22pm

Sorry, must have been having a total brain fog day !

I’ve marked the correct solution.