Are you saying that I should not touch my zwcfg_*.xml file? I have done that in the past when I want to rename a zwave node when I didn’t get it to work from the zw config in HA. Now I can’t even find the option in the zw config to rename node anymore.
Another question I have is related to rebuilding the zwave mesh. I have recently added a couple of smart plugs and they work fine, but looking at the node info they don’t report any neighbors!!
That functionality was removed in ~V0.76.
I’m not sure what the interaction is between the new entity registry system and the xml file. I don’t know what will happen if you edit the xml file now.
I’ve not had much luck editing the zwcfg*.xml file, but I also have never had my sensors and other z-wave devices drop off so, when I add a new one, it is only a minute or two renaming any entities I want to keep and excluding any entities I don’t want to use. Excluding particular entities from being visible has always been per entity. Additionally, my HASS install on the Pi 3 takes longer to reboot than it takes to update entities via the UI (which does not require a restart for entities to update).
It is a different way of doing things, but I personally feel that the less mucking around we have to do in xml and yaml files the better. It’s quite easy to mess up. I find the UI quite easy to use for managing things.
Also, remember that in OpenZWave, the zwcfg*.xml file is a cache file and OpenZwave could overwrite this anytime, changing every value in it back to the defaults from the main OZW config files for the device.
I’ve never needed to modify the xml file either that I can remember.
However, I have needed (or more correctly, desired) to modify my z wave node information on the Z wave controller to make it more human-readable-friendly just in case I ever had to switch my installation to some other platform. It used to be easy to do in the OZWCP in HA. Now we can’t do that any more. At least directly in HA.
@finity
That is definitely a valid point.
I guess from a “user friendly” perspective, basic home automation users would only use HA and not swap between multiple systems. That is more a tinkerer/hobbiest thing to do.
I guess you still need to run OZWCP separately to do that.
It’s a shame that the rename functionality is gone, i really like to name my z-wave entities according to my own scheme.
After some tinkering i managed to replicate the same result as before, it involves editing the core settings files and the zwcfg file manually so it is probably not recommended.
This is how i did it.
At least this worked for me, and again, it would be nice to get the functionality back that we used to have since this is quite cumbersome.
Since restarting Home Assistant can take a while on a Pi, next Zwave device I add I’ll try this method:
My theory is it’ll work and save me time from restarting the WHOLE Home Assistant application.
I don’t think the entity registry gets updated on zwave network stop and start
Might since a new device gets “discovered”, won’t know for sure until I’m able to try it.
I wish to second this sentiment…
We need to find a way to integrate the Z-Wave rename into the overall renaming process or at least to reinstate the wave renaming that used to exist. Having Z-wave nodes with identical names at the openzwave level is just too confusing.
Good luck with that. I’ve been complaining about it ever since the stuff with the entity registry for z wave started and it made it worse when they removed the rename node functionality. And I’ve been completely ignored along with all the others who have voiced their dissatisfaction with it.
Ya know I understand its “their game” and all but I don’t see why there can’t be some small compromise or some kind of “official” explanation to at least TRY to get us to understand why it HAS to be this way.
Or at least have the UI trigger the zwave rename function when the name is changed for the registry entity bit.
I just wanted to add a new power plug to my Zwave network and found out about this problem (15 subentities…). Reading this topic I get the impression that this issue is flying under the radar completely even though one of hass’ prime features is now unusuable for new users and hardly usuable for others.
Do we have any clue who to contact for this? The solution is obvious imo, return the old renaming system and only remove it once a proper replacement is ready.
I’m now in this boat too, trying to set up a new house I currently need to rename 3 plugs, each plug has 10 entities, and I have more plugs/switches coming. Renaming them one by one is just insane… This is exactly what computers are supposed to be for. Is there any chance this will actually get fixed?
Not really, I’ve raised it before.
However, maybe somebody could open a feature request in the feature requests section of the forum?
I’v now also realised that old entities that have been succesfully removed from the zwave network no longer get removed from the list…
What list are you referring to?
The Zwave integration list. It shows the old namesitems with a bunvh of “entity unavailable” messages.
are they present inside your openzwave config file?