WTH: Why isn't there a good way to visually build automations?

Gamester17 · August 27, 2020, 9:54am

I understand that is also what OpenHAB has to do with their Blocky based Graphical Rule Designer:

https://github.com/cdjackson/openhab-blockly

That is, they had to fork Google’s Blocky code and modify it to make it generate rules for OpenHAB:

https://github.com/openhab/org.openhab.ui.habmin/wiki/Rule-Designer%3A-Building-Blocks

FYI, learned that HABMin for OpenHAB does also contained a Blocky based Graphical Rule Designer:

Graphical Rule Designer · openhab/org.openhab.ui.habmin Wiki · GitHub

“ A graphical rule designer is provided within HABmin . It provides a drag and drop interface to produce rule files - it may not support really complex rules (time will tell!), but the idea is that it provides a simple interface to produce the majority of rules that a user may want. ”

fc417429ded9d2eede9f52273ad8d692d33b68af1280×628 184 KB

“ The image above shows the rule designer. On the left is a list of rules that have been developed with the interface, in the middle is the toolbox, and on the right is the rule workspace. To add blocks, drag them from the toolbox to the workspace. To delete blocks, simply drag them into the bin in the bottom left of the workspace. ”

Information on their block types for rules can be found here:

Rule Designer: Building Blocks · openhab/org.openhab.ui.habmin Wiki · GitHub

When you create and save a rule it generated a file you could use as conditions for automation.

Blocky example 91522×1128 154 KB

Its graphical rules editor in HABmin for OpenHAB is however no longer activly maintained.

GitHub - cdjackson/openhab-blockly: The web-based visual programming editor for openhab home automation.

OpenHAB has today also a new rule engine with an experimental “Paper UI (PaperUI)” graphical UI:

https://www.openhab.org/docs/configuration/paperui.html