What's new in HouseBot (Watch this topic for updates)

[ScottBot]

The HouseBot Connector for Google Assistant (including Google Home) is now available!

This support was added in the last release, but was not documented. Support is limited to Power (On/Off) and Dimming commands. More information can be found here.

Online help will be included in the next release of HouseBot.

[ScottBot]

Changes in this version include:

• New: Google Home / Assistant support.
• New: MQTT Support. Basic publish and subscribe.
• New: Theme buttons can now configure ‘long press’ action.
• New: Theme buttons can now be hidden.
• New: Theme option to restore popups on Software Remote startup.
• Better support for remote orientation changes.
• Other minor bug fixes.

A new Android Software Remote is also being updated with the new client options.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.45 has some minor changes, but critical if you are using Amazon Alexa for voice control.

Changes in this version include:

• Updated Alexa API support newest API. The new Alexa skill will be released soon. Be sure to update HouseBot before the new skill is released. Version 3.45 is also backward compatible with the existing/older API.
• Improved Google Assistant support.
• Voice Service Setup dialog now allows configuring whether Modes are exposed to voice services (as scenes).
• Intermediate/running Task states now show in the Tasks property view to help diagnose task issues.

[ScottBot]

With version 3.50, HouseBot will switch it's configuration database from using MS Access to SQLite. This upgrade will happen automatically when version 3.50 is executed.

Changes include:

• New database. HouseBot will automatically convert the existing database it uses to store all of its configuration information to a newer and more stable SQLite database. If there are any conversion errors, please contact support ([email protected]) for assistance.
• New system view that shows status of Devices, Tasks, and Modes. Use ‘Dashboard’ view to filter items show on the new view.
• New option for software remotes to refresh all property values periodically.
• New Property Value setting to persist value between restarts.
• Icon/Image refresh.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.50.02 is a minor update with the following changes.

• Improved SQLite database performance.
• Fixed issue between remote and server where images may have been updated when not needed.
• Changed default persistence setting for Sleep Timer Remaining Time Property.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.51 has been released with the following changes.

• New: System Time property for 'Time and Date without Seconds'.
• New: Trace Device. This device will reflect the last trace message information.
• Fixed theme issue of duplicating control IDs when buttons were duplicated.
• Fixed Task UI issue with 'will trigger task' setting that was causing the task condition to not show disabled in task UI.
• Fixed ZWave Hardware Interface issue where the ZWave interface would be reset and not recoverable if bad node data was received.
• Fixed the ZWave Parameter Configuration Device when setting multi-byte values.
• Fixed potential ZWave Hardware interface issue/crash when using the ZWave Controller Device.
• Added support for the ZWave ALARM command class to trigger the binary sensor device.
• Fixed issue with Script Device if a long trace message was logged.
• Fixed GC-100 Hardware Interface serial command assignment issue.
• Updated MQTT Device to the latest mosquito library.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.52 is a minor update with two additions and some minor bug fixes.

• Added Activation and Deactivation Tasks to Mode setup.
• Added JScript as a language option for the Script Device and all HouseBot scripting.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.52.01 fixes a serious build related issue. If you downloaded 3.52, please install this patch.

[ScottBot]

3.52.04 contains the following changes:

• Added Google Assistant support for Blinds/Curtains.
• Fix to sleep timer to persist remaining time between HouseBot restarts.
• Doubled the size of the ZWave hardware interface receive buffer.

[ScottBot]

Version 1.37 of the Android Software Remote has been released to the Google Play Store.



The new version includes:

• Many improvements to pinch/zoom scaling option.
• Improvements to sizing and positioning of fixed/attached popups when scaling primary panel.

[ScottBot]

The HouseBot portal site (my.housebot.com) has just been updated to the latest OS and web platform.

No new features, but if you see any issues, please let me know.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.53 has been released with the following changes. Note that some of these changes will require updating the Software Remotes to the newest versions.

• New Theme option for Property Edit Control for text alignment (left, right, center).
• New Theme button option to use a Device Property value for the button text.
• New Software Remote option to specify the IP port in the settings dialog. (e.g. 192.168.1.10:5016)
• Fixed UTF character issue in the External Control Client.
• New Added option for the Execute Task device to not have a task selected.
• Numerous Kodi Device Changes. See the readme file for the specifics.

Support for the new Theme options are also available on the Android Software Remote that has been released to the Google Play Store.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.53.03 is a minor release with the following changes.

• New Script commands for getting the last change date (and time) for a Property.
• Fixed issue where a Tasks Else If condition could run from a Property Value change even though a prior condition should have prevented it from running.
• Fixed crash associated with user adding a time Property to a Device.
• Fixed Script Device issue when trying to load a script from the Device in the editor.
• Fixed Device Log View issue when trying to load a log.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.54 has been released. The major update for this release is Node-RED support. HouseBot can now communicate natively with Node-RED by using the new HouseBot Node-RED nodes.

Changes include:

• New support for Node-RED integration.
• New support for dynamically changing the text color of Button, Text, and Edit Software Remote controls.
• When inserting new Panels in the Theme editor, the new panel is now added after the currently selected panel.
• New Property type for Color (RGB).
• New Voice Service setup now splits Alexa and Google (Assistant) into separate configuration tabs.
• New Google Assistant types supported: Blinds, Lock, Door, Light, Curtain, Television

The Android Software Remote has also been updated to include the dynamic color feature.

[ScottBot]

Version 3.54.10 is a minor release with the following changes.

• Fix for Theme font character set issues with symbol and international fonts.
• Fix for task issue where deleting a Property Value change from a Task list might cause the Task to hang.
• Fix of Theme configuration issue where background and transparent colors could get set incorrectly.