Aeotec dongle setup in node-red

General
1

Good afternoon
I am trying to set up my Aeotec GEN5 zwave dongle on Ubuntu.
I presume this is the device when i run dmesg | grep tty.

[    0.095335] printk: console [tty0] enabled
[    1.024808] 00:01: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4, base_baud = 115200) is a 16550A
[    3.636987] cdc_acm 1-8:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device
[  852.416369] cdc_acm 1-4:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device
[76890.475612] cdc_acm 1-4:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device

I have then installed zwavejs on node red and wondered how that is set up using the parameters.

Kind Regards
Andrew

2

Hi @fogmajor

If you have installed the node I discussed, bring in the zwave-js node, and it will be listed for you to select.

Its usually /dev/ttyACM0

but if your using any layer between it and Node RED like docker or HA for instance, you need to ensure that its mapped correctly - so Node RED can see it

you don't need to adjust the speed or anything - that's done for you.

but here is the detail anyway if you need it (normally you don't) - as its configured for you

  • 115200
  • 1 Stop Bit
  • 8 Data Bits
  • Non Parity
3

Hi Again

When I bring in the Zwave Controller node and click on the properties It does not list it, If I set the custom path to /dev/ttyACM0

I get

ZWaveError: Failed to open the serial port: Error: No such file or directory, cannot open ttyACM0

Kind Regards
Andrew

4

Hi @fogmajor
This mean Node RED its self cant see it.

You will need to map the serial device via HA or Docker - as I do not use either, I'm not sure how you do it.
If you are using either of these, I feel you mileage may vary.

5

Hi Marcus
Many thanks for your very prompt replies, I was hoping I could just use node-red on my ubuntu install along with my Aeotec dongle and avoid Docker and HA. I am just trying to keep it simple and to be honest though I feel confident with node-red and have written quite a few complicated functions in the past, My Ubuntu skills are very lacking along with Docker. I previously used HA but i felt it over complicated what i was trying to achieve. I have a Fibaro HC" which I want to replace due to lack of support and thought node-red could maybe facilitate that.

Kind Regards
Andrew

6

Hi @fogmajor

Installing Node RED directly on Ubuntu is fairly uneventful.

Node RED provide a script that will work on Ubuntu
Running on Raspberry Pi : Node-RED (nodered.org)

The problems with HA or Docker - is that they hide the underlining hardware devices - hence you need to map them - so software like Node RED can see them.

7

Hi Marcus
My node-red is running well on my Ubuntu I just need to get the dongle visible in Node-red.

Many thanks for your help

Kind Regards
Andrew

8

If its not being listed in Node RED - then something is stopping it (like a layer between Node RED and the hardware)

9

How did you install node-red on Ubuntu. Did you use the script linked by @marcus-j-davies?

10

Hi Colin
I did it some time ago and cannot remember, sorry for being vague.

Regards
Andrew

11

Here is a quick test
Bring in an exec node - and use ls as the command (connect a debug node to the stdout pin)

let us know what output you get

12 
flows.json
lib
node_modules
package-lock.json
package.json
settings.js
13

Uhh.. ok try ls ../

I was almost expecting to see data

14

854
870
common
current

15

Ok - I still cant tell :rofl:

what about ls /dev

I currently think its strange Node RED cant see the serial device.
This could just be a permissions problem :sweat_smile:

16

Laughing your very clever

autofs
block
bsg
btrfs-control
bus
char
console
core
cpu
cpu_dma_latency
cuse
disk
dma_heap
dri
drm_dp_aux0
drm_dp_aux1
ecryptfs
fb0
fd
full
fuse
hidraw0
hidraw1
hidraw2
hpet
hugepages
hwrng
i2c-0
i2c-1
i2c-2
i2c-3
i2c-4
i2c-5
i2c-6
initctl
input
kmsg
kvm
log
loop-control
loop0
loop1
loop10
loop11
loop12
loop13
loop14
loop15
loop16
loop17
loop2
loop3
loop4
loop5
loop6
loop7
loop8
loop9
mapper
mcelog
mei0
mem
mqueue
net
null
nvram
port
ppp
psaux
ptmx
pts
random
rfkill
rtc
rtc0
sda
sda1
sda2
serial
sg0
shm
snapshot
snd
stderr
stdin
stdout
tpm0
tpmrm0
tty
tty0
tty1
tty10
tty11
tty12
tty13
tty14
tty15
tty16
tty17
tty18
tty19
tty2
tty20
tty21
tty22
tty23
tty24
tty25
tty26
tty27
tty28
tty29
tty3
tty30
tty31
tty32
tty33
tty34
tty35
tty36
tty37
tty38
tty39
tty4
tty40
tty41
tty42
tty43
tty44
tty45
tty46
tty47
tty48
tty49
tty5
tty50
tty51
tty52
tty53
tty54
tty55
tty56
tty57
tty58
tty59
tty6
tty60
tty61
tty62
tty63
tty7
tty8
tty9
ttyACM0
ttyS0
ttyS1
ttyS10
ttyS11
ttyS12
ttyS13
ttyS14
ttyS15
ttyS1...

17

does the user need to be in the dialout group in order to see the port ?
eg sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER
and then logout / back in again

1 Like
18

Hi
Thank you for helping

should I replace $USER with my username

Kind Regards
Andrew

19

Hi @dceejay

They will need to be - listing devices is achieved via the serialport package.

odley enough its listed (from Node RED's point of view via ls) - but apparently Node RED cant see it - usually hinting at a layer between Node RED and the hardware.

@fogmajor
can you (again all in the exec node) do whoami

20

needs to be the user that is running Node-RED. if you run from command line then $USER should be same as your user - but... (eg can do echo $USER to see)