I am new to Node-RED and have been playing with it for the last few days. I would like a few pointers as to how to proceed with my project. I have node-red installed on a raspberry pi. I have a client, broker, and dashboard all running on the Pi. Performance is good enough for what I am doing. I have an ESP32 client running and subscribed to two topics. The ESP32 also publishes to one topic. The ESP32 has a switch that I can check the status of with the Raspberry Pi. When I check the status, I get the correct response. I also have a relay connected to the ESP32 that I can operate by issuing a command from the Raspberry Pi. On my Dashboard I have two buttons that pubblish topics to the broker. One topic is the relay and the other is the switch status. The relay works properly but I have an issue with the switch status. When the status button is clicked, I need it to return the status of the switch to both the dashboard and the Raspberry Pi. For the Pi it should send the same publish message that gets sent when the Raspberry Pi asks for a status upadte. For the dashboard a simple line of text indicating either "Door is closed" or "Door is open" would be good enough. It would also be nice to have a circle that changes from red for closed to green for open. However, that is not really necessary. I can export my flow and attach it here if someone could tell me how to do that.MyFlow.txt (2.2 KB) I uploaded it as a text file but I don't think that is the proper way to do it. Thank you.

Colin, thanks for the info. I do not have the autosave interval specified in the conf file for mosquitto. In fact, I have shutdown as much logging and writing to the SD card as possible. IMO the SD card is the weakest link in the Raspberry Pi boards. Maybe the next version will allow the OS to be installed on a hard drive and boot from that. I know you can boot from the SD card and move most everything else to a hard drive. But that is extra work that still gives questionable reliability. The code on the ESP32 does not send the state of the door when it re-connects to the broker. It simply re-connects and proceeds to the main loop() function. However your comments made the light bulb in my head turn on. I am going to add code to the ESP32 that sends the door state on boot up and anytime it re-connects to the broker. Then if I use the Retain flag I will not need the Status button. Thanks for you help with all this. I am learning that Node-RED is extremely powerful in what it can do.

[image] rcbuck: I do not have the autosave interval specified in the conf file for mosquitto There will be a default value, see mosquitto.conf man page | Eclipse Mosquitto

I have everything working the way I want. I still have the status button on the dashboard but only for appearance purposes. The button is not subscribed to any topics so clicking it has no affect on anything. I modified the ESP32 code to handle the status updates. I timed it and it takes 15 seconds for my garage door to open or close. So when the ESP32 sees the operate button topic come in I start a 20 second timer in the ESP32 code. When the timer expires I send a status update to the dashboard. I also have the retain flag set on the MQTT output node. That means when I connect to the dashboard I see the last status value. I do have one issue that I wonder if there is an answer to. I would like to change the color of the operate button when it is pressed. When the button is released I would need it to go back to the color it was before it was pressed. I tried the same code that works on the status button but it doesn't work with the operate button. If I can't get the button color change to work is there a dot or a circle that I could put above the button and have it change color when the button is pressed? My flow is attached. [{"id":"e09c4485.910ab","type":"tab","label":"ESP32 Flow","disabled":false,"info":""},{"id":"685b0a22.7bd3a4","type":"ui_button","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Status Switch","group":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","order":2,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"Status ?","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"{{background}}","icon":"","payload":"","payloadType":"str","topic":"","x":660,"y":220,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"4b0b7bdf.4e4844","type":"mqtt out","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Publish","topic":"esp32/door/button","qos":"2","retain":"true","broker":"c3002906.2a182","x":660,"y":300,"wires":[]},{"id":"b1e5d737.cb1ff","type":"ui_button","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Door Switch","group":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","order":3,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"Operate","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"GRAY","icon":"","payload":"pressed","payloadType":"str","topic":"esp32/door/button","x":490,"y":300,"wires":[["4b0b7bdf.4e4844"]]},{"id":"75fb3172.402c2","type":"ui_text","z":"e09c4485.910ab","group":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","order":1,"width":0,"height":0,"name":"Door Status","label":"Door Status","format":"{{msg.payload}}","layout":"row-spread","x":470,"y":140,"wires":[]},{"id":"15b1eb2f.06dac5","type":"mqtt in","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Return Status","topic":"esp32/door/stat-return","qos":"2","datatype":"utf8","broker":"c3002906.2a182","x":290,"y":140,"wires":[["75fb3172.402c2","3d4ed5d6.ee80da","4b0b7bdf.4e4844"]]},{"id":"d4439fd2.ab74b8","type":"rpi-gpio out","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"GPIO11","pin":"23","set":true,"level":"0","freq":"","out":"out","x":680,"y":380,"wires":[]},{"id":"575d7cbf.f50d74","type":"mqtt in","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Beam","topic":"esp32/door/beam","qos":"2","datatype":"auto","broker":"c3002906.2a182","x":290,"y":380,"wires":[["4981d4bd.d7d5f4"]]},{"id":"4981d4bd.d7d5f4","type":"change","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"","rules":[{"t":"change","p":"payload","pt":"msg","from":"broken","fromt":"str","to":"1","tot":"str"},{"t":"change","p":"payload","pt":"msg","from":"present","fromt":"str","to":"0","tot":"str"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":480,"y":380,"wires":[["d4439fd2.ab74b8"]]},{"id":"3d4ed5d6.ee80da","type":"function","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"Color State","func":"if (msg.payload == \"Door is open\") {\n msg.background = \"RED\";\n} else {\n msg.background = \"GREEN\";\n}\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":450,"y":220,"wires":[["685b0a22.7bd3a4","949c4b63.425158"]]},{"id":"949c4b63.425158","type":"debug","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","x":650,"y":140,"wires":[]},{"id":"c9c08720.82ebf","type":"ui_button","z":"e09c4485.910ab","name":"fake button","group":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","order":2,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"fake button","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"white","icon":"","payload":"","payloadType":"str","topic":"home/door/fake","x":310,"y":280,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","type":"ui_group","z":"","name":"Garage Door","tab":"5d370db7.ba1564","disp":true,"width":"6","collapse":false},{"id":"c3002906.2a182","type":"mqtt-broker","z":"","name":"MyPi","broker":"172.16.1.112","port":"1883","clientid":"pi","usetls":false,"compatmode":true,"keepalive":"60","cleansession":true,"birthTopic":"home/Relays","birthQos":"0","birthPayload":"","closeTopic":"","closeQos":"0","closePayload":"","willTopic":"","willQos":"0","willPayload":""},{"id":"5d370db7.ba1564","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"Home","icon":"dashboard","disabled":false,"hidden":false}] Edit: Uploaded correct flow.

This cannot be the complete flow???

Something went wrong with first flow upload. It should be correct now. Thanks for the alert.

Does this faq help ? [image] Examples of Colour change button and switch FAQs A simple example of a button that has two states and changes colour/text and icon based on those two states [{"id":"b9a70965.13e138","type":"ui_button","z":"d511095d.512808","name":"","group":"c070ecdb.6d5ce","order":0,"width":"0","height":"0","passthru":false,"label":"{{payload}}","color":"","bgcolor":"{{colour}}","icon":"","payload":"press","payloadType":"str","topic":"","x":590,"y":615,"wires":[["48aaee20.8d9e1"]]},{"id":"5cc84101.ac6d9","type":"change","z":"d511095d.512808","name":"","rules…

EDIT: @dceejay, funny, just posted a similar thing... So you have a garage door. You want to operate it via a button. This is a suggested and simple flow that toggles between open/close and it updates the button with the received actual status information When you click the button, a command for open or closed is sent to the broker. Assumming this will be received by your esp and executed, the new status of the door will be published by the esp and then received by NR, the button text and background colour will be updated, reflecting the new status. Simple. You have to modify the flow so it fits your settings for the broker, topics, commands sent and received all matching your esp code (or modify the esp code...) [image] [image] [image] [{"id":"81a8870a.5b9888","type":"ui_button","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","group":"94cd9b77.f34d68","order":4,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"{{msg.txt}}","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"{{msg.background}}","icon":"","payload":"","payloadType":"str","topic":"","x":520,"y":1690,"wires":[["d1f0ab8d.773cf8"]]},{"id":"650ab80f.5a3b58","type":"change","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"background","pt":"msg","to":"green","tot":"str"},{"t":"set","p":"txt","pt":"msg","to":"OPEN","tot":"str"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":310,"y":1620,"wires":[["81a8870a.5b9888"]]},{"id":"60ac4c4c.fddaa4","type":"change","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"background","pt":"msg","to":"red","tot":"str"},{"t":"set","p":"txt","pt":"msg","to":"CLOSED","tot":"str"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":310,"y":1760,"wires":[["81a8870a.5b9888"]]},{"id":"d1f0ab8d.773cf8","type":"function","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","func":"context.set('state',context.get('state')||\"closed\");\n\nfunction updateNodeStatus(color, txt) {\n node.status({\n \tfill : color,\n \tshape : \"dot\",\n \ttext : txt\n });\n}\n\nvar state = context.get('state');\nvar color = '';\n\nswitch (state) {\n case 'OFF':\n state = 'ON';\n color = 'green';\n msg.payload = \"open\";\n break;\n case 'ON':\n state = 'OFF';\n color = 'red';\n msg.payload = \"closed\";\n break;\n default:\n state = 'OFF';\n color = 'red';\n msg.payload = \"closed\";\n break;\n}\n\ncontext.set('state',state);\nupdateNodeStatus(color,msg.payload);\nnode.send(msg);","outputs":"1","noerr":0,"x":680,"y":1690,"wires":[["37f8bfa3.83297"]]},{"id":"37f8bfa3.83297","type":"mqtt out","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","topic":"Whatever","qos":"","retain":"","broker":"75eba16c.094f9","x":850,"y":1690,"wires":[]},{"id":"2a3d58a1.d29e88","type":"mqtt in","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","topic":"Whatever","qos":"2","datatype":"auto","broker":"75eba16c.094f9","x":120,"y":1690,"wires":[["58145d51.5973f4"]]},{"id":"58145d51.5973f4","type":"switch","z":"d01d2553.fd9838","name":"","property":"payload","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"eq","v":"open","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"closed","vt":"str"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":2,"x":280,"y":1690,"wires":[["650ab80f.5a3b58"],["60ac4c4c.fddaa4"]]},{"id":"94cd9b77.f34d68","type":"ui_group","z":"","name":"Sliders","tab":"8f57f520.e87078","disp":true,"width":"6","collapse":false},{"id":"75eba16c.094f9","type":"mqtt-broker","z":"","name":"","broker":"127.0.0.1","port":"1883","clientid":"","usetls":false,"compatmode":true,"keepalive":"60","cleansession":true,"birthTopic":"","birthQos":"0","birthPayload":"","closeTopic":"","closeQos":"0","closePayload":"","willTopic":"","willQos":"0","willPayload":""},{"id":"8f57f520.e87078","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"Some stuff","icon":"dashboard","order":3,"disabled":false,"hidden":false}]

krambris, When you click the button, a command for open or closed is sent to the broker. Assumming this will be received by your esp and executed, the new status of the door will be published by the esp and then received by NR, the button text and background colour will be updated, reflecting the new status.< I already have the status update button working. I need the operate button to change color. The attached flow may help explain. When the button is pressed it sends a msg.payload of "pressed". That starts code on the ESP32 that 20 seconds later updates the status button which is not shown in this flow. The ESP32 knows the button is pressed when it receives the /esp32/door/button topic with a payload of "pressed". It has no way of knowing when the button is released. So I need to change the color of this button to red when it is pressed and to green when it is released. This needs to be done without involving the ESP32. The default color of the button should be green. [{"id":"9fae7d25.0bfba","type":"tab","label":"Flow 3","disabled":false,"info":""},{"id":"a2a8051c.1e9828","type":"ui_button","z":"9fae7d25.0bfba","name":"operate","group":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","order":0,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"button","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"{{msg.background}}","icon":"","payload":"pressed","payloadType":"str","topic":"esp32/door/button","x":470,"y":220,"wires":[["5c2b7270.69b83c"]]},{"id":"5c2b7270.69b83c","type":"mqtt out","z":"9fae7d25.0bfba","name":"Publish","topic":"esp32/door/button","qos":"2","retain":"","broker":"c3002906.2a182","x":650,"y":240,"wires":[]},{"id":"eb6c6b8d.b6f26","type":"ui_group","z":"","name":"Garage Door","tab":"5d370db7.ba1564","disp":true,"width":"6","collapse":false},{"id":"c3002906.2a182","type":"mqtt-broker","z":"","name":"MyPi","broker":"172.16.1.112","port":"1883","clientid":"pi","usetls":false,"compatmode":true,"keepalive":"60","cleansession":true,"birthTopic":"home/Relays","birthQos":"0","birthPayload":"","closeTopic":"","closeQos":"0","closePayload":"","willTopic":"","willQos":"0","willPayload":""},{"id":"5d370db7.ba1564","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"Home","icon":"dashboard","disabled":false,"hidden":false}]

So I need to change the color of this button to red when it is pressed and to green when it is released Dashboard button doesn't have more events available than click (mouse down and mouse up both must happen to fire event). With one public event only you can not have momentary button behavior. But there is always a way to do it Momentary button on Dashboard

Have you considered adding a confirmation dialogue - Open Garage Door? OK/Cancel This would prevent accidentally opening or closing the door. [conf]

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Does this faq help ?

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How can I update a switch status on the dashboard

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