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[Tuicemen]

Ok the thread on my forum for the HA-Bridge has been updated with the step by step setup.
http://forums.tuicemen.net/index.php?topic=1287.msg7943#msg7943
It should be noted that you should change your HG port to 8080 or something else other then 80 prior to starting the step by step for HA-Bridge.
To do that
1: open HG and click on Configure (top left)
2: scroll down and click on Maintenance
3: scroll down and click on http Settings and change port
4:with the port# changed scroll up to restart service and click to restart it.
Note: your HG address will now be localhost:8080 on your PI (if 8080 was the new port # you entered) so you need to change the address in the address bar to see HG reloaded


I'll also look at reposting this ha-bridge beginner setup on the X10 forums in the PI & Arduino section at some point.

[HA Dave]

Ok the thread on my forum for the HA-Bridge has been updated with the step by step setup.
http://forums.tuicemen.net/index.php?topic=1287.msg7943#msg7943
It should be noted that you should change your HG port to 8080 ...............…
........Note: your HG address will now be localhost:8080 on your PI (if 8080 was the new port # you entered) so you need to change the address in the address bar to see HG reloaded

OK... all seemed to go well. I performed all the copies and paste's. Did a reload and restart. I found Homegenie (again) hiding behind the 8080... so I would guess that means everything works there. But then... I got down to the first line of the last paragraph of the instruction on your site:

"Once you have ha-bridge installed and running open your browser to localhost click on the Bridge Control tab."

I don't even know what that means, or how to open a browser to local host. I tried a few things... but was unproductive. Did some on-line searching and found I should get something like the pic below.... but even after more trying (and the "localhost:8080") I didn't.

 

[Tuicemen]

In your browser on your PI that HG is displaying type in the address bar localhost:80 or 127.0.0.1:80 (the :80 shouldn't be needed as that is the default port.)
this should open the HA bridge web interface, from there click on the Bridge Control tab.

[HA Dave]

….. So you want Alexa at the heart of your home automation using Home Genie controlling your X10 devices. Your CM11/CM15 is your hub. Most of the more modern lighting technologies are purely wireless hubs like the Harmony, Logitech and Philips the one you expressed an interest in. They are all put into discovery mode and with the relevant skill enabled on the Echo they automatically discover your devices.

I wouldn't say I want Alexa at the heart of my home automation... but that's close enough to count (in horse shoes and hand grenades) I have a few such devices up and running now. They all seem happy enough playing together. Or at least... I haven't heard any arguments about who is "the heart' of my setup.

I'm sure you have done this in HomeSeer by enabling the HomeSeer skill on the Echo and the Echo discovers your X10 devices.

Using the bridge you are providing the WebHook manually so the Echo associates the web address with the relevant device.

Yep... with Homeseer, Wink, MyQ, iHome, Etekcity…. they all have their own apps, and commutates with and through Alexa. Alexa is an AI device. I can't imagine any "smart home".... without some flavor of AI. I am looking for X10 to AI solution that will be an X10 solution.... not one based on the desires of Homeseer.

If not already registered on the HomeGenie Club forum I recommend doing so. This is exactly the chat that is needed there.

I've joined the Homegenie Club! And I've read many of the very interesting posts there. But... I am not a programmer. And after all... the club is a programmers club. I merely want to exploit the Pi.... and force it to do my (home Automation) bidding.

[HA Dave]

In your browser on your PI that HG is displaying type in the address bar localhost:80 or 127.0.0.1:80 (the :80 shouldn't be needed as that is the default port.)
this should open the HA bridge web interface, from there click on the Bridge Control tab.

Yeah.... I am getting host can't be found... error page.

[Tuicemen]

I've joined the Homegenie Club! And I've read many of the very interesting posts there. But... I am not a programmer. And after all... the club is a programmers club. I merely want to exploit the Pi.... and force it to do my (home Automation) bidding.

The title for the forum maybe a bit miss leading the club is for anyone using HG not just programmers this may be what discourages newbies from joining.
You can ask for addons to be created, share your Ideas, addons and setups, and ask for help with your setup.

Most users will likely reply in easy a to understand post if you state your new to HG and using a PI.

Yeah.... I am getting host can't be found... error page.

Sounds like HA-Bridge isn't running try a reboot or open a terminal window and type sudo systemctl start ha-bridge.service then hit enter then open your browser to the HA-Bridge address

[petera]

….. So you want Alexa at the heart of your home automation using Home Genie controlling your X10 devices. Your CM11/CM15 is your hub. Most of the more modern lighting technologies are purely wireless hubs like the Harmony, Logitech and Philips the one you expressed an interest in. They are all put into discovery mode and with the relevant skill enabled on the Echo they automatically discover your devices.

I wouldn't say I want Alexa at the heart of my home automation... but that's close enough to count (in horse shoes and hand grenades) I have a few such devices up and running now. They all seem happy enough playing together. Or at least... I haven't heard any arguments about who is "the heart' of my setup.

I'm sure you have done this in HomeSeer by enabling the HomeSeer skill on the Echo and the Echo discovers your X10 devices.

Using the bridge you are providing the WebHook manually so the Echo associates the web address with the relevant device.

Yep... with Homeseer, Wink, MyQ, iHome, Etekcity…. they all have their own apps, and commutates with and through Alexa. Alexa is an AI device. I can't imagine any "smart home".... without some flavor of AI. I am looking for X10 to AI solution that will be an X10 solution.... not one based on the desires of Homeseer.

If not already registered on the HomeGenie Club forum I recommend doing so. This is exactly the chat that is needed there.

I've joined the Homegenie Club! And I've read many of the very interesting posts there. But... I am not a programmer. And after all... the club is a programmers club. I merely want to exploit the Pi.... and force it to do my (home Automation) bidding.

As Tuicemen suggested take small steps each time, accomplish one task before you move on to the next. Back up your work as you go so if you screw up you restore your last working configuration.

Speaking of configuration, that’s 95% of what you will be required to do in HomeGenie. The other 5% is done by others for yours and others benefit.

Introduce yourself to the forum and explain your level of experience. Don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how basic or simple they may seem. Plenty of others were in the place you are now and will be only too willing to help.

One new crazy guy joined the forum recently demanding answers to his problems. I gave up helping him but Tuicemen stuck with him to the bitter end. Shortly after he posted back to state that HomeGenie was unstable and he was no longer going to use it. I still wonder who or what was unstable.

[Tuicemen]

They were running HG in Windows and I believe that was part of the instability.
I convinced them to try a Pi zero W for under $10 it was a small investment worth the try.

[HA Dave]

…….. Don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how basic or simple they may seem. Plenty of others were in the place you are now and will be only too willing to help.

I really don't think that's correct. There are LOTS of various hobbies and different lifestyles. Tuicemen may be one of the very few Home Automation guys who has turned programmer. And although Tuice is a true automation guy.... he has certainly turned to the dark side. 

I was a computer hobbyists long before I discovered Home Automation. I bought a Commodore Vic-20 in the early 80's. I wrote little programs in basic. I learned HTML and created Web Pages for fun. I retired from the Government as a network administrator about a decade ago. I've spent a good bit of my life.... alone with the computer(s) over the decades. I don't want to go back there. But I think the guys at the Homegenie Club... are enjoying what they're doing... and I think that's great.

I do however... have a passion for the technology. And I enjoy what my Home Automation  does for me. And I know it... the automation technology... can do even more to assist and enrich the lives of others who are less able-bodied than myself.

I very much would like to see a no-brainer, easy to understand, Pi download-and-go HomeGenie image.... that could be on a memory card... stuck in a RBPi, configured, set-up, paired with... and discovered by... an Amazon Alexa. I'd be happy if X10 sold it!

It would be good for X10
It would be good for those who need assistive technology
It would be good for the chronically lazy (like myself) and those of us who love Home Automation and a George Jetson lifestyle.

But we may not need another programmer hobbyist.... and we certainly don't need for it to be me.

[HA Dave]

…Sounds like HA-Bridge isn't running try a reboot or open a terminal window and type sudo systemctl start ha-bridge.service then hit enter then open your browser to the HA-Bridge address

You hit that nail on the head. I followed the directions and got this:  Service not found. Apparently my install didn't work.

[HA Dave]

I am going to re-load and reinstall.... beginning with Raspbian... and getting back to the place just short of installing the ha-bridge. Maybe... we can find a better/easier ha-bridge install.

[Tuicemen]

I am going to re-load and reinstall.... beginning with Raspbian... and getting back to the place just short of installing the ha-bridge. Maybe... we can find a better/easier ha-bridge install.

A nice simple installer script would be nice I wish I knew how to create one.
The new test installers for HGBE are just that, copy one line into the terminal and hit enter.

[petera]

I am going to re-load and reinstall.... beginning with Raspbian... and getting back to the place just short of installing the ha-bridge. Maybe... we can find a better/easier ha-bridge install.

Did you take an image of your SD card with the working version of Home Genie before you started loading the bridge software. If so all you need to do is reformat the SD card and reimage the SD card with that working version. No need to reinstall the Raspbian OS all over again.

I assume you enabled the bridge service before you tried running it.

At the terminal prompt type sudo systemctl status ha-bridge.service to check if the service is present.

The following commands are carried out in this order to create a service, enable it and check to see if it's running

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/ha-bridge.service (This creates the service)
sudo systemctl enable ha-bridge.service (This enables the service)
sudo systemctl start ha-bridge.service (This starts the service)
sudo systemctl status ha-bridge.service (This checks to see if the service is running)
sudo systemctl stop ha-bridge.service (This stops the service)
sudo systemctl disable ha-bridge.service (This disables the service)

Try these commands before you start all over again.

[HA Dave]

I am getting nothing. Service not found.
got this when trying the creating the service

[Tuicemen]

that is the text editor you need to copy the following into it

Code: [Select]

[Unit]
Description=HA Bridge
Wants=network.target
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple

WorkingDirectory=/home/pi/ha-bridge
ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -jar -Dconfig.file=/home/pi/ha-bridge/data/habridge.config /home/pi/ha-bridge/ha-bridge.jar

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetthen press ctrl X then Y to write and save