[FEATURE] Add qrcode for Bridge

[Shaquu]

Idea is to add generated qrcode to join Bridge just like in Homebridge. From what I see it's sort off provided in HAP-Nodejs as Accessory.setupURI()

We have to find out where in UI we can show this qrcode.

I would like you to:

1. Vote with emote hand under this post
2. If you are against then please provide some arguments so I can understand why :)
3. If you are for idea then please provide some ideas how can we make it!

[crxporter]

Would be REALLY cool if this could be provided in the debug panel on nodered.

Each time it’s deployed you could send a debug message with the code.

I have no idea if this is possible.

[Shaquu]

@crxporter I like to say that everything is possible. So we have first idea to place it in the node-red debug panel.

_{Sent with GitHawk}

[djiwondee]

Would be a really good feature. Also a good place seems to me the info panel of the node properties. But I guess this is static content? If the QR code becomes too complex what about the numeric code placed on so much home kit accessories for scanning and recognition

[radokristof]

Or maybe if you connect an URL node or some other nodes to one of your nodes in that bridge it should show that qr code on a specific website? Like http://ip_adress/homekitsetup. I don't know if this is possible with Node-RED

[sjorge]

I like the idea of a homekit uri (we have ui for the dashboard stuff), for now it can just display the code + QR code, but the generic name allows for adding other things later.

[Shaquu]

For now I have made badge like this:

I based it on Homekit set up codes from the internet. Image above is fully generated.

[djiwondee]

Cool! Have tried a camera scan with iOS and it redirects me directly to the home app ;-)

[radokristof]

@Shaquu This is how a HomeKit badge/sticker looks like on a native HomeKit device :) This looks really cool if we can get it working somehow.

[Shaquu]

@djiwondee happy to hear it works. @radokristof yes we can!

So once more. Where should we place this badge?

[djiwondee]

@Shaquu to me that would be the right place:

So once more. Where should we place this badge?

[radokristof]

@Shaquu do we know when a bridge is succesfully added to a Home? If yes, we can place this badge on the Debug panel as others suggested until the bridge is succesfully added. However if we can make a simple webpage displaying only just this badge (and a little footer text to scan this qr code), that would be the best I think. Mainly because it can be viewed in almost full screen (just think about small screens, or high dpi screens).

[crxporter]

I think the issue is that many of us have/will have many bridges.

It needs to be easy to find or we will just use the old method of typing 111-11-111 every time...

What about a persistent set of node-red errors/warnings? Can it be placed there? Or at least a link there that says something like "successfully deployed, click here for the qr code"

[radokristof]

@crxporter That's why I thought of a seperate webpage because the link could be placed anywhere (and multiple times).

[Shaquu]

I could have add it to notifications. But how do you see it? 5 seconds to see it? One notification for every Bridge?

I have another idea. Appearing qrcode when we hover over HomeKit node. What do you think?

[sjorge]

@crxporter That's why I thought of a seperate webpage because the link could be placed anywhere (and multiple times).

I also like this idea

[crxporter]

Appearing qrcode when we hover over HomeKit node.

I really like this idea. It would be most similar to what we have now - that the code appears under the node until the first command is sent.

I like the ui website idea as well but personally I would just type in the code before going to a UI interface. Now if that interface had other “stuff” then adding the code there as well would make sense to me.

I see the code as a one-time use item that should be very easy to access after setting up a new bridge...

[sjorge]

Maybe a little QR button next to the edit button on each service were you select the bridge? Easy to lookup when you need it and in your face as you are configuring things, which you most likely are when you add your (new) bridge?

[Shaquu]

One thing is that it can be considered useless :) But since I don't care and I am here for fun then I can spend a lot of hours on useless stuff which makes me happy enough to be able to work on bugs.

Second thing I want every user to use it at least once. So it must be well placed.

[radokristof]

@Shaquu Firstly, I can feel your needs... Secondly, I wouldn't say this is useless. Besides homebridge there isn't a complete HomeKit connector application. So if we keep on working to achieve the best HomeKit experience (closest to a native HomeKit Service/Bridge/etc...) it might become very useful...

[Shaquu]

As stated in #74 Please test and comment.

Feature on branch feature/qrcode

[Shaquu]

I hope someone will look at this soon.

[crxporter]

@shaquu I’ve had a crazy week. I’ll see if I can run it tomorrow and provide some comments.

[Shaquu]

No rush. I just bump old issues to increase commitment.

[crxporter]

@Shaquu I'm finally taking a look at this. It's not working very well for me.

The QR scan works properly. HomeKit immediately recognizes it.

Then it goes to "Searching for accessory" and finally "Accessory not found"

I got it to work one time, I don't know what I did different. Adding these bridges the "old way" works just fine.

Let me know if I'm doing it wrong, meanwhile I'm headed back to the release version to try out this new TV item that works in iOS 12.2!

[Shaquu]

It looks like qrcode can’t be used to connect but only to enter pin. I don’t know if it’s good...

Wiadomość napisana przez crxporter [email protected] w dniu 31.03.2019, o godz. 22:51:

@Shaquu I'm finally taking a look at this. It's not working very well for me.

The QR scan works properly. HomeKit immediately recognizes it.

Then it goes to "Searching for accessory" and finally "Accessory not found"

I got it to work one time, I don't know what I did different. Adding these bridges the "old way" works just fine.

Let me know if I'm doing it wrong, meanwhile I'm headed back to the release version to try out this new TV item that works in iOS 12.2!

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[radokristof]

I have tried using it, but it doesn't want to pop-up that QR code. How should I do that?

I have checked it that I have the dev branch installed in the folder (version number, files in directory, etc...).

[Shaquu]

It’s not on the dev branch. It’s on feature/qrcode

Wiadomość napisana przez Kristof Rado [email protected] w dniu 31.03.2019, o godz. 23:37:

I have tried using it, but it doesn't want to pop-up that QR code. How should I do that?

I have checked it that I have the dev branch installed in the folder (version number, files in directory, etc...).

— You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[crxporter]

It looks like qrcode can’t be used to connect but only to enter pin.

Oh now I see the button after clicking the accessory! I wonder what changes in the qr code to give it the information necessary to discover the device at the first “add accessory” camera?

[Shaquu]

If you ever used Homebridge plugin which supported full discover then please link it so I can investigate.

[crxporter]

I haven't used homebridge for a long time - but this looks like it may be the PR where they added QR code support.

Also found this post from around the same time period.

I'm not sure if this is how your approach works or not, I'm still on chapter 1 of my JavaScript lessons... But I'm getting pretty good at finding stuff on github...