esphome
"HTTPS prevents ESPHome from being able to install this on devices connected to this computer" ... instructions unclear?
The first instructions are super unclear ... it sounds like three paragraphs telling me the very same thing... maybe clarify / rephrase it.
` You are not browsing the dashboard over a secure connection (HTTPS). This prevents ESPHome from being able to install this on devices connected to this computer.
You will still be able to install ESPHome by connecting the device to the computer that runs the ESPHome dashboard.
Alternatively, you can use ESPHome Web to prepare a device for being used with ESPHome using this computer. `
first ... HTTPS is preventing ESPHome from being able to install this on devices connected to this computer ... but I will still be able to install ESPHome by connecting the device to the computer ... alternatively I can use the Webinterface to prepare ...?
This absolutely doesn't help me ... and I am quite a proficient noob that understands the basics of ESPHome. I am super confused now.
I would rewrite this as it makes no sense without being one of the lead coders who understand the tiny nuances in ... some of the words I guess.
"This computer" is the one you're running the web browser on. "The computer that runs the esphome dashboard" is probably your HA system. "Esphome web" is https://web.esphome.io/.
Feel free to create a PR with better wording. Or even put it here.
next thing I came across with "wrong information":
Not all requirements are currently met. The easiest solution is to download your project and do the installation with ESPHome Web. ESPHome Web works 100% in your browser and no data will be shared with the ESPHome project.
then I click on the link to ESPHome Web .. and it says:
Dashboard Unavailable ESPHome Web requires a browser that supports WebSerial. Please open this website on your desktop using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
(I'm using Safari) – thanks for the translation so far... still not 100% clear. I guess I gotta install some HTTPS stuff to not use Chrome or something (I don't want to... my browser is Safari)
There's no wrong information there. You just have to use a compatible browser (Chromium also works if you don't want to use Chrome). Someone is working on a webserial extension for firefox which seems to work, but that's still not Safari. I actually thought Safari was using the same core as Chrome now. Even if you setup HTTPS, you still need a compatible browser. An alternative method is to use the cli esptool directly.
I don't wanna argue ... but to me that text is then double wrong. I was working 5h straight to get HTTPS going because the text said "then it'll work!!" ... but it's also not possible with Safari? The text clearly says: "Your browser can do it easily!!" and then "ooops not this browser — even with HTTPS setup!!"
btw... I'm here after an even longer journey using esphome cli and its natural bugs ... like python dependency hell (pillow 10.2.0 still brings me nightmares every night).
If you don't like the text, then make a PR to improve it. I didn't say to use the esphome cli, although that's what I use because it's so much easier. I said you could use the esptool cli program to flash the downloaded firmware file.
It's not about liking a text... it's that it's telling me stuff that is not true. The text let me suggest it checked whether my browser was capable of the action but the browser can't do it. Even when the HTTPS would be working.
Also ... I love the esphome cli so much ... but it also failed me and cost me hours of my lifetime. Just like HTTPS and the rest of my life 🤪 yes, my life would be better with Chrome probably! Thanks for listening! 👂
Hi, I'm new to ESPHome and I also found the wording quoted by OP quite confusing. I think the issue is that "devices connected to this computer" naturally meant to me the server hosting esphome. It didn't occur to me that it could mean my client device running the browser. Then the next paragraph referred to "the computer that runs the ESPHome dashboard" which I interpreted as the computer running the dashboard, as in the actual html and js, so client side.
Here's my modest proposal:
A device needs to be connected to a computer (either the server running ESPHome or the client running the browser) using a USB cable to be added to ESPHome. Once added, ESPHome will interact with the device wirelessly.
You are not browsing the dashboard over a secure connection (HTTPS). This prevents ESPHome from being able to remotely install the necessary firmware on devices physically connected to the client computer (running the browser). Installing via the browser is only possible using HTTPS in a compatible browser (Chromium-based, e.g. Chrome or Edge).
You will still be able to install ESPHome by connecting the device to the computer or server that is hosting the ESPHome dashboard.
Alternatively, you can use ESPHome Web (an external service provided by the ESPHome project) to prepare your device for being used with ESPHome using this computer and browser (if compatible; see above).
I'd also like to hijack this issue to point out a 1-character typo in the docs with some consequences: This page gives the following command:
pip install tornado esptool \
esphome dashboard config
```Hi, I'm new to ESPHome and I also found the wording quoted by OP quite confusing. I think the issue is that "devices connected to this computer" naturally meant to me the server hosting esphome. It didn't occur to me that it could mean my client device running the browser. Then the next paragraph referred to "the computer that runs the ESPHome dashboard" which I interpreted as the computer running the dashboard, as in the actual html and js, so client side.
Here's my modest proposal:
> You are not browsing the dashboard over a secure connection (HTTPS). This prevents ESPHome from being able to install the necessary firmware on devices physically connected to the client computer (running the browser). Installing via the browser is only possible using HTTPS in a compatible browser (Chromium-based, e.g. Chrome or Edge).
> You will still be able to install ESPHome by connecting the device to the computer or server that is hosting the ESPHome dashboard.
> Alternatively, you can use ESPHome Web (an external service provided by the ESPHome project) to prepare your device for being used with ESPHome using this computer and browser (if compatible; see above).
I'd also like to hijack this issue to point out a 1-character typo in the docs with some consequences:
[This page](https://esphome.io/guides/getting_started_command_line#bonus-esphome-dashboard) gives the following command:
```bash
pip install tornado esptool \
esphome dashboard config
In a shell environment the \ means line continuation, so the shown command is equivalent to
pip install tornado esptool esphome dashboard config
But as far as I can see the packages dashboard and config (which do exist and which pip happily installs...) are not really required. I think the documentation is meant to state two separate commands:
pip install tornado esptool
esphome dashboard config
the second one being the one responsible for launching the dashboard...
In a shell environment the \ means line continuation, so the shown command is equivalent to
pip install tornado esptool esphome dashboard config
But as far as I can see the packages dashboard and config (which do exist and which pip happily installs...) are not really required. I think the documentation is meant to state two separate commands:
pip install tornado esptool
esphome dashboard config
the second one being the one responsible for launching the dashboard...
Should I prepare a PR for both fixes? (I won't have time to actually test the changes, i.e. figure out how to rebuild esphome or rebuild the docs, but they should be rather benign.)
