Configs, Migrate MQTT 1.xx to 2.xx

[papa]

        Migrating from MQTT Binding 1.xx to 2.xx

                Background

From what I read & experience, (as the primary option) OpenHAB will keep moving away from (what has been) text file configuration & toward UI configuration. Also apparently about 2 years from now, the 1.xx bindings will be phased out.  If we have been using a 1.xx binding & if we are fortunate, a 2.xx version will be available.

rikoshak, knowledgeable OpenHAB Foundation Member: "No one is saying that text files are going away. But because of issues, text files will have to become radically different from their current form. ... PaperUI will be rewritten to make editing of everything possible in a more text file like manner."

My previous approach of using all text config files was agonizing & did not work very well (although my struggles to define the broker & things & channels in text files likely caused some of my problems.)  Using PaperUI can be tedious clicking & entering text in several fields, but it worked. Once we convert existing nodes & items for MQTT 2.xx, we won't need the PaperUI config until we add new nodes.  Also we can hope for that better PaperUI in the future.

So my thinking, which I followed & documented in this thread, is ... install OpenHAB 2.5.0.M1 or later AND migrate from Mosquitto MQTT message broker to the OpenHAB embedded MQTT broker AND migrate from MQTT Binding 1.xx to MQTT Binding 2.xx. There I used PaperUI for all except using text files for items, sitemaps, & rules.

In the above mentioned thread, I give examples of configuring Things & channels for our DIY Home Automation MQTT nodes. Below I will document & color-code the translation from MQTT 1.xx to MQTT 2.xx so we might see how to convert our configurations.

[papa]

    Migration from MQTT Binding 1.xx to 2.xx

       Coded by Underlines & Colors

        MQTT Binding 1.xx item, Mosquitto broker

String Node05RSSI "Node05rssi (db)[%s]" <network> (Nodes) {mqtt="<[mosquitto:home/rfm_gw/nb/node05/dev02:state:default]"}
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    Create/Install a Thing for the MQTT 2.xx Binding, embedded mqtt broker

Go to PaperUI\Inbox\MQTT Binding\Search Manually Add.    Click the ">" at right of Generic

    Configure the Generic MQTT Thing using the following fields:
Name [starts as Generic MQTT Thing] Node05     << This is the RFM69 Node to be accessed.
Thing ID [ 987638e9 first time ] 01e818a9 [ randomly generated ?? ]
Location BaseFR [optional physical location ?? ]
Bridge Selection MQTT Broker - mqtt:systemBroker:embedded-mqtt-broker

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        Create a MQTT 2.xx Channel via PaperUI

Go to PaperUI\Configuration\Things\Node05      To Add a Channel, click on the "+" in a blue disc beside "Channels"

        In the Add Channel Window, fill the fields:
Channel type String   < choose type according to the item data type we want
Channel id Node05Channel02   < arbitrary ? as long as we match the id in a linked item later
Label Node05_RSSI   < arbitrary ?
MQTT State Topic   home/rfm_gw/nb/node05/dev02

Note: In this case (unlike a switch), there is no "command topic." When I needed a command topic for a channel, it worked to use the same topic as for the state topic.

        MQTT 2.xx item
String Node05RSSI "Node05rssi (db)[%s]" <network> (Nodes) { channel="mqtt:embedded-mqtt-broker:topic:mything:Node05Channel02" }

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    Link Channel to the Item

Go to PaperUI\Configuration\Things\Node05\Node05_RSSI      Click blue disk with white circle

     Complete fields in Link channel window
Please select a profile: Default (system:default)
Please select the item to link: [drop down list] Node05rssi (String)      click Link
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        Same Sitemap Entry for 1.xx AND 2.xx

Text item=Node05RSSI