Interfacing Arduino or Raspberry Pi to Zipabox / Zipatile

Although it is overkill, I prefer the Raspberry Pi using Python and Flask. Currently, I am using my Pi to control my garage. It has garage door open/close sensors, it can open/close the doors, and I am working to integrate the PiCamera. I am getting ready to get a second Pi to use in my main house to interface between my legacy X10 devices and Zipato. I already have the X10 interface, but want to move it off my main server.

Alberto, have a look: https://z-uno.z-wave.me

I use the combi arduino nano and fibaro universal sensor a number of projects.

I think the coolest kid these days are NodeMCU enabled devices. They cost next to nothing and have on-board Wi-Fi. You can program It with the Arduino IDE. To keep It kewl you should​ use MQTT and hope for Zipato MQTT support before you finish programming it 😉

The second coolest kid has to be the new Raspberry Pi Zero, now with Wi-Fi and bluetooth. Linux can be a pain in the ***, but usually you can find all the help you need online.

Hello community,

So, I have spent some free time developing my new "interfaces" using arduino, I have managed to control all sensors to my Arduinos (ultrasonic for water level, relays, current sensors, gas sensors, LCD, 433 Mhz RF and more) the problem I'm having is communicating my Arduino YUN to Zipato Virtual meters, I have spent several hours reasearching how to perform HTTP GET/POST requests using the YUN but I haven't managed to communicate it succesfully with Zipato.

I'm writing this to see if some of the IT guys around here can help me with this, I know very little about HTTP requests. I have seen many ways (libraries) on the internet of guys uploading data to web servers but most of the requests are very different, Zipato ones seem very simple in comparison to these, no headers, no body, just URL... this is the only piece of the puzzle left so I can integrate these interfaces to zipato.

BTW Z-uno is now available on US frecuency, however for some of my solutions Z-wave range is not optimal and I really want to integrate these through WIFI, if anyone has some experience with Arduino YUN or Arduino Uno with Xbee S6B wifi I would really appreciate some help, I will share my Arduino code to see if someone can give me some adavices or help, thank you.

PS.- I have asked for help on Arduino forum but doesn't seem to be very helpful yet.

These are a few attempts using Arduino YUN, I have replaced my serial and API numbers for obvious reasons.

#include "Bridge.h"

#include "HttpClient.h"

//Zipato Settings

String ZipatoAPI = "https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/";;

String MySerial = "MyZipatoSerial";

String MyAPIkey = "MyAPIkey";

String ValueString="value15=150";

const int PostInterval = 15000;

// Variable Setup

long lastConnectionTime = 0;

void setup()

{

pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);

Bridge.begin();

Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop(){

delay (1000);

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN,HIGH);

HTTP_PostZipato1(ZipatoAPI,MySerial,MyAPIkey,ValueString);

delay(2000);

HTTP_PostZipato2(ZipatoAPI,MySerial,MyAPIkey,ValueString);

delay(2000);

HTTP_PostZipato3(ZipatoAPI,MySerial,MyAPIkey,ValueString);

;

delay(PostInterval);

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN,LOW);

}

void HTTP_PostZipato(String ZipatoAPI, String MySerial, String MyAPIkey, String ValueString)

{

//https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/set?serial=MyZipatoSerial&apiKey=MyAPIkey&value15=150

HttpClient client;

String talkBackCommand;

char Response;

String URL = ZipatoAPI + "set?serial=" + MySerial + "&apiKey=" + MyAPIkey + ValueString;

client.get(URL);

Serial.println(URL);

while (client.available()) {

Response = client.read();

talkBackCommand += Response; // talkBackCommand = talkBackCommand + CharIn

Serial.println(talkBackCommand);

}

}

void HTTP_PostZipato2(String ZipatoAPI, String MySerial, String MyAPIkey, String ValueString)

{

String URL = ZipatoAPI + "set?serial=" + MySerial + "&apiKey=" + MyAPIkey + ValueString;

Process p;

p.runShellCommand(URL);

Serial.println(URL);

while(p.running());

// Read command output.

while (p.available()) {

int result = p.parseInt();

Serial.println(result);

}

}

void HTTP_PostZipato3(String ZipatoAPI, String MySerial, String MyAPIkey, String ValueString)

{

//POST https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/set?value15=150&ep=MySerial&serial=MyZipatoSerial&apiKey=MyAPI

HttpClient client;

String talkBackCommand;

char Response;

String URL = "POST https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/set?value15=150&ep=MySerial&serial=MyZipatoSerial&apiKey=MyAPI";;

client.get(URL);

Serial.println(URL);

while (client.available()) {

Response = client.read();

talkBackCommand += Response; // talkBackCommand = talkBackCommand + CharIn

Serial.println(talkBackCommand);

}

}

Hello all in case someone is attempting to do the same I would like to give you an update on this, I finally managed to communicate my Arduino YUN to my Zipabox, replace "MYSERIAL", "MYAPIKEY" and "MYEP" for your information and you will be succesfully sending one HTTP post to write a random value on a virtual meter. Open you serial monitor to make it work, this is my first succesfull test, I'm currently working on a more advanced interface to integrate all the sensors I want to upload and receive all commands from Zipato. Will post my finished project.

2. #include <Bridge.h>
3. #include <BridgeHttpClient.h>
5. BridgeHttpClient client;
7. // Define Constants
8. const String ZboxURL="https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/";
9. const String ZboxSerial="MYSERIAL";
10. const String ZboxApiKey="MYAPIKEY";
11. const String ZboxEp="MYEP";
12. const String ZboxValue="value15";
14. //Define Variables
15. String ZipatoPostURL;
16. int ValueOut;
18. void setup() {
19. pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
20. digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
21. Bridge.begin(); // Initialize Bridge
22. digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
24. SerialUSB.begin(9600);
25. while (!SerialUSB); // wait for a serial connection
27. ValueOut=78; //Generate Random Value
28. char * ZipatoPostChar=ZipatoBuildPost(ZboxURL,ZboxSerial,ZboxApiKey,ZboxEp,ZboxValue,ValueOut); //Build Zipato URL using ZipatoBuildPost function
30. SerialUSB.println(ZipatoPostChar); //DO NOT REMOVE, FOR SOME REASON IT DOES NOT BUILD THE CHAR IF REMOVED
31. ZipatoAsyncPost(ZipatoPostChar); //SEND ZIPATO ASYNC POST
32. SerialUSB.print("Sending request");
33. }
35. void loop() {
37. if (client.finished()) {
39. SerialUSB.println();
40. SerialUSB.println("Response Body:");
41. while (client.available() > 0) {
42. char c = client.read();
43. SerialUSB.print(c);
44. }
45. SerialUSB.print(" Response Code: ");
46. SerialUSB.println(client.getResponseCode());
47. while (1) {} // stop
49. } else {
50. // not finished yet, wait and retry
51. SerialUSB.print(".");
52. delay(100);
53. }
54. }
56. //BUILD ZIPATO STRING FUNCTION
57. char * ZipatoBuildPost(String Zurl, String Zserial, String Zapi, String Zep, String Zvalue,int MtrVal){
58. String result;
59. result=Zurl+"set?serial="+Zserial+"&apiKey="+Zapi+"&ep="+Zep+"&"+Zvalue+"=";
60. result += MtrVal;
61. int str_len = result.length()+1; //Plus 1 for null terminator
62. char resultchar[200];
63. result.toCharArray(resultchar,str_len);
64. return resultchar;
65. }
67. //ZIPATO ASYNC POST FUNCTION
68. void ZipatoAsyncPost(char * JSONpost){
69. //client.addHeader("Accept: application/json");
70. //client.addHeader("Content-Type: application/json");
71. client.enableInsecure(); // Using HTTPS and peer cert. will not be able to auth.
72. client.postAsync(JSONpost, "");
73. }

This is my most up to date working example, much more polished, put together in one function and all commented out. In case someone wants to give it a try.

1. /***************************************************************************
2. *FN_zipatoasyncpost
3. *This is a FUNCTION that assembles and sends HTTP Asynchronous POST to Zipato
4. *servers to write values to Virtual Meters.
5. *Each zipato Virtual Meter has 16 values.
6. ***************************************************************************/
8. #include <Bridge.h> //Required for communication between arduino and YUN
9. #include <BridgeHttpClient.h> //Custom library to make JSON HTTP requests
11. BridgeHttpClient zipaclient; //Declare HTTP client
13. //Define Constants
14. const long postdel=60000; //Asynchronous delay for post requests
16. // Define Variables for Zipato
17. String ZboxSerial="MYSERIAL"; //Zipato Controller Serial, this changes if controller changes.
18. String ZboxApiKey="MYAPI"; //Zipato API Key, this changes if virtual device changes.
19. String ZboxEp="MYEP"; //Zipato EP Key, this changes if virtual device changes.
20. String ZboxValue="value1"; //Zipato identificator for Virtual Meter value to be written, this changes as required.
22. //Timer Variables
23. long postMillis=0; //Declare Timer variables for multitask delays
25. //Declare Process Variables
26. String ZipatoPostURL; //String to store assembled Zipato POST URL
27. int ValueOut; //Value to send
28. int Response; //Response code from Zipato Server
30. /***************************************************************************
31. * SETUP ROUTINE - Runs only once
32. ****************************************************************************/
33. void setup() {
34. Bridge.begin(); // Initialize Bridge
35. SerialUSB.begin(9600); // Start serial comm
36. while (!SerialUSB); // Wait from serial connection from workstation
37. delay (10000); //Wait for YUN to connect to wifi
38. Response = FN_zipatojsonpost(ZboxSerial,ZboxApiKey,ZboxEp,ZboxValue,ValueOut,false); //Make POST request to Zipato and store response after boot
39. SerialUSB.println(Response); //Print Response
40. }
42. /***************************************************************************
43. * LOOP ROUTINE - This routine runs continuosly
44. ****************************************************************************/
45. void loop() {
47. unsigned long curMillis = millis(); //define variable for timekeeping
49. //IF TIME TO MAKE A POST REQUEST THEN JUMP
50. if(curMillis - postMillis >= postdel) {
51. postMillis = curMillis; //Update time
52. ValueOut = random(0,999); //Generate Random Value to send to Zipato
53. Response = FN_zipatojsonpost(ZboxSerial,ZboxApiKey,ZboxEp,ZboxValue,ValueOut,false); //Make POST request to Zipato and store response
54. SerialUSB.println(Response); //Print Response
55. }
56. }
58. /***************************************************************************
59. *FN_zipatoasyncpost
60. *This is a FUNCTION that assembles and sends HTTP Asynchronous POST to Zipato
61. *servers to write values to Virtual Meters.
62. *Each zipato Virtual Meter has 16 values.
63. *RETURNS; Integer with Response Code
64. *INPUTS;
65. * String Zserial - Serial number for Zipato Controller
66. * String Zapi - API Key from Virtual Meter
67. * String Zep - EP Key from Virtual Meter
68. * String Zvalue - Virtual Meter value placeholder name
69. * int Val - Value to be writen into placeholder
70. * boolean PrintSerial - If this value is TRUE this function will print more
71. * information about Zipato response (debug).
72. ***************************************************************************/
73. int FN_zipatojsonpost(String Zserial, String Zapi, String Zep, String Zvalue,int Val, boolean PrintSerial){
75. BridgeHttpClient zipatoclient; //Declare Client
77. //Declare Zipato Constants
78. const String Zurl="https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/"; //Define Zipato basic URL, this does not change
80. //Declare Variables
81. String URL; //String to hold complete URL
82. int str_len; //Integer to hold lenght of URL
83. char URLchar[200]; //Char array to hold URL
84. int retries=0; //Integer to hold timeout timer
85. int respcode; //Integer to hold response code from Zipato
88. URL = Zurl+"set?serial="+Zserial+"&apiKey="+Zapi+"&ep="+Zep+"&"+Zvalue+"="; //Build first part of URL
89. URL += Val; //Convert Integer to String by concatenating it to the first part of URL
90. if (PrintSerial==true) SerialUSB.print("Sending JSON Request"); //If required print header
92. str_len = URL.length()+1; //Count number of characters on URL and store it
93. URL.toCharArray(URLchar,str_len); //Convert URL string into URL char and store it
94. zipatoclient.enableInsecure(); // Using HTTPS and peer cert. will not be able to auth.
95. zipatoclient.postAsync(URLchar, ""); //Make Asynchronous POST Request
97. tryagain:
99. if (zipatoclient.finished()) { //If POST request finished then read response
100. if (PrintSerial==true) { //Print to Serial if required
101. SerialUSB.println();
102. SerialUSB.print("Response Body:");
103. while (zipatoclient.available() > 0) { //While there is response from server read response
104. char c = zipatoclient.read(); //Load response to char
105. SerialUSB.print(c);
106. }
107. SerialUSB.print(" Response Code: ");
108. }
110. respcode = zipatoclient.getResponseCode(); //Get response code 200 is succesful, 500 is server error
111. if (PrintSerial==true) SerialUSB.println(respcode);
112. zipatoclient.close(); //Close connection to save resources
114. } else {
115. if (PrintSerial==true) SerialUSB.print(".");
116. retries += 1; //Add one to retries
117. delay(100);
118. if (retries>=10000) { //If retrying for 10 secs or more then break
119. if (PrintSerial==true) SerialUSB.println();
120. if (PrintSerial==true) SerialUSB.println("Timeout");
121. if (respcode==0) respcode=500;
122. goto timeout;
123. }
124. goto tryagain;
125. }
126. timeout:
127. return respcode;
128. }

Update,

I also created a subroutine that makes requests synchronously to Zipato which also works, and saves some space by not using BridgeHTTPClient library;

1. /***************************************************************************
2. *FN_zipatosyncpost
3. *This is a FUNCTION that assembles and sends HTTP synchronous POST to Zipato
4. *servers to write values to Virtual Meters.
5. *Each zipato Virtual Meter has 16 values.
6. *RETURNS; Integer with Response Code
7. *INPUTS;
8. * String Zserial - Serial number for Zipato Controller
9. * String Zapi - API Key from Virtual Meter
10. * String Zep - EP Key from Virtual Meter
11. * String Zvalue - Virtual Meter value placeholder name
12. * int Val - Value to be writen into placeholder
13. * boolean PrintSerial - If this value is TRUE this function will print more
14. * information about Zipato response (debug).
15. ***************************************************************************/
16. int FN_zipatojsonpost(String Zserial, String Zapi, String Zep, String Zvalue,int Val, boolean PrintSerial){
18. Process zipatoclient; //Declare Client
20. //Declare Zipato Constants
21. const String Zurl="https://my.zipato.com/zipato-web/remoting/attribute/"; //Define Zipato basic URL, this does not change
23. //Declare Variables
24. String URL; //String to hold complete URL
25. int str_len; //Integer to hold lenght of URL
26. char URLchar[200]; //Char array to hold URL
27. int retries=0; //Integer to hold timeout timer
28. unsigned int respcode; //Integer to hold response code from Zipato
31. URL = Zurl+"set?serial="+Zserial+"&apiKey="+Zapi+"&ep="+Zep+"&"+Zvalue+"="; //Build first part of URL
32. URL += Val; //Convert Integer to String by concatenating it to the first part of URL
33. if (PrintSerial==true) Serial.println("Sending JSON Request"); //If required print header
35. str_len = URL.length()+1; //Count number of characters on URL and store it
36. URL.toCharArray(URLchar,str_len); //Convert URL string into URL char and store it
38. zipatoclient.begin("curl");
39. zipatoclient.addParameter("-D");
40. zipatoclient.addParameter("-X"); //for other than GET
41. zipatoclient.addParameter("POST"); //Type of request
42. zipatoclient.addParameter("-k"); //enable insecure
43. zipatoclient.addParameter("-w"); //format output
44. zipatoclient.addParameter("%{response}\\n%{http_code}"); //{response}\n{responsecode}
45. zipatoclient.addParameter(URLchar); //add Zipato URL
46. zipatoclient.runAsynchronously();
47. if (PrintSerial==true) Serial.print("Response:"); //print header if required
49. while (zipatoclient.available() > 0) { //While there is response from server read response
50. char c = zipatoclient.read(); //Load response to char
51. if (c == '\n') respcode=zipatoclient.parseInt(); //If carriage return found get response code
52. if ((PrintSerial==true) && (c != '\n')) Serial.print(c); //Print if required
53. }
54. if (PrintSerial==true) Serial.println(); //Print if required
55. zipatoclient.close();
56. return respcode;
57. }

Unfortunately I have found a mayor roadblock, after being uploading data for a while to Zipato the YUN curl commands stopped working, after some research looks like there is a problem on the WIFI chip of the YUN which cannot be fixed by software and causes random issues like this one, I tried to apply all suggestions I could find without luck this is for sure on the YUN side, perhaps that is why the YUN is now an obsolete board replaced by TIAN. I will resume my tests with a UNO + Xbee wifi.