HTML5/D3: Add capability to group bulbs (or things)

[webchickbot]

It would be useful to be able to group bulbs so you can turn them off and on in sets. I know this is possible with the voice UI - but it would be useful in the visual UI as well.

I am thinking specifically of bulbs in this case because that is what I am most focused on at the moment, but I would imagine that all types of things would need to be grouped. I have seen the concept of "Rooms" in other apps, but that really is only one type of useful grouping (as I mentioned in Issue #230 I am using the lights in an art gallery environment which certainly requires more flexible classifications).

[mrose17]

this is a UI issue. the steward has all the group api implemented. the issue is having a UI that let's you group things together…

[mrose17]

postscript: there are really two issues:

1. group management (i.e., create/modify/remove a group)
2. group performance (e.g., make all the lightbulbs in a group do the same thing)

[webchickbot]

Sounds like mockups are in order!

[mrose17]

agreed! that's the first step.

[webchickbot]

/mtr - I sent a first set of layouts to you via email!

[mrose17]

groovy!

[webchickbot]

Moving this discussion to email per /mtr's suggestion ...

As I see it, there are things, groups and actions.

I began with a mockup similar to autonomous behavior for simplicity's sake - which didn't work at all.

One quickly realizes that there MUST be the concept of groups and subgroups from the outset (and subgroups naturally overlap, but that can get crazy quickly).

Since we are dealing with physical space, I can't get past the idea of floor plans like we had in early concepts. Rooms are either the default grouping of physical space or a different animal altogether. In these layout sketches, I made them the first level of grouping (this is where it is easy to imagine that a subgroup can pass through walls).

If we don't have the resources to draw floor plans at this level of sophistication, it would suffice to have "floor plans" based on rough rectangular areas, perhaps allowing a user to create a new room by indicating it by drawing it with their fingers.

Once rooms are defined, a user can click on a room to view the subgroups. Below are all of the subgroups in the living room. Each subgroup has any number of actions.

Drilling down into a subgroup reveals the "Group Performance" window (which I entitled "Currently Editing: Living Room" to aid with way finding. I think "Group Performance" is an internal title).

Adding a new action is not very clear at this point (the Actions are listed vertically within the subgroup window. Clicking on a red minus sign deletes the action. Clicking on a green plus sign creates a new action. The list of actions would be scrollable like in the voice command UI)