Changing variable type from int to char to enable trigger

Development Tools Cloud IoT
1

Hi, I am using a variable of type int in my thing, it's reporting correctly to the cloud dashboard. I upgraded to Maker plan to make use of triggers, only to find int is not a supported type (why?). So I see where I can edit the thing and change the variable type from int to character string, but if my code is returning an int, would the cloud convert the int to a char string and allow me to use the trigger on its value? and would changing the data type destroy my data history? It's not easy to re-flash my devices with new code using char instead of int.

2

Show the full error report.

3

as the doc states

Triggers react to certain conditions inside your Arduino Cloud Thing, such as a boolean being true, or a string being assigned a value.

...

## Limitations

Currently, the only variables supported by the trigger feature are:

** Booleans*
** Strings*

so you need to move to one of those type. Can't you handle the triggering condition in your sketch for example and just use a bool?

4

These are devices that have been deployed in remote equipment for years. I shouldn't have to re-flash them with new sketch just to get this basic feature. Why isn't int a supported type for triggers? seems so obvious that it would be.
The suggestion of hard coding thresholds to generate booleans in the sketch seems to miss the point of the cloud configurable triggers. id like to change the threshold of certain notifications with out needing to reflash a new sketch each time. no?

5

That’s where they are - I agree that limiting to String and bool seems a weird decision.

Either you go with what they offer and adjust or pick a different platform that matches your needs or work around the issue (thresholds could be in the cloud for example)

6

Hi @mtnbrit.

Are you aware of the OTA upload feature of Arduino Cloud IoT?

https://docs.arduino.cc/arduino-cloud/features/ota-getting-started

7

Yes, unfortunately the hardware doesnt support it, ESP8266.

If I did update the sketch, I assume I would need to convert the int to a new character string cloud variable. This then begs the question, in the cloud triggers, am I going to be able to do an integer comparison on the value represented by the character string, to generate the triggers when going over or under a numerical threshold? The device generates a sampled value of a psi sensor, the value is really only a byte, ie from 0 - 150 psi. I want email alerts if it goes over or under thresholds.