Thing keys and thing definitions are available to trigger actions as input variables. These thing keys and thing definitions are retrieved by the Workbench from the deviceWISE Cloud. This retrieval of information, by the Workbench interacting with the deviceWISE Cloud, makes the definition of gateway trigger actions more seamless with the definitions in the deviceWISE Cloud.
For more information about defining and viewing thing keys and thing definitions using the Management Portal, see Things and Thing definitions
The Workbench connects to the deviceWISE Cloud using the credentials you provide, as described in Shutting down the Workbench.
Thing Keys
The Thing Keys selection item allows you to look up the key for things, by name, including using tags to filter the selection list.
In the selection tree shown for input variables, there
will be an entry for Thing Keys. The first
time this tree is displayed it will contain one child
element, Lookup Key....
Using a Set action as an example:
When you select Lookup Key..., if you have not logged on to the deviceWISE Cloud from the Workbench, a logon (connect) prompt will appear. Once successfully logged on, a window will be shown allowing you to select a thing:
- The available tags are shown at the top of the window. The size of the tag text is proportional to how many things have that tag, while the color denotes special tags in blue and standard tags (defined by a user) in black.
- Tags, as they are selected, are shown in the middle portion of the window.
- The bottom portion of the window displays a table of things and their thing keys that match the selected tags.
For example, after selecting a few tags the window will look similar to the following:
The table displays all the things that match the selected tags. Selected tags can be removed by selecting the X button for the tag.
Selecting an entry in the row and selecting OK results in the value for the Key column being placed into the input field as a constant.
If you reopen the input selection tree after selecting tags and selecting a thing key, you will see the things that match the selected tags:
Things are displayed by their name with their key in parenthesis. When selected, the key will be placed in the input field as a constant value.
You can select these keys directly or lookup a thing key again, including selecting tags, by selecting Lookup Key....
Thing definitions
The Thing definitions selection item allows you to look up a value for an element of a thing definition.
If you have not logged on to the deviceWISE Cloud from the
Workbench, the Thing Definitions selection item will have
one child element, Refresh
Definitions....
Once selected, a logon (connect) prompt will appear. Once
successfully logged on, a list of available thing
definitions is displayed.
For example:
Expanding each thing definition and its child elements
will show various elements of the thing definition. They
are listed by name and key. When selected, the key will be
placed in the input field as a constant value.
For example:
