Dashboard Widgets

Overview

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Once a device is in operation in the field, the user needs a means of monitoring the data collected from it with a graphical interface. GadgetKeeper provides several Dashboard Widgets, which can display this collected data in various graphical or tabular formats. There are also several widgets that are not meant to display data graphically, but are used to execute various API interaction functions, similar to the execution procedures described for the UI, REST API, and script functions. These widgets can be used to activate a method/event, get/set a property value, etc.

It is important to note that there are two sources of data which can be used for the graphical "Data Display" widgets:

• Property values, which can either be persistent, remote, or script types. Property values can be changed in many different ways, as explained in Create, Read, and Write Property and Implement Remote Property 
• Data values given with an event when it is activated. An event can be activated in several ways: UI, API, script property, method, trigger, or schedule, as explained in Create Event and Trigger

If using property values as the data source, the device could be programmed to send data values to GadgetKeeper periodically by a schedule or user interaction on the device. A message would be set using the JSON-RPC 2.0 standard. as explained in Messaging API Format. The message contains the ID number of the "thing" and "property", and the data values are given as parameters

If using event values as the data source, this value must be referenced to a property value from a remote device. A method or script property must be created on GadgetKeeper which retrieves data from the device, and then calls an event that contains this data as a value.The device could then be programmed to send data values to GadgetKeeper by a schedule or user interaction using the Messaging API format. The message would contain the ID number of the method to call and the data values are given as the method's arguments. As the method is called, it inserts the arguments in the called event.

It is also possible for GadgetKeeper to periodically call the device by a schedule or user interaction to retrieve data values (using either events or properties as a data source). This can be done manually by UI or a REST API tool, or a method can be coded to call the device by issuing a "GET" request, which is a standard HTTP method on the REST API platform. This is explained in more detail on Scripting Recipes, and the command line would look like:

If "Event" is the data source, the method should also activate the appropriate event with "remoteValue" given as the event value:

Any data values resulting from property updates or event activations can be used by dashboard widgets to create a graph, plot charts, etc.

Creating a dashboard

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The user must first have a a dashboard created for the device, which is used to display the widgets.

• Open the "Dashboards" tab by clicking "Dashboards" in the main menu.
• Click the green "plus" sign on the top right to open the "Create Dashboard" dialog box:

Creating a widget

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To create a new widget, one of the dashboards in the "Dashboards" tab must have been selected to open its tab

• Click "Add Widget" to open a drop-down menu where a widget type can be selected.
• A dialog box for the selected widget will open, and its settings are explained in the following paragraphs:
  
  • Data Display Widgets
    • Event Data Chart
    • Event/Property Gauge
    • Thing Property Values
    • Thing Event Log
    • Thing Last Events
    • Log
    • Map Position
    • Map Trait
  • API Interaction Widgets
    • Html
    • Get/set properties
    • Execute method
    • Push event

• After entering in the parameters and clicking "Save", a display panel for the widget will open in the "Dashboard:<dashboard name>" tab

Data Display Widgets

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GadgetKeeper supports wide set of widgets for displaying data in a graphical or tabular format

Event Data Chart

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The "Event Data Chart" is probably the most commonly used widget, as it can display data as a function of time in a wide variety of graphical chart formats

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Event Data Chart" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Event/Property Gauge

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The "Event/Property Gauge" shows the current (or most recent) value from a data source in an analog-type circular gauge format

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Event/Property Gauge" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Thing Property Values

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The "Thing Property Values" widget lists only the current values for the selected properties. Each item in the list includes the property name and its value.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Thing Property Values" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Thing Event Log

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The "Thing Event Log" widget logs recent values and timestamps for the selected events. The data is listed in order for previous event activations up to the present. The "Entries" amount determines the number listed. Each entry in the list includes the name of the event, a timestamp, and a value

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Thing Event Log" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Thing Last Events

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The "Thing Last Events" widget is similar to the "Thing Event Log" widget, but only displays the most recent values and timestamps for the selected events. Each entry in the list includes the name of the event, a timestamp, and a value

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Thing Last Events" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Log

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The "Log" widget provides a list of recent warning messages associated with the selected "things". The messages are displayed according to the selected level of severity. Previous messages are listed in order up to the present. The "Entries" amount determines the number listed. Each item in the list includes the name of the thing, a timestamp, and a message

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Map Position

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The "Map Position" widget can pinpoint your exact location on a map based on the most recent "Location" data structure value (latitude and longitude)

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Map Position" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Map Trait

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The "Map Trait" widget can plot your route on a map based on the most recent "Location" values (longitude and latitude). All values obtained within the "Trait history" time span are plotted.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Map Trait" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

API Interaction Widgets

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GadgetKeeper also provides several widgets for performing various user interface functions (activate a method/event, get/set a property value, etc.) These widgets are described here:

Html

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The "Html" widget provides a convenient way to jot down notes in a note-pad text area on GadgetKeeper.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Html" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Get/set properties

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The "Get/set properties" widget provides a convenient way for a user to get or set property values on GadgetKeeper. This would eliminate the need to call property get/set functions through the UI, REST API, or script code.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Get/set Properties" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Execute method

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The "Execute method" widget provides a quick way to execute a method on GadgetKeeper. The alternative way would be to implement execute method functions through the UI, REST API, or script code.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Execute method" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"

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Push event

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The "Push event" widget provides a handy way to fire an event on GadgetKeeper. The alternative way would be to activate push event functions through the UI, REST API, or script code.

To open a dialog box for this widget, select "Push Event" in the drop-down menu for "Add Widget"