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Changes for page ThingsBoard

Last modified by Dilisi S on 2025/04/23 19:23
From version 194.1
edited by Dilisi S
on 2025/03/28 00:23
Change comment: Mar 27 edits - part 3
To version 214.1
edited by Dilisi S
on 2025/04/21 18:30
Change comment: Uploaded new attachment "Screenshot 2025-04-21 122936.png", version {1}

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... ... @@ -164,34 +164,18 @@
164 164  [[image:ins1.png||height="310" width="500"]]
165 165  
166 166  
167 -= 3. Creating Devices =
168 168  
168 += 3. Data Converters =
169 169  
170 -First, you need to create devices in ThingsBoard to represent your physical devices. For example, you can name it **Device A**, and the second device could be **Device B** or any name you prefer. The device name should be unique within the **Devices** space.
171 171  
172 -
173 -In the left navigation, click **Entities -> Devices**.
174 -
175 -Click the **Add Device** button (the button with the **+** sign), and from the dropdown menu, click **Add new device**.
176 -
177 -In the **Add new device** dialog box, enter the device name in the **Name** text box. For example, we will use **Device A**.
178 -
179 -Click the **Add** button.
180 -
181 -Skip the **connectivity testing** by clicking the **Close** button.
182 -
183 -The device is created and listed on the **Devices** page. Note that its initial state is **Inactive** because it has not received any data yet.
184 -
185 -
186 -= 4. Data Converters =
187 -
188 -
189 189  In **ThingsBoard**, **Data Converters** are components used to transform incoming or outgoing data between different formats, typically to convert raw telemetry data from devices into a structured format that ThingsBoard can understand, or vice versa.
190 190  
173 +**In this section, you will create a universal uplink data converter for all Dragino NB-IoT devices. The uplink decoder converts any MQTT message coming from a device into key-value pairs that can be used to display and visualize data using various widgets on the dashboard**.
191 191  
192 -== 4.1 Uplink ==
193 193  
176 +== 3.1 Uplink ==
194 194  
178 +
195 195  In the left navigation, click **Integrations center**, and then click **Data converters**.
196 196  
197 197  
... ... @@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
198 198  [[image:data-converters-list-empty.png]]
199 199  
200 200  
201 -On the **Data converters** page, click on the ‘**+**’ button, and then click on the **Create new converter** from the dropdown menu.
185 +On the **Data converters** page, click on the ‘**+**’ button, and then click on **Create new converter** from the dropdown menu.
202 202  
203 203  
204 204  
... ... @@ -205,79 +205,67 @@
205 205  [[image:create-new-converter-menu.png||height="259" width="500"]]
206 206  
207 207  
208 -The **Add data converter** window will appear.
192 +The **Add data converter** window appears.
209 209  
210 -Let's create an uplink data converter for the device named '**Device A**'. Name it ‘**MQTT Uplink Converter - Device A**’ and select the Type as **Uplink**.
194 +Name it ‘**MQTT Uplink Converter**’ and select the Type as **Uplink**.
211 211  
212 212  Click on the **TBEL** button if it has not been selected by default.
213 213  
214 -Modify the default TBEL function to match with your device as described below:
198 +Replace the default TBEL decoder function with the following universal TBEL decoder function, which decodes MQTT payload from any Dragino NB-IoT device.
215 215  
216 216  
217 -* Uncomment** line 11**:
218 -
219 -//var data = decodeToJson(payload)//
220 -
221 -
222 -* **Line 13**: Assign your device name to the **deviceName** field. - We used **Device A** as it is to match with our device, **Device A **in the Devices section.
223 -* From **line 38**: Modify the telemetry section to allow parsed data to be assigned to the fields.
224 -
225 -//telemetry: {
226 - temperature: data.temperature,
227 - humidity: data.humidity,
228 - rawData: payloadStr
229 - }//
230 -
231 -
232 -The modified uplink decoder function to match with **Device A** is shown below.
233 -
234 234  {{code language="JavaScript"}}
235 -// Decode an uplink message from a buffer
236 -// payload - array of bytes
237 -// metadata - key/value object
238 -
239 -/** Decoder **/
240 -
241 -// decode payload to string
242 -var payloadStr = decodeToString(payload);
243 -
244 244  // decode payload to JSON
203 +var pattern = "yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss";
204 +var objdata = {};
205 +var obj1 = {};
245 245  var data = decodeToJson(payload);
246 -
247 -var deviceName = 'Device A';
248 -var deviceType = 'thermostat';
249 -var customerName = 'Customer C';
250 -var groupName = 'thermostat devices';
251 -var manufacturer = 'Example corporation';
252 -// use assetName and assetType instead of deviceName and deviceType
253 -// to automatically create assets instead of devices.
254 -// var assetName = 'Asset A';
255 -// var assetType = 'building';
256 -
257 -// Result object with device/asset attributes/telemetry data
258 -var result = {
259 -// Use deviceName and deviceType or assetName and assetType, but not both.
260 - deviceName: deviceName,
261 - deviceType: deviceType,
262 -// assetName: assetName,
263 -// assetType: assetType,
264 -// customerName: customerName,
265 - groupName: groupName,
266 - attributes: {
267 - model: 'Model A',
268 - serialNumber: 'SN111',
269 - integrationName: metadata['integrationName'],
270 - manufacturer: manufacturer
271 - },
272 - telemetry: {
273 - temperature: data.temperature,
274 - humidity: data.humidity,
275 - rawData: payloadStr
276 - }
207 +var deviceName = data.IMEI;
208 +data.remove("IMEI");
209 +var modelname = "Dragino "+ data.Model;
210 +//var mod = data.mod
211 +data.remove("Model");
212 +//delete data.mod
213 +var timestamp = new Date().getTime();
214 +foreach (entry: data.entrySet()) {
215 + var key = entry.getKey();
216 + var value = entry.getValue();
217 + //objdata[key] = data[key]
218 + if(key.matches("^-?\\d+$")){ //is number
219 + obj1[key]=data[key];
220 + var index = obj1[key].length-1;
221 + obj1[key][index]=new Date(obj1[key][index],pattern).getTime();
222 + }
223 + else if (key==="bat"||key==="BAT"){
224 + objdata["battery"] = data[key];
225 + }
226 + else{
227 + objdata[key] = data[key];
228 +}}
229 +var listdata = [{"ts":timestamp,"values":objdata}];
230 +foreach ( entry1: obj1.entrySet()){
231 + var key1 = entry1.getKey();
232 + var value1 = entry1.getValue();
233 + var index = obj1[key1].length-1;
234 + var ts = obj1[key1][index];
235 + if (modelname=="Dragino RS485-NB"){
236 + listdata.push({"ts":ts,"values":{"Payload":obj1[key1][0]}});
237 + }
238 + else{
239 + listdata.push({"ts":ts,"values":{"values":obj1[key1]}});
240 + }
241 +}
242 + var result = {
243 + deviceName: deviceName,
244 + deviceType: modelname,
245 + attributes: {
246 + model: modelname
247 + //customerName: "NB-CB",
248 + //groupName: "NB-CB",
249 + //integrationName: metadata['integrationName']
250 + },
251 + telemetry: listdata
277 277  };
278 -
279 -/** Helper functions 'decodeToString' and 'decodeToJson' are already built-in **/
280 -
281 281  return result;
282 282  {{/code}}
283 283  
... ... @@ -285,18 +285,18 @@
285 285  Once you modify the decoder function, click on the **Add** button.
286 286  
287 287  
260 +[[image:mqtt-uplink-converter.png||height="498" width="500"]]
288 288  
289 -[[image:ul-data-converter-device-a.png||height="524" width="500"]]
290 290  
291 291  
292 292  You should see that the newly added **MQTT Uplink converter **NB/CB is listed on the **Data Converters** page.
293 293  
294 294  
295 -[[image:ul-data-converter-added.png||height="257"]]
296 296  
268 +[[image:data-converters-list.png]]
297 297  
298 298  
299 -= 5. Add Integration =
271 += 4. Add Integration =
300 300  
301 301  
302 302  In the left navigation, click **Integrations center**, and then click **Integrations**.
... ... @@ -316,18 +316,17 @@
316 316  **Basic settings:**
317 317  
318 318  * **Integration type**: MQTT
319 -* **Name**: MQTT integration - Device A
291 +* **Name**: MQTT integration
320 320  * **Enable integration**: YES
321 -* **Allows create devices or assets**: YES
293 +* **Allow create devices or assets**: YES
322 322  
323 323  Click **Next** button.
324 324  
325 325  
326 -[[image:add-integration-basic-settings.png||height="504" width="500"]]
327 327  
299 +[[image:add-integration-part-1.png||height="483" width="500"]]
328 328  
329 329  
330 -
331 331  **Uplink data converter:**
332 332  
333 333  * Click on the **Select existing** button.
... ... @@ -336,8 +336,8 @@
336 336  Click **Next** button.
337 337  
338 338  
339 -[[image:add-integration-ul-data-converter.png||height="505" width="500"]]
340 340  
311 +[[image:add-integration-part-2.png||height="484" width="500"]]
341 341  
342 342  
343 343  **Downlink data converter:**
... ... @@ -355,18 +355,19 @@
355 355  
356 356  **Connection:**
357 357  
358 -* **Host**: Host URL (Eg. **//011731f7xxxxxxxxxxxfbbedfc63f4.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud//**)
359 -* **Port**: 8883
329 +* **Host**: Host URL (Eg, **//011731f7xxxxxxxxxxxfbbedfc63f4.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud//**)
330 +* **Port**: 8883 (the port number may differ based on your MQTT broker)
360 360  * **Credentials type**: Basic
361 361  * **Username**: Username (from your HiveMQ Cloud Cluster with your credentials)
362 362  * **Password:** Password (from your HiveMQ Cloud Cluster with your credentials)
363 363  * **Enable SSL**: YES
364 -* **Topic: device/a** (The topic can be anything; you can even use just the device name.)
335 +* **Topic**: # (the # symbol indicates that it filters all topics).
365 365  * **QoS:** 0-At most once
366 366  
367 -[[image:add-integartion-connection.png||height="505" width="500"]]
368 368  
339 +[[image:add-integration-4.png||height="484" width="500"]]
369 369  
341 +
370 370  Click on the **Advanced settings** button.
371 371  
372 372  * **Clean session:** YES
... ... @@ -394,47 +394,56 @@
394 394  Since we haven't received data from a device yet, the integration **Status** is shown as **Pending.**
395 395  
396 396  
397 -[[image:integration-added.png]]
398 398  
370 +[[image:integrations-pending.png]]
399 399  
400 400  
401 -= 6. Verifying the receipt of data from virtual devices =
373 += 5. Verifying the receipt of data from virtual devices =
402 402  
403 403  
404 -== 6.1 How does it work? ==
376 +== 5.1 How does it work? ==
405 405  
406 406  
407 407  We use the Mosquitto MQTT client to simulate MQTT messages, acting as a virtual device. First, install the Mosquitto client on your computer from [[this link>>url:https://mosquitto.org/download/]]. The Mosquitto client publishes messages to the MQTT broker (HiveMQ) on a specified MQTT topic. ThingsBoard subscribes to these messages using the same topic.
408 408  
409 -The Mosquitto client publishes messages (payloads) on the topic **/device/a**. Of course, you can use any topic for testing.
381 +The Mosquitto client publishes messages (payloads) to a topic - for example, # or device/ts01-nb. You can, of course, use any topic you prefer.
410 410  
411 -(% id="cke_bm_37386S" style="display:none" %) (%%)The MQTT payload format is as follows:
412 412  
384 +(% id="cke_bm_37386S" style="display:none" %) (%%)The MQTT payload format is as follows. The **IMEI **and **Model **are mandatory fields. For other fields, you can use any number of key-value pairs.
385 +
413 413  {{code language="none"}}
414 -{"IMEI": "350693903995577", "temperature":25, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}
387 +{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "Model":"TS01-NB", "temperature":30, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}
415 415  {{/code}}
416 416  
417 -Once ThingsBoard receives this message, it forwards this payload to the matching device through the integration.
418 418  
419 -
420 420  == 5.2 Sending messages ==
421 421  
422 422  
423 -On your computer's terminal, issue the following MQTT command which simulates the device '**Device A'**. The message payload contains the fields IMEI, temperature, humidity, and pressure, which hold the values 350693903995577, 30, 80, and 1005 respectively. This payload is also (technically) known as telemetry.
394 +On your computer's terminal, issue the following MQTT command, which simulates the device named '**350693903995577'**. The message payload contains the fields IMEI, Model, temperature, humidity, and pressure, which hold the values 350693903995577,  TS01-NB, 30, 80, and 1005 respectively. This payload is also (technically) known as telemetry.
424 424  
425 425  {{code language="none"}}
426 -mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/a" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "temperature":30, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}'
397 +mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/350693903995577" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "Model":"TS01-NB", "temperature":30, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}'
427 427  {{/code}}
428 428  
429 -If the integration was performed without errors, the status of the integration changes to 'Active' after the first telemetry transmission.
400 +If the integration was performed without errors, a new device named **350693903995577 **is created in the **Devices **section.
430 430  
431 431  
432 -[[image:integration-active.png]]
403 +[[image:new-device-1.png]]
433 433  
434 434  
435 -== 6.3 Viewing messages ==
406 +The status of the integration also changes to '**Active**' after the first telemetry transmission.
436 436  
437 437  
409 +[[image:Screenshot 2025-04-21 122154.png]]
410 +
411 +
412 +
413 +**When ThingsBoard receives this message for the first time, it will automatically create a new device named '350693903995577' in the Devices section. The device name is based on the IMEI number. For subsequent messages with the same IMEI, no duplicate devices will be created. Each new IMEI number will result in a unique entry in the Devices section, representing a physical device.**
414 +
415 +
416 +== 5.3 Viewing messages ==
417 +
418 +
438 438  Go back to the **Integrations** page.
439 439  
440 440  Click on the **MQTT integration NB/CB** in the **Integrations** page to see its details.
... ... @@ -483,7 +483,7 @@
483 483  Now, you have successfully tested your integration with a simulated uplink payload and verified that it is received by ThingsBoard, and the device is provisioned.
484 484  
485 485  
486 -= 7. Creating a Dashboard =
467 += 6. Creating a Dashboard =
487 487  
488 488  ThingsBoard **Dashboards** provide a powerful way to visualize and monitor real-time and historical data from connected devices. They allow users to create interactive, customizable panels displaying telemetry data, device status, and other key metrics. With a variety of widgets, including charts, maps, and tables, dashboards help users gain insights, track trends, and manage IoT deployments efficiently.
489 489  
... ... @@ -493,7 +493,7 @@
493 493  
494 494  First simulate a few messages using MQTT. This time, we have added the 'humidity' field to the payload. Eg:
495 495  
496 -{{code language="none"}}mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -t "v1/devices/me/telemetry" -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -m '{"IMEI": "S31B-NB", "temperature": 22, "humidity":80}'{{/code}}
477 +{{code language="none"}}mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/a" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "temperature":22, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}'{{/code}}
497 497  
498 498  
499 499  In **ThingsBoard**, from the left navigation menu, click **Dashboards**. Then, click the **+** button and select **Create new dashboard** from the dropdown menu.
... ... @@ -531,15 +531,19 @@
531 531  
532 532  Configure the **Time series chart** widget as follows:
533 533  
534 -* **Datasource** - select S31B-NB device you provisioned.
515 +* **Datasource** - select **Device A** device you provisioned.
535 535  * **Series**:
536 536  ** **temperature** - you can see this key by default.
537 537  ** **humidity** - Click **Add series** button. Then add the **humidity** for the key and then type **%** as its unit.
538 538  * Click on the **Add** button.
539 539  
540 -[[image:timeseries-1.png||height="491" width="700"]]
521 +{{info}}
522 +You can add only the relevant fields from the device's payload to display data on a widget. These fields are called 'keys'.
523 +{{/info}}
541 541  
525 +[[image:Screenshot 2025-03-31 at 06.51.15.png||height="485" width="700"]]
542 542  
527 +
543 543  The time-series chart will appear in edit mode. Resize it by clicking and dragging the lower-right corner.
544 544  
545 545  Click the **Save** button to add the widget to the dashboard.
... ... @@ -552,12 +552,11 @@
552 552  
553 553  
554 554  {{code language="none"}}
555 -mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -t "v1/devices/me/telemetry" -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -m '{"IMEI": "S31B-NB", "temperature": 22, "humidity":70}'
540 +mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/a" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "temperature":22, "humidity":70, "pressure":1005}'
556 556  
557 -mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -t "v1/devices/me/telemetry" -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -m '{"IMEI": "S31B-NB", "temperature": 27, "humidity":72}'
542 +mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/a" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "temperature":27, "humidity":72, "pressure":1005}'
558 558  
559 -mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -t "v1/devices/me/telemetry" -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -m '{"IMEI": "S31B-NB", "temperature": 19, "humidity":80}'
560 -
544 +mosquitto_pub -d -q 1 -h 011731f7928xxxxx.s1.eu.hivemq.cloud -p 8883 -u "xxxxx" -P "xxxxx" -t "device/a" -m '{"IMEI":"350693903995577", "temperature":19, "humidity":80, "pressure":1005}'
561 561  {{/code}}
562 562  
563 563  The chart will update with the values in realtime, as shown in the below image.
... ... @@ -566,7 +566,7 @@
566 566  [[image:timeseries-4.png||height="316" width="700"]]
567 567  
568 568  
569 -= 8. Configure NB-IoT Sensor =
553 += 8. Configure Physical NB-IoT Sensor =
570 570  
571 571  
572 572  Now, let's experiment with sending data to ThingsBoard using a real NB-IoT device. For example, we will use the **TS01-NB**.
... ... @@ -588,10 +588,7 @@
588 588  
589 589  
590 590  
591 -The following image shows the uplink payload of a real Dragino device. The publish topic is **TS01-NB**, and the device name is **861275077962896**, which is represented by the **IMEI**.
575 +The following image shows the uplink payload of a real Dragino device. The publish topic is '**TS01-NB' that contains fields in the payload, IMEI, IMSI, Model, temperature, etc**. Note that we have created a device named **TS01-NB** in the **Devices** section in advance.
592 592  
593 -{{info}}
594 -The ThingsBoard uses the device's IMEI number included in the payload to create a device in the Devices section.
595 -{{/info}}
596 596  
597 597  [[image:image-4.png]]
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