need help with Talk back, commands and fields

Hi,

I try to control some relays thr TalkBack app.

Using ESP 8266.

Everything connecting to Internet.

I got stuck on how to activate relay. I used Key, used ID. I cant find how to send command thru TalkBack

I dont know what Command ID for, and how to send command string.

Need some help please

Also here is my code and some screenshots:

#include "ThingSpeak.h"
#include "ESP8266WiFi.h"
const char ssid[] = "XXX";  // your network SSID (name)
const char pass[] = "YYY";   // your network password         
#define RELAY1 12
#define RELAY2 13
#define RELAY3 14
#define RELAY4 16
WiFiClient  client;
 
//---------Channel Details---------//
unsigned long counterChannelNumber = 123;            // Channel ID
const char * myCounterReadAPIKey = "ZZZ"; // Read API Key
const int FieldNumber1 = 1;  // The field you wish to read
const int FieldNumber2 = 2;  // The field you wish to read
const int FieldNumber3 = 3;  // The field you wish to read
const int FieldNumber4 = 4;  // The field you wish to read
//-------------------------------//
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);
  WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
  ThingSpeak.begin(client);
}
 
void loop()
{
  //----------------- Network -----------------//
  if (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED)
  {
    Serial.print("Connecting to ");
    Serial.print(ssid);
    Serial.println(" ....");
    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED)
    {
      WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);
      delay(5000);
    }
    Serial.println("Connected to Wi-Fi Succesfully.");
  }
  //--------- End of Network connection--------//
 
  //---------------- Channel 1 ----------------//
  Serial.print("Reading field 1 ");
  long R_Status = ThingSpeak.readLongField(counterChannelNumber, FieldNumber1, myCounterReadAPIKey);
  int statusCode = ThingSpeak.getLastReadStatus();
  if (statusCode == 200)
  {
    Serial.print("Read field 1 Successful ");
 //   Serial.println(temp);
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Unable to read channel / No internet connection");
  }
 Serial.println(R_Status);
  if(R_Status==1)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY1, HIGH);  //Relay 1 ON
    Serial.println("Relay 1 ON");
  }
  if(R_Status==2)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY1, LOW);  //Relay 1 OFF
    Serial.println("Relay 1 OFF");
  }
  Serial.print("Reading field 2 ");
  delay(5000);
    long R_Status2 = ThingSpeak.readLongField(counterChannelNumber, FieldNumber2, myCounterReadAPIKey);
  int statusCode2 = ThingSpeak.getLastReadStatus();
  if (statusCode2 == 200)
  {
    Serial.print("Read field 2 Successful ");
 //   Serial.println(temp);
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Unable to read channel / No internet connection");
  }
 Serial.println(R_Status2);
   if(R_Status2==1)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY2, HIGH);  //Relay 2 ON 
    Serial.println("Relay 1 ON");
  }
  if(R_Status2==2)
  {
     digitalWrite(RELAY2, LOW);  //Relay 2 OFF
     Serial.println("Relay 1 OFF");
  }
  Serial.print("Reading field 3 ");
  delay(5000);
    long R_Status3 = ThingSpeak.readLongField(counterChannelNumber, FieldNumber3, myCounterReadAPIKey);
  int statusCode3 = ThingSpeak.getLastReadStatus();
  if (statusCode3 == 200)
  {
    Serial.print("Read field 3 Successful ");
 //   Serial.println(temp);
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Unable to read channel / No internet connection");
  }
 Serial.println(R_Status3);
   if(R_Status3==1)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY3, HIGH);  //Relay 3 ON
    Serial.println("Relay 3 ON");
  }
  if(R_Status3==2)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY3, LOW);  //Relay 3 OFF
    Serial.println("Relay 3 OFF");
  }
  Serial.print("Reading field 4 ");
  delay(5000);
    long R_Status4 = ThingSpeak.readLongField(counterChannelNumber, FieldNumber4, myCounterReadAPIKey);
  int statusCode4 = ThingSpeak.getLastReadStatus();
  if (statusCode4 == 200)
  {
    Serial.print("Read field 4 Successful ");
 //   Serial.println(temp);
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Unable to read channel / No internet connection");
  }
 Serial.println(R_Status4);
   if(R_Status4==1)
  {
    digitalWrite(RELAY4, HIGH);  //Relay 4 ON 
    Serial.println("Relay 4 ON");
  }
  if(R_Status4==2)
  {
     digitalWrite(RELAY4, LOW);  //Relay 4 OFF
     Serial.println("Relay 4 OFF");
  }
  delay(10000); // ThingSpeak will only accept updates every 10 seconds.  
}

Answer 1

[Vinod]

Have you taken a look at the Thingspeak examples? This one might be relevant to what you're trying to do:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/thingspeak/control-a-light-with-talkback-and-esp32.html

[Pavel Plotinnov]

yes. thats the example i was looking at all the time.

I couldnt compile example code. I attached screenshot and code.

#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>

char ssid[] = <VODAFONE-2187>;   // your network SSID (name) 
char pass[] = <PAVEL2020>;   // your network password

WiFiClient  client;

unsigned long myTalkBackID = <37487>;
const char * myTalkBackKey = <8GG3QMZN8A0T68NO>;

void setup() {
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);  // Set up LED
  Serial.begin(115200);          // Initialize serial
}

void loop() {

  // Connect or reconnect to Wi-Fi
  if(WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED){
    Serial.print("Attempting to connect to SSID: ");
    Serial.println(String(ssid));
    while(WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED){
      WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);  
      Serial.print(".");
      delay(5000);     
    } 
    Serial.println("\nConnected.");
  }

  // Create the TalkBack URI
  String tbURI = String("/talkbacks/") + String(myTalkBackID) + String("/commands/execute");
  
  // Create the message body for the POST out of the values
  String postMessage =  String("api_key=") + String(myTalkBackKey);                      
                       
   // Make a string for any commands that might be in the queue
  String newCommand = String();

  // Make the POST to ThingSpeak
  int x = httpPOST(tbURI, postMessage, newCommand);
  client.stop();
  
  // Check the result
  if(x == 200){
    Serial.println("checking queue..."); 
    // Check for a command returned from TalkBack
    if(newCommand.length() != 0){

      Serial.print("  Latest command from queue: ");
      Serial.println(newCommand);
      
      if(newCommand == "TURN_ON"){
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);  
      }

      if(newCommand == "TURN_OFF"){
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
      }
    }
    else{
      Serial.println("  Nothing new.");  
    }
    
  }
  else{
    Serial.println("Problem checking queue. HTTP error code " + String(x));
  }

  
  delay(60000); // Wait 60 seconds to check queue again
}


// General function to POST to ThingSpeak
int httpPOST(String uri, String postMessage, String &response){

  bool connectSuccess = false;
  connectSuccess = client.connect("api.thingspeak.com",80);

  if(!connectSuccess){
      return -301;   
  }
  
  postMessage += "&headers=false";
  
  String Headers =  String("POST ") + uri + String(" HTTP/1.1\r\n") +
                    String("Host: api.thingspeak.com\r\n") +
                    String("Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\n") +
                    String("Connection: close\r\n") +
                    String("Content-Length: ") + String(postMessage.length()) +
                    String("\r\n\r\n");

  client.print(Headers);
  client.print(postMessage);

  long startWaitForResponseAt = millis();
  while(client.available() == 0 && millis() - startWaitForResponseAt < 5000){
      delay(100);
  }

  if(client.available() == 0){       
    return -304; // Didn't get server response in time
  }

  if(!client.find(const_cast<char *>("HTTP/1.1"))){
      return -303; // Couldn't parse response (didn't find HTTP/1.1)
  }
  
  int status = client.parseInt();
  if(status != 200){
    return status;
  }

  if(!client.find(const_cast<char *>("\n\r\n"))){
    return -303;
  }

  String tempString = String(client.readString());
  response = tempString;
  
  return status;
    
}

[Vinod]

Change that line to:

const char * myTalkBackKey = "API_KEY";

Where API_KEY is replaced with your key.

[Pavel Plotinnov]

Yes, its done. In posted code I am showing that I entered it.

But i still get the same mistake.

Could you please look at your example code? I entered API_KEY

I got feeling that you never looked at any of my code or pictues.

[Vinod]

I think you may not be reading the error in the Arduino IDE "expected primary-expression before '<' token." Please fix that and tell me if you still see that error, or a different error.

[Pavel Plotinnov]

Hi Vinod,

I found a different solution. I created library with key and all other needed information.

Now i am stuck at how to send command.

Could you please help me with sending commands?

#include "ThingSpeak.h"

#include "secrets.h"



unsigned long myChannelNumber = SECRET_CH_ID;

const char * myWriteAPIKey = SECRET_WRITE_APIKEY;



#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>



char ssid[] = SECRET_SSID;   // your network SSID (name)

char pass[] = SECRET_PASS;   // your network password

int keyIndex = 0;            // your network key index number (needed only for WEP)

WiFiClient  client;



void setup() {

  Serial.begin(115200);

  delay(100);



  WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);



  ThingSpeak.begin(client);

}



void loop() {



  // Connect or reconnect to WiFi

  if (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {

    Serial.print("Attempting to connect to SSID: ");

    Serial.println(SECRET_SSID);

    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {

      WiFi.begin(ssid, pass); // Connect to WPA/WPA2 network. Change this line if using open or WEP network

      Serial.print(".");

      delay(5000);

    }

    Serial.println("\nConnected.");

  }
String tbURI = String("/talkbacks/") + String(myTalkBackID) + String("/commands/execute");
  
  // Create the message body for the POST out of the values
  String postMessage =  String("api_key=") + String(myTalkBackKey);                      
                       
   // Make a string for any commands in the queue
  String newCommand = String();

  // Make the POST to ThingSpeak
  int x = httpPOST(tbURI, postMessage, newCommand);
  client.stop();
  
  // Check the result
  if(x == 200){
    Serial.println("checking queue..."); 
    // check for a command returned from TalkBack
    if(newCommand.length() != 0){

      Serial.print("  Latest command from queue: ");
      Serial.println(newCommand);
      
      if(newCommand == "TURN_ON"){
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);  
      }

      if(newCommand == "TURN_OFF"){
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
      }
    }
    else{
      Serial.println("  Nothing new.");  
    }
    
  }
  else{
    Serial.println("Problem checking queue. HTTP error code " + String(x));
  }

  
  delay(60000); // Wait 60 seconds to check queue again
}
// General function to POST to ThingSpeak
int httpPOST(String uri, String postMessage, String &response){

  bool connectSuccess = false;
  connectSuccess = client.connect("api.thingspeak.com",80);

  if(!connectSuccess){
      return -301;   
  }
  
  postMessage += "&headers=false";
  
  String Headers =  String("POST ") + uri + String(" HTTP/1.1\r\n") +
                    String("Host: api.thingspeak.com\r\n") +
                    String("Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded\r\n") +
                    String("Connection: close\r\n") +
                    String("Content-Length: ") + String(postMessage.length()) +
                    String("\r\n\r\n");

  client.print(Headers);
  client.print(postMessage);

  long startWaitForResponseAt = millis();
  while(client.available() == 0 && millis() - startWaitForResponseAt < 5000){
      delay(100);
  }

  if(client.available() == 0){       
    return -304; // Didn't get server response in time
  }

  if(!client.find(const_cast<char *>("HTTP/1.1"))){
      return -303; // Couldn't parse response (didn't find HTTP/1.1)
  }
  
  int status = client.parseInt();
  if(status != 200){
    return status;
  }

  if(!client.find(const_cast<char *>("\n\r\n"))){
    return -303;
  }

  String tempString = String(client.readString());
  response = tempString;
  
  return status;
    
}

#define SECRET_SSID "VODAFONE-2187"    // replace MySSID with your WiFi network name

#define SECRET_PASS "PAVEL2020"  // replace MyPassword with your WiFi password



#define SECRET_CH_ID 000000     // replace 0000000 with your channel number

#define SECRET_WRITE_APIKEY "L9OFNUSRO8DXUKTZ"

#define myTalkBackID "37487"

#define myTalkBackKey "8GG3QMZN8A0T68NO"

[Pavel Plotinnov]

as I understand I should go to

https://api.thingspeak.com/talkbacks/37487/commands/execute.json

api_key=

8GG3QMZN8A0T68NO

in order to execute command.

But the page doesnt open

Answer 2

[Pavel Plotinnov]

How to execute commands on TalkBack?

[Vinod]

Please look at the help on the right side of the specific talkback page:

https://thingspeak.com/apps/talkbacks/<YOUR_TALKBACK_ID>

To execute a talkback command, you need to make a POST request to.

https://api.thingspeak.com/talkbacks/<YOUR_TALKBACK_ID>/commands/execute.json

I'd recommend trying this out with an app like postman

Please see additional documentation here.

[Pavel Plotinnov]

working on it

[Vinod]

Please change GET to POST in postman.

Please refer to the help on the right side of the Talkback page.