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Command and control
Dashboard controls send a desired change to a device. Autoconnecto has two transports. Pick the one that matches how the device firmware works.
Shared attributes (preferred for setpoints)
Shared attributes are the platform’s retained desired state. The device applies them and reports back on Client attributes.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Operator presses a switch or moves a slider | Platform writes the value as a SHARED attribute |
| Device is online or reconnects | Device receives the SHARED snapshot (push or pull on connect) |
| Device applies the value | Device writes the same key as a CLIENT attribute |
| Dashboard | Shows Desired (SHARED) and Device (CLIENT). Status is Pending until they match, then Confirmed |
Use shared attributes when the value must survive a power cycle. On reconnect the device asks for SHARED again, re-applies, and confirms with CLIENT. That loop is the Autoconnecto control model.
Popup feedback:
- Sent — the SHARED write reached the platform
- Confirmed — CLIENT matches the desired value
- Failed — the write did not go through (reason in the message)
RPC (one-shot commands)
RPC is a request/response command. The platform publishes to the device RPC request topic. The device must reply on the matching response topic with the same requestId.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Operator presses the button | Platform sends the command with a requestId |
| Device handles the method | Device publishes the reply on …/rpc/response/{requestId} |
| Dashboard | Sent when the command left the platform; Confirmed when the device reply arrives; Failed on error or timeout |
Use RPC for one-shot actions (reboot, pulse, fire-and-forget) that do not need a retained desired state. RPC does not restore the last setpoint after power loss by itself — for that, use shared attributes.
Popup feedback matches the attribute path: Sent, Confirmed, or Failed with a reason. The platform does not mark Confirmed on a timer alone; it waits for the device reply.
Which to choose
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Level, setpoint, relay that must return after reboot | Shared attribute |
| One-shot action, custom method, reply payload | RPC |
| Dense status only (no command) | Indicator widgets (LED, count, KPI) — no transport |
Attribute Control Card can still edit any write/read scope pair for expert screens. Every control widget — Switch, Mini Switch, Slider, Toggle Button, and GPIO Control — has a Transport selector in widget settings: Shared attribute (desired on SHARED, confirm on CLIENT) or RPC (two-way command with device reply). Switch and Slider default to shared attribute; Toggle Button and GPIO Control default to RPC. Change transport to match your firmware.