How to use zigbee-herdsman-converters and not node_modules?

[ok-67]

I have updated the definition for a Namron thermostat plug, but I did so with the source code from the "node_modules/zigbee-herdsman-converters/devices/" directory that appears after I run "npm ci" in the zigbee2mqtt repo. The source code in the node_modules directory has several differences compared to the source code in the zigbee-herdsman-converters repo, specially when i comes to importing libraries etc.

My updated module for the thermostat plug seems to work as expected with the modifications I made to the namron.js file, but since I made this to the file in the node_modules directory, it seems to be complicated to have it included in the zigbee-herdsman-converters..

So my question is, how do I set up my system to and perform the development in the zigbee-herdsman-converters repo and have this running on my computer.

PS, I am running zgbee2mqtt in a terminal window under Ubuntu. (npm start)

I am novice when it comes to java script and git, but have some experience with C++, so after many hours of searching through the (missing) documentation and trial and error I was able to modify the code for the Namron thermostat plug to operate as a thermostat, and I like to have this included in the official code...

[chris-1243]

To start, I am not an expert at all😉.

Why don't you use an external converter ? No need to modify the files you edited

https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/advanced/support-new-devices/01_support_new_devices.html

[ok-67]

The point is that I like to contribute the code back to the source code, so that it is included in future releases of Z2M. Then it will be available for every one to use it.

[chris-1243]

I would recommend to read the link I add to my comment.

As soon as you have a device perfectly running with this external converter, it is then time to make a PR to zigbee2mqtt.io. Like that, your work will profit to the community as well😉

[sjorge]

There is a typescript -> node compile step (tsc) that will compile the .ts files in src/ into the .js files you find in node_modules.

When working on devices I usually just npm link a full zigbee-herdsman-converter repo and run npm run build before starting zigbee2mqtt. Sometimes npm link can be a bit finniky and not work for some reason though.

[ok-67]

Is there a description somewhere about how to do this? What files goes where etc.

[ok-67]

I have tried to follow this guide: https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v8/commands/npm-link
I change to the directory: ....../zigbee-herdsman-converters and run the npm link command, and see there there is made a link to/usr/local/lib/node_modules
I then change to the directory where zigbee2mqtt is installed ......./zigbee2mqtt/ and run npm link modules
Then the ......./zigbee2mqtt/node_modules/ directory is populated with the original files and not the files that I have modified in ....../zigbee-herdsman-converters

Can someone guide me in the right direction?

[Koenkk]

What you can do is, from the z2m folder:

cd node_modules
rm -rf zigbee-herdsman-converters
git clone https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman-converters.git
cd zigbee-herdsman-converters
npm ci
# Make your changes, and after every change:
npm run build

[ok-67]

Thank you :-)

[clockbrain]

What you can do is, from the z2m folder:

cd node_modules
rm -rf zigbee-herdsman-converters
git clone https://github.com/Koenkk/zigbee-herdsman-converters.git
cd zigbee-herdsman-converters
npm ci
# Make your changes, and after every change:
npm run build

I'm trying to follow these steps with the latest zigbee2mqtt 1.40.1 but I get a compile error with zigbee-herdman-converters. Is it just a matter of bad timing and incompatible source versions or is there a different set of steps I should follow to be able to edit and compile one of the device typescript source files?

I get 12 of these sort of compile errors:

npm run build
> [email protected] build
> tsc

src/converters/toZigbee.ts:4529:7 - error TS2742: The inferred type of 'converters' cannot be named without a reference to 'zigbee-herdsman-converters/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/dist/controller/model'. This is likely not portable. A type annotation is necessary.

4529 const converters = {...converters1, ...converters2, ...converters3};
           ~~~~~~~~~~

src/converters/toZigbee.ts:4529:7 - error TS2742: The inferred type of 'converters' cannot be named without a reference to 'zigbee-herdsman-converters/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/dist/controller/tstype'. This is likely not portable. A type annotation is necessary.

4529 const converters = {...converters1, ...converters2, ...converters3};
           ~~~~~~~~~~

src/lib/ledvance.ts:29:14 - error TS2742: The inferred type of 'ledvanceTz' cannot be named without a reference to 'zigbee-herdsman-converters/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/dist/controller/model'. This is likely not portable. A type annotation is necessary.

29 export const ledvanceTz = {
                ~~~~~~~~~~

etc.

Found 12 errors in 10 files.

Errors  Files
     2  src/converters/toZigbee.ts:4529
     1  src/lib/ledvance.ts:29
     1  src/lib/legacy.ts:8423
     1  src/lib/legrand.ts:118
     1  src/lib/lumi.ts:3593
     1  src/lib/ota/zigbeeOTA.ts:102
     1  src/lib/philips.ts:100
     1  src/lib/tuya.ts:1233
     2  src/lib/utils.ts:247
     1  src/lib/zosung.ts:211

[clockbrain]

So the solution is to not download and develop zigbee-herdsman-converters within the node_modules folder. Instead download and develop it in a separate folder such as /opt/zigbee-herdsman-converters and create a symlink to it from zigbee2mqtt/node_modules.