How can I get the status or value of a MCP23017 input in script?

[Fast63947]

I have configured a MCP23017 with all lines as input with pullup. I can see the changes in the terminal window:

How can I get the value of one line or status of all lines in a script?

[sfromis]

The general way of picking up values from the JSON is to do it the same way as sensors. Not sure what you did to get those error messages.

More broadly, I'd recommend using MCP23017 in the enhanced mode 2, making it act like local relay/switch/button pins, for simplified operation.

[Fast63947]

I have created a template for mode 2 configuration with 16 buttons:
{"NAME":"MCP23017 A=B1-8, B=B9-16","GPIO":[32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47]}
If I activate this, the ESP8266 will be reseted and the tasmota AP will activated. I don't understand whats wrong.

[sfromis]

You use the word template and "activate" in a way sounding like you may be putting that string into the normal template mechanism, instead of having it in the file mcp23x.dat (or the alternate technique of using a rule). You still need the normal template for the configuration of the ESP8266 pins, while the additional MCP23017 JSON template is for the additional pins of the expander. And to use mode 2, you need to first activate this feature in your custom build.

Or am I being too detail-focused in my parsing of the words?

My point is that when I cannot "see" exactly what you did, I'm on the lookout for signs of not being on the right path when it comes to getting things into Tasmota.

[Fast63947]

You are right, I did the template at the wrong place.

In the desciption of MCP23017 is written:

if not found (file mcp23x.dat) and scripts are supported it looks for a specific script like -y (template)

I have created a custom build with enabled script, MCP23017 and '#define USE_MCP23XXX_DRV' but without filesystem. Where I have to put in the JSON template for configuring the MCP23017 in mode 2? In scripting desciption there is no '-y' parameter or command written.
I'm a little bit confusing because I'm not so familar with scripting and configuring. Sorry about that.

[sfromis]

Not using scripter, I don't recognize what that -y means, but looking a bit around to the PCF8574 driver (using the same mode 2 configuration method), I found that the corresponding comment in the driver says:

a script like: >y{"NAME":"PCF8574 A=Ri8-1, B=B1-8","GPIO":[263,262,261,260,259,258,257,256,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39]}#

Thus, I'd suggest trying to create such a >y section in your scripter setup, as such sections is the normal way of having differentiated parts of the lines in the script. If that works, we should probably update the docs to be a bit less confusing.....

Still, if your ESP8266 has 4MB of flash, I'd see it as a good idea to do your build including a file system.

[Fast63947]

Thank you for the hint. I will try this in the evening.
Unfortunately I have no 4MB of flash. Because of that I will try this without filesystem at first. If there is no solution I will buy a 4MB flash ESP8266.

[Fast63947]

I created a script as following:

---

D
lvar=0

Y
{"NAME":"MCP23017 A=B1-8, B=B9-16", "BASE":1, "GPIO":[32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47]}

B
print ***** boot *********
->SetOption36 0
->SetOption73 1
->sensor29 reset2

E
lvar=MCP230XX_INT#D1
print %lvar%

---

With 'sensor29 reset2' option it works fine for getting the value high and low of D1.

There is no difference in output between enabling or disabling the '>Y' and template entry. The template will be ignored.
I would like to see the 16 buttons in the web GUI. I would expect to see these in the GUI with the template. How can I realize this?

[sfromis]

Again, it does not look like you are even using a build for mode 2. What you post looks like mode 1 which cannot be at the same time as mode 2. Selection of mode 2 is compile time, not runtime by configuring either way.

Hence your >Y section is not used, not only because you made a typo when not using the proper >y.

[Fast63947]

I compiled the user build with the folloing lines:

#define USE_MCP230xx
#define USE_MCP230xx_ADDR 0x20
#define USE_MCP23XXX_DRV

I my opinion the last line means that the mode 2 is enabled. Can I read out the mode setting from the device?

I tried also the '>y' but there is no differnce.

[sfromis]

You are selecting the different drivers for mode 1 USE_MCP230xx and mode 2 USE_MCP23XXX_DRV at the same time, which is not what you should do. The command Sensor29 is only for mode 1, as mode 2 works differently.

I'm not sure if it might work to disable I2C driver 22 to use 67 instead, but the intended setup is to only include one of them.

[Fast63947]

OK, I will compile without USE_MCP230xx at first and then I will look for the results.

[Fast63947]

Without USE_MCP230xx option the MCP23017 will not be recognized.

[Fast63947]

I found a ESP8266 with 4 MB flash and created a build with file system.
I created a file mcp23x.dat with content:

{"NAME":"MCP23017 A=B1-8, B=B9-16", "BASE":1, "GPIO":[32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47]}

and put this in the filesystem.

After booting, this was the log:

---

00:00:00.010 UFS: FlashFS mounted with 1984 kB free
00:00:00.070 CFG: Loaded from File, Anzahl 54
00:00:00.076 QPC: Count 1
00:00:00.082 SCR: ufilesystem found
00:00:00.089 SCR: nv=1, tv=0, vns=5, vmem=34, smem=8192, gmem=380, tmem=8611
00:00:00.096 I2C: MCP23017 found at 0x20
00:00:00.126 MCP: Pins 16 (S0/B16/R0)
00:00:00.156 Projekt tasmota - Tasmota Version 14.4.1.3(tasmota)-2_7_7(2025.03.06 20:00:20)
00:00:00.158 ***** boot *********
00:00:00.163 RSL: RESULT = {"SetOption36":0}
00:00:00.168 RSL: RESULT = {"SetOption73":"ON"}
00:00:00.174 RSL: RESULT = {"Command":"Error","Input":"DRIVER15 reset"}
00:00:01.001 WIF: verbinden mit AP1 piasnetzwerk24 Channel 11 BSSId 0C:72:74:CC:E1:7E in Modus 11n als tasmota-29A5F1-1521...
00:00:02.514 WIF: verbunden
00:00:02.770 HTP: Webserver aktiv tasmota-29A5F1-1521 mit IP-Adresse 192.168.178.125
20:16:50.457 RSL: INFO1 = {"Info1":{"Module":"Generic","Version":"14.4.1.3(tasmota)","FallbackTopic":"cmnd/DVES_29A5F1_fb/","GroupTopic":"cmnd/tasmotas/"}}
20:16:50.463 0.00
20:16:50.466 RSL: INFO2 = {"Info2":{"WebServerMode":"Admin","Hostname":"tasmota-29A5F1-1521","IPAddress":"192.168.178.125"}}
20:16:50.475 0.00
20:16:50.477 RSL: INFO3 = {"Info3":{"RestartReason":"Software/System restart","BootCount":20}}
20:16:50.485 0.00
20:16:51.287 QPC: Reset

---

The file was read and the button configuration was recognized. How can I show the buttons on the GUI? I don't understand how to visualize.

[sfromis]

Ok, now you know what's posted when it is recognized. The message MCP: Pins 16 (S0/B16/R0) confirms that you are using the mode 2 driver, with 16 button pins, and no switch or relay pins.

This also means that there will be no presence in the web UI, just like with standard button configs in Tasmota. You have the normal options for handling the buttons via rules/scripter, or get MQTT messages automatically when used. They are not meant to be visualized in Tasmota itself, but instead to trigger some action when used.
https://tasmota.github.io/docs/Buttons-and-Switches/#button

Note that configuring as Button is meant for momentary push buttons, not for rocker-style locking switches, hence there is no concept for getting state at boot. If your inputs are not momentary non-locking push, you should probably config as Switch1-16 instead of Button1-16.

Still the same concept with the very rudimentary web UI not visualizing what happens, but you have similar options to use rules, or getting MQTT messages. And the event Switch1#Boot will get to be available for state at boot.

In both cases, when I say "rules", that is not meant to exclude the scripter, which I'm just not as familiar with.

When it comes to why the non-file approach failed, message "MCP: No valid template found at boot time would point in the direction of not being able to get the template. What I've seen seems to suggest that the JSON template might have to be on the same line as the >y instead of the line break you inserted, but I'm not certain of details here.

[Fast63947]

OK, thank you very much for your effort and your hints. Now I will create the buttons by scripting. That is also possible and I have more control about it. I like the scripting but sometimes the documentation about that is poor.