🏡 Tado Assistant: Your User-Friendly, Free Tado Auto-Assist Alternative

Discover the ultimate free alternative to Tado's Auto-Assist with Tado Assistant! This innovative utility enhances your Tado smart home experience by seamlessly integrating with the Tado API, offering advanced features like mobile device-based home state monitoring, open window detection in various zones, and customizable settings for open window duration. Now with added support for multiple accounts, it's ideal for those managing several Tado devices across different locations. Tado Assistant provides an efficient and cost-effective way to automate and optimize your home environment. It's designed to be user-friendly and accessible, requiring minimal dependencies, making it a perfect choice for both technical and non-technical users.

🚀 Key Features - Free Tado Auto Assist

• Multi-Account Support: Manage multiple Tado accounts seamlessly, perfect for users with devices in different locations.
• State Monitoring: Tado Assistant vigilantly tracks your home's status (HOME or AWAY) in real-time, offering a free alternative to Tado's Auto-Assist feature.
• Smart Adjustments: Detects discrepancies, such as no devices at home but the state is set to HOME, and adjusts accordingly.
• Open Window Detection: Recognizes open windows in different zones and activates the appropriate mode.
• Customizable Open Window Duration: Set your preferred duration for the 'Open Window' detection feature, allowing for personalized energy-saving adjustments.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This project is an independent initiative and is not affiliated, endorsed, or sponsored by Tado GmbH. All trademarks and logos mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Please use this software responsibly and at your own risk.

🛠 Prerequisites

• A Unix-based system (Linux distributions or macOS).
• git installed to clone the repository.
• Root or sudo privileges for the installation script.
• curl and jq (Don't worry, our installer will help you set these up if they're not present).
• Ensure both scripts (install.sh and tado-assistant.sh) reside in the same directory.

📥 Installation

1. Clone this repository to dive in:

   git clone https://github.com/BrainicHQ/tado-assistant.git

   cd tado-assistant

2. Grant the installation script the necessary permissions:

   chmod +x install.sh

3. Kick off the installation with root or sudo privileges:

   sudo ./install.sh

During the installation, the script will:

• Set up the required dependencies.
• Prompt you for your Tado credentials and other optional configurations.
• Initialize tado-assistant.sh as a background service.
• Introduce a new configuration option for the 'Open Window' feature. You will be prompted to enter the maximum duration (in seconds) that the system should wait before resuming normal operation after an open window is detected. You can specify a custom duration or leave it empty to use the default duration set in the Tado app.

🐳 Docker Installation

Tado Assistant can now be run as a Docker container with support for multiple accounts, making it platform-independent and simplifying the setup process for users with multiple Tado devices. Here's how you can get it up and running with Docker:

1. Pull the Docker Image: Pull the latest version of Tado Assistant from Docker Hub:

   docker pull brainic/tado-assistant

2. Run the Docker Container: After pulling the image, you can run Tado Assistant in a Docker container, specifying environment variables for each account you wish to manage. Replace <LOG_FILE_PATH_n> with your desired log file path for each account if you want to specify a custom one.

   docker run -d --name tado-assistant \
           -e NUM_ACCOUNTS=2 \
           -e TADO_USERNAME_1='your_username_1' \
           -e TADO_PASSWORD_1='your_password_1' \
           -e CHECKING_INTERVAL_1=15 \
           -e ENABLE_LOG_1=true \
           -e LOG_FILE_1=<LOG_FILE_PATH_1> \
           -e MAX_OPEN_WINDOW_DURATION_1= \
           -e TADO_USERNAME_2='your_username_2' \
           -e TADO_PASSWORD_2='your_password_2' \
           -e CHECKING_INTERVAL_2=15 \
           -e ENABLE_LOG_2=true \
           -e LOG_FILE_2=<LOG_FILE_PATH_2> \
           -e MAX_OPEN_WINDOW_DURATION_2= \
           brainic/tado-assistant

   Note: Adjust the environment variables according to the number of accounts and your specific needs.

3. Docker Logs: To check the logs of your Tado Assistant Docker container, use:

   docker logs tado-assistant

4. Stopping and Removing the Container: When you need to stop and remove the container, use the following commands:

   docker stop tado-assistant
   docker rm tado-assistant

This Docker setup offers a straightforward way to deploy Tado Assistant without the need for manual environment setup on your host system.

🔄 Updating

To ensure you're running the latest version of Tado Assistant, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the tado-assistant directory:

   cd path/to/tado-assistant

2. To update normally, run the installation script with the --update flag:

   sudo ./install.sh --update

   This will check for the latest version of the script, update any dependencies if necessary, and restart the service.

3. If you need to force an update (for instance, to revert local changes to the official version), use the --force-update flag:

   sudo ./install.sh --force-update

   This option will update Tado Assistant to the latest version from the repository, regardless of any local changes. It's useful for ensuring your script matches the official release.

Note on Local Changes

• When updating, the script automatically detects and backs up any local modifications. These backups are stored as patch files, allowing you to restore your changes if needed.
• In case of conflicts during a normal update, the script will halt and prompt you to resolve these manually, ensuring your modifications are not unintentionally overwritten.

🔧 Configuration

The Tado Assistant can be configured to handle multiple Tado accounts, with each account having its own set of environment variables:

• NUM_ACCOUNTS: Number of Tado accounts you wish to manage. This should be set to the total number of accounts.

For each account (replace 'n' with the account number, e.g., 1, 2, 3, ...):

• TADO_USERNAME_n: Your Tado account username for the nth account.
• TADO_PASSWORD_n: Your Tado account password for the nth account.
• CHECKING_INTERVAL_n: Frequency (in seconds) for home state checks for the nth account. Default is every 15 seconds.
• ENABLE_LOG_n: Toggle logging for the nth account. Values: true or false. Default is false.
• LOG_FILE_n: Destination for the log file for the nth account. Default is /var/log/tado-assistant.log.
• MAX_OPEN_WINDOW_DURATION_n: Define the maximum duration (in seconds) for the 'Open Window' detection feature to be active for the nth account. Leave this field empty to use the default duration set in the Tado app.

These variables are stored in /etc/tado-assistant.env. Feel free to tweak them directly if needed. Ensure to adjust the variable suffix 'n' to match the corresponding account number.

🔄 Usage

After successfully installing the Tado Assistant, it will run silently in the background, ensuring your home's environment is always optimal. Here's how you can interact with it:

1. Checking Service Status:

   • Linux:

   sudo systemctl status tado-assistant.service

   • macOS:

   launchctl list | grep com.user.tadoassistant

2. Manual Adjustments: If you ever need to make manual adjustments to your Tado settings, simply use the Tado app. Tado Assistant will recognize these changes and adapt accordingly.

3. Logs: To understand what Tado Assistant is doing behind the scenes, refer to the logs. If logging is enabled, you can tail the log file for real-time updates:

   tail -f /var/log/tado-assistant.log

4. Adjusting 'Open Window' Duration: The 'Open Window' detection feature's duration can be customized to suit your preferences. To modify this setting:

   • Edit the /etc/tado-assistant.env file.
   • Locate the MAX_OPEN_WINDOW_DURATION variable.
   • Set its value to the desired number of seconds. For example, MAX_OPEN_WINDOW_DURATION=300 for a 5-minute duration.
   • Save the changes and restart the service for them to take effect.
     • For Linux:

       sudo systemctl restart tado-assistant.service

     • For macOS:

       launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.tadoassistant.plist
       launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.tadoassistant.plist

   This setting defines how long the system should wait before resuming normal operation after an open window is detected, allowing for energy-saving adjustments tailored to your needs.

Remember, Tado Assistant is designed to be hands-off. Once set up, it should require minimal interaction, letting you enjoy a comfortable home environment without any fuss.

🌟 Running Tado Assistant Continuously

Ensuring Tado Assistant runs continuously is crucial for maintaining an optimal home environment. Here are some cost-effective solutions for running the software 24/7, suitable for both technical and non-technical users.

☁️ Free Tier Cloud Services

Cloud services offer reliable and free solutions to run small-scale projects like Tado Assistant. Here are some popular options:

AWS EC2

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a free tier EC2 instance which is more than capable of handling small applications.
• AWS EC2 Free Tier Guide

Google Cloud Platform

• Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers a free tier with a micro VM instance.
• GCP Free Tier Guide

Microsoft Azure

• Microsoft Azure also provides a free tier with virtual machines.
• Azure Free Tier Guide

🖥️ Raspberry Pi or Old Laptop/PC

For those who prefer a more hands-on approach or wish to utilize existing hardware:

Raspberry Pi

• A Raspberry Pi can be a cost-effective and energy-efficient server.
• Setting up Tado Assistant on Raspberry Pi

Repurposed Old Laptop/PC

• Use an old laptop or PC as a dedicated server for Tado Assistant.
• Ensure it's configured to run the software on startup and adjust power settings for continuous operation.

📜 Logs

If you've enabled logging (ENABLE_LOG=true), you can peek into the log file (default location: /var/log/tado-assistant.log) for real-time updates and messages.

🗑️ Uninstallation

Currently, a dedicated uninstallation script is not provided. To manually uninstall:

1. Stop the service.

   • For Linux:

   sudo systemctl stop tado-assistant.service

   • For macOS:

   launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.tadoassistant.plist

2. Remove the service configuration.

   • For Linux:

   sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/tado-assistant.service

   • For macOS:

   rm ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.user.tadoassistant.plist

3. Remove the main script:

   sudo rm /usr/local/bin/tado-assistant.sh

4. Remove the environment variables file:

   sudo rm /etc/tado-assistant.env

5. Optionally, uninstall curl and jq if they were installed by the script and are no longer needed.

🤝 Contributing

Your insights can make Tado Assistant even better! We welcome contributions. Please ensure your code aligns with the project's ethos. Feel free to submit pull requests or open issues for suggestions, improvements, or bug reports.

🍕 Support

Love Tado Assistant? You can show your support by starring the repository, sharing it with others, or buying me a pizza. All contributions are greatly appreciated and help keep the project running.

Alternatively, contributions to the codebase or documentation are also welcome. Every bit of help counts!