Architecture changes regarding python-eq3bt

[EuleMitKeule]

This Home Assistant integration currently contains an altered version of the python-eq3bt package. Having the goal in mind to get this integration merged into the Home Assistant core I think it will be necessary to restructure this architecture in one of the following ways:

1. Merge into rytilahti/python-eq3bt

• Open a PR to https://github.com/rytilahti/python-eq3bt and get the changes to the package merged.
• Depend on the python-eq3bt package.
• Only implement the Home Assistant integration in this repository.
  • Problem: The changed package currently depends on the homeassistant package; it would not make much sense to distribute this as a standalone library.
  • Problem: python-eq3bt seems to be unmaintained.

2. Create and maintain a fork of rytilahti/python-eq3bt

• We could create and maintain a fork or copy of the original package and distribute it as python-eq3bt2 or similar.
• Remove the homeassistant dependency from that package for it to make sense as a standalone library.
  • Problem: Large changes would have to be made to the package and the integration to remove the homeassistant dependency.
  • Problem: Just another repository to maintain.

3. Unify package and integration

• Restructure the integration code to simply include the BleakConnection and Thermostat classes.
• This is essentially what is already done but would make it more "official."
• Problem: The integration might be too complicated to be merged into core, and Home Assistant might require us to keep the connection logic separate from the integration.

Personally I would prefer to include the connection logic within the integration as stated in the third proposal.
Since the connection logic currently depends strongly on the Home Assistant bluetooth component, I feel that this would be acceptable to be included in the Home Assistant Core. However we should take a look at how other integrations that are using bluetooth handle this kind of problem.

[dbuezas]

Hi again!

1. Merge into rytilahti/python-eq3bt

This repo diverged too much and also removed features irrelevant to home assistant, plus the owner doesn't own an eq3 anymore (I know because I bought it from him) so I doubt this would work out.

2. Create and maintain a fork of rytilahti/python-eq3bt

Way to go! We need to publish it to a package repository too

3. Unify package and integration

I believe Home Assistant has a policy against this.

[dbuezas]

Calling it eq3btsmart would make the brands logo work

[EuleMitKeule]

Actually I don't think the original integration has been removed yet, it is still present as the maxcube integration and can be added when searching for "EQ-3" under the name "EQ-3 MAX!". Also we don't need to choose a specific name for the logo to be associated with the integration, we just have to add it to this file when merging into core if I am not mistaken.
Either way naming it eq3btsmart is a good idea I would say. The problem is that we definetely need to choose a different name for the integration than the package or else imports will not work and dependencies would also probably be messed up. That's why I proposed naming the integration something like eq3btsmart_hass or eq3btsmart_integration because it's somewhat more specialized than the library itself.

Edit: I think I was wrong about the same name part. Since we need to use relative imports for the integration having the same name for both the integration and the library should probably fine. I also found some core integrations that depend on packages with the same name as well.

[rytilahti]

AFAIK, the linked file only handles searching inside the "add integration" dialog, but I may be wrong on that, so if it works that's great. Otherwise, you may want to look into reverting (or just re-adding) this: home-assistant/brands#4935

[EuleMitKeule]

Oh, good to know, thanks!
So I guess there actually was another integration present in Home Assistant that was actually named eq3btsmart in addition to the maxcube / "eQ-3 MAX!" integration with the latter still being present in core? All this is pretty confusing to me.

[rytilahti]

Yes, the old python-eq3bt-based integration was there since homeassistant 0.18 (it seems :-D) but it was very, very outdated prior @dbuezas taking over and creating this custom integration.

Note that when you submit the integration for inclusion, do not forget to remove the redirection added in https://github.com/home-assistant/home-assistant.io/pull/27848/files .

[rytilahti]

Glad to see that you are working to get this integrated into the core! 💯 As @dbuezas mentioned, I don't have these thermostats anymore, so the python-eq3bt maintenance will be kept from my side at bare minimums (i.e., just fixing issues/merging PRs/making releases if something comes up).

I personally also think that it doesn't make sense to try to merge back into the python-eq3bt, assuming the end goal is to mainly support the homeassistant integration. If you wish to do so though, I can move the ownership of that repository to you somehow. However, having a clean fork is probably better and less hassle for everyone.

[EuleMitKeule]

Thank you for the support and for the offer to transfer ownership!
I agree with you that having two separate projects is probably better in this case, since the eq3btsmart library was altered so much by @dbuezas to depend on the Home Assistant bluetooth component and will now be changed again to remove this dependency but still work with Home Assistant. And I think having a minimal library that only contains basic connection logic and structs to communicate with the devices and not being intended as a standalone utility will probably increase the chances getting this merged into core.
Since this project builds so much upon your work we of course kept your license and link to the original repo. If you want anything about that handled differently please let us know!