Device Properties

Extend your Ubidots powered IoT App using Device Properties to fit business or Application logic.

David Sepúlveda avatar
Written by David Sepúlveda
Updated over a week ago

Having 100s or thousands of devices in Ubidots can seem like mountains of data that would bury anyone. But, with Ubidots Device Properties, you can quickly add metadata to your Ubidots devices to efficiently organize, recall, and work with data coming from 100s different data-sources.  

Table of Contents: 

1. What are device Properties?

By definition, device Properties are metadata, or “a set of data that describes and gives information about other data.” In Ubidots, a device’s Properties are the metadata describing a device or its setting. Properties are not variables. 

  • A device's Variable is the specific sensor or digital data providing insights to a system or a process and are updated regularly. 

  • A device's Properties are the specific identifying or describing attributes of a device, its location, or its characteristics. Properties tend to not change nor are device properties stored as a form of data.

Type of data

Device Properties

Device variables

Definition

  • A set of data describing or giving information about a device.

  • It's not expected to change frequently over time.

  • Storing the historical behavior is not required.

  • A set of data points ("dots" representing a:

    • Value

    • Timestamp

    • Context

  • Changes/updates frequently over time.

  • Storing the historical data is required.

Examples

Ubidots default:

  • Name

  • Description

  • Last activity

  • Organization

User-defined:

  • Installation date

  • City

  • License plate

  • Firmware version

  • Address

  • Brand

User-defined variables:

  • Temperature

  • Humidity

  • Voltage

  • Pressure

  • Water level

  • Etc.

Ubidots Device Properties allow you to add a layer of custom metadata to your devices for efficient device identification, organization, and usability.

2. Adding new Properties to a Device

To add a new property to a device, simply click on your device then scroll until you see the “Properties” title in the left-hand device options pane. At the bottom of the pane, you will find "Add new property."

Now click on “Add Property”. A drawer window will appear where you can specify the name, description and format of the property:

Supported formats are:

  • Text: A text string of up to 255 characters.

  • List: A list of text strings, which will be presented as individual values in a drop down menu.

  • Number: A float number.

  • True or False: A boolean value.

  • Date

  • JSON: A JSON object that can be used as payload in your events.

  • Device: A device that can serve as a "global device".

Note the provided description will appear as a tooltip icon next to the property name. If you click on it, you’ll be able to see the property’s description:

To edit a property, simply double-click on its value:

You may want to check out Ubidots Device Types to specify a default set of Properties for any new device that is on-boarded to Ubidots.

Do you need any help configuring your device types? Feel free to reach out to us using the in-app chat or by writing to support@ubidots.com.

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