Generators

The five value generators, their parameters and constraints, and the noise option.

Every field of a template has a generator that produces the field's value on each tick. A generator is a table with a generator key and that generator's parameters:

fields.co2 = { generator = "random_walk", start = 600, min = 400, max = 2000, step = 15 }

Generator	Produces
`constant`	The same value on every tick.
`random_walk`	A number that drifts up and down by a random step, within bounds.
`sine`	A number that follows a sine wave over time.
`uniform`	A new random number in a range on every tick.
`sequence`	The values of a list, one per tick.

Every generator also accepts noise. All numbers must be finite: TOML allows nan and inf, Senzor does not. An unknown parameter, a missing required parameter or an unknown generator name is an error.

Random draws come from the instance's own random number generator. With a [simulation] seed, they repeat from run to run; see Reproducible runs. For how values, pins and runs relate, see Values and generators.

constant

Publishes value on every tick.

Parameter	Type	Default	Rules
`value`	string, number or boolean	required
`noise`	number	none	Only when `value` is a number.

fields.firmware = { generator = "constant", value = "1.4.2" }

random_walk

The first tick publishes start. Every later tick adds a random amount between -step and +step and keeps the result between min and max.

Parameter	Type	Default	Rules
`start`	number	required	Between `min` and `max`, inclusive.
`min`	number	required	Less than `max`.
`max`	number	required
`step`	number	required	Greater than 0. The largest change per tick.
`noise`	number	none

fields.humidity = { generator = "random_walk", start = 45, min = 30, max = 70, step = 0.5 }

sine

Follows center + amplitude × sin(2π × (t + phase) / period), where t is the time since the instance started. The value moves between center - amplitude and center + amplitude and repeats every period.

Parameter	Type	Default	Rules
`center`	number	required
`amplitude`	number	required
`period`	duration	required	Greater than 0.
`phase`	duration	`"0s"`	Shifts the wave. A quarter of `period` starts at the peak.
`noise`	number	none

fields.temperature = { generator = "sine", center = 21.5, amplitude = 1.5, period = "24h" }

The wave starts when the instance starts, not at a time of day. With period = "24h" and no phase, the peak comes 6 hours after the start.

uniform

Draws a new random number on every tick, at least min and less than max. Consecutive values are unrelated; use random_walk for a value that changes gradually.

Parameter	Type	Default	Rules
`min`	number	required	Less than `max`.
`max`	number	required
`noise`	number	none

fields.rssi = { generator = "uniform", min = -90, max = -40 }

sequence

Publishes the values of values in order, one per tick.

Parameter	Type	Default	Rules
`values`	array of strings, numbers or booleans	required	Not empty. The types can be mixed.
`loop`	boolean	`true`	`true` starts again from the first value after the last one. `false` keeps publishing the last value.
`noise`	number	none	Only when every value is a number.

fields.state = { generator = "sequence", values = ["open", "closed"] }

noise

Any generator accepts noise. On every tick it adds a random amount between -noise and +noise to the generator's value.

noise must be greater than 0.
On constant and sequence, it needs numeric values.
Noise does not change the generator's own state: a random_walk continues from its value without noise.
The result is not limited again, so a random_walk with noise can go up to noise beyond min and max.

fields.temperature = { generator = "sine", center = 21.5, amplitude = 1.5, period = "24h", noise = 0.1 }

Constraint messages

When a generator breaks a rule, validation reports one of these messages, as field `<name>`: <message> for a template field or field `<name>` override: <message> for a device's field override.

Message	Cause
`numbers must be finite`	A parameter or value is `nan`, `inf` or `-inf`.
`noise must be greater than 0`	`noise` is 0 or negative.
`noise requires numeric values`	`noise` on a `constant` or `sequence` with a non-numeric value.
`min must be less than max`	`random_walk` or `uniform` with `min` equal to or greater than `max`.
`start must be between min and max`	`random_walk` with `start` outside the bounds.
`step must be greater than 0`	`random_walk` with `step` 0 or negative.
`period must be greater than 0`	`sine` with `period = "0s"`.
`values must not be empty`	`sequence` with `values = []`.

Senzor checks the rules in the order of this table and reports only the first one each field breaks. For all validation messages, see Validation errors.

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Constraint messagesCopy Anchor Link