- icon_class should not be part of the backend model

- Interaction with entities should occur through the `entities.action`
  method, not by implementing native methods on each of the model
  objects

platypush/entities/_base.py

@@ -52,12 +52,6 @@ class Entity(Base):
         'polymorphic_on': type,
     }
 
-    @property
-    def _meta(self) -> dict:
-        return {
-            'icon_class': 'fa-solid fa-circle-question',
-        }
-
     @classmethod
     @property
     def columns(cls) -> Tuple[ColumnProperty]:
@@ -73,13 +67,7 @@ class Entity(Base):
         return val
 
     def to_json(self) -> dict:
-        return {
+        return {col.key: self._serialize_value(col) for col in self.columns}
-            **{col.key: self._serialize_value(col) for col in self.columns},
-            'meta': {
-                **self._meta,
-                **(self.meta or {}),
-            },
-        }
 
     def get_plugin(self):
         from platypush.context import get_plugin
@@ -88,6 +76,12 @@ class Entity(Base):
         assert plugin, f'No such plugin: {plugin}'
         return plugin
 
+    def run(self, action: str, *args, **kwargs):
+        plugin = self.get_plugin()
+        method = getattr(plugin, action, None)
+        assert method, f'No such action: {self.plugin}.{action}'
+        return method(self.external_id or self.name, *args, **kwargs)
+
 
 # Inject the JSONAble mixin (Python goes nuts if done through
 # standard multiple inheritance with an SQLAlchemy ORM class)

platypush/entities/devices.py

@@ -11,10 +11,3 @@ class Device(Entity):
     __mapper_args__ = {
         'polymorphic_identity': __tablename__,
     }
-
-    @property
-    def _meta(self):
-        return {
-            **super()._meta,
-            'icon_class': 'fa-solid fa-gear',
-        }

platypush/entities/lights.py

@@ -11,10 +11,3 @@ class Light(Device):
     __mapper_args__ = {
         'polymorphic_identity': __tablename__,
     }
-
-    @property
-    def _meta(self):
-        return {
-            **super()._meta,
-            'icon_class': 'fa-solid fa-lightbulb',
-        }

platypush/entities/switches.py

@@ -12,19 +12,3 @@ class Switch(Device):
     __mapper_args__ = {
         'polymorphic_identity': __tablename__,
     }
-
-    @property
-    def _meta(self):
-        return {
-            **super()._meta,
-            'icon_class': 'fa-solid fa-light-switch',
-        }
-
-    def on(self):
-        return self.get_plugin().on(self)
-
-    def off(self):
-        return self.get_plugin().off(self)
-
-    def toggle(self):
-        return self.get_plugin().toggle(self)

platypush/plugins/entities/__init__.py

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 from queue import Queue, Empty
 from threading import Thread
 from time import time
-from typing import Optional
+from typing import Optional, Any
 
 from platypush.context import get_plugin
-from platypush.entities import get_plugin_entity_registry, get_entities_registry
+from platypush.entities import Entity, get_plugin_entity_registry, get_entities_registry
 from platypush.plugins import Plugin, action
 
 
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ class EntitiesPlugin(Plugin):
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
 
+    def _get_db(self):
+        db = get_plugin('db')
+        assert db
+        return db
+
     @action
     def get(self, type: str = 'entity', **filter):
         """
@@ -35,9 +40,7 @@ class EntitiesPlugin(Plugin):
             entity_type
         ), f'No such entity type: {type}. Supported types: {list(all_types.keys())}'
 
-        db = get_plugin('db')
+        db = self._get_db()
-        assert db
-
         with db.get_session() as session:
             query = session.query(entity_type)
             if filter:
@@ -127,5 +130,25 @@ class EntitiesPlugin(Plugin):
 
         return self.get(**filter)
 
+    @action
+    def execute(self, id: Any, action: str, *args, **kwargs):
+        """
+        Execute an action on an entity (for example `on`/`off` on a switch, or `get`
+        on a sensor).
+
+        :param id: Entity ID (i.e. the entity's db primary key, not the plugin's external
+            or "logical" key)
+        :param action: Action that should be run. It should be a method implemented
+            by the entity's class.
+        :param args: Action's extra positional arguments.
+        :param kwargs: Action's extra named arguments.
+        """
+        db = self._get_db()
+        with db.get_session() as session:
+            entity = session.query(Entity).filter_by(id=id).one_or_none()
+
+        assert entity, f'No such entity ID: {id}'
+        return entity.run(action, *args, **kwargs)
+
 
 # vim:sw=4:ts=4:et: