doc update (#919)

Author: godind

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+# v4.1.0
+## New Features
+* Zones State Panel widget: monitor the health/state of multiple sensors and devices at a glance. Configure multiple paths per panel; each Zone States control uses KIP’s color-coded Zone severity and prominent status message to spot warnings/alarms early without digging through notification menus. Powered by Signal K metadata zone configuration. Fixes #873
+## Improvements
+* Better chartplotter mode with automatic night/day mode and manual night mode button applying to both Freeboard SK and KIP.
+* Ability to hide widget label for Switch Panel Group and the new Zone States Panel.
+* Framework and dependency updates to stay current.
+## Fixes
+* Fix chartplotter mode notification badge not displaying.
+* Fix some controls are too bright in red night mode.
 # v4.0.9
 ## Improvements
 * Racer Line and Timer widgets now include:

README.md

@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ All KIP widgets are visual presentation controls that are very versatile, with m
 - **Label**: A static text widget.
 - **Date display**: A timezone-aware control with flexible presentation formatting support.
 - **Position display**: Position coordinates in textual format.
+- **Zones State Panel**: Monitor the health/state of multiple sensors and devices at a glance. Configure multiple paths per panel; each control uses KIP’s zone severity colors and status messages (driven by Signal K metadata zones) so warnings and alarms stand out immediately.
 - **Boolean Control Panel**: A switchboard to configure and operate remote devices: light switches, bilge pumps, solenoids, or any Signal K path that supports boolean PUT operations.
 - **Slider**: A versatile control that allows users to adjust values within a defined range by sliding. Commonly used for settings like light intensity, volume control, or any parameter requiring fine-tuned adjustments.
 - **Simple Linear gauge**: A visual display for electrical numerical data: chargers, MPPT, shunt, etc.

src/assets/help-docs/dashboards.md

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ KIP widgets turn Signal K data into readable visuals and controls. Available wid
 - **Date & Time** – Shows date and time with custom formatting and timezone correction.
 - **Position** – Displays latitude and longitude for location tracking and navigation.
 - **Static Label** – Add customizable labels to organize and clarify your dashboard layout.
+- **Zones State Panel**: Monitor the health/state of path data. Each panel control displays path data severity and status messages (driven by Signal K metadata zones).
 - **Switch Panel** – Group of toggle switches, indicator lights, and press buttons for digital switching and operations.
 - **Slider** – Range slider for adjusting values (e.g. lighting intensity).
 - **Compact Linear** – Simple horizontal linear gauge with a large value label and modern look.

src/assets/help-docs/zones.md

@@ -55,6 +55,29 @@ You can **Silence** or **Resolve** notifications.
 
   By default, the Notifications menu is hidden; when a notification arrives, a prominent button appears in the lower-right corner to alert you of changes in notifications. Tap or click this button to open the menu, or swipe right to access it at any time.
 
+- **Zones State Panel:**
+
+  The Zones State Panel widget is the fastest way to keep tabs on many “is something wrong?” values at once. Instead of hunting through the Notifications menu, you get an always-visible, color-coded status board where each row/control reflects the current Signal K **zone severity** and message for a path.
+
+  #### When it’s most useful
+  - **Engine room / systems dashboard:** coolant temp, oil pressure, alternator temp, battery state-of-charge, inverter load.
+  - **Grounding / shallow-water watch:** depth warnings that stand out immediately when they cross your configured thresholds.
+  - **Reefer / liveaboard monitoring:** fridge/freezer temperatures, cabin humidity, tank levels—quickly catch drift before it becomes a problem.
+  - **“Pre-start checklist” panel:** confirm critical sensors are nominal before departing (GPS fix, wind sensor alive, charging online).
+
+  #### Why it helps
+  - **At-a-glance awareness:** zone colors make severity obvious, even from across the cockpit.
+  - **Less notification fatigue:** you can choose to avoid spamming the Notifications menu while still getting clear, persistent visual state in the dashboard.
+  - **Leverages your existing zone work:** once zones are defined in Signal K metadata, you can reuse them across widgets.
+
+  #### Quick setup
+  1. In Signal K **Data Browser**, enable **Meta Data** and add **zones** (and optional **methods/messages**) for the paths you care about.
+  2. In KIP, add a **Zones State Panel** widget to a systems dashboard.
+  3. Configure each panel/control with the paths you want to monitor.
+  4. Optionally hide the widget label (useful for compact “status strip” dashboards).
+
+  > **Tip:** If you want the Zones State Panel to be your primary “status board”, consider leaving the **visual** method off for non-critical zones to keep the Notifications menu focused on the items you truly need to acknowledge.
+
 - **Individual Widgets:**  
   Widgets such as **Numeric**, **Simple Linear**, **Linear**, **Radial**, and **Steel Style** visually highlight relevant data ranges according to their configured zones and integrate notification states into their display. You can configure each widget to ignore zones if desired.