I have a USB device that needs to be disconnected via software from a Pi Zero W while still be physically plugged in.
After doing some research on the forums, I found this product, the Yepkit USB Switchable Hub XS (https://www.yepkit.com/product/300115/YKUSHXS).
It has a female Mini USB that goes to the Pi Zero W, and a female USB A that goes to the device I need to be disconnected.
Yepkit provides a command line interface for turning on and off the hub. When I plug in a cable with one end male micro USB and one end male mini USB directly from the Pi Zero W into the YKUSH XS, the command line program can not detect that the YKUSH XS is connected and it can not be controlled.
Next I tried to connect the YKUSH with 2 cables with a USB A interchange in the middle, like this:
female micro USB port out of Pi Zero W> <male micro USB into pi --- female USB A> <male USB A --- male mini USB> <female mini USB port into YKUSH XS.
After trying this cable configuration, the command line program is able to properly detect the YKUSH XS and switch the hub on and off.
I believe this is due to some property of USB On The Go, but I'm not sure. Is anyone able to explain this issue? Is there a way for me to solder a cable that can go directly from the Pi Zero W's micro USB port to the YKUSH XS's mini USB port and be controllable?