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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: December 19 2012 at 08:09 | IP Logged
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With the assistance of Dave I have attempted to write up the process of adding new I2CS protocol Insteon Devices after I struggled to accommodate one recently, and encountered all kinds of issues.
Hopefully this is broad, yet detailed, enough to clarify the process.
As new Insteon Devices are added by SmartHome, you may find that they are not yet defined in your PowerHome (PH) device Type database. Since accurate device PH Type definitions are critical to proper operation of PowerHome you can automate the Device parameter identification process using the *Auto Detect Type* function, which is one of the Type choices in the Device Type column, located in the Insteon Explorer Devices tab.
Most new Insteon Devices released by SmartHome now utilize the I2CS protocol, and will not properly work with PH unless PH has the I2CS update installed for version 2.1.4. (Later versions of PH will have I2CS support included.) In addition, the Device must have proper data entries in the Types table of Insteon Explorer. The initial link and setup is very tricky and critical to getting an I2CS device working.
The best and simplest way to add a new I2CS device to PowerHome is to create a new entry in the Insteon Explorer Devices tab. Enter an ID and Description, Address, and Desired Level and Ramp settings for the Device, but for the Device Type choose *Autodetect Type* in the Device Type column.
The Enable pending and Status scan boxes must be checked at the top of Insteon Explorer window.
Before clicking on the Save/Refresh button to start the auto detection, first check that there are no “XXX_New Device” entries already at the end of the Types tab list, so if Auto Detect has to create a new entry, you can clearly identify it. If there are already “XXX New Device” entries you won’t be able to differentiate your new discovery from those already sitting there.
Now click on the Devices tab Save/Refresh button. A “Discover Device Type” entry should appear in the Pending Operations window within a few seconds. When that entry moves into the Completed Operations window, the discovery process is completed.
The way Auto Detect works is that an Insteon command is sent to the device that tells it to respond with its Device Category and Sub Category values. These values are then looked up in the Insteon Types table (the DevCat and SubCat columns all the way to the right in Insteon types). It will assign the first match found (you can have multiple types with the same Devcat and Subcat if you like).
If a match isn’t found, then a new Insteon Type is created for it and named “XXX New Device” that will need to be modified to match your device’s model number (eg, 2476D) and parameters (typically the name and the number of controller and responder groups and any of the checkmarks such as Dim or KeyPadLinc).
If all goes properly, not only will the Types tab show the Device device but the far right of Devices tab will hold the correct Firmware, IEngine, and Use Ext for ALDB entries.
If you are replacing an existing older Insteon device with a new I2CS product it is best to NOT use the “Replace Address” feature on the Device tab, but to instead rename the old ID entry by changing its name (eg, append a “.old” to it). Name the newly discovered Device the same as the old one (without the ".old" of course) and then transfer links by going to the old device, selecting all controller and responder links, hitting copy and then going to the new device and hitting paste.
Auto Detect Notes:
If you change the Device Type of an existing Device to Auto Detect, nothing will happen until you press Save/Refresh (no changes take effect until they are actually saved). Once you Save, the Auto Detect routines will take off and attempt to discover the device. Once discovered, you won't see any actual changes until you press Save/Refresh again (it’s the Refresh we’re interested in here).
The first time you do this a number (for example, 61) will appear in the Device Type entry. This is an artifact of the way the PH internal programming language works but is to be expected. The Auto Detect added a new device type with a unique ID of (for example) 61 (you can’t see this value, it’s stored internally but it’s how Insteon types are identified). If you were to Auto Detect another device (that is not currently in the Insteon types table), it should show as the next higher number (eg, 62 if the prior number was 61).
To make the entry number (eg, 61) disappear and show the description, just close the Insteon Explorer and reopen it. Before closing and reopening, you can also go to the Insteon Types tab, hit Save/Refresh (remember, nothing is auto refreshed in the Insteon Explorer) and you'll see the new Insteon Type. By closing and reopening, the description for this new Insteon type will show (in place of the example number 61) in the Insteon Devices tab (the Insteon type on the Insteon devices tab is a dropdown data window which is a sub window of the main data window which does not have its members refreshed unless you close and reopen).
FLAGGED CREATE Notes:
If you find that that after installing your new Device, you get “FLAGGED CREATE” entries in your Links tab then it is probable that the Devices that show that entry have disabled for some reason by PH.
To check for this look at the Disables boxes in the Devices tab of Insteon Explorer and make sure they are not checked.
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jeffw_00
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| Posted: December 19 2012 at 08:41 | IP Logged
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Thanks GG - this is easier, faster, and more direct than using the scan. Cool stuff!
Note: When you apply the patch, make sure you apply to the latest version. I forgot that the latest was in c:\powerhome as I had a not-too-old version in c:\program files\powerhome.
/j
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: December 20 2012 at 12:22 | IP Logged
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Here is some more info on I2CS from Grif091 in response to
my difficulty in controlling the button LEDs on a keypad to
synchronize them with other devices using the
"ph_insteongroupcu()" command . . .
grif091 wrote:
This is a device control command which I
would expect to work. However, being a Group command the
link(s) will have to be created again on the I2CS KPL as
there are special check sum requirements for the Extended
ALDB command used to create links in I2CS devices. |
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: December 20 2012 at 12:27 | IP Logged
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Here is another post from Grif091 about using the "KPL
Config" tab in the PH Insteon Explorer.
The I2CS support update for PH 2.1.4 does NOT yet support
confiiguration control for KPL's. That will be coming in
the next PH release (2.1.5) . . .
Quote:
The I2CS support Zip (update) provides link record
support only. No device configuration support is included.
What is coming will be in 2.1.5. |
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MrGibbage
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| Posted: January 04 2013 at 17:23 | IP Logged
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I got a new Outdoor applianceLinc 2456S3E rev 2.2. I can control in (on/off) using the devices
tab. But I can't create any links. When I first tried to append the new device on the devices
tab, and I saw the "Discover Device Type" come up in the pending operations. But it satay as
autodetect type. I went back to the device types, and sure enough, there was a new XXX New
Device. So I filled in the information and restarted PH. Then the new device was assigned the
new device type, as I expected. But still, when I go to create the link on the links tab, I get
flagged create on the ctrl and resp, but the only links that even try to be created are the
ctrl. It never tries to create the links in the device itself.
Did I miss a step?
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: January 04 2013 at 19:52 | IP Logged
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Check to make sure the "Disabled" flag isn't set for the
device in the Devices Tab.
If it is, clear it, then Save and retry your link rebuilds.
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MrGibbage
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| Posted: January 04 2013 at 22:31 | IP Logged
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Yep, cleared them. Checked it and then unchecked it just to be sure.
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MrGibbage
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| Posted: January 06 2013 at 11:56 | IP Logged
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Well, I never did crack the code on this one. I instead
linked it the old-fashioned way (tap-tap).
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GadgetGuy
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| Posted: January 06 2013 at 12:19 | IP Logged
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Been there, done that!
There are times when PH has its own mind. Trying to create
new links is one of the most challenging, I think.
Sometimes it works flawlessly, and other times I pull my
hair out trying to get a link updated.
Save doesn't work, reinitialize doesn't make it happen.
Sometimes a total restart works, but I'm never sure what is
going to get 'er done! 
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Topic: AutoDetect/ Adding I2CS/ FlaggedCreate
