@Jimbo.Automates: I got my lights imported to my Elk system and there is good news and bad news:
now, when I try to turn the lights on or off with the M1, it works! and it is instantaneous!
but, when I turn the lights on with any other means, the M1 doesn't know that the lights are on.
here are a few other comments I have that could help others get through this process.
1) there is an "export" button in the Elk Nodeserver in the Admin Console. it is confusing because that is not the "export" that is used to export the data from the ISY (to later import into ElkRP2.
2) when using the "ELKID" method there cannot be anything else in the "notes" than the ELKID=x. also there cannot be anything in the "location" which is right above the "notes" in the admin console.
3) Scenes don't work using this ELKID method, which is unfortunate but not surprising.
4) In ElkRP2, the "import" that is necessary is found in the "lighting" area by right clicking it and then selecting "import lighting data".