Stop automatic device updates?

[rccoleman]

In an attempt to address some strange behavior that I've been seeing, I've swapped out my PLM and restored devices several times.  Every time, I end up with many battery-operated devices that need updates, and the ISY starts a long and seemingly uninterruptible process of trying to communicate with each and every battery-operated device in my house, timing out and failing every time.  I have a 994i Pro, so if I think ahead and turn off updates of battery-operated devices, I can prevent this long and fruitless process, but if it gets started, it basically ties up my ISY for a long, long time and accomplishes nothing.  Worse yet, if I have to reboot the ISY for some reason (like installing a node), the default behavior is to turn automatic updates back on and it quickly kicks off this long process again.  I'll get around to updating the battery-operated devices at some point, but it's a pain to hit them all and I'd prefer to do it at my own pace.
 

I have a few questions - 

 

• Is there a way to make the setting for automatic writes, for both wired and battery-operated devices, sticky across a reboot?  Sometimes I'd really prefer to be in control of what the ISY does with my devices, and the power-on default is to automatically update everything.
• Is it possible to interrupt the automatic process once it's started?  I've found that I can sometimes reboot the ISY and quickly log into the admin console and turn off updates, but it's a race that I sometimes lose, and it seems awfully brute force.  Clicking the "turn off battery-operated updates" button when it's already in progress doesn't seem to help.
• Is it possible to force a node back to "up-to-date" and avoid the need to write any pending updates?  I had some mismatched records in my wired devices that I fixed by doing a File | Restore Devices, but it also queued all of my battery devices for updates.  I had just finished manually updating my battery devices (climbing up on ladders, etc.) and I know that they're all up-to-date, so I'd love to just say "that's already up-to-date".  I was trying to avoid the long process of individually checking and restoring each of my 42 wired devices, but now I get to walk around the house again and "update" each battery device.  Ugh.

 

Rob

[stusviews]

Whenever I'm in that situation, I turn off automatic updates and leave it off until updates are done. If updates gets turned on, I turn it off again and don't wait for the process to finish. I do have to wait for some updates that got started.

 

To mitigate the problem, I've created a separate disabled program for each battery powered device that updates the device. At my leisure, I update one at a time, either by running the Then statement or activating the device. Devices will update even if updates is turned off. Here's a couple of those programs:

 

BR Courtyard Sensor
If
        Control 'BR / Devices / BR Courtyard-Opened' is switched On
 
Then
        Set 'BR / Devices / BR Courtyard-Opened' Write Device Updates
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')
 
IN Laundry Sensor
If
        Control 'IN / Devices / IN Laundry Room-Dry' is switched On
 
Then
        Set 'IN / Devices / IN Laundry Room-Dry' Write Device Updates
 
Else
   - No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

[rccoleman]

I really like the idea of a program triggering on activity and forcing an update - that's really clever!  At least with my motion sensors, the worst case is that I'll have to walk around my house and let all of the sensors see me.

 

Do you find it to be reliable?  The motion sensors don't go to sleep before the ISY can write its updates?

 

To be honest, I hadn't figured out why "write device updates" was a useful action in a program until you mentioned it.  For now, I put all of the programs in a folder gated by a variable.

 

I was hoping that simply turning off automatic updates would allow the current update to finish (fail) and not kick off another update, but this morning my ISY soldiered on and tried to update all nine motion sensors and remotes one after the other.  Unless you have only one or two devices, it seems like that's rarely the behavior that you'd want.

 

Rob

[stusviews]

Yes, motion sensors stay awake long enough to update. It's especially handy for out of reach sensors. As far as leak sensors, I usually press the set button and walk away, other sensors require that I open (and sometimes close) a door or window.

 

Don't forget the disable the program. You don't want a battery powered device to use power to update every time it's activated. You can run Then without enabling the program.

[rccoleman]

My thinking was to put them all in a folder where I can enable or disable all of them using a variable, rather than enabling and disabling each one.  Do you see anything wrong with that approach?

[stusviews]

All my update programs are in a separate folder, but I don't want more than one running at the same time which is why they're disabled.

[Teken]

Keep in mind depending upon what hardware you're talking about whether its a motion sensor, leak sensor, open-close, hidden door sensor.

 

You have the option of using physical pressing of the device, heart beat, night mode, and control / status events to invoke a device write. Keep in mind depending on firmware that is in the hardware you may need a wait period from 0-3 seconds.

 

Only trial and error will determine what amount of time if any is required to ensure a successful remote write. It goes with out saying a strong RF mesh must be present to ensure consistency and reliability of this feature.