Save, Edit, Load XML Insteon Links Table operator error?

[SMiller]

I would like to disable a responder link in an Insteon device using the Admin console from my ISY994i running v.5.0.15A, but have been unsuccessful in getting an edited and loaded XML to be used instead of the internal copy of the ISY or device links table.  I started by editing the XML to remove and knit the index/address values back up, and then retreated to merely changing the record flags.  In no case have I been able to do a device restore with my changed values, which seem to be ignored in favor of an internal copy, even though the reloaded values show in the Links Table windows until I re-query the device or ISY.  I'm presuming there's extra integrity, or a security step involved to actually write the reloaded table back to the ISY, but I see no such control and the error log doesn't show anything.   I also see no place where a CRC or auth phrase would be exercised, and so now I very much wonder what the "Load" control is for on those Links Table windows?

I guess the bottom line is that I would like to purposefully get the ISY out of step with what's in the devices, and then restore the devices to what the ISY knows.  It's on me about how much collateral damage is caused (hopefully none, but not UDI's problem).

FYI: the links I need to remove are many years old from when I first was testing communications in the house (even before buying the ISY).  The ISY has faithfully maintained the state it originally read, but the controlling keypad has been out of the system for years and just now resurrected from a box of spares.  Yes, I now know I should have done a factory reset on everything the ISY acquired, but it feels like the system should be a bit forgiving and allow for repairs.  My old keypad is now unusable since devices all over the place respond to it.  At this point removing and re-adding a large number of perfectly fine keypads and relays is not easily done since there are probably 100 scenes involved.  It seems wrong to throw away a good keypad because the ISY is being stubborn about retaining links I don't want.  Since I know for a fact this particular device has no current use in the system I thought it would be simple to just sweep away any link containing its address.  Unfortunately, what should be easy doesn't seem to actually be.

Is there another way?  Perhaps editing the ISY backup?  That seems much more risky than messing with a bit of XML.

[gzahar]

If you are trying to to delete links that the ISY knows about, you should adjust the scene(s) w/in the ISY, including deleting any devices that are no longer installed.  This should update the link tables in the devices.

If you are trying to delete links the ISY doesn't know about, just doing a restore device should get rid of these.

[SMiller]

Thanks, unfortunately these links don't seem to be part of any scene AND the ISY certainly knows about them as they are reintroduced even after a factory reset/restore.  I'll go see if I can match it up some existing scene, but I've tried adding the old keypad back into the system, and then telling the ISY to remove it.  Even added all the buttons into scenes the responders are part of.  I notice the group ID never matches and am guessing that's what makes the old links so sticky.  It's a 2486D KeypadLinc Dimmer with 6 buttons, and I don't recall ever converting to 8, but it's possible.

[Geddy]

@SMiller I'm sure others will have options to try and hope you can get this solved, but with the switch installed have you run a Topology (In admin console menu Tools -> Generate Topology). That should spit out all devices and scenes the ISY knows about. Look in the scene portion for that keypad and remove it from that scene. 

Otherwise, I would think if you factory reset it and then made sure to clear links when adding back into the ISY it should do the job, but again others have more experience with that than I.

Here's even an old post on how to change from 8 button to 6 button in case you want to try that even though you said you don't think you converted it to an 8 button, but just as another step in the process. That post links to the owners manual to give you other resetting steps to try.

https://forum.universal-devices.com/topic/16971-converting-8-button-to-6-button-kpl/

In fact maybe try this (from the manual):

 

Good luck! Let us know how you progress.

 

[SMiller]

Thanks for the suggestions.  In the end I just deleted all of the affected keypads, factory reset, and then re-added them back into the ISY with all of the associated scene maneuvering.  Because the included scenes tied into three different mini RF remotes, and everything is physically distant, this all took about 6 hours to make work.  All to eliminate 5 ghost responder links.  It would have been cheaper to just throw away the old resurrected keypad.  It also would be really nice if I could figure out what the save and load commands on the link tables windows are for.  That would have been a lot quicker. 

The good news is that in the process I did update to the newer ISY firmware, without any issues I know of.  I also figured out the battery powered mini remotes should never be a permanent part of a system and I'll either eliminate them or add actual powered wall stations in those areas.  They had seemed like an easy way to add control to a 50 year old section of the house.  I had already sort of learned this when I gave up on the motion detectors, but for the most part the remotes actually did work while I could never make the motion detectors reliable (and had to deal with batteries).

I think I've also learned I should get a backup ISY and PLM.  As far as I'm concerned, the ISY is the only reason Insteon is even close to a viable product.  I can't imagine keeping more than a few devices straight using hubs or manual linking.  Even though it took a while, the ISY was perfect in pushing all the configuration changes across a very large property (3 subpanels, refrigeration motors, and hundreds of feet of separation).

[Geddy]

Glad you got it working the way you want it! (even if it did take some time)

Don't give up on the motion sensors just yet. I'm not sure how old they are, but something seems to make me think that some would work better in the 5.x firmware. Other's can support this, but let us know more about what motion detector you have and maybe somebody that has experience setting them up can get you into using them (again?). 

As another note make sure all your programs loaded correctly in the new firmware. Check out the summary page and make sure none are yellow. If you had any "adjust scene" settings in old programs they probably didn't convert properly and will need to be updated. 

Finally, you'll have a hard time finding a backup PLM right now. They're currently out of stock at Smarthome and very limited (and expensive) in aftermarket. If what you have is working hold tight. They might come back around once the supplier is able to source all the parts again. (I know many on here might think/feel differently, but there's always hope!) There's usually not much need for a "backup" ISY as the fail rate on those is very low. (@Michel Kohanim recently shared some information about that in another post.)