How do I read and understand logs and event viewer

[intellihome]

Does anybody know the best way I can educate myself to interpret the log and the event viewer? I searched around and find bits and pieces but I am assuming there is probably a document or posting that might explain this subject in detail that I am overlooking.

 

I am finally at a point where I have a decent size insteon/ISY system and I am finding the reliability is no better then my X10 system was.

 

There is probably a lot of tuning I can do to start troubleshooting my issues (which are basically missed device actions; occasional lights left on or not turned off).

 

I just need to start with my logs but first I need to understand my logs.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi intellihome,

 

If you have communications/reliability issues, then I really do not think the logs can help you at all. The Event Viewer can help but it really depends on "what we are looking for".

 

For instance, if we are looking for scene reliability, Tools | Diagnostics | Scene Test is the best tool.

 

If we are looking for slow/intermittent response from devices when directly accessed, then Event Viewer on level 3 would give you clues:

For each INST-ACK there should be an INST-SRX. If you see multiple ACKs without SRX, then we have to figure out what is happening to the signals.

 

In short, would you be kind enough to let me know what type of reliability issues you are encountering? Our next course of action depends on the symptoms.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Does anybody know the best way I can educate myself to interpret the log and the event viewer? I searched around and find bits and pieces but I am assuming there is probably a document or posting that might explain this subject in detail that I am overlooking.

 

I am finally at a point where I have a decent size insteon/ISY system and I am finding the reliability is no better then my X10 system was.

 

There is probably a lot of tuning I can do to start troubleshooting my issues (which are basically missed device actions; occasional lights left on or not turned off).

 

I just need to start with my logs but first I need to understand my logs.

[intellihome]

Thanks Michel,

I will start fresh and document the next comm/reliability concern I encounter. So far the issues are either

1. KPL LED status lights are occasionally out of synch (95% reliable)

2. A light left on that should have turned off via a program (98% reliable).

 

My scenes are pretty much 99% reliable.

 

I will leave the event viewer in Level 3 (I'm not sure what that level is other then "it has the most detail").

 

Standard-Direct][11.C0.B2-->ISY/PLM Group=0] Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1

[iNST-SRX ] 02 50 11.C0.B2 12.9F.7D 07 6E 45 (45)

INST-ACK ] 02 62 12.0F.AE 0F 13 00 06 LTOFFRR(00): Process ACK: duplicate ignored

 

In this examples above, how can I decipher the terms Max Hops=3, Hops Left=1, INST-SRX, INST-ACK, LTOFFRR(00) etc

 

I truly am sorry if what I am asking is information I don't need to know and/or is common programming (of which i don't know). This is why I asked for the best advice of where I should look or study to learn what all these codes mean so I don't ask silly basic questions. If I can do some research offline and get a better understanding then I could ask more specific questions without wasting anyones time.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi intellihome,

 

Thanks so very much. Three more questions:

1. Do you use programs to update the status of the KPL buttons?

2. For those programs that are not reliable, are they activating a scene?

3. Do you have any SwitchLinc v.35s in your installation and, if so, how reliable are they?

 

I am certain you have already seen this:

http://www.universal-devices.com/mwiki/ ... ent_Viewer

 

Hop count/etc. are debugging information for the low level communications between the PLM and the INSTEON network. I am afraid I'd be confusing you more since these terms are INSTEON specific.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[intellihome]

Thanks so very much. Three more questions:

1. Do you use programs to update the status of the KPL buttons?

2. For those programs that are not reliable, are they activating a scene?

3. Do you have any SwitchLinc v.35s in your installation and, if so, how reliable are they?

 

 

 

1. Do you use programs to update the status of the KPL buttons?

 

For the most part, NO. The status comes from a scene where the buttons are responders. One of the scenes is the garage door status from an I/O linc sensor as the controller and KPL buttons as responders. Another scene is simply a togglelinc as a controller and a KPL button as a responder.

After I noticed where a KPL button LED remained ON when it should not have (2 out of 10 times) I wrote the following program to try and get the button synched up...

If

Status 'Garage Door A Control' is On

 

Then

Wait 15 seconds

Set 'Garage Door A Sensor' Query

Wait 4 seconds

Set 'Garage Door A Control' Query

 

Else

- No Actions - (To add one, press 'Action')

 

 

2. For those programs that are not reliable, are they activating a scene?

 

No, they are not. It's usually a simple program to turn off a light at a certain time and if the status of a KPL light is ON. Works 98% of the time.

 

3. Do you have any SwitchLinc v.35s in your installation and, if so, how reliable are they?

 

I have no SwitchLinc v.35

 

Michel, I can say with confidence that my reliability has improved greatly once I put the fix in the T-Stat to stop the constant traffic. Generally I am pretty reliable and don't have a particular issue that I need help with at the moment. I will watch my system over the next couple of weeks and document the reliability issues I have and collect as much information as possible so I can report the issue in a clean concise format.

 

Thank you for the information from the Wiki, I some how missed this document. The information in the article has answered the majority of my questions.

 

As always...Thank You! Very Much!!

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi intellihome,

 

Thanks so very much. Please do keep me posted on your observations.

 

One more question:

The program with your IOLinc ... I think the major issue here is that in momentary mode, when the relay turns OFF it does NOT send a status update back to ISY. This means that you would have to have a program to query the status of that relay all the time.

 

With kind regards,

Michel