Could UDI improve Launcher installation?

[larryllix]

I would like to see some automatic method to add the IoX Launcher to my desktop.

I have been upgrading through almost every version put out since ISY994 v3.x and it still takes me 15-30 minutes of hacking away at different commands to make the ISY Launcher to show up somewhere on my laptop with a matching version to the ISY version.

[DennisC]

11 hours ago, larryllix said:

I would like to see some automatic method to add the IoX Launcher to my desktop.

I have been upgrading through almost every version put out since ISY994 v3.x and it still takes me 15-30 minutes of hacking away at different commands to make the ISY Launcher to show up somewhere on my laptop with a matching version to the ISY version.

Are you on Mac or Windows? I'm using Windows and don't have this issue.

[larryllix]

45 minutes ago, DennisC said:

Are you on Mac or Windows? I'm using Windows and don't have this issue.

I am on Windows 11.  What issue?

How does the launcher link get installed on your desktop?

Edited March 29, 2023 by larryllix

[DennisC]

2 minutes ago, larryllix said:

I am on Windows 11.  What issue?

How does the launcher link get installed on your desktop?

Maybe I am missing something?

I clear Java cache, click on start.jnlp & it installs IoX Launcher to my desktop. I'm typically done in under 2 minutes not 15-30 minutes. I thought the 15-30 minutes was an issue?

[larryllix]

2 minutes ago, DennisC said:

Maybe I am missing something?

I clear Java cache, click on start.jnlp & it installs IoX Launcher to my desktop. I'm typically done in under 2 minutes not 15-30 minutes. I thought the 15-30 minutes was an issue?

I clear my java cache and there is no start.jnlp. It was cleared out when I clean out my java items and there is nothing to launch.

Then I spend at least 15 minutes searching the forums and wiki for something that doesn't seem to exist anywhere.

Edited March 29, 2023 by larryllix

[DennisC]

7 minutes ago, larryllix said:

I clear my java cache and there is no start.jnlp. It was cleared out when I clean out my java items and there is nothing to launch.

Then I spend at least 15 minutes searching the forums and wiki for something that doesn't seem to exist anywhere.

I have a folder in My Documents where I keep the link to start.jnlp, as well as a shortcut to open Java Control Panel. It makes accessing everything I need a lot quicker.

The link to start.jnlp is in the wiki instructions, here is the link to the instructions:

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Installing_the_Admin_Console_Icon_on_Your_Desktop

and this is the link directly to start.jnlp

https://isy.universal-devices.com/start.jnlp

 

[larryllix]

55 minutes ago, DennisC said:

I have a folder in My Documents where I keep the link to start.jnlp, as well as a shortcut to open Java Control Panel. It makes accessing everything I need a lot quicker.

The link to start.jnlp is in the wiki instructions, here is the link to the instructions:

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Installing_the_Admin_Console_Icon_on_Your_Desktop

and this is the link directly to start.jnlp

https://isy.universal-devices.com/start.jnlp

 

Thanks.

I kept that file and changed the name to protect it last time. After restoring it when I ran it it reported there was a mismatch between versions, indicating v5.5.8 and v5.5.9  and would not install anything.

I guess we will see next time again.

It still would be nice for the automatic updating to install, or ask to install the Launcher, if possible. I have spent a lot of time for the last 30 upgrades looking for instructions how to get it back. Previously it would be found under the java app menu, sometimes on the desktop, other times hidden in a download folder and most of the time, nowhere I could find.

Thanks

[larryllix]

1 hour ago, DennisC said:

I have a folder in My Documents where I keep the link to start.jnlp, as well as a shortcut to open Java Control Panel. It makes accessing everything I need a lot quicker.

The link to start.jnlp is in the wiki instructions, here is the link to the instructions:

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=Main_Page#Installing_the_Admin_Console_Icon_on_Your_Desktop

and this is the link directly to start.jnlp

https://isy.universal-devices.com/start.jnlp

 

Unfortunately that wiki link contains nonsense.  You cannot use the file that you don't have to run the launcher. It's about finding the Launcher, not the admin console.

"Installing the Admin Console Icon on Your Desktop

It's always best to use the Admin Console application which is browser independent. To do this:

1. Clear your java cache
2. Use the ISY Launcher to launch the Admin Console. This should put an icon on your desktop once you run the downloaded start.jnlp file.
3. Click on the discovered 994, Polisy, or eisy and you will see this menu

 

UPDATE: This is a browser problem. Links do not appear underlined anymore unless you know they are existing and hover over them. Also the default link colour is not distinctly different from the normal text, making it hard to discern.

Edited March 29, 2023 by larryllix

[DennisC]

6 minutes ago, larryllix said:

Unfortunately that wiki link contains nonsense.  You cannot use the file that you don't have to run the launcher. It's about finding the Launcher, not the admin console.

"Installing the Admin Console Icon on Your Desktop

It's always best to use the Admin Console application which is browser independent. To do this:

1. Clear your java cache
2. Use the ISY Launcher to launch the Admin Console. This should put an icon on your desktop once you run the downloaded start.jnlp file.
3. Click on the discovered 994, Polisy, or eisy and you will see this menu

I don't understand. When I click on the first link I posted, I get all of the instructions in the wiki, along with a link that downloads start.jnlp. All of that works for me.

When I click on the second link I posted, I get a download of start.jnlp.

In either case, running the downloaded start.jnlp, installs the IoX Launcher.

It all works for me.

[larryllix]

1 minute ago, DennisC said:

I don't understand. When I click on the first link I posted, I get all of the instructions in the wiki, along with a link that downloads start.jnlp. All of that works for me.

When I click on the second link I posted, I get a download of start.jnlp.

In either case, running the downloaded start.jnlp, installs the IoX Launcher.

It all works for me.

See my update above. The links were not apparent in my Firefox browser.

Thanks again. I have bookmarked the wiki information. I have not been able to find it in the past.

[DennisC]

1 minute ago, larryllix said:

See my update above. The links were not apparent in my Firefox browser.

Thanks again. I have bookmarked the wiki information. I have not been able to find it in the past.

Got it!

You could copy the links and post them inside a document (Microsoft Word or similar).

[larryllix]

4 minutes ago, DennisC said:

Got it!

You could copy the links and post them inside a document (Microsoft Word or similar).

I see @Michel Kohanimhas been hard at work to make the wiki a much better resource over the last years. There is actually many directory links now. 👍

BTW: I never noticed a link the the Launcher until I copied the text to my post. Then it was underlined and an apparent color. Going back I see they use a very small icon symbol beside the link but the color scheme on a dimmed LCD screen is just not apparent. I attempted to brighten the link color but it just isn't apparent. (ooops...I guess there is another def. for a used link, also)

[mmb]

Is UDI making any moves away from java launcher?  It seems to be a source for so many end user problems.

I read somewhere the mobile app was going to serve as the basis for a new desktop app maybe misread though...

[Geddy]

44 minutes ago, mmb said:

Is UDI making any moves away from java launcher?  It seems to be a source for so many end user problems.

I read somewhere the mobile app was going to serve as the basis for a new desktop app maybe misread though...

Probably not moving away from Java anytime soon. Problems are usually all that get reported/posted about. Don't see people posting when stuff works as designed.

Yes, I believe there is hope that UD Mobile would be available on computers (it's already able to run on macOS (though think only M1 and better, but might recall somebody saying they got it on an Intel MAC). Some have been able to get it to run on Win11 with an Android emulator (I think). I've seen @Javi post that it's hopeful to get on Win11 natively, but maybe not a high priority. 

 

[MrBill]

@mmb  To echo what @Geddy said... I think the idea is that UD mobile will someday replace the admin console, and UD mobile will work on computers with larger screens and full keyboards as well as "mobile".   Like @Geddy I think the java based admin console will be around for a long time.

[mmb]

6 hours ago, MrBill said:

@mmb  To echo what @Geddy said... I think the idea is that UD mobile will someday replace the admin console, and UD mobile will work on computers with larger screens and full keyboards as well as "mobile".   Like @Geddy I think the java based admin console will be around for a long time.

I understand the complexity of replacing it, how many of the competing IOT systems use a similar java base for their admin console and what benefit does it add?

As an aside my friend is java guru Gosling's sister.

[TRI0N]

Well I hope they do something with UD Mobile. Right now (at least on my phone Galaxy S22), it doesn't do much of anything where I would even use it. I open it and you get a screen with nothing on it... "There are no items in this folder". Doesn't list a single device. Then I click the edit button at top, select one of the eisy's and I get "Configure Colors/Values/Icons. That's about it. I suppose I could reboot a eisy if I needed to. Otherwise it's practically worthless. 


TRI0N

[kzboray]

@TRI0N I would encourage you to take another look at UD Mobile, it's actually very powerful, but it requires you to do the configuration. After all how and what do you want control over from your phone?

I certainly wouldn't want all 234 Insteon devices to try and populate my phone screen, not to mention network resources, programs, nodeservers and associated nodes, that's unworkable. UD Mobile is intentionally blank when you first start it. You have to read the manual or do what I did and play with it for an hour. I now have a great setup that is just the way I want it and when I had a problem one Saturday Javi spent the next 6 hours working with me on a resolution. It turned out to be a problem on my network, but he was there the entire way offering suggestions and diligently working to help.


 

[TRI0N]

Just now, kzboray said:

@TRI0N I would encourage you to take another look at UD Mobile, it's actually very powerful, but it requires you to do the configuration. After all how and what do you want control over from your phone?

I certainly wouldn't want all 234 Insteon devices to try and populate my phone screen, not to mention network resources, programs, nodeservers and associated nodes, that's unworkable. UD Mobile is intentionally blank when you first start it. You have to read the manual or do what I did and play with it for an hour. I now have a great setup that is just the way I want it and when I had a problem one Saturday Javi spent the next 6 hours working with me on a resolution. It turned out to be a problem on my network, but he was there the entire way offering suggestions and diligently working to help.


 

Define Configure. I have both my eisy's connected. Not a single device is on the screen. No add device or select devices you want. Just some "Configure Colors/Values/Icons" when you click one of the eisy's. So unless I need to do some sort magic trick. I stand firm on my comment. There literally nothing impressive about it. I check it each time there is an update that occurred and still the same disappointment. 

TRI0N

[Javi]

3 hours ago, TRI0N said:

Well I hope they do something with UD Mobile. Right now (at least on my phone Galaxy S22), it doesn't do much of anything where I would even use it. I open it and you get a screen with nothing on it... "There are no items in this folder". Doesn't list a single device. Then I click the edit button at top, select one of the eisy's and I get "Configure Colors/Values/Icons. That's about it. I suppose I could reboot a eisy if I needed to. Otherwise it's practically worthless. 


TRI0N

If there is not a single device then something is wrong.  UD Mobile lists all Nodes, Programs, Variables, and Network Resources with all available controls on the Home Screen. The Favorites screen will be empty until you add items to favorites.

Please try synchronization if the controller is listed on the Home Screen by clicking the controller then pressing the synchronize icon at the top right.  IF the controller is not listed on the home screen, then go to Settings-Tab > Systems > Your Systems, if everything is configured correctly the app will prompt to synchronize or will show connection errors.

If you get errors during synchronization please let us know.  

 

[DennisC]

Here is the link to user guide.

https://wiki.universal-devices.com/index.php?title=UD_Mobile

 

[TSinclair]

As an Orchestrated MobiLinc user for MANY years I will concede the learning curve of UD Mobile was pretty steep.  However after using it exclusively for 2+ months, I find its power and flexibility wonderful.  Yeah remembering the hex colors and minimal icons was/is annoying, but the flexibility and ability to configure what works for my situation(s) is invaluable.  The WAF is also high.

[TRI0N]

7 hours ago, Javi said:

Please try synchronization if the controller is listed on the Home Screen by clicking the controller then pressing the synchronize icon at the top right. 

Well that might be the problem. There is no Synchronize Button. However if I go into Settings -> Systems -> Select an eisy it will ask if I want to synchronize. I do so.. It takes a while, usually comes up saying there are invalid links (something like that) and asks if I want to remove them. I do.. Then I'm back to where I was with still nothing on the home screen.

I just performed those steps again just now to see if there are changes. It did not find anything wrong this Sync, but again back at the home screen with nothing.

I got the latest update with the notification system about a week ago when it was released.


TRI0N

Edited April 6, 2023 by TRI0N

[Javi]

4 minutes ago, TRI0N said:

Well that might be the problem. There is no Synchronize Button. However if I go into Settings -> Systems -> Select an eisy it will ask if I want to synchronize. I do so.. It takes a while, usually comes up saying there are invalid links (something like that) and asks if I want to remove them. I do.. Then I'm back to where I was with still nothing on the home screen.

I just performed those steps again just now to see if there are changes. It did not find anything wrong this Sync, but again back at the home screen with nothing.

I got the latest update with the notification system about a week ago when it was released.


TRI0N

Did you happen to hide the system?  Try pressing the edit icon at the top of the home screen which will show all systems including hidden systems. If there is a plus icon next to your system name then it was hidden so press the plus icon then press the edit icon to disable edits.  

[TRI0N]

1 minute ago, Javi said:

Did you happen to hide the system?  Try pressing the edit icon at the top of the home screen which will show all systems including hidden systems. If there is a plus icon next to your system name then it was hidden so press the plus icon then press the edit icon to disable edits.  

No they both have the Green Plus. I removed the work eisy just to see if there is a conflict with having more than one eisy. No change... Still nothing in the home screen.

TRI0N

Edited April 6, 2023 by TRI0N