Import from other software

[mbam]

I would really like an import routine that would grab the devices from a program (like Houselink). Clearing existing links would probably be a good idea.

 

I have a sizeable installation that I want to convert to the ISY. I have many in-line modules that are hard to reach.

 

Or is there a way to do this that I am missing?

 

Thanks!

[apostolakisl]

ISY will spider through your Insteon installation and automatically pull all of the settings programmed into the switches (all of the links). In other words, everything that the devices would do on their own with houselink turned off. That is not to say the links that were put into the switches by houselink, they will transfer.

 

There is pretty much no way that it could pull programs from your houselink software as the language translation would be daunting.

[mbam]

Ok, but how about just import the list of devices? Then it can spider. I can't reach many of them to put them in linking mode.

[Sub-Routine]

Yes, use the second option: Add devices found in links and remove existing links.

 

Rand

 

Ok, but how about just import the list of devices? Then it can spider. I can't reach many of them to put them in linking mode.

[mbam]

Yes, I know that but how do I get the devices into the ISY in the first place aside from manually entering them or linking the ones I can reach?

 

It would be nice to just import the device list and then let the ISY do the spidering. Would save a lot of time in a large installation. I would need to look at the export file again from Houselink but I think the device names/descriptions are there also.

[Sub-Routine]

The Insteon protocol does not allow the PLM to search.

 

From the Houselinc file you should be able to find the addresses of your InlineLincs.

 

I have to admit it is a PITA to start with but this is an advantage over X10 when you could control your neighbors devices.

 

Rand

 

Yes, I know that but how do I get the devices into the ISY in the first place aside from manually entering them or linking the ones I can reach?

 

It would be nice to just import the device list and then let the ISY do the spidering. Would save a lot of time in a large installation. I would need to look at the export file again from Houselink but I think the device names/descriptions are there also.

[mbam]

I understand, but why not a routine to read the Houslink export file and import the device addresses & descriptions.

[apostolakisl]

Since I had ISY from the beginning I never had this issue.

 

But, it was my impression that once ISY had a starting device, it would add all of the devices that that one was linked to, then all of the devices that each of those was linked to, and so on until it exhausted all links.

 

This would probably get most devices depending on your links.

 

Am I wrong?

[mbam]

Not wrong if the devices are linked at all, however I have many that are kind of isolated. Like the bedroom does not have any links to the kitchen, etc. I was wating to move over to the ISY before I did any whole house stuff.

[LeeG]

Not sure about the development time it would take to create a once in a life time function versus putting that development effort into day to day functional enhancements. Also there are other automation platforms to consider besides HL2. It could be an enticement to migrate from HL2 to ISY if able advertise a friendly migration path.

 

To the point of spidering, I have done this as a test and it works. The problem is that you have a list of devices by Insteon Address without any meaningful device Names. The Scenes are the same way. There is a list of Scenes with “Scene xxx†as the name of the Scene. Of course the devices and scenes can be renamed.

 

It is a PITA if done from scratch one device at a time (particularly for InLincLincs and Motion Sensors) , deleting links as each device is added. However, the end result is a clean installation with no broken links and meaningful names for devices and scenes.

 

Since there is no utility available today and even if UDI decided it was a high priority item it would not be available any time soon, that leaves the spider option or adding the one at a time.

[mbam]

Yep, I understand. But it would make the decision to switch easier (even though I have already decided). I bet I'm not the only one who could use this!

 

I have not looked, but is there a table where the ISY stores this stuff? It's possible I could write it myself.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello mbam,

 

We do not have a routine to import HouseLinc configuration into ISY. Unfortunately so, we do not even have plans of supporting such import utility.

 

I do apologize for the inconvenience.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello mbam,

 

We do not have a routine to import HouseLinc configuration into ISY. Unfortunately so, we do not even have plans of supporting such import utility.

 

I do apologize for the inconvenience.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[apostolakisl]

mbam,

 

I do not know about house link 2, but ISY is pretty nice at setting links up (called "scenes" in isy), especially if you have the pro version, as you can create all of your scnes in isy and after finished have it actually do the write to devices. In other words, you put all of your switches into your scenes and then click the write button and go out to dinner or something.

 

I would suggest that for the lowest chance of screwups, start from scratch. Factory reset all of your devices, import them to ISY via their Insteon address, and set up your scenes (links). It will probably take 1 minute per device to import the devices (at most). The scenes will just depend on how fancy you want it. But you get to walk away while that is going on. You will need to understand what ISY terminology means regarding responders and controllers.

 

I imagine that your houselink can give you a list of the devices by your designated name and by Insteon address. You won't need to enter stuff such as the type of switch as ISY pulls that automatically.