mrxmas Posted January 5, 2012 Posted January 5, 2012 Hi, In my travels here on this forum, I have accuired a "Admin console" shortcut on my desktop. In this version it is firmware 2.8.16 and UI 3.1.13. However when I acsess the admin console through windows and the network it is only firmware 2.8.16. Not sure what I've done or if I have 2 version running? Are both versions on the ISY or is it only the one that i acsess through the network??? Thanks for any thought you might have on this!!!!
Michel Kohanim Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Hello mrxmas, In most cases, it's best to run the Admin Console version equaling to the firmware version. This can be done in two ways: 1. Use the network shortcut which downloads the Admin Console directly from ISY --> it will have the same version as ISY version; OR 2. Go to Help | About, find your version (Insteon_UD99 v.nn.uu.mm where nn.uu.mm is the firmware version) and then go to http://www.universal-devices.com/99i/nn.uu.mm Please clear your Java cache before you doing either. With kind regards, Michel
oberkc Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 I have accuired a "Admin console" shortcut on my desktop. In this version it is firmware 2.8.16 However when I acsess the admin console through windows and the network it is only firmware 2.8.16. Are these not the same versions?
LeeG Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 The ISY firmware level is 2.8.16 in both cases. That cannot change without loading a new ISY image. What is changing is the Admin Console code that is being invoked. "In this version it is firmware 2.8.16 and UI 3.1.13." The UI 3.1.13 line in the Help | About display is identifying an Admin Console for one of the later 3.1.x Beta images. That version of the Admin Console should never be run with an ISY Firmware of 2.8.16.
matapan Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Would it be useful to put a validation check at startup of the Admin Console so the correct version of the AC is run with the correct firmware version? If the AC and ISY firmware versions don't match, return an error showing the firmware version on the ISY and the AC version being run. A reminder to clear your Java cache if you are have loaded an AC version that doesn't match the ISY firmware version might also be useful, if clearing the cache under the circumstances is important.
LeeG Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 I propsed that check in the past. There was an issue with implementing such a check across all the Admin Console variations and UDI declined the idea. At least now the UI line in later Admin Console versions provides a positive indication. Before that one had to search through the New INSTEON Device Device Type pulldown list looking for particular device types knowing what image added particular devices. My hope is that at some point in the future when the UI information is available in all the Admin Console variations a programmatic check can be implemented. That would sure save users from the symptoms of running a mismatch because the Help | About was not checked. There have been 2 topics just this year alone where the UI line provided definitive information regarding running mismatches. If a programmatic check had provided a warning popup the problems would never have lasted long enough to require forum assistance. In case it is not obvious, this is a sales pitch for a programmatic check.
matapan Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 I second LeeG's suggestion for a programmatic check. If ISY will evolve into a more mainstream consumer oriented device, such checks are particularly useful in reducing the number of calls or posts generated.
Michel Kohanim Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Hello all, We shall surely consider this requirement when we have moved to our next official release. Furthermore, we do not want to make it annoying with pop ups, so we have to look for some creative ways of doing it. With kind regards, Michel
apostolakisl Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 While this may not be the best solution, perhaps it is a simple one that can be implemented with little or no issues. Can the "insteon finder" that pops up first before the admin console put the version in its title? Similarly, can the ISY show the version number accross its title? Or maybe at the login box? From my perspective, I have a number of computers I use to access the AC. After a firmware upgrade I always load the new admin console on that machine, but it would not be unusual for me to forget to do it when I run it at a different computer.
Michel Kohanim Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Hi apostolakisl, Sounds good. With kind regards, Michel
LeeG Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Thanks Michel for considering the function. Since a mismatch between ISY Firmware and UI level is normally terminal (perhaps with a Continue button that allows for some exception testing) the user should never see the popup unless the Admin Console is incompatible with the ISY and should not proceed anyway.
Michel Kohanim Posted January 6, 2012 Posted January 6, 2012 Hello LeeG, Agreed! Thanks so very much for all your help/feedback and support. With kind regards, Michel
apostolakisl Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 Thanks Michel for considering the function. Since a mismatch between ISY Firmware and UI level is normally terminal (perhaps with a Continue button that allows for some exception testing) the user should never see the popup unless the Admin Console is incompatible with the ISY and should not proceed anyway. By "terminal" do you mean that console fails to function completely or is so riddled with errors that it is nearly unusuable? Personally, I have not found that to be the case. Of course, I am usually only accidentally running a console that is only a small revision different than the current. But I have discovered on a number of occasions that I forgot to upgrade my Java control panel on a secondary computer and had successfully used it extensively (only by chance discovering the wrong version).
LeeG Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 By terminal I mean there is no means of making the current Admin Console session compatible with the running ISY firmware. Some of the mismatch symptoms ... No Variables tab Unsupported device when adding device with Auto Discover Cannot find the device type in the Device Type pulldown InLineLinc does not work because the link records are wrong are just the ones that come to mind off the top. None of those symptoms should ever be seen by the user nor should he have to waste time finding the answers. They are all user errors resulting from running a mismatched Admin Console versus ISY and can be detected programmatically and prevented by some warning message when the Admin Console is invoked. When the levels do not match the Admin Console should not be used. Of course there will be times when a beta drop does not affect the Admin Console and running a mismatch will not result in problems. For many users who do not follow the forums day to day or work with the ISY nearly every day they will be helped by making them aware of a mismatched configuration. Trying to document what Admin Console levels are compatible with what ISY firmware is needless work.
apostolakisl Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 That is accurate. But it would only apply sparingly to me since I pretty much do every single update as it comes out and most of those updates don't make changes to the admin console. This is why I can be running 3.1.15 console and 3.1.16 firmware and not have any issues. But if I were someone who upgraded once per year, yes, things would be significantly off. In my experience however, the ISY is the only device I have ever used where the admin console is capable of being out of whack with the hardware. I think the most conclusive way to deal with this would be to have the admin console code on the ISY itself and when you log onto the ISY it downloads it to your computer. In this way you could never be running the wrong Java ware.
LeeG Posted January 7, 2012 Posted January 7, 2012 Don't generate any Scene using a "new" InLineLinc running 3.1.15 Admin Console on ISY 3.1.16. They will not work. The problems running a mismatch are not always obvious.
sanders2222 Posted January 8, 2012 Posted January 8, 2012 My two cents would be not to restrict the console applet from opening if versions do not match. I would prefer a dialog box that only pops up if the versions are not equal. The message would read something like "Warning. The Admin Console version does not match the firmware update. Are you sure you want to do this? Yes/No"
LeeG Posted January 8, 2012 Posted January 8, 2012 So long as the user has been warned and proceeds anyway, Buyer Beware. There may be times when it is useful to run a mismatch for test purposes. That is why I suggested a Continue button. Can you elaborate as to why you would want to continue running a session when the Admin Console it is not at the same level as the ISY?
sanders2222 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Can you elaborate as to why you would want to continue running a session when the Admin Console it is not at the same level as the ISY?Not sure I would want to. The only scenario I could think of is if I were an installer, or maybe at a friends house trying to work with another system using my PC. However, it doesn't seem to difficult to me to update either. More importantly, I often use other computers to access my own system. It seems whenever I perform a firmware update, I don't always remember to update every other PC I may use in the future. A warning message would alert me to that fact. Now I find myself sometimes staring (at the old console) and my mind falls into the problem solving mode "now what's wrong?"
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