Device History Plug-In Beta Testing

[randy]

I just discovered last night that I never hooked up that action to the command that generates charts That should be in the next release. Once I figured out I could get it to generate them on the fly with the &hsn.PluginFunction command, I forgot to go back and make the action work.

I guess that explains why I couldn't find them

I am thinking about building a webpage of a handful of graphs by creating a recurring event that will build a fresh set of images on a regular basis.

[shill]

I created an event to generate a handful of charts, but I can't find where they are put. When you build one from the charting page it goes in \html\skWare\DeviceHistory\images\chart, but I can't find the one generated by ones generated by an event. Where do they go?

How would you prefer they be named? Device ref? Location+Name? overwritten each time? or a time-stamped name?

Easy answer is overwritten device ref name, easiest to consume might be location+name (though if you want to serve them up by HTML, I'd probably replace some characters with '_'). I assume the goal should be to have them overwritten each time so you can include it in another html page consistently?

[randy]

How would you prefer they be named? Device ref? Location+Name? overwritten each time? or a time-stamped name?

Easy answer is overwritten device ref name, easiest to consume might be location+name (though if you want to serve them up by HTML, I'd probably replace some characters with '_'). I assume the goal should be to have them overwritten each time so you can include it in another html page consistently?

Definitely overwritten, or it would be impossible to build a static webpage to pull up the most current graph. Naming would seem to be the easiest for most users as something like "location_device_name.jpg" with the underscore character replacing any spaces in the device name.

[Pete]

Thank you Steve.

Yup here switched off IE/Chrome a while ago and primarily using Firefox on Wintel and Linux.

Its a personnel preference.

Note I can test this because Homeseer 3 is not in "production" as I am still toying with it and have much extra hardware to play with.

I did just run IE and it looks the same for configuration / history / charting stuff as above.

I have to review what files are in what directories / HS3 root. I removed one "bin" directory and used the common bin for all of the plugins in Linux. It was just a capital first letter thing.

A quickie review of what is where today here:

HS3 root on Linux I have three files: (note the upper and lower case naming of everything as I am doing a copy and paste).

1 - HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.exe
2 - HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.exe.config
3 - System.Web.DataVisualization.dll

In the config file see:

<runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
       <probing privatePath="bin;bin/skWare/DeviceHistory"/>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>

/usr/local/HomeSeer/bin/skWare/DeviceHistory/==>

- SQLite.Interop.dll
- System.Data.SQLite.dll
- System.Web.DataVisualization.dll * - in root of HS3 too.

/usr/local/HomeSeer/Config/==>

- HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.ini

/usr/local/HomeSeer/Data/skWare/DeviceHistory/==>

HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.db3 * populating DB fine this morning.

/usr/local/HomeSeer/html/skWare/DeviceHistory/images/chart/==>

e0b2c5e2-e47d-471e-8cd8-28ba67440362.png

/usr/local/HomeSeer/Logs/skWare/DeviceHistory/==>

HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.log

Removed System.Web.DataVisualization.dll from root of HS3 this morning.

Removed old Bin directory and root system web file. Shut down Homeseer3 and restarted it via the command line prompt (SSH).

11:23:47:8875:[Info]->Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:53776
INFO: Connected.
3/7/2015 11:23:48 AM--Device initialization is complete.
11:23:48:4953:[Error]->Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
11:23:48:5179:[Plug-In]->Finished initializing plug-in Device History

Status shows plugin is enabled with an error:

WARNING: Failed getting InterfaceStatus from Device History - the interface was not found in the list of active interfaces, the list may need to be refreshed.

Shut down the plugin and HS3 via command line prompt.

Started HS3 with plugin disabled.

Enabled plugin and all is well. So it appears that something unique is happening when the plugin starts up with HS3. (evident in the log error seen above).

Concurrently running a couple of other plugins. I am noticing errors not seen before when they are writing to DB using DBUtils.

Disabled the other plugins leaving this one enabled. Shut down HS3 again. Restarted it.

Started HS3 / plugin enabled this time with no errors.

Other plugins running are: HSTouch server, HAI Plugin, mcsXAP plugin. Disabled right now are Z-Wave and X-10.

One script running which doesn't do any DB writing.

So it looks may be to be some DBUtil writing conflict with another plugin. Will test out each one above by itself.

1 - test 1 with HAI plugin enabled. Shut down HS3. Restarted it.

Both plugins started fine with no errors.

2 - test 2 shut down HAI plugin and enabled mcsXAP plugin. Shut down HS3 and restarted it.

Both plugins started fine with no errors.

3 - test 3 shut down mcsXAP plugin and enabled HSTouch. Shut down HS3 and restarted it.

Both plugins started fine with no errors.

=============here now running two plugins plus device history testing============

4 - test 4 - enabled mcsXAP, Device History and HSTouch. Shut down HS3 and restarted it.

All three plugins started fine with no errors.

5 - test 5 - enabled HAI, Device History and HSTouch. Shut down HS3 and restarted it.

All three plugins started fine with no errors.

=============here now running three plugins plus device history testing============

6 - test 6 - enabled HAI, Device History, mcsXAP and HSTouch. Shut down HS3 and restarted it.

All four plugins started fine with no errors.

=============here now leaving all plugins running, shutting down HS3/server and restarting it============

7 - test 7 - shut down HS3 (via command line) and rebooted box to autostart HS3.

Test failed with only the Device History plugin not starting while the other three started fine.

WARNING: Failed getting InterfaceStatus from Device History - the interface was not found in the list of active interfaces, the list may need to be refreshed.

Disabling plugin and re enabling caused the same error as early posted.

Mar-07 12:13:13 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:54053
Mar-07 12:13:13 PM Error Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in :0
Mar-07 12:13:13 PM Plug-In Finished initializing plug-in Device History

It is odd that I cannot replicate this error when starting up and shutting down HS3 via the command line console mode.

8 - test 8 - shut down HS3 (via command line) and rebooted box to autostart HS3 with failure of History plugin

Disabled other three plugins and the History plugin started to work right away.

testing all scenarios above but rebooting instead of using the console to shut down and restart Homeseer 3.

9 - test 9 - Disabled history plugin and cold booted the box and starting plugin after Homeseer starts.

Enabled plugin. Error showed in log and on management page.

Log shows:

Mar-07 2:27:31 PM Web Server Web Server authorized local login successful from: User: pete
Mar-07 2:27:39 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:45243
Mar-07 2:27:39 PM Error Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in :0
Mar-07 2:27:39 PM Plug-In Finished initializing plug-in Device History
Mar-07 2:28:05 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:45291
Mar-07 2:28:05 PM Plug-In Finished initializing plug-in Device History

Plugin page shows:

Same error as before.

Disabled plugin. Waited about 30 seconds. Re enabled plugin and all is fine.

[shill]

Thank you Steve.

Yup here switched off IE/Chrome a while ago and primarily using Firefox on Wintel and Linux.

Its a personnel preference.

Note I can test this because Homeseer 3 is not in "production" as I am still toying with it and have much extra hardware to play with.

I did just run IE and it looks the same for configuration / history / charting stuff as above.

The issue isn't a browser one, it has something to do with the way the jsListBoxEx generates the HTML in Linux vs Windows. I haven't tried to dig down to the HS files to see if I can find the bug, but I did report it to Rich.

However, I figured out a workaround this morning by using fixed height cells (which really only works because of ANOTHER bug with the jsListBoxEx where it ignores all attempts to resize it), so the next build should look right on Linux and Windows both.

As for your startup issues, I'll look at my init code and see if I can put in some exception handling that allows retrying the init or something, but I can't really replicate it either, so it'll be a bit of trial and error (as you've already done - thanks for all those tests!) to see if we can get around it for you.

[Pete]

Thank you Steve.

Still playing. Let me see here if I can replicate the error using a difference scenario of starting Homeseer 3. I did just notice I was starting a script and shutting down a script in the startup and shutdown files.

Kind of thinking now its relating to starting of multiple plugins maybe too early?

OK I can now replicate the error. You mentioned that you do not see this error on your Linux Debian Wheezy VM box?

Not so much concerned at this point of the stuff in the web page rather more about it not starting up with Homeseer 3 when I restart Homeseer rebooting the box. Note I am using the HS3 GUI to reboot the box.

Here I can build a VM any flavor. You mentioned a Debian Wheezy VM.

Trying another test here running the plugin from another Linux box. Current tested HS3 box is Ubuntu 14.04 64 bit running GUI (not really looking at it) via LUbuntu.

[Pete]

I've been able to get it to run remotely except for the error I see. I enabled more granular logging.

/usr/local/skware# mono skware.exe server=192.168.244.191
TRACE: Device History starting up with arguments:
TRACE: server=192.168.244.191
DEBUG: Connecting to HS server at 192.168.244.191:10400 ...
INFO: Connected.
TRACE: >>>> InitIO(COM1)

Mar-07 3:46:27 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:192.168.244.169:56173
Mar-07 3:46:28 PM Error Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in :0

[Pete]

More granular logging.

Error on remote:

Mar-07 4:04:10 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:192.168.244.169:56193
Mar-07 4:04:11 PM Error Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in :0
Threadpool worker
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> Load()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< Load
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> Setup()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> Upgrade()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> Save()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< Save
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< Upgrade
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> .ctor()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< .ctor
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> .ctor()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> ClearInputs()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< ClearInputs
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History >>>> SetupCommands()
Mar-07 4:04:13 PM Device History <<<< SetupCommands
Mar-07 4:04:14 PM Device History <<<< .ctor
Mar-07 4:04:14 PM Device History <<<< Setup
Mar-07 4:05:00 PM Info Plugin Device History with instance: has disconnected
Mar-07 4:05:17 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:192.168.244.169:56196

TRACE: Device History starting up with arguments:
TRACE: server=192.168.244.191
DEBUG: Connecting to HS server at 192.168.244.191:10400 ...
INFO: Connected.
TRACE: >>>> InitIO(COM1) This is where the remote stops talking.

No error on plugin start up.

Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Info Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:45330
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> Load()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< Load
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> Setup()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> Upgrade()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> InitIO(COM1)
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> InitIO(COM1)
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> Save()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History Found monitored device 'Indoor Temperature'
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> RegisterWebPage(Device_History_Config,,)
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History Registered link 'Device_History_Config'
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< Save
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< RegisterWebPage
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< Upgrade
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> RegisterWebPage(Device_History_Chart,,)
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History Registered link 'Device_History_Chart'
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< RegisterWebPage
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> .ctor()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< .ctor
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> .ctor()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> ClearInputs()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< ClearInputs
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History >>>> SetupCommands()
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< SetupCommands
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< .ctor
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< Setup
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< InitIO=
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Device History <<<< InitIO=
Mar-07 4:05:39 PM Plug-In Finished initializing plug-in Device History

[shill]

Unfortunately, whatever is going wrong is going wrong before I have a connection to HS to write the logs (connecting is a two step process, the log message about being connected below is just at the socket layer).

Can you turn the logging up in the plugin log file instead? It writes to both HS and the log file, but during startup it can only write to the log file, so there's a little more detail there.

[Pete]

Thank-you Steve.

Yesterday/last night edited the INI files and changed both to a level 6 logging. Initially kept looking at the log file; and it remained at zero bytes.

Later on I did see way more granular details. I will post.

Concurrently yesterday.....

The above noted I am doing an open on the workbench motherboard burn in for the new Homeseer 3 computer.

I started earlier yesterday and copied over backup from currently testing Intel Core duo computer to the Intel iSeries 3 computer.

The builds are identically running Ubuntu 14.04 64 bit. Less memory on the Core Duo build than the iSeries build.

Homeseer 3 Pro boots way faster on the new computer and your plug in is not showing any errors.

This went to the wee hours of the morning test and retesting.

I have cold booted the computer, shut down and restarted Homeseer 3, enabled and disabled plug in and it is working great with no errors.

I have shut down Homeseer 3 Pro on the core duo box and just have to change the auto start on it.

All of the files remain on said box as it was a re-purposed XBMC box and I will look.

I do have Wine 32/64 bit installed on said box and it does some weird stuff with Mono while adding Microsoft dot net stuff. (it is at dot net 4.0).

I did start to play some more with the plug in using the event / chart generator pieces. It is impressive.

Thank-you Steve for your patience. Will post the log files shortly.

Noticed that the HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.log on the box is written to the root of the log directory while the /Logs/skWare/DeviceHistory/HSPI_SKWARE_DEVICE_HISTORY.log indicates zero bytes.

[CeeTee]

Review and Suggestions

Couldn't get it to install with the override; it never seemed to complete properly so I finished the install manually.

Pleased to report that it works as advertised (see my signature below for install rev's) and viewing and working properly on Firefox, Chrome and Explorer as well as on Safari and Chrome on iPhone / iPads (iOS 8.1.3).

Suggestions (aka Wish List):

• Would be more useful if more than multiple items could be viewed on a chart: i.e. my Zwave (Aeotec) home energy meter reads 2 phases and I'd like to see both on one chart.

• As above, but with outside temperature superimposed.

• Similarly, my wine cellar temp and humidity would be neat to see on one chart

• Being able to generate the charts automatically to view elsewhere other than within the HS3 PI configuration page. I see, however, from a previous post that RPRADE is already talking to you about an event he's created to do just that so I'll wait and see how that progresses.

• Of course, being able to call these charts up on HSTouch would be terrific.

I realize that multiple devices on one chart probably poses a challenge, i.e. scaling, but if you could figure out a way to do that then INMHO you'd have a winning PI here. Anyways, thanks for your effort...keep up the great work!

[shill]

Couldn't get it to install with the override; it never seemed to complete properly so I finished the install manually.

Pleased to report that it works as advertised (see my signature below for install rev's) and viewing and working properly on Firefox, Chrome and Explorer as well as on Safari and Chrome on iPhone / iPads (iOS 8.1.3).

Suggestions (aka Wish List):

• Would be more useful if more than multiple items could be viewed on a chart: i.e. my Zwave (Aeotec) home energy meter reads 2 phases and I'd like to see both on one chart.

• As above, but with outside temperature superimposed.

• Similarly, my wine cellar temp and humidity would be neat to see on one chart

• Being able to generate the charts automatically to view elsewhere other than within the HS3 PI configuration page. I see, however, from a previous post that RPRADE is already talking to you about an event he's created to do just that so I'll wait and see how that progresses.

• Of course, being able to call these charts up on HSTouch would be terrific.

I realize that multiple devices on one chart probably poses a challenge, i.e. scaling, but if you could figure out a way to do that then INMHO you'd have a winning PI here. Anyways, thanks for your effort...keep up the great work!

Thanks for the feedback! The problems with the override file seem to have to do with end-of-line markers between Windows and linux, but that should all be cleared up once it gets in the store (soon!).

The first version I made for myself actually allowed you to choose as many devices as you wanted to see on the chart. That got to be problematic from a usability perspective if you chose devices with different value ranges (as you predicted), especially when I started replacing the #'s with the labels, but the chart control DOES allow me to have two different Y-axes and I've left myself some room to make use of that in a future release.

As far as generating the charts automatically, please have a look through the manual that's installed in your Docs directory - there's an event that will do it (which will be activated in the next release) and an example of how you can call it on the fly via a script command to display in HSTouch.

[Pete]

Yup; like that chart create event. I was playing with it early this morning and one HS3 touchscreen I am using.

I am doing something similiar today with HS Touch 2 / Homeseer 2 relating to the mcsTemperature charting program (Chart Director).

Its a 3rd party free application with a little advertisement or purchase - which I did many years ago. Relating to the mcsTemperature charting there is an input page separate from the charting page which lets you change the XY stuff, variable, decimal points, colors, line weight, dot size and all sorts of stuff. Additionally you can enter a variable into an equation right in the space for the variable say for rounding numbers or conversions on the fly. The chart page also includes a separate linear bar chart plus the XY chart. While concurrently utilized the google charting stuff; liked more the inhouse non dependant on the internet for charting stuff more.

I am still addicted to Chart Director (probably cuz I purchased it).

[Pete]

@Steve.

Here is the stuff from the legacy Homeseer 3 box.

INI configuration file is set for:

[Options]
MonitoredDevices=143
LogLevelHS=6
LogLevelFile=6
Limit=365
Version=0.9.2
ValueTableHeight=0
DefaultSort=CHANGE_DATE ASC

I cold started Homeseer 3 with the plugin enabled.

It did not start.

I then disable the plugin and re-enabled it and it didn't start. The third time it started.

Logs are showing.

When it didn't start:

3/8/2015 3:36:38 PM ~!~Info~!~Plugin Device History has connected. IP:127.0.0.1:46524
3/8/2015 3:36:40 PM ~!~Error~!~Initializing plug-in(2): Device History Instance::Object reference not set to an instance of an objectSTACK: at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke (System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy rp, IMessage msg, System.Exception& exc, System.Object[]& out_args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
3/8/2015 3:36:40 PM ~!~Plug-In~!~Finished initializing plug-in Device History

3/8/2015 3:36:47 PM,TRACE,>>>> Load()
3/8/2015 3:36:47 PM,TRACE,<<<< Load
3/8/2015 3:36:47 PM,TRACE,>>>> Setup()
3/8/2015 3:36:47 PM,TRACE,>>>> Upgrade()
3/8/2015 3:36:47 PM,TRACE,>>>> Save()
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< Save
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< Upgrade
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,>>>> .ctor()
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< .ctor
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,>>>> .ctor()
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,>>>> ClearInputs()
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< ClearInputs
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,>>>> SetupCommands()
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< SetupCommands
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< .ctor
3/8/2015 3:36:48 PM,TRACE,<<<< Setup

[mikedr]

I'm a bit afraid to ask . . . is this plug-in Linux compatible?