will HS4 install in a different directory as HS3?

[mgonzales100]

I just bought a new micro-pc to install HS4 Pro (when it is released). My question is will HS4 Install in a different directory as HS3? The reason I'm asking is because since we have no idea when HS4 is going to be released, I don't want my new computer to collect dust until then. I'd like to install HS3 on my new computer but I don't want to insure my HS4 install is clean and without any residual HS3 components that may negatively impact new install.

[jon00]

Yes, HS4 is installed in a different directory (Homeseer HS4).

[mik3]

Are we able to carry over all our rules from HS3 to HS4? Or do we need to build from ground up?

[upstatemike]

Yes, HS4 is installed in a different directory (Homeseer HS4).

So what happens exactly if you start HS3 and HS4 at the same time on the same PC?

[jon00]

So what happens exactly if you start HS3 and HS4 at the same time on the same PC?

If you started them together with no plugins or connected hardware, they would both run fine, As soon as you add any plugins or connect hardware requiring serial/usb ports etc, the first one started would win. This would include remote plugins.

[joegr]

If you started them together with no plugins or connected hardware, they would both run fine, As soon as you add any plugins or connect hardware requiring serial/usb ports etc, the first one started would win. This would include remote plugins.

So, would it be possible to run H3 with no plugins on the same machine as HS4 with plugins? I'm looking for a way to retain HSPhone.

[jon00]

So, would it be possible to run H3 with no plugins on the same machine as HS4 with plugins? I'm looking for a way to retain HSPhone.

I would say unlikely as you are opening yourself up to plugin connection race conditions. For example, a HS4 plugin needing to restart would not know which HS version to connect to. To run both successfully would require different machines or maybe a VM which use different IP Addresses.

[drhtmal]

So what happens exactly if you start HS3 and HS4 at the same time on the same PC?

One of them would probably not run due to the conflict caused by both wanting to use port 80.

[jon00]

One of them would probably not run due to the conflict caused by both wanting to use port 80.

That is not an issue as the web server ports can be configured.

[drhtmal]

That is not an issue as the web server ports can be configured.

I know that. Just pointing out that if you were wanting to do a stock install of HS4 on your HS3 machine it would be a problem unless the ports were changed.

[jon00]

I know that. Just pointing out that if you were wanting to do a stock install of HS4 on your HS3 machine it would be a problem unless the ports were changed.

Yes I understand your point. FYI, Homeseer has a built in mechanism to automatically change its web server port if it finds its configured port already in use.

[upstatemike]

Still not clear why it would be a problem. Using HSPhone as an example: If there are no plugins installed in HS3 then the only shared resources would be the audio card right? Add a USB audio card just for HS3 to use and it seems like there would be no overlap so no point of conflict.

[Timon]

The most important thing to me is if I can run HS3 then stop it and bring up HS4 with the same HS3 configuration. Until I know that HS4 is stable I want to be able to run HS3 normally then bring up HS4 for some testing using the same configuration. In addition I want to restore my HS3 configuration back to HS4 ant any time.

Once done testing is done shutdown HS4 and bring up HS3 to put the house back to normal. Once I've run everything for a while then I'll feel good about running HS4.

[jon00]

Still not clear why it would be a problem. Using HSPhone as an example: If there are no plugins installed in HS3 then the only shared resources would be the audio card right? Add a USB audio card just for HS3 to use and it seems like there would be no overlap so no point of conflict.

Unfortunately it is not as simple as that. Both HS3 and HS4 'listen' on port 10400 for plugin connections; regardless if they are enabled or not. Therefore an enabled plugin in HS4 could try to connect to HS3. This is why HS3 plugins should work fine in HS4.

[joegr]

Well, that's a shame. I need HSPhone still and probably will for at least a few more years. I don't like the idea of having yet another PC running all the time.
I guess maybe I could run HS3 on a PI? Anyway, this is going to be like the move from HS2 to HS3 was for me. I'll wait till HS3 plugin support is gone and I can't do what I need to do with it before I switch to HS4.