Vista Alarm Plug-in Version 1.2.10 (Beta) that solves the usb disconnect issue

[mnsandler]

If you are experiencing the 'usb disconnect' issue with your ad2usb and homeseer, please give this a try.

I have integrated the FTDI .Net library into the plugin. All comm operations between the plugin and the ad2usb now use this library. This library also provides the ability to recover when the usb disconnect issue occurs.

So the plugin now monitors the time between received messages, and if the plugin doesn't receive a new message after 1 minute, it assumes a disconnect, and starts the recovery process.

I add a few triggers under the name "Vista Alarm Interface Connection" so you can monitor the connection
1. Disconnected - fired when the connection breaks
2. Reconnected - fired when the plugin recovers the connection
3. Non Operational - fires when the plugin can't recover within 2 minutes and shutdowns

In my own testing with a v2.0 and v2.2 board I have been able to recover after a disconnect and even when the virtual com port disappears from the windows device manager. I've been using an old fluorescent light to generate noise to the panel and ad2usb and the plugin is able to recover. I have not tested this with an original v1.0 board. I have mine sitting in my HA museum

Installation for existing users:
- You must copy both dll files from the zip into your homeseer folder.

Installation for new users:
- Install the current version in the Updater and then follow the above installation

Please report your finders, and perferably post a debug log

I hope this helps eliminate the need to complete restart HS or your box.

V1.2.11.0 - added custom values/graphics to RF Devices

[mnsandler]

Guys,

anyone running this version that was previous having a usb disconnect issue?

[mnsandler]

Vista Alarm v1.2.10.1

- fixed fire zone faulting bug

[Yolo44]

USB Disconnect Problem

I've been running the new version for around two weeks and haven't seen the disconnect problem. Before the upgrade, I would lose the connection around every week or two.
I setup three events to catch the 'monitor triggers' and so far none of them have reported a restart. If that changes I will post my findings here. Thanks for taking the time to address this problem.

[jkarney]

Vista Alarm Plug-in Version 1.2.10.1 (Beta) Feedback

Mark,
Today I installed Vista Alarm Plug-in Version 1.2.10.1 and tested the following:

Fire Zones
Vista Alarm System Trigger
Standard plug-in devices: AC Power Loss, System Low Battery, & Telco Failure

Mark the plugin performed perfectly. No glitches noted. All events fired and HS device status changed state as it should including the smoke detectors and the heat detector.

I only have one observation at this point: after I was done testing I entered my installer code into my vista 20P to change a setting and noticed that this action seemed to invoke the 'usb disconnect' recovery. I found this interesting as I have never had a USB disconnect issue since day one. Anyway I did this test again just to make sure that by going into programming mode on the alarm panel invokes this routine. Sure enough it does. See attached log.

I will be testing the plug-in user trigger once I talk to my alarm monitoring company.

Thanks Mark as usual great plug-in.

Jim

[jkarney]

Ok set up a couple of events that tests 2 out of three Vista Alarm Interface Connection" triggers:
1. Disconnected - fired when the connection breaks
2. Reconnected - fired when the plug-in recovers the connection.

I put the panel in programming mode and waited for about a minute which invokes a USB disconnect add the 2 triggers fired perfectly (see attached log).

Nice work Mark.

Jim

[mnsandler]

jim,
thanks for the feedback. the programming mode is an interesting scenario...Programming mode repeats msgs so theoretically, the plugin shouldn't think a disconnect occured.

maybe i need to extend the time between message.

can you post a log with programming mode msgs and the disconnect msgs?

[jkarney]

jim,
can you post a log with programming mode msgs and the disconnect msgs?

Mark in post #5 I have attached the HS log (Vista Plug-in debugging enabled) that shows the disconnect at time stamp 7/21/2012 4:47:53 PM & than again at 7/21/2012 5:08:48 PM. Of course both times I entered the installing code and put the Vista 20p in programming mode.

Sunday I will do them same test and post the log from putty.

Jim

[mnsandler]

Jim,
thanks for the info. i missed post #5.

but i don't see any programming mode msgs in the log. i thought these msgs would be logged based on my review of the code.

i'll have to try this on my end

[jkarney]

Mark,
I don't know if this helps our not but I have attached the raw log from putty were are entered the installer code, reviewed a setting and then exited programming.

Jim

[mnsandler]

without out a timestamp next to each msg i can't tell where the delay way.

my problem is i don't have a physical keypad connected to my test 20p. so i can't initiate prog mode without disabling the plugin monitor.

does putty have a timestamp feature?

[jkarney]

does putty have a timestamp feature?

I don't think so. Today I also just had another USB disconnect out of the blue. I never had disconnects with the ver 1 or ver 2.2 AD2USB. The plug-in recovers just fine (see attached log).

I ran Vista Alarm Plug-in v1.2.7.1 for over a 10 days before I upgraded to latest beta v1.2.10.1 and never had any USB disconnects.

This leads me to believe that the timing of the plug-in to detect USB disconnects may be to sensitive or I'm may be having a real usb disconnect issue.

So I'm thinking a feature request for the plug-in is to add a disable button and/or add a user settable timer for USB disconnect detection to be added to the plug-in settings tab.

Just a thought.

What do you think might be the best approach Mark?

Jim

[mnsandler]

Jim,
did you happen to enable the 'deduplicate' feature of the ad2usb fw using the ! cmd? if you did, can you undo that setting. this will affect my routine and cause unneccessary recovery events.

I'm willing to allow the user to set their own timeout (which triggers the recovery process) or even disable this feature if they don't need it. I'll probably just use a default timeout value and allow users to override it with an ini setting.

[jkarney]

Jim,
did you happen to enable the 'deduplicate' feature of the ad2usb fw using the ! cmd? if you did, can you undo that setting. this will affect my routine and cause unneccessary recovery events.
.

I am unfamiliar with this feature. If I did enable this it was unintentional. How would I check this setting? In putty?

Jim

[mnsandler]

I am unfamiliar with this feature. If I did enable this it was unintentional. How would I check this setting? In putty?

Jim

Yes, open putty and hit the ! key. i believe its the last option. make sure its not enabled.

Otherwise i don't know why there would be more than a 1 minute delay in the last hs.log you posted.