What the heck is going on?

[RacerChris]

My new Insteon install was going fine, until yesterday when I started getting a PLC not responding error in SDM. The strange thing is that I fixed it by moving the PLC to another outlet. This after it was working fine in the other outlet for weeks.

I reprogramed the PLC and pretty much push all the buttons available on the driver to make sure the PLC had all the latest info. I even tried Saving Changes and Reprogramming the Insteon Groups. But I am still getting the following error when I run an event that includes an Insteon Group ON command. Another strange thing is that although it say it's written to the stated file, the file is there, but is 0 bytes in length.

What the heck is going on?





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<TABLE cellSpacing=2 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Writing to error log file - C:\Program Files\HomeSeer 2\Config\Insteon Error Report.Log</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>***:Error In TransmitMessage: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at HSPI_INSTEON.HSPI.TransmitGroupMsg(TransmitMsgType Msg) at HSPI_INSTEON.HSPI.TransmitMessage(TransmitMsgType Msg)</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Writing to error log file - C:\Program Files\HomeSeer 2\Config\Insteon Error Report.Log</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>***:Error In TransmitMessage: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at HSPI_INSTEON.HSPI.TransmitGroupMsg(TransmitMsgType Msg) at HSPI_INSTEON.HSPI.TransmitMessage(TransmitMsgType Msg)</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Setting status and value for device _22 to % based value of 100</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>Processing SetIO for device - _22 Cmd: 2 Bright: 0 Data1: 0 Data2: 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Setting status and value for device ^5 to % based value of 100</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>Processing SetIO for group - ^5 Cmd: 2 Bright: 0 Data1: 0 Data2: 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Setting status and value for device ^2 to % based value of 100</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Insteon </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>Processing SetIO for group - ^2 Cmd: 2 Bright: 0 Data1: 0 Data2: 0</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime0 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType0 align=left colSpan=3>Info </TD><TD class=LOGEntry0 align=left colSpan=8>Device: Units Living Room iChristmas Tree (_22) ON</TD></TR><TR><TD class=LOGDateTime1 noWrap align=left>12/16/2006 9:09:06 PM </TD><TD class=LOGType1 align=left colSpan=3>Info </TD><TD class=LOGEntry1 align=left colSpan=8>Device: iScenes House ME - Kitchen/Hall (^2+5) ON</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[RacerChris]

Ok, I started poking around and have noticed that I never registered my PLC as a device in HS. I tried to add it using manual and tap-add, but neither recognize the PLC. I don't know if this is a problem because the PLC works and can control most, if not all the units. But the links do report an "unknown" device, which does not seem good.

The main problem at this point is that Groups are not recognized, result in the error message in the post above and do not function. Again, the strange thing is that all this work before even without registering my PLC with HS.

One more thing I noticed, the PlugIn is able to identify the address of the PLC. In my system it's blank. I cannot find where I can tell the PlugIn what the address of the PLC is.

Any suggestions? Someone? Anyone?

[RacerChris]

Ok, this seems to of fixed itself. I've been programming HS with my laptop all this time. This time I went to the Main PC and reset just about everything, made sure the SDM was working, which it was. Then loaded and looked around the TimerApp, but did not find anything that would seem to help. Then, PRESTO, it works again. Go figure?

[RacerChris]

Groups and Wierd Stuff

I am really getting frustrated with my Insteon Install. Weird stuff happens regularly that I can't understand why and therefore am afraid I'll never get to a point where the system is stable and dependable. I know Insteon is not perfect in terms of reliability, but these are not reliability issues...

Anyways, the latest weird stuff, is that a couple of my units got renamed to another one of my units. I now have 3 iGarage Units in the system. Tracking down the IDs, the PlugIn renamed my iCounter Unit and my iYosemite Unit. Note that my iYosemite unit is unplug because it has apparently burned out due to what I believe I overload it.

I tracked this down because there were devices links to the wrong Groups....

[jhimmel]

I am really getting frustrated with my Insteon Install. Weird stuff happens regularly that I can't understand why and therefore am afraid I'll never get to a point where the system is stable and dependable. I know Insteon is not perfect in terms of reliability, but these are not reliability issues...

Anyways, the latest weird stuff, is that a couple of my units got renamed to another one of my units. I now have 3 iGarage Units in the system. Tracking down the IDs, the PlugIn renamed my iCounter Unit and my iYosemite Unit. Note that my iYosemite unit is unplug because it has apparently burned out due to what I believe I overload it.

I tracked this down because there were devices links to the wrong Groups....

Chris, unfortunately I have no clue what is happening to your system. My guess is that you have a fouled up install somehow.
The reason I am responding though, is to tell you that it -CAN- be very reliable. I simply do not have problems with my Insteon network - it works much better then X10 ever did.

I -DO- have issues with the quality of some of the hardware, but the Insteon protocol itself seems to be getting the job done. Jon's HS Insteon plugin is performing very well (except for the current version missing Keypadlinc secondary button control - but that WAS working before and hopefully will be fixed again soon).

Hopefully Jon can help you, but I suspect that your installation is mixed up somehow since I have not seen your particular problems before. From what you have written, I'd almost guarantee that your Insteon database is corrupted. Why though, I couldn't guess.

I feel for you. I know from personal experience just how frustrating this stuff can get. I was a hair-trigger away from dumping the whole thing myself at one point. I'm glad I stuck with it, and I'm REALLY glad that Jon did too.

Good luck,

Jim H.

[RacerChris]

Chris, unfortunately I have no clue what is happening to your system. My guess is that you have a fouled up install somehow.
The reason I am responding though, is to tell you that it -CAN- be very reliable. I simply do not have problems with my Insteon network - it works much better then X10 ever did.

I -DO- have issues with the quality of some of the hardware, but the Insteon protocol itself seems to be getting the job done. Jon's HS Insteon plugin is performing very well (except for the current version missing Keypadlinc secondary button control - but that WAS working before and hopefully will be fixed again soon).

Hopefully Jon can help you, but I suspect that your installation is mixed up somehow since I have not seen your particular problems before. From what you have written, I'd almost guarantee that your Insteon database is corrupted. Why though, I couldn't guess.

I feel for you. I know from personal experience just how frustrating this stuff can get. I was a hair-trigger away from dumping the whole thing myself at one point. I'm glad I stuck with it, and I'm REALLY glad that Jon did too.

Good luck,

Jim H.

Jim,

Thanks for your reply. I am hopeful and not quite ready to give up. I think most of my issues is associated with my ignorance with Insteon and HS. But sometimes, weird stuff like this happens and there is nothing I can do... at least that I know of. This particular problem seems to of worked itself out, but now I'm running into another one with Insteon Groups. (See my new post)

I am about to install 6 KeyPadLincs to replace my on X10 KeyPads, so its important that I understand how it will all work and how to integrate it into my complex system... This forum and people like you and Jon helps alot. Thank you and all for your patience with this Rookie...