New user help

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  • Last Post 04 November 2014
Axial-User posted this 27 September 2014

Hey all,

I'm new to zWave, so let me start by saying if anyone has a good recommended read on this, please send it my way, I've searched amazon and read a good bit on what I can find online but I'm not really finding what I'm looking for (more of a developers perspective).

I'm having some issues getting some devices setup (for example, locks) and it seems like the resolution is to do the setup with a portable device (laptop/tablet) within inches of the device as its being configured so it can exchange security keys. All good. But I'd prefer not to run my zwave controller from a portable device, I'd much rather run it from a static point that will always be powered on, especially something where I could set state in the event of a power outage (during the 15 minute window my UPS is running).

So my question is, how can I migrate zwave settings from one inControl platform to another? Not in their entirety (i've seen the posts about copying the database for backup) but on a item per item basis?

For example: I want to add a new lock, I take my laptop to the lock, do the include/exclude, then go back to the primary computer and transfer from X to Y.

I can't imagine that everyone wants to run their controller from a portable device so hopefully I'm not the first person to ask this (ohhh I hope there's an export feature I'm missing). ;)

Thanks!


The main reason for copying the database is that it includes a setting with your network's security keys - really that's the only setting you need, so you could find a SQL CE database browser and copy/paste just that setting value from your laptop's database to your main server's database. Once you have that setting moved over, you can plugin your USB stick to the server and InControl will read the info about your lock from the USB stick.

Optionally, most locks will let you take the back off (with the battery pack) and move it to your server - since the lock back is pretty portable and easy remove/re-install, many opt for that method too.

Can you provide some more details about what you are looking for from a developer's perspective regarding z-wave?

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Ryan-Scott posted this 27 September 2014

Hey all,

I'm new to zWave, so let me start by saying if anyone has a good recommended read on this, please send it my way, I've searched amazon and read a good bit on what I can find online but I'm not really finding what I'm looking for (more of a developers perspective).

I'm having some issues getting some devices setup (for example, locks) and it seems like the resolution is to do the setup with a portable device (laptop/tablet) within inches of the device as its being configured so it can exchange security keys. All good. But I'd prefer not to run my zwave controller from a portable device, I'd much rather run it from a static point that will always be powered on, especially something where I could set state in the event of a power outage (during the 15 minute window my UPS is running).

So my question is, how can I migrate zwave settings from one inControl platform to another? Not in their entirety (i've seen the posts about copying the database for backup) but on a item per item basis?

For example: I want to add a new lock, I take my laptop to the lock, do the include/exclude, then go back to the primary computer and transfer from X to Y.

I can't imagine that everyone wants to run their controller from a portable device so hopefully I'm not the first person to ask this (ohhh I hope there's an export feature I'm missing). ;)

Thanks!


The main reason for copying the database is that it includes a setting with your network's security keys - really that's the only setting you need, so you could find a SQL CE database browser and copy/paste just that setting value from your laptop's database to your main server's database. Once you have that setting moved over, you can plugin your USB stick to the server and InControl will read the info about your lock from the USB stick.

Optionally, most locks will let you take the back off (with the battery pack) and move it to your server - since the lock back is pretty portable and easy remove/re-install, many opt for that method too.

Can you provide some more details about what you are looking for from a developer's perspective regarding z-wave?

Axial-User posted this 28 September 2014

Thanks!
That's perfect!

Well, I was looking for a method of more directly interacting with the zwave objects and I think you just gave it to me. ;)

I'll have to poke around the data structure a bit, but it would be nice to be able to pull values out, run a common algo/parse on them, feed a response back into the inControl tool and then have a scene execute in a predefined way.

In C# it seems like I should be able to create a persistent interface to the .sdf and interact/remove/create zwave objects on the fly.

Great tool, unfortunately, the lock in question is a Yale and the battery component doesn't come off for easy transport. :( (I will be changing brands in the future for this very reason, lol)

Axial-User posted this 22 October 2014

Hey guys,

So I tried your instructions and I get a table structure with no data in it from any of the tables

How I got here ~ installed zwave on tablet, imported door lock to tablet (works fine, can lock/unlock), copied tablet zwave.sdf to shared drive, tried opening it with both sql server management studio, AND your visual studio plugin ~ EVERY table from the tablet returns empty. The tables are well formed I can see the columns types but there is no data there. This is true for ALL tables.

I tried this with the server .sdf as well, also empty.

However, the app works with the key plugged in on the tablet. (open/close lock etc)

Is zwave.sdf the wrong file? Its the only sdf in the file structure though?

Help?





Ryan-Scott posted this 22 October 2014

Hey guys,

So I tried your instructions and I get a table structure with no data in it from any of the tables

Is zwave.sdf the wrong file? Its the only sdf in the file structure though?



I wonder if you are copying from the wrong location; I just noticed that we've got a stray file in the install, but that's not the correct one. Here's some instructions on locating the proper zwave.sdf file: http://incontrolha.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/280758-backup-data

Axial-User posted this 23 October 2014

Okay, so I tried with both sql server management studio on win 2008 r2 enterprise and visual studio and got the following error - suggestions?
"TITLE: Connect to Server
------------------------------

Cannot connect to C:\InControlTrans\ICHA\ZWave_Tablet\zwave.sdf.

------------------------------
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This is not a valid SQL Server Compact Database file or this file version is not supported by current SQL Server Compact Engine. (SQL Server Compact ADO.NET Data Provider)

------------------------------
BUTTONS:

OK
------------------------------
"

Ryan-Scott posted this 23 October 2014

I prefer this 3rd party utility: http://sqlcetoolbox.codeplex.com/

Axial-User posted this 24 October 2014

Okay, I think we're almost there ;)

Got the utility, installed sql compact 4.0, I can now open the .sdf (the one that works with the lock and therefor should have the security keys).

So I've gone through all of the tables in the DB and I don't see anything resembling a network key, can you point me in the right direction please?

Ryan-Scott posted this 24 October 2014

I'm not at my computer to check the exact spelling, but there should be a table with settings and options in it. One of those records will be the network key. Sorry I can't be more specific just now (on the road for a little vacation).

Axial-User posted this 25 October 2014

zwky?

Enjoy vacation!
This is certainly NOT time sensitive but I do appreciate your feedback. I'll be here when you get back.

Axial-User posted this 25 October 2014

I don't think its zwky as the value exists between both .sdf files (the one on a tablet that can unlock the door and the one on my server that cant')

There's nothing in the device settings that corresponds to a network key nor in any table I can see and I've been through them all now on both the tablet and the server.

I'm sure its something simple I"m missing that I"ll smack myself for when you get back. ;)

Axial-User posted this 03 November 2014

Any feedback?
I have checked every table now and its not there (on a tablet that has successfully paired with the door and can unlock the lock)

Ryan-Scott posted this 03 November 2014

It's the zwky setting. Are you saying they are identical on both your installs? If it doesn't exist on your main install, you can simply create a new record with the value from your laptop. If that doesn't work, toss me a ticket from http://incontrolha.uservoice.com and we'll dig deeper.

Axial-User posted this 04 November 2014

Thanks!
I was making a beginner error with that SQL CE tool (it wouldn't let me open two tables of the same name from different db's for edit at the same time).

Works perfectly now, and I learned a lot ;)

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