InsteonMinBroker error: please help

I installed Insteon SDM, installed the InsteonMinibrokerDriver, rebooted the computer, started the Premise Insteon service.

When I try to import the XDO, I get the following event:
LoadStringValue() failed for property 'Location' on object 'sys://Schema/Modules/InsteonMinibrokerDriver/Classes/ConnectedDevice/InsteonDeviceRef' -- contents: '{FD846CD3-9848-4B2D-AE34-3ADD4892A196}'

When I ignore the event, nothing gets added under CustomDevices but there is a new module InsteonMinibrokerDriver under Modules.

Am I doing something wrong?

You need to import the module before you start the service.

Is this the first time you've loaded it? If not (and I hate to have you do this), you may need to delete the old module. Something appears corrupted. If it is the first time, deleting the old module, reload it and restart the Premise service.

PM me your email address and I'll send you the latest and greatest.

John in VA,
Thanks for your quick response. I have tried it several times - both when the service is running and stopped. Each time, I deleted the module from Modules list. Just tried to import with the service stopped and got the same error. I also tried it from Builder on the server machine as well as from a network laptop.

I will PM my email address. Thank you so much for all the work you have done on this and for sharing it with the rest of us.

John in VA said:

You need to import the module before you start the service.

Is this the first time you've loaded it? If not (and I hate to have you do this), you may need to delete the old module. Something appears corrupted. If it is the first time, deleting the old module, reload it and restart the Premise service.

PM me your email address and I'll send you the latest and greatest.

Click to expand...

I sent you the latest version. Let's try things in this order.

1. Deinstall the Premise insteon Driver service from Add/Remove Programs
2. Delete the InsteonMinibroker module in Premise
3. Restart the Premise SYS service under services
4. Import the InsteonMinibroker module - if you get an error, don't delete it, just try to re-import it again. I think the error you are seeing might be related to load-order for some of the classes in the XDO.
5. Wait a few minutes then re-start the Premise SYS service
6. Now install the the Premise Insteon Driver (I'm assuming you've already installed the SDM), make the COM port blank when asked
7. Start the service

You should see a device called Insteon Root under CustomDevices. Under Insteon root, you should see the ComPort associated with your PLC automatically populated. You should also see the SALadRunning property set to SALad is running (checked). If the port looks right, but you get a SALad is not running, cick the downloadCoreApp property to reload the firmware on the PLC.

Post your results back here.

-John

John in VA said:

I sent you the latest version. Let's try things in this order.

1. Deinstall the Premise insteon Driver service from Add/Remove Programs
2. Delete the InsteonMinibroker module in Premise
3. Restart the Premise SYS service under services
4. Import the InsteonMinibroker module - if you get an error, don't delete it, just try to re-import it again. I think the error you are seeing might be related to load-order for some of the classes in the XDO.
5. Wait a few minutes then re-start the Premise SYS service
6. Now install the the Premise Insteon Driver (I'm assuming you've already installed the SDM), make the COM port blank when asked
7. Start the service

You should see a device called Insteon Root under CustomDevices. Under Insteon root, you should see the ComPort associated with your PLC automatically populated. You should also see the SALadRunning property set to SALad is running (checked). If the port looks right, but you get a SALad is not running, cick the downloadCoreApp property to reload the firmware on the PLC.

Post your results back here.

-John

Click to expand...

Well I've hit a wall. I'm sure it's my fault, but I can't figure this out.

I was receiving the exact same error above. However, I realized I had version .07 of the software, and as soon as I switched to .11, the error went away.

However, I still can't find the insteon root in my custom devices. Never shows up. What on earth am I doing wrong now?

saladman said:

Well I've hit a wall. I'm sure it's my fault, but I can't figure this out.

I was receiving the exact same error above. However, I realized I had version .07 of the software, and as soon as I switched to .11, the error went away.

However, I still can't find the insteon root in my custom devices. Never shows up. What on earth am I doing wrong now?

Click to expand...

As a further update, it seems I can't keep the Premise Insteon Driver service started. It just shuts down as soon as I start it.

saladman said:

As a further update, it seems I can't keep the Premise Insteon Driver service started. It just shuts down as soon as I start it.

Click to expand...

What version of the os are you running?

Is minibroker.dll registered?

John in VA said:

What version of the os are you running?

Is minibroker.dll registered?

Click to expand...

I am running Windows XP Sp3.

I do find this in the regsitry:
(Default) REG_SZ C:\Program Files\Premise\SYS\bin\MiniBroker.dll

I will admit I stopped using Windows a long time ago, so if you provide me exact instructions, I will follow them to the T and provide you with exact responses. But clearly my knowledge of windows is a little outdated. (i.e. NT days)

Issuing the following command to the Run prompt:

Regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Premise\SYS\bin\MiniBroker.dll"

Yielded a message box indicating Dll successfully registered.

No InsteonRoot was visible yet, so I restarted the Premise Sys service.

Voila! InsteonRoot visible!


Will I need to manually register this DLL in the future, or will it's registrations now hold, and are you again the genius that I owe so much to?

Sounds like the dll wasn't registered at first. You should be okay now. Unless you restore the registry from an old system state backup, the registration should stick.

Good luck with the driver. I've been using it for years. The Sdm does get stuck on occasion, but a reboot usually does the trick.

John in VA said:

Sounds like the dll wasn't registered at first. You should be okay now. Unless you restore the registry from an old system state backup, the registration should stick.

Good luck with the driver. I've been using it for years. The Sdm does get stuck on occasion, but a reboot usually does the trick.

Click to expand...

It appears I have spoken to soon.

I can no longer "speak" with the PLC. My status shows that SALad is not running, and reboots of both computer and PLC don't seem to be bringing it back.

I'm suer the driver is amazing, and I've somehow stumbled into something that's made it flaky, but constant poking of one item, reset, and poke another item, and reset, have led me nowhere.

The latest issue cropped up when I was trying to link Insteon devices to my PLC. The first link worked great. The second link went into group 1, and group 2. Since this wasn't what I meant to do, I deleted the new LampLinc out of group 2, then deleted group 2. And never again could I make the computer and the PLC talk.

Reboot, and I find that the Insteon driver service is not started. So I manually start it. Still no communication between computer and PLC.

Further directions and tips are greatly appreciated. I really hate to nuke an entire system and start over, but it may be the only way to rid it of whatever flakiness I've created.

-S

Sounds like either the plc needs to be reloaded or the SDM isn't communicating with the plc. With the driver service stop, start the SDM. You can find it under Smarthome in the start menu. When it comes up, you should see a IsResponding message in the window. If you don't see that, do a "dm" to get a prompt on the SDM. Then type port=? and hit return. If the plc is running the SDM will find it and you should then get the the IsResponding notification. If you dont, the plc needs to be reloaded.

You need to make sure the SDM manually configured to use the com port connected to the plc. Do a port=comx in the SDM window making sure you use the correct com port. Then do a dl=insteon.net:coreapp13. That should start the download process. If it downloads correctly, exit the SDM and restart the service.

Please verify you are using the PLC and Not the PLM. The SDM Only works with the PLC.

Ok,

So I attempted to follow your directions exactly, and here is the session from the SDM:

downloadTimer started
timerActivate enabled
SDMM=active,1.01.138.308,5/22/2011 10:16:56 PM,responded,14.88.81,2.13,xdevices=True
starttime=00:10
ui:isResponding
PLC:isresponding=True
uifinished:isResponding
uiort=?
PLC:disconnect=OK
PLCort=true
uifinishedort=?
uiort=usb4
PLC:disconnect=OK
PLCort=true
uifinishedort=usb4
ui:dl=insteon.net:coreapp13
PLC:dl=-8
uifinished:dl=insteon.net:coreapp13

Does this look about right?

When I go into Premise, it appears to be working now. Unfortunately I can no longer put the PLC in Linking mode through the Premise UI, but it does show the three module I previously attempted to link.

Before I screw anything up further, can I ask for some basic instruction on how you intended linking to work?

I have little reason to put lights in groups, as I would want individual control of them, for vairious scenes and individual control. But it looks like I can only bind groups to the UI, so should I plan to put each light in it's own group?

Thanks again, we'll see if the fixes you've given me hold overnight, or are lost when I reboot tomorrow.

When I can keep it working, the system is amazing, and we owe you a debt of massive gratitude. When I break it, I'm only frustrated with myself because it's so close.

-S

You don't need to put each device in a separate group. The individual devices will bind to a home level object by dragging the device onto the home level object.

If the plc is communicating with the driver, you should be able to link. Put the plc into link mode. It will remain in link mode for a few minutes. You may need to take it out of link mode, and put it back in if you wait too long to initiate links. Once you are in link mode, go to the device you want to link and follow the linking instructions for the device (e.g. Press and hold the button on a lamplinc until the attached light blinks twice).

I had a number of problems getting the Insteon driver to work...not John's doing. I did some installs, reinstalls, and finally got it working. Delete everything (if you can - including the SDM) and reinstall PER JOHNS INSTRUCTIONS., After that, it was rock solid!!!!