Premise UPB driver for SHLHitech

ajeysp · Jan 23, 2011

Hi Everyone

I recently bought a UPB switch from a company called SHL Hitech (http://shlhitech.com). I am able to operate this switch using its own control software. Now I am trying to control it using Premise.

I downloaded the UPB drivers (from this forum), and installed them. I see three "nodes" under "Devices". They are "upbPCS", "upbSA" and "upb". The PC communicates with the UPB controller using port "COM3", which is really a USB port.

I am not able to communicate with the UPB setup though. If I right click one any of the nodes, I don't see the option "New" to add a switch. Also I am not able to "bind" this with any of the switches. I also noticed that the COM# (under "Devices") isn't "open" in the properties window (another port COM1 does show as open, which is a regular serial port that I am using to communicate with my Audio Vaux).

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

samgreco · Jan 23, 2011

Ajey - The problem is that the existing drivers are for specific brands of products.

upbSA = Sinply-Automated
upbPC = Pulseworx

I was able to hack in a couple of devices from another manufacturer into the drivers, but only because they were really different versions of the same products. Yours will likely require a completely new driver, which I cannot code.

UPB is so far beyond where it was when these drivers were written. What would be ideal is to have someone write a driver that can except a file from UPStart so it wouldn't need to have the devices hard coded into the drivers. But again, since I am not a programmer, I may be off in my understanding of it.

ajeysp · Jan 23, 2011

Thanks Samgreco.
I have a hunch that the product I have bought has been manufactured under license from Pulse works, since the software interface both (the company I bought them from and Pulse works) provide (for controlling the light from the PC) are identical. That is why I was hoping that I might be able to control the UPB switch using the Pulseworx driver.

Is it possible that Premise isn't able to communicate (with the UPB setup) since it isn't able to recognize the COM3 port (which is really a USB port) and that Premise can only communicate via a Serial port?

samgreco said:
Ajey - The problem is that the existing drivers are for specific brands of products.

upbSA = Sinply-Automated
upbPC = Pulseworx

I was able to hack in a couple of devices from another manufacturer into the drivers, but only because they were really different versions of the same products. Yours will likely require a completely new driver, which I cannot code.

UPB is so far beyond where it was when these drivers were written. What would be ideal is to have someone write a driver that can except a file from UPStart so it wouldn't need to have the devices hard coded into the drivers. But again, since I am not a programmer, I may be off in my understanding of it.

samgreco · Jan 23, 2011

All UPB products use the UPStart software to communicate with and program UPB devices. So that may not be the clue you think it is.

It is possible that Premise is not communicating with the UPB PIM because of the USB to Serial adapter. I have found many of those to be incompatible with many serial devices. BUT if you can communicate thru the UPStart software using the same device, then that is not your problem. When you install all of the drivers, you should be able to go to the generic upb device and add a Serial PIM, actually, Premise should just do that.

I just went through some troubleshooting on this with another user and we found that he had UPStart running at the same time as Premise and you can't do that. Whichever software is running first will own that serial port. So that is the first thing to check.

Then you should see something like the image below.

Notice the upb device is the one with the child devices. So if Premise sees the port, then right clicking the upb device and selecting New> Serial Interface should work. Then when that is loaded, you can go to the properties pane for that device and select the correct Com port. Then in the same properties pane, click the check box next to "Force Network Enumeration" to make Premise search for devices. It should then find the attached devices even if it can't identify them. Although, you still won't be able to use them if they are identified as UnknownUPBDevice. That means there is no reference in the driver.

ajeysp · Jan 28, 2011

samgreco said:
All UPB products use the UPStart software to communicate with and program UPB devices. So that may not be the clue you think it is.

It is possible that Premise is not communicating with the UPB PIM because of the USB to Serial adapter. I have found many of those to be incompatible with many serial devices. BUT if you can communicate thru the UPStart software using the same device, then that is not your problem. When you install all of the drivers, you should be able to go to the generic upb device and add a Serial PIM, actually, Premise should just do that.

I just went through some troubleshooting on this with another user and we found that he had UPStart running at the same time as Premise and you can't do that. Whichever software is running first will own that serial port. So that is the first thing to check.

Then you should see something like the image below.

Notice the upb device is the one with the child devices. So if Premise sees the port, then right clicking the upb device and selecting New> Serial Interface should work. Then when that is loaded, you can go to the properties pane for that device and select the correct Com port. Then in the same properties pane, click the check box next to "Force Network Enumeration" to make Premise search for devices. It should then find the attached devices even if it can't identify them. Although, you still won't be able to use them if they are identified as UnknownUPBDevice. That means there is no reference in the driver.

Thanks very much for the hints. I could now progress where I could add a new UPB device. I could assign a com port to the same. However after I "Force Network Enumeration" they are are identified as UnknownUPBDevice.
What do you suggest I do next?
Thanks.

samgreco · Jan 28, 2011

It's been a while since I've had unkown devices in UPB on Premise, so I don't remember exactly. But click on one of the devices and look in the properties pane for that device and find the Manufacturer's ID and the Device. And what kind of device it is. See the image below.

Give me that info and I'll let you know if I can it add to my "hacked" driver. If you have multiple devices, let me know how many different device type/models.

Remember THIS IS A HACK. There may be some things that this older driver won't do. But so far, I have gotten all of my switches and modules to give me status and respond to all basic commands. My multi-button switches all work too.

ajeysp · Jan 29, 2011

I have attached the info. I am afraid though, it doesn't seem to be giving much information. I have purchased these devices from a company called SHL Hitech (http://www.shlhitech.com), and the control software and the drivers are available from http://www.shlhitech.com/SHPages/Software/Default.aspx
Thanks as always for your help.

samgreco · Jan 29, 2011

The control software looks to be exactly the same as what the other manufacturers are calling UPStart. And the info above is what I would need.

How many different kinds of devices do you have? We would need the same info for all of the different ones.

ajeysp · Jan 29, 2011

View attachment 3756Currently I just have the following three devices:
1. Astronomic Time Module SHATM-D (http://www.shlhitech.com/SHPages/Products/ProductsOverview/SHATM.pdf)
2. Wall switch Dimmer SHWS1D (http://www.shlhitech.com/SHPages/Products/ProductsOverview/SHWS1D.pdf)
3. Powerline interface module SHPIM-U (http://www.shlhitech.com/SHPages/Products/ProductsOverview/SHPIM.pdf)

In Premise only #3 shows up (I am able to control the lights though, using the other two via the control software provided by the manufacturer). So I used the control software to see if I can provide the info you need for #1 and #2 above. I have attached the screenshots of the info in zip format.

The reason why I have such a small set is that I wanted to experiment and see if this really works and also if it can work with Premise (this way I am hoping to be able to interact with the light switches via a phone browser)

samgreco · Jan 29, 2011

Premise can't see the additional modules because it can't talk to the interface (upbUnknownPIM).

There is no equivalent item to the timer module in any of the existing drivers. The best I can hope to do for you, is to add the PIM and the dimmer switch and see if Premise can see them and control them. Although, I don't know why you'd want the timer module anyway, since all of that should be done from Premise once you get them talking. So try the attached, modified upbSA dll and see if your PIM changes to an identified one. Then your other modules should populate, but as unknown devices. Then you can give me the same info as above for the switch.

The attachment was renamed, adding a .txt to the end so that I could upload it. Just remove the .txt so you have upbSA.dll and then backup your existing upbSA.dll and copy this one to your devices directory. Restart Premise and let me know.

ajeysp · Jan 30, 2011

Thanks for the modified dll.
Yes you are right, I wouldn't need to "connect" to the timer module from Premise. This timer module came as a part of the "starter" pack that the manufacturer offers.
I installed your dll, and this time Premise did find the PIM (please see image upb1 in the attached zip). This happened without my needing to "force network enumeration". However it doesn't yet seem to find the dimmer module, even after I checked the "force network enumeration" option. I tried adding a new module and in the popup it still shows unknown devices (please see image upb2 in the attached zip). So I am not able to give you the params that you need (I think) for Premise to be able to find the dimmer module. I had attached the screen shot of these params as seen using the manufacturer's software in my previous post. Is there anything else I can do to help?View attachment 3760

samgreco · Jan 30, 2011

Well that's strange. The switch can be seen and controlled with the manufacturers control software, right? As long as the UPB network is functioning, Premise should see anything connected to it. Even if it can't identify it. I'm stumped.

ajeysp · Jan 30, 2011

samgreco said:
Well that's strange. The switch can be seen and controlled with the manufacturers control software, right? As long as the UPB network is functioning, Premise should see anything connected to it. Even if it can't identify it. I'm stumped.

Yes the switch can be seen and controlled with the manufacturer's control software, but Premise can only see the PIM and not the switch.

samgreco · Jan 30, 2011

Well, this is what I was concerned about. This driver is VERY old and I think this version of PIM has much newer firmware on it. And I think it may also be a Gen-II device. I think that although Premise can see it, but it is not fully communicating with it. There have most likely been some changes to the product over the years.

So that's really all that I can do. Someone that can real code needs to rewrite these drivers. I cannot.

ajeysp · Jan 30, 2011

Yes these are GEN-II devices.
Thanks much again, for trying to help me with this. I am planning to write to the manufacturer to see if he can help.

Premise UPB driver for SHLHitech

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