Error Msgs on HB startup

[Steve Horn]

This is part of an effort to import an .hbx created on a "sandbox" PC into my production HB server. But before I get into all that, I'm getting the following errors WITHOUT attempting an import when the production HB server is started:

Server Interface Error Unable to create a new Property. Either the Name [Received Data] or Description [Received Data] already exists.

Device Module Error Error initializing properties in Device Module [C:\Program Files\HouseBot\Plugins\Devices\GenericSerialDevice.dll].

I've been all thru HBDATA several times looking for the Received Data property and have not found it. Where should I look?

The Received Data property was associated with a generic serial device (the projector) that I created directly on the production server (instead of using the export/import scheme). In fact, it and the Received Hex Data version still are listed as properties on the projector device on the sandbox PC and cannot be deleted.

These msgs do not appear when starting HB on the sandbox PC.

The msg dealing with the generic serial device is I suspect part of a previous aborted attempt to add the generic serial module in prep for using RS232 to control a projector. But I've stripped out all the projector related data (device, properties, and values) from HBDATA in an attempt to get back to the pre-projector addition project state.
Once I purge these errors I'll retry exporting/importing the HBX.

[Richard Naninck]

Not really sure what you are doing, but I know why this happens. I have had the same problem while connecting two HouseBots together using replicators. All properties have a unique name and cannot exist twice with the same name. Since Received Data already exists in your property list you cannot put a second one in the list with the same name. This happens when importing a device with the same name or replicating a device. You might want to edit your config xml file and rename the faulty property.

You should not have to go into HBDATA to find it. It should be visible once opening the Property Manager from the Settings menu. If you have any serial device linked to your system, the Received Data property is used and you cannot or should not delete it!

[Steve Horn]

Thanks Richard! I deleted the Received Data property in Prop Mgr (it wasn't being used and apparently was added in a previous failed attempt to do all this), then re-imported the .hbx file, That of course added that Received Data property back in, this time without error. It also eliminated the other error msg dealing with the GenericSerialDevice.dll . Not sure what that was about.
I thought this way would be easier than editing the configimport.xml to change the property name of the "incoming"/duplicate property.
Regarding what I'm doing, this all goes back to you and the thread we had about serial control vs. IR. In the process of adding a projector to my "theatre" and decided, based on your comments, to try RS232 control instead of learning the projector's IR codes. Now that (I think) I have the hang of it, I want to change over control of the receiver/amp to RS232 from IR. Have to add serial ports (via USB/serial converters) first though.
Thanks again,

[Richard Naninck]

Good choice!

If you need ideas about how to set this up, let me know!
The basic idea is to have status and control and both can be done using a script. Some devices send one message upon receiving a message, others send multiple messages in one string. If that happens, you have to parse the message string to get all messages. Some devices use ASCII, some Hex and some even a combination. Some devices produce status messages when for instance turning the volume knob, others only produce status upon receiving rs232 commands. But all of this can be managed from script as long as the protocol is available.