Connecting and uploading
Part 3 — Reference.
23.1 The two directions
PC → CU
Save to central unit
Uploads your project. This changes the building.
CU → PC
Load from central unit
Downloads whatever the CU is running
Both are on [☰] and on the Project ribbon tab.
Save writes a file. Save to central unit changes the installation. Nothing you do in iDM3 affects the building until you upload.
23.2 Setting up the connection
[☰] → Settings → Connection settings:
IP address : port
The CU's address
Timeout (ms)
How long to wait before giving up
Ping test
Checks the CU answers
Always run Ping test first. It separates a network problem from a project problem in one click, and saves a lot of time chasing the wrong thing.
There is also IP address from project in the main menu, which uses the address stored in the project rather than the one in Settings.
23.3 Connection states
Shown at the bottom right of the main window:
Disconnected
Not connected
Check the IP address and network
Connecting
In progress
Wait
Connected
Connected
You can upload and monitor
Disconnecting
Closing
Wait
BadPassword
Wrong CU password
You will see "Please try it again."
Error
Failed
Read the information console
NotSpecifed
No state
—
23.4 Uploading
[☰]→ Save to central unit.Confirm.
Watch the progress dialog and the information console.
iDM3 compiles the project first. If compilation fails the Compile error button on the Project ribbon tab lights up — click it to see what is wrong. Nothing is uploaded.
Save your project before uploading. If the upload reveals a problem, you want the file on disk to match what you sent.
23.5 Downloading
[☰] → Load from central unit. iDM3 asks "Load project from CU?" before replacing what you have open.
This is how you pick up an installation you have never seen — the CU holds the whole configuration, including the original names.
23.6 Are they the same?
iDM3 compares your project against the CU using hashes, and reports:
"Projects are the same."
The CU is running exactly what you have open
"Projects are NOT the same!"
They differ
"Projects tree is [x], system tree is [y]."
Which parts differ
The Monitor shows related indicators — Set actions simulated by CU, Structure simulated on CU and System structure simulated on CU.
Check this before making changes on an unfamiliar site. If the CU is running something other than the file you were given, uploading your file silently discards whatever was there.
23.7 Passwords and user levels
The project holds two users, Admin and User, each with an optional password.
BadPassword means the CU has a password your project does not match.
23.8 Auto restore
[☰] → Settings → Auto restore project at the CU.
23.9 Super-user mode
The Start menu includes iDM3 SuperUser, which runs IDM3.SuperUser.cmd and unlocks settings hidden from ordinary users.
Do not use it for normal work. Those settings are hidden because getting them wrong can break a working installation. Use it only when ELKO EP support asks you to.
23.10 When an upload does not work
Disconnected
IP address, cabling, that the CU is powered
Ping test fails
It is a network problem — fix that first
BadPassword
The CU password
UpdateRequired
Update the CU firmware (Chapter 25)
Compile error lights up
Click it and read the error
Upload succeeds, nothing changes
Yellow dots on the Design tab; wrong addresses in Device manager
"Projects are NOT the same!" after upload
The upload did not complete — check the console
More in Chapter 30.