EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

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pvanmastrigt
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 1:00 am

EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by pvanmastrigt »

Hello,

I have recently switched to an iMac running MacOS (High Sierra 10.13.3 - upgrading from OSX to High Sierra did not change this problem):

- When the Dash software (Version 2.0.1.0) is running and visible on the desktop it receives meeter readings over the internet - ok.
- As soon as I hide the interface in the system tray or I switch to another desktop etc. (i.e. EKM Dash running "in the background") no connections can be made anymore and the system continues to report "No response - Check RS485 connection..." The same happens when the screen saver is activated.
- Once I bring the software interface up on the screen meterreading resumes.
- Running on an old Macbook (2007 white, Mac OS X 10.7.5) does not show any of these problems, but this machine is "one the way out"....

This has necessitated me to run the software on the desktop without any screen saver etc. which is annoying, and a lot of lost readings have resulted.

1.) Does anyone observe the same?
2.) Obviously I am interested in a solution.

With regards
Piet van Mastrigt
Jameson
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Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by Jameson »

Hello!,

We have seen this isse and have done some work on the latest developer version of the EKM Dash. We think we have made it better, but we we may not have not fixed this completely. Would you be interested in trying the developer version and then letting us know your experiences with it? If so, please send us an email to support@ekmmetering.com and we will try to get you a copy.

In our experience, we would get 100% good reads with the Dash open and in the foreground, then when you moved it to the background, you would still get some good reads but they would be interspersed with bad reads. Does this sound accurate?
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
pvanmastrigt
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 1:00 am

Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by pvanmastrigt »

Hello Jameson,

Thanks for clear reply, and good to hear that the problem is being addressed.

I use the iSerial now as the Dash is not 100% reliable. Otherwise your description is accurate, however, the good reads are very rare to non-existent. I'll be more than glad to test the developer version, thanks. I will send an e-mail as instructed,

With regards
Piet van Mastrigt
pvanmastrigt
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 1:00 am

Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by pvanmastrigt »

Hello Jameson,

My situation has changed: I had physical access to the site where my meter is installed and decided to decommission the iSerial as the firmware update blocked the device, even after re-set/power cycle. I now use the Push system, and to make it 100% reliable I have installed a timer on the power supply that switches on/off/on every week once for one minute. This should reset the Push system, in case of a "hangup". This has now been going on for something like 6 weeks without any problems, so looks like I am in good shape with this solution.

Further to this discussion: the EKM Dash software continues to be not working, when in the background (2017 iMac, MacOS High Sierra version 10.13.6). Even when the screen saver kicks in the software does not find any reads anymore. So I keep my system running with the screen on - pretty annoying tough and may shorten the life of the screen (and with it this computer). I have 2 questions:

1.) Is there an outlook that this can be solved? I.e. the reads to continue even when the screen dims out.
2.) Can the Dash software be corrected such that if no reads were found (e.g. because the screen dimmed out) for consecutive attempts and if then access is restored the Dash software should ideally patch the "no response" entries?

Example:

300000xxx 1 Successful Meter Read. <<((<-- should be 6 successful meter reads to patch the data??))<<<<<<<<<<<-----
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx No Response - Check Your Push User Key and Meter Number (attempted 1 reads)
300000xxx 1 Successful Meter Read


With thanks for reply,

Regards
Jameson
Posts: 860
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Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by Jameson »

Hello Piet,

Please send us an email, we will send you the latest development version of the EKM Dash. It should fix the issue of your Mac going into "AppNap" and causing issues with the Dash unreliability when in the background. (let us know if this fixes the issue).

The dev version has a lot of half baked ideas in it so, dont get too thrown off if they dont work for you.

Interesting about the Push, you should not have to power cycle it to have it work 100% of the time. Are you only power cycling the Push, or are you also power cycling your router (we have seen routers (Apple routers) that hang for some reason and need to be power cycled).

Hope this helps,
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
pvanmastrigt
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 1:00 am

Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by pvanmastrigt »

Hello Jameson,

Many thanks for your reply. I will send an e-mail to get the latest version of EKM Dash - really looking forward to that!

On power cycling: the answer is rather a complicated one but closer to "both". There is no Apple equipment (main router is orange Livebox, the Push is physically connected to a Netgear router that is configured as an extension to my network). The link between Livebox and Netgear is wireless.

In detail:
The main Livebox router has always been on power cycle as it would stall - say - on average between 1 week and 4 months.
The Netgear router has been super reliable and has never been on any power cycle.
The Push is on power cycle and has not dropped out since (so this does not actually confirm if power cycling is needed). I did try without but for some reason it stalled once (2 week trial period). This could have been a fluke, however power cycling the Push only solved the stall then.

I am starting to suspect that reliability has nothing to do with the actual equipment, but rather with the 230V power supply to the premise, which shows rather large fluctuations (the lights can dim for a fraction of a second). Different equipment may react differently to this and on reflection I have a few appliances that have had a short lifespan (fridge, water heater). The main culprit may be the draw from aircon and pool esp. when combined. Perhaps I need to change to 3 phase. If so this might also suggest an improvement in the power supply of the Push (help me here...): perhaps it is sensitive to these kind of power fluctuations? Out of my depth though on this.

With regards
Piet
Jameson
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Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by Jameson »

If you have reliability issues with your 230 volt supply of power, I would probably resort to a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) for your networking gear.

Something similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/APC-Back-UPS-325 ... B00066HV46

The UPS should take over when you have a power failure or even a power "blip". Hopefully it will stabilize and fix some of the issues you are seeing with your networking equipment.
Jameson
EKM METERING
http://www.ekmmetering.com
831.425.7371
pvanmastrigt
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 1:00 am

Re: EKM Dash software not working when in background (MacOS High Sierra)

Post by pvanmastrigt »

EKM Dash software is now working in when in background (MacOS High Sierra).

Hello Jameson,

The problem I experienced when running EKM Dash in the background now has disappeared and the software runs smoothly also "behind the scenes" if needed. Thanks for solving.

MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6 on iMac
EKM Dash 2.1.0.4

Also thanks for putting the leakage detection option. This was the main reason I bought the equipment. I simply used an exceedance criteria on the number of pulses per time unit to detect leaks (mostly >1 as the house is empty, and much higher when occupied). This new trigger may well be a better option.


With regards
Piet van Mastrigt
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