Having spent a good half day "adjusting" the obi202 settings to something that finally works, I would hate to lose the fruits of my work.
Is there any better way to backup and restore the obi202 configuration than printing it out from a computer on the LAN and typing it all back in again when the time comes?
My WRT54GL router provides for backup and restore through web page download/upload. Does the obi have something similar, of perhaps could it be saved to a USB non-volatile memory on the obi USB port?
What does everyone else do? Do you just hope backups aren't needed?? :-)
[EDITED]
Ah, found it. Hidden away. Web browser on the obi202 LAN interface 168.192.10.1
System Management :: Device Update :: Backup Configuration
One more well hidden, tricky, feature of this box that seems to be designed for expert users only.
This would not work for me using Internet Explorer on Obi 110, but Firefox was fine (?)
Avoid selecting the 'Default Settings' option.
I think it replaces your passwords, so nothing works if you do a restore.
Can't find that setting on my Obi202 browser configuration page. Hmmm... was the feature removed (or moved?) in firmware update? I'm running 3.0.1 (Build: 3722). I'd love to back up configuration too.
See System Management :: Device Update :: Backup Configuration
I see that Restore is right there too. If you try restore, tell us how that went.
I would also be nice to see a procedure for getting the stored OBiTalk settings to get sent to the factory reset OBi202. Right now, the OBiTalk process is to delete the device as an Endpoint and then to do an Add Device to get it up again. I tried to set up a static address instead of having the OBi use DHCP. I lost connectivity except for *** codes. Then I was able to get to the OBi202 web server via the local web, but I could not make calls. I did not try restoring a saved backup, (a backup*.xml file) because I had reset the unit before I found the backups I had made.
I don't have the entry in my web configuration anywhere. Checked System Management :: Device Update :: as well as every other setting. I used IE and Chrome, and I'm just not seeing it. Could it be that I'm on a different firmware? Or am I not seeing it because I haven't enabled something that would let me see it? Appreciate any thoughts on this, as I find it quite weird. ???
PS I'm thinking now as I read your last post that maybe you are using ObiTalk portal to back up the configuration? I am doing local administration only, so that might explain it....
The System Management => Device Update page should look like the image shown at the link below when you login as admin to your device at it's local IP address. The Backup Configuration section is in the middle of the Device Update page.
http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506080 (http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506080)
If your Device Update page does not look like the image at the link above, and does not have the Backup Configuration section, then I suggest you post an image clip of what your page looks like.
:-[ Oh my goodness. There it is. I was looking at the Device Admin page. So embarrassed. Sorry! I guess I didn't check as many headings as I thought I did. (Probably the first post should be edited to say "System Management :: Device Update :: Backup Configuration" so others don't wander down the same wrong path I did.)
Good point about the misleading reference to "Device Admin" rather than "Device Update" page in the opening post of this topic. I hope HHinFlorida has the chance to edit that.
In any event, glad to hear that you're now set for making configuration backups.
Although it seems, from this post, http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=4098.new;topicseen#new, that it doesn't work at the moment. I have backed up my configuration by pasting screen shots into a word doc, so at least I can retrace my steps. :)
An FYI on the pasting screen shots approach: In the important fields, i.e., the DigitMap fields, Only the first let's say the 40 characters display, but the field holds many more characters than that, the field is chopped off.
You learn this the hard way if you ever have to restore. Pasting the actual field contents into the word doc is one way to work through this.
It's pretty cheesy that you have to do this at all, in order to make up for the lack of a working restore function.
swl1961,
Quote from: se1961 on February 12, 2013, 05:22:21 PM
I have backed up my configuration by pasting screen shots into a word doc, so at least I can retrace my steps. :)
Well, if you're gonna do that, might as well make the backup and open the XML file using M$ excel. Open it in XML format and you get nice clean columns showing your config details.
HA! Perfect! I'm going to go try that right now. Thanks to both of you for pointing the way to a more reliable workaround. ;D
Edit: just did the backup. It's brilliant! To think of all the time I wasted cutting and pasting. Thanks so much.
I think a really helpful feature about using Excel to transform the xml into columns and rows, especially when selecting the "Incl. Default Values" option when making the backup, is that you can then filter the X_UD column for blanks. This gives you all the changes you've made to the default values in one view. Very handy!
When I have a few minutes, I'd like to test out whether the configuration backup xml file can be read and transformed by either Google's online spreadsheet or the Excel WebApp. Maybe someone's already tried that and can report on it. But if not, I'd like to try it.
Would you be so kind as to elaborate on your "filtering" method? I tried doing a backup with defaults and couldn't really understand how it worked, so went with the plain vanilla backup instead. I'm neither a VOIP programmer, nor an Excel expert, so it might be beyond me. :-\
They're referring to Data > Filter > Drop Down arrows/list with check boxes. Exact usage depends on which version of Excel you are using (2013, 2007, 2003....). In an import I just did in XL 2007 the filter thing was already there on all columns.
se1961,
Excel does all the work in setting up the filter for you.
First, I recommend that you select the "Incl. Default Values" and "Use Obi Version" options when creating the xml backup configuration file (see http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506084 (http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506084)).
When you open the xml file in Excel, you will see a header row of column names, one of which is X_UD. You should also see drop-down arrow icons at the right border of each column name. When you click that drop-down, it shows you a summary listing of each unique value in the data rows, and there is a checkbox next to each value. For X_UD, there are just two unique values - "Y" (for this parameter is set at the Default) and "(Blanks)". Uncheck the "(Select All)" option, then check the "(Blanks)" option. The data will then be filtered for just those rows that have a setting different than the Default.
This works as described above for the Windows version of Excel I'm using (Excel 2013). I assume it works the same way for other versions, but haven't tested it on other versions.
Filtering is a very powerful and easy to use feature in Excel. If you find it useful, the Help screens or google searches will show many practical uses for it and tips for how to use it.
Quote from: QBZappy on February 12, 2013, 08:55:57 PM
swl1961,
Quote from: se1961 on February 12, 2013, 05:22:21 PM
I have backed up my configuration by pasting screen shots into a word doc, so at least I can retrace my steps. :)
Well, if you're gonna do that, might as well make the backup and open the XML file using M$ excel. Open it in XML format and you get nice clean columns showing your config details.
A few months ago I tried an XL import. It never ever worked because some 'import errors.' Tried unsuccessfully to track them down, and eventually gave up.
After reading this I tried the import in Excel 2007 and it worked without any problem. I had previously been using Excel 2013. No idea why Excel 2013 saw errors, with no apparent work around.
Wow. Great. Thank you so much. Not only is this device saving me money, it's making me a better and smarter person. ;D
CoalMinerRetired,
It looks like we both replied at the same time. I'm glad to hear that Excel sets up the filter on importing the xml in the 2007 version, as it does in 2013. Maybe all the versions will do that???
CoalMinerRetired,
I'm surprised that it didn't work when you tried the Excel import with version 2013. I'm curious as to whether the "Use Obi Version" option might be the reason. I chose that option. Did you use that option? Perhaps it might make a difference in how Excel is able to transform the xml??
When I do the import into Excel 2013, I first get a message saying "Please select how you would like to open this file:". I went with the default choice: "As an XML Table".
Then I got a message saying: "The specified XML source does not refer to a schema. Excel with create a schema based on the XML source data." After clicking OK, the data got imported ok.
My report for Excel 2003:
When I opened, I got the option to open as a read-only workbook, which I chose, because it requires the least amount of work from me. The dropdown arrow isn't on the column, but applying it was trivial: go to Data/Filter/Auto, and then check "blank." Voilà. Filtered list.
Question: what does "Use Obi Version" option do? On first glance, I don't see any difference between that and the workbook sheet I imported last night.
se1961,
The "Use Obi Version" config backup option is explained in this section of the online Device Admin Guide:
http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506084 (http://www.obihai.com/OBiAdminGuide.htm#_Toc333506084)
Asked and answered. Thanks for all your help. I believe my help ticket is closed. ;)
Quote from: jwcmb on February 12, 2013, 10:01:09 PM
When I have a few minutes, I'd like to test out whether the configuration backup xml file can be read and transformed by either Google's online spreadsheet or the Excel WebApp. Maybe someone's already tried that and can report on it. But if not, I'd like to try it.
Well, I thought as an experiment I'd try this to see if I could do it, but I struck out on getting Google Spreadsheet or Excel Web App to import the backup configuration file and display it online in tabular format.
Google Spreadsheet - I uploaded the xml file, selecting the "Convert documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and drawings to the corresponding Google Docs format", but it did not recognize the xml format and did not convert it to spreadsheet format. So it was simply uploaded as an unknown file type and viewing it online was not possible. Google Spreadsheet has an
importXML() function which can import xml from an URL, so I tried this in a new spreadsheet. However, the importXML() function requires that the source file be public. I was unwilling to open my backup xml file for public access, so I struck out. However, I believe that importXML() might work if the file is publicly accessible.
As a test I downloaded the xml file I uploaded, and I could open it ok in Excel on my computer, so it's file format and contents were preserved during the upload to Google Spreadsheet.
Excel Web App - I uploaded the xml file to SkyDrive to see if Microsoft's Web App could recognize it or convert it. However, the uploaded file could not be opened in the Web App and could only be opened by Excel installed on my computer. The uploaded online copy did open ok with Excel on my machine. So again, I struck out with viewing it online.
Quote from: jwcmb on February 13, 2013, 07:10:32 AM
CoalMinerRetired,
I'm surprised that it didn't work when you tried the Excel import with version 2013. I'm curious as to whether the "Use Obi Version" option might be the reason. I chose that option. Did you use that option? Perhaps it might make a difference in how Excel is able to transform the xml??
When I do the import into Excel 2013, I first get a message saying "Please select how you would like to open this file:". I went with the default choice: "As an XML Table".
Then I got a message saying: "The specified XML source does not refer to a schema. Excel with create a schema based on the XML source data." After clicking OK, the data got imported ok.
The option causing the import to fail in XL 2013 is Incl. Running Status. Without this set of fields there, the import in XL 2013 works without issue. In XL 2007, it imports with no problem.
Now I can't let this go, so I looked for what field and value is causing the problem:
<N>VoiceService.1.X_BT.1.Stats.</N>
.
.
.
<P>
<N>BindingService</N>
<V>_</V>
</P>
The value between the Vs is the problem. In another that value appeared as "┐" or "┘". I'm not using BT, and I suspect only a reset to factory state will clear this oddity.