Sentinel Updates

[AuntEnvy]

Something occurred to me while doing the sentinel updates. Whether it's the HP or 36, I remember people asking about the favorites list being updated and I'm curious to know if I'm reading the popup dialogue wrong or are they?

When you're writing to the unit after DB updates, it says such-n-such list is "different than on unit/replace?", and it goes down the list with each one that it sees is different. Doesn't that mean sentinel is going to update your list if/when you say yes? I would think so but maybe I'm wrong...

 

[Voyager]

You're talking about two different things. That dealogue comes up when your FL on the PC is different than the one in the scanner. Sentinel updates only affect the preloaded database, not FLs.

 

[AuntEnvy]

I'm not sure what you mean by talking about two different things because I'm referring to exactly what you stated... I think.
So, I have been reading it wrong all this time.

Then why is sentinel changing/recognizing/asking if it isn't actually doing anything to your favs? So none of my favs have ever had updated info?

 

[UPMan]

If you've changed a FL on the PC, but not on the scanner, or if you've changed a FL on the scanner since last time you wrote from the PC you will get that message when you "Write to Scanner".

You do not get that message when you update the database from the main server by UPDATE --> Update Master HPDB

 

[AuntEnvy]

Thanks for the reply UPMan.

This being the case, why am I being asked if I haven't done anything to the favs?

So nothing has been updated since I've created these favs on both my units. How do they get updated? Just manually figuring out what's different every time or creating hundreds of new files and re-writing constantly?

I'm sure I must be missing something...

 

[Voyager]

Maybe you changed something in the FL in the scanner?

And you're sure you haven't edited the FL in Sentinel at all since the last write to the scanner?

 

[AuntEnvy]

I don't usually do anything within the scanner itself but I suppose it's possible. But that would depend on what it see's as "different". Does it include lockouts/avoids? That's the only thing I can think of that I would do without using the software. But anywho...

How do you go about getting the updates with your favs then? I thought I had this figured out all this time.

 

[ofd8001]

Well, I can see what Aunt Envy is saying from just trying something.

Connected my 536 to the computer as I updated the master database and made some Favorites List changes in Sentinel. I did a "Write to Scanner", disconnected and powered down the scanner.

I then powered the scanner back up, reconnected it to the computer and did a "Read from Scanner". I made no changes on the scanner itself, but I got the message Aunt Envy describes.

But then I went through this exercise a second and third time and did not get such messages.

So I'm getting a little confused too - sometimes this happens and sometimes it does not.

 

[lacadien72]

I don't usually do anything within the scanner itself but I suppose it's possible. But that would depend on what it see's as "different". Does it include lockouts/avoids? That's the only thing I can think of that I would do without using the software.

Yes it include Permanent avoids.

 

[Voyager]

Connected my 536 to the computer as I updated the master database and made some Favorites List changes in Sentinel. I did a "Write to Scanner",

Two comments:

1. You should have gotten a message when writing that the two FLs were different.

2. Maybe the timestamp was off a little, and the scanner's timestamp was a little later than the PC's clock? I'm not sure how accurately the timestamp records. It might be purely date based, or maybe date-hour?

I know I have an FTP program that I use that sees the server as newer than the local PC even after I write the file then change the PC version. It has to do with the UTC conversion, I think. Maybe that's going on here, too. Still, it should not be an issue after 12 hours or less (depending where you are)

 

[ofd8001]

Voyager: I got the message (the pop-up window) the FLs were different when I read the scanner with Sentinel. This was despite just having written the same stuff to the scanner with Sentinel. In other words Sentinel said there was something different even though no changes were made to create any difference.

It isn't a functional issue - things appear to be working just as before. Rather it's a thing that arouses curiosity.

 

[Voyager]

Yes, it is odd, as you should have received a message on write rather than read unless you have FLs that don't have DOWNLOAD enabled in Sentinel, but are in your scanner.

 

[n3ouc]

Aunt,
To answer your question, I usually delete my favorite lists and rebuild them one by one when updating them. You can chose to overwrite them and only the changes be incorporated into the favorite list, but you still have to do this one favorite list at a time and is the quicker method to update FL's. I have been using Sentinal for about a year now and this is the only way I have found to update the lists.

 

[AuntEnvy]

Voyager: I got the message (the pop-up window) the FLs were different when I read the scanner with Sentinel. This was despite just having written the same stuff to the scanner with Sentinel. In other words Sentinel said there was something different even though no changes were made to create any difference.

It isn't a functional issue - things appear to be working just as before. Rather it's a thing that arouses curiosity.

Yes, ofd, this is what I'm describing. It appears to happen more with my HP than the 536.

The reply about permanent avoids would make more sense but is it going to do that every time or will the software remember and stop asking?

 

[AuntEnvy]

Aunt,
To answer your question, I usually delete my favorite lists and rebuild them one by one when updating them. You can chose to overwrite them and only the changes be incorporated into the favorite list, but you still have to do this one favorite list at a time and is the quicker method to update FL's. I have been using Sentinal for about a year now and this is the only way I have found to update the lists.

Dang n3! That is not what I wanted to hear!

I swore that someone stated a while back that the favs were updated properly with each new DB update but apparently I read it wrong.

Fortunately it's not a huge issue but it does seem weird that this wouldn't be an option as it is in the EZscan.

 

[AuntEnvy]

Aunt,
To answer your question, I usually delete my favorite lists and rebuild them one by one when updating them. You can chose to overwrite them and only the changes be incorporated into the favorite list, but you still have to do this one favorite list at a time and is the quicker method to update FL's. I have been using Sentinal for about a year now and this is the only way I have found to update the lists.

This would be a much easier solution if you don't care about how you name them of course, or whether you use the "extra" features/options in the editing section (alerts/volume offset etc).

I'm guessing (hoping?) there's another way that I don't know about yet. Time to go looking through the various help sites!

 

[ofd8001]

Aunt,
To answer your question, I usually delete my favorite lists and rebuild them one by one when updating them. You can chose to overwrite them and only the changes be incorporated into the favorite list, but you still have to do this one favorite list at a time and is the quicker method to update FL's. I have been using Sentinal for about a year now and this is the only way I have found to update the lists.

I don't do this. If I make a change to a FL in Sentinel, I'm adding new stuff, deleting undesired stuff or changing existing stuff. So what is in the scanner is outdated and is no longer applicable.

It does seem like a lot of work to wipe the slate clean if just a few changes are needed.

 

[AuntEnvy]

I don't do this. If I make a change to a FL in Sentinel, I'm adding new stuff, deleting undesired stuff or changing existing stuff. So what is in the scanner is outdated and is no longer applicable.

It does seem like a lot of work to wipe the slate clean if just a few changes are needed.

Agreed. I don't suppose it's a readily changing occurrence but it would be nice if the option was there like it is in other software.

As I said, not a real big issue but I did wonder about it and wanted to make sure.

 

[phask]

You need to develop a system that works for YOU.

If your area has a lot of updates it will be different than if it does not.

I keep the current, correct , one I want to use , Favorite lists on the PC. Anything on the HP may have been changed or avoided.

If needed - monitor RR for changes. I keep 3 HP's current and no issue.

I have a few 396 and do similar (without Sentinel) using Freescan, but many changes are entered manually rather than download.

Right now Ohio is going thru a compete "do over"of it's statewide system and there is a lot of rapid changes. I monitor RR Db and manually enter changes rather than wait for the updates to roll into Sentinel.

Every so often I will rebuild the Favorites completely using Sentinel.

Agreed. I don't suppose it's a readily changing occurrence but it would be nice if the option was there like it is in other software.

As I said, not a real big issue but I did wonder about it and wanted to make sure.

 

[lacadien72]

I swore that someone stated a while back that the favs were updated properly with each new DB update but apparently I read it wrong.

Fortunately it's not a huge issue but it does seem weird that this wouldn't be an option as it is in the EZscan.

Updating the master DB have no impact on your favorite lists.

The message (popup) you are receiving is related to your favorite lists, not the Master DB. You will get the message if you have one FL or more in your scanner that are not exactly the same as the same FL in Sentinel on your computer.

When you get the message (popup), do you select Copy & Replace on Scanner or you select Skip ? If you select Skip, it won't change the FL in Sentinel on your computer... the FL on you scanner will remain different from the FL in Sentinel on your computer, and the next time you Read from your scanner, you will get the same popup. Unless you do a Write to scanner and you select Copy&replace (or you enable "Erase Favorites Lists on Scanner").