No Option to Import Camera Config Since upgrading to Windows Client V 8.1.28

Richard

Since upgrading my Windows Client Software to version 8.1.28, the button to restore the configuration settings to a camera has disappeared, I navigate to the camera settings > System > Maintenance where I can see the option to Export Configuration but there is no option to import configuration? Please can you advise how to do this?

Whilst talking about this subject, I would rather not have to do this at all however I have noticed that my camera's configuration is lost every so often (about once every 2 months) which is why I decided to export the config so I can easily and quickly restore it whenever this happens. Why is my configuration lost periodically? I actually have 4x C2 Pro cameras running and each of them have the same problem but at different times, they don't all loose their config settings at the same time but they each loose their config settings separately at random times but at least once every couple of months. Is there any reason for this?

Thanks.

Cynthia

Sorry that the import config files function has been removed last year. The older exported config files may not be compatible with our new desktop software and if users import the previous exported config files into the new desktop software, the software may crash. That's why you cannot find the import camera settings function after the update. Hope this clarifies.

We have been receiving reports from our users that they have encountered compatibility issues when exporting and importing config files between cameras with newer and older hardware version. That's why we remove this function temporarily and work on these issues since then. We will relaunch this function later when we find solutions to eliminate the compatibility issues.

As for the configuration lost issue, may I know when they lose the configuration, will they also ask you to set a new password and device name?

Crimp On

I fear the engineering staff have "fed you a line." It is almost trivial to code a configuration file with the software version. When importing a configuration file, the first step would be to confirm that it was made on the current firmware. If not, reject the configuration file as incompatible.

There is no reason to remove the ability to save a configuration file and import it into the same camera on the the same software release.

Jose

+1.

Sometimes I am stunned and astounded with some decisions taken by the engineering people in Reolink. Taking things a step further, any importing code could be so smart to read an old format or version, apply any usable settings, fill the remaining ones with the usual default values and inform user about this. But, in any case, having the possibility to backup and restore current configuration at least should be obligatory.

Cynthia

Sorry for the inconvenience caused. And I understand your thoughts. Because we upgraded the new architecture with the new firmware. If the camera that originally used the old architecture/old firmware is upgraded to the new architecture, but the old config files are still used, compatibility issues will occur and the camera will not work properly. In order to avoid this problem, we canceled the import function in the new client.

Thank you very much for your suggestion, we will forward to our R&D team. And see if we can make some adjustments in this aspect.

And for the C1 pro, may i know will they also ask you to set a new password and device name when they lost the configration?

Cynthia

Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. Could you please submit this issue to https://reolink.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new? Our support will help you solve this problem.

Jose

I don't know whether the problem is the same I wrote about in #1290430: from one day to the next all my configurations had disappeared, except the camera models. The names were changed to default "My device" and all settings and defined scenes were gone. And it is not the first time this has happened. In fact, it was for this reason that I opened my first Support ticket on past Sep 27, 2020, and since then it has been repeated several times for some or all of my cameras. If you have a client version still capable to import a configuration you are in luck, because an added problem in my case is that neither old or new Mac client versions can to do that (I discussed that issue in the same ticket, as well), so I am therefore obliged each time to delete those zombie cameras from the device list and add them again. The worst thing is that the solution is unseen in the horizon if FIVE MONTHS after my first ticket about it (I am sure that I am not alone with this problem) the response I get is "that is a known problem" and "[R&D team] will fix it in the future but now we don't have a proper solution for it". Very disappointing.

Cynthia

We are sincerely sorry for the unpleasant experience. We will forward your request to our engineer to see if it can be implemented in the future.