What Pi-Star "saves" save to what?

[KK4GMU]

As mentioned in a previous thread, my new mobile duplex hotspot thru my Android phone is "mostly" setup.

Before I embark on further refinements to the new duplex Config based on my existing Simplex config, I have a couple more questions:

What is the best way to determine which Config settings are controlling my hotspot: The "Config screen" settings or the "Full Edit settings?" I assume my Simplex hotspot is being controlled via my Full Edit settings since I copied them from a file saved on my Word program more recently than I changed anything on the Config screen. Is that a valid assumption?

Does saving via the "Download Configuration" via the Backup/Restore function save everything in the Full Edit, or does it save what was entered in the Config screen? Or does it save the last Window that was edited: either the Config settings or the Full Edit settings?

[KN2TOD]

As mentioned in a previous thread, my new mobile duplex hotspot thru my Android phone is "mostly" setup.

Are you trying to configure your mobile duplex hotspot using only your phone?!?! (You can connect to your second hotspot via your PC - using the hotspot's access point; or you can connect your second hotspot to your home router and configure from there. Either way, you can then disconnect it and reconnect it to your phone as you eventually intend.)

What is the best way to determine which Config settings are controlling my hotspot: The "Config screen" settings or the "Full Edit settings?" I assume my Simplex hotspot is being controlled via my Full Edit settings since I copied them from a file saved on my Word program more recently than I changed anything on the Config screen. Is that a valid assumption?

The "config screen" and the "Full Edit screen" manipulate the same underlying files. What you change via either method is saved and will appear on the other - usually, normally. The caveat however, is that certain changes made via one method can be undone by the other method in certain circumstances. What gets lost when you toggle back and forth between the two has never been documented - one discovers such things by trial and error. And, it does not matter how the data is populated in those screens, whether hand-typed, cut-n-paste from word/notepad/clipboard/whatever, that makes no difference.

(The Full Edit approach to making config changes was basically designed to facilitate experimentation with new features or new parameters and was meant to be utilized by advanced users - the regular configuration screen has not keep up with all that experimentation so because it doesn't understand such additional information, it simply drops it from the file IF you happen to save a config using the config screen edit after having changed things via the Full Edit screen. And, yes, it would be nice, would be helpful, if the one screen "understood" the other screen, but that would take a huge development effort that just isn't going to happen anytime soon.)

I don't know why you started down the Full Edit path to begin with, or who told you do that. But now that you've taken that path, you're stuck with it ... unless, you go back to basics here and configure your second hotspot the "normal" way, get it working, and then later add the bells and whistles you think you need via the Full Edit. Your choice. )

Does saving via the "Download Configuration" via the Backup/Restore function save everything in the Full Edit, or does it save what was entered in the Config screen? Or does it save the last Window that was edited: either the Config settings or the Full Edit settings?

Everything, EVERYTHING is saved in the config file, regardless of how it was configured or when it was configured AT the time the save is made. Again, It is a snapshot of the essential state of your current hotspot regardless of who or how or what set it or changed it. The saves are cumulative: save a config, make some changes, save again, make more changes, save again, and so on. Like backups of your PC, saved configs allow you to restore your system to a prior state OR to an alternate drive or system.

[KK4GMU]

I don't know why you started down the Full Edit path to begin with, or who told you do that. But now that you've taken that path, you're stuck with it ... unless, you go back to basics here and configure your second hotspot the "normal" way, get it working, and then later add the bells and whistles you think you need via the Full Edit. Your choice. )

I bought my first hotspot a month or so ago from Robert Bretzman of TGIF fame. His TGIF Spot 3.5 with the Nextion screen looked like a nice "user-friendly" option and he has been responsive to questions.

One of my questions to him was "how can I access both Brandmiester and TGIF from my new hotspot?" He provided a Full Edit file that I dutifully added to my new hotspot. After a few tweaks (like figuring out the password system for both networks), everything worked.

If there is a way to have BOTH networks on my new, mobile, Android-tied hotspot WITHOUT using Full Edit, I'm all ears. I haven't yet polluted the new hotspot with Full Edit stuff.

If there is already a thread on the topic of "Two or More Networks without using Full Edit" or "How to access two or more Networks the Simple Way", I'll go there - or I can create a new thread with that title.

Thanks for all your help and explanations to this noob. Larnin' new stuff is a wonderful thing!