I'd like to get all of the switches setup with the password, network ID, name and room stuff before installation.
If you are trying to save time and hassel, I beleive the hassel of programming them one at a time will be worse than programming the switches room by room after they are installed.
You can save the most time by anticipating your links ahead of time and doing as much of that as possible during the first programming. I have installed in 9000sq ft homes with the computer in a central location.
Below is somthing I posted a few weeks ago about local programming after the switches have been added to links:
Just set up the laptop in a central location. When I install, I usually install all the switches in a room, put them all in setup, and let UPstart find them all at once. Then I set the room name, device name(I may have to send a blink signal from upstart to conferm which unit i am programming) and ID# (I sort the ID# by room in the opening page of UPstart). Then I set all of the transmits and Receives to what you think you will like. (It saves time if you have your links setup before programming switches) Then send the program to the switch.
Later, I tweak the scenes using the "local scene programming" procedure.
Local scene programming:
1. Press a button that activates the link you want to modify
2. Adjust the dim levels/on/off for the devices in the link that you want to change
3. press the original button 7 times and watch all of the loads flash
4. All loads are now programmed to the new settings.
There are 2 concerns with this procedure:
1. Be sure to remember which scene button you are modifying. If you press the wrong button 7 times you will change the wrong scene.
2. After this process you will need to update UPstart with the new settings.
To update Upstart:
Do a Network Varify.... you will notice that several devices will have minor differences.....click on each device box in the grid one at a time. Upstart will query that device again and ask you if you want the old UPstart program or the new program in the switch. Sellect the program from the switch and move on to the next device. This can be a pain when you have a lot of changes. I have talked to Simply Automated folks about getting a "Yes to All" feature in this procedure.
Hope you find this helpfull,
Dave