2023.13 and possibly other versions changing ethernet protocol

[AAH]

I am currently rewriting the user manual for my HE123 board. Because DDP doesn't support "Upload Input" which is the easiest way to setup inputs to use in what used to be called FPP bridge mode I am using and suggesting E1.31 as the preferred ethernet protocol. Attached are 3 screenshots. The first shows a HE123 with no expansions E1.31 selected (which allows the upload input to be used). As soon as you click on the variant to add 1 or 2 expansions the ethernet protocol changes to DDP which removes the upload input. Clicking the protocol back to E131 fixes the issue.
I don't know if this is a long term behaviour or something that has just snuck in but it's a bit frustrating writing a manual where you have to document what you consider a bug.
The other option which I don't know if it's ever been a thing or not is to allow "upload input" while DDP is selected as the ethernet protocol. It seems that DDP is the default protocol these days but in my own experience the first time that people want to use their controllers they will want them to have them receiving data direct from xlights which would require the inputs to be uploaded to the controller.
Hopefully this is enough info to document my issue. No idea if it effects other controllers.

[dkulp]

Stick with DDP.   If they ever go into the zoom room for help, one of the first things the folks will recommend is flip to DDP.  Use what is recommended by the experts.  If you want, have them turn on the "Auto Upload Configuration" which would have it fully upload the configuration when the Output to lights is clicked.  That would include enabling the ddp input.

[AAH]

DDP is actually my preferred option and I'd stick with that if possible.
I didn't actually know that there was an auto upload configuration. Cool. You learn something new every day.
Is the auto upload config and my e1.31 workaround the only 2 ways of uploading inputs?

[dkulp]

The preferred method at this point is to go to the FPP instance, go to the inputs/udp page, and click Enable.

However, when your show goes "Live" and it's running in remote mode, the recommendation is to then DISABLE the UDP inputs.   When running as a remote, if the input is enabled and it gets DDP data, the DDP data will overwrite the sequence stuff and the show can look wacked out.   If it's disabled and gets DDP data, it produces a warning with information about the source of the DDP data so you can go find out what's producing data that shouldn't be.   This is one of the main reasons for NOT having it enabled by default or having xLights set it as it should be disabled in most cases for live shows.