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Robo-Tank v6.0 is Ready - Now v6.5
Hey rott, yeah getting a little better with the bash scripts, took a lot of research to get it like that, only thing it's missing is a status bar. It's nice I can run these commands directly from the c++ program.
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(11-17-2021, 01:35 PM)Rob F Wrote: Ok, looks like it was installed, try this command to uninstall it.

sudo apt remove apache2 -y

After that finishes try this command again to reinstall.

sudo apt-get install apache2 -y

It should roll through the install, then try the install script as you have it above.

Look at the end code line for the apache install...


[Image: putty.jpg]

Same errors when I try to install Robo-Tank
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Somethings going wrong during the install, very strange why it's being so stubborn. I would say try using the Pi Imager again to load OS and then run that apt-get install. If this doesn't install the some of those other things can't, that's why those errors show. The install script doesn't have any error handling so it looks like it works for apache but what you see now is occurring.
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(11-17-2021, 02:07 PM)Rob F Wrote: Somethings going wrong during the install, very strange why it's being so stubborn. I would say try using the Pi Imager again to load OS and then run that apt-get install. If this doesn't install the some of those other things can't, that's why those errors show. The install script doesn't have any error handling so it looks like it works for apache but what you see now is occurring.

I've tryed with a different card reader, using Pi utility installing Raspberry Pi OS Lite 32-bit with no luck...
Apache installation now runs fine but Robo-Tank install don't.
I have the same errors as before... Trying to reach 192.168.1.250 I only have a "loading" message on top left 
I'm really start thinking that the problem is PHP related and not Apache...

I've tryed to run "sudo apt install phpmyadmin" After Robo-Tank unstallation and now seems to work :D
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Nicely done, now I wish I knew what I have wrong. Do I have this correct? You basically ran the install script, when it finished you ran that command to install phpmyadmin and then it worked?

What Pi are you using? When you ran sudo apt install phpmyadmin did it prompt you twice during install for a couple options?

When phpmyadmin is installed it prompts twice which isn't good because it's confusing for people to choose, I found a way these options could be defined before install so the prompts don't happen, I think that's the problem. Now I'm wondering if it's Pi related.
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Hi Rob, I’ve done a fresh Rpi Os install, then I run phpmyadmin installation and then Robo-Tank installation script. I always have the 2 errors I’ve shown in the first post but now it works fine..

P.S. A couple of quick question: can it run on Rpi Zero or it need more power?
Can I use multiple PCA9685 expander?
Thank you very much!
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Hi Simon, thanks and this is interesting, maybe phpmyadmin needs to be installed first but don't answer why this worked for 90% of people. Did you get those prompts during installation or did it run the install without prompts?

Have you tried logging into the phpmyadmin, like below shows?

http://192.168.1.45/phpmyadmin/

Username = root
Password = robotank

I think the Pi Zero is enough power but the wifi was really slow on my tests. The frontend isn't optimized and has large javascript libraries and images, I think that's why it felt laggy when loading pages. I just got a micro USB to ethernet adapter I'm going to test with it. Definitely can't run the full OS on the zero, needs to be the light version. I'll let you know tomorrow how it works with Ethernet.

You can connect a couple pca9685's but keep the wires between it and the controller under 1ft.
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I just ran a quick test with the Ethernet, I think it's a little faster but I just got a cheap adapter. I think I was wrong, wifi isn't that slow, side to side test they feel similar. I think you won't find it too bad, let me know how you feel about it.
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Hi Rob, I'll do some test with my Rpi Zero with Ethernet module ;) I'll let you know :)
[-] The following 1 user Likes simonv92's post:
  • Rob F
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Hi Rob, I've quickly swap the SD card from my Rpi3 to my Rpi Zero connected with usb to ethernet converter. It works from the first try!
All the menu are pretty responsive, no delay at all... I have to try it with some devices connected...

It will be interesting to try it out with the new Rpi Zero 2...
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Yeah with the Ethernet it's not bad, I noticed with wifi if left ideal for a bit it would be slow to load. If you run the command htop it'll show how the memory and CPU is. Half the memory is gone mainly due to mysql, it uses a lot.

I was lucky to get a couple Zero 2's, now they are all gone. :( These Pi's are getting difficult to find these days. The Zero 2 is definitely faster than the Zero but still quite a bit slower than the Pi 3 B+. I tried running the full OS with a HDMI display but it was a horrible experience, it loaded ok but using UI was a crawl, felt like a sick Windows computer. The wifi felt better than the original Zero as well but still not as instant as the Pi 3. Nice little board though, if a person doesn't care to connect a display directly it's a perfect fit. I got so excited about it I added new listings including it and everything else needed as Digi-Key had 1000's in stock, now they are gone and I have one left till who knows when. I can't believe there's still a big part shortage, something feels fishy about it all. ;)
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Thank you Rob! My idea, even with the original Reef-Pi, is to run the controller with a Rpi Zero since it will be power on all the time and use and Rpi 3 or a tablet to control it. Doing so I think I'll have a better protection from failure of the controller.
Chip shortage is a real big problem.. A friend of mine told me that here in Italy a particular model of car it's on sale without the radio because of this...
Regarding multiple PCA9685, how do I add more than one? I mean, software side... ;)
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I agree it's likely more reliable running the Pi with just the lite OS, should be less that can go wrong. I'm pretty impressed with how reliable these Pi's are, with a good SD card it runs well.

For the pca9685, with my app it'll detect it and a popup will appear, select pca9685 and it'll add the pins to the configure ports page on the advance tab. In reef-pi you add a driver for the pca9685, then assign connectors and then they'll be available. You will need to solder one of those I2C address pads on the board so it has a different address, you can use i2cdetect to see what it was assigned for reef-pi.
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(11-13-2021, 02:47 PM)Rob F Wrote: Sorry off hand I'm not sure what's causing that, the time change shouldn't have had anything to do with it. Strange that it worked for a while and quit. I am getting close to having redone the light modes, this coming week it should be ready for sure.
Hi Rob:
Any status/update here?
Thanks,
Phil
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Hey Phil, these light modes are kicking my butt, on Friday I had them mostly wrapped up and was going to send an update but I didn't like how they worked and came up with another idea. I'm in the middle of changing things again but sadly I'm still not happy, either way though I'm going to finish and think more later. Should have a quiet week ahead so it should be out in a few days.

This is what it looks like.

Now things are viewed via each port which you add modes to. I've been going back and forth on allowing "day" selection for each mode, I had it showing under each time but removed it as it doesn't really work with this interface. 

Everything will be done on this page, each channel can be collapsed into rows.

Under these rows will be a block that you can add any available ports, when you add one it'll simply add a row for that port and then in the blue header for each row will be a + sign  (yet to be added) to add modes for the port. If you delete all the modes for a port the row will disappear and go back to the lower menu.

[Image: lights6.PNG]
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(11-20-2021, 09:33 AM)Rob F Wrote: I agree it's likely more reliable running the Pi with just the lite OS, should be less that can go wrong. I'm pretty impressed with how reliable these Pi's are, with a good SD card it runs well.

For the pca9685, with my app it'll detect it and a popup will appear, select pca9685 and it'll add the pins to the configure ports page on the advance tab. In reef-pi you add a driver for the pca9685, then assign connectors and then they'll be available. You will need to solder one of those I2C address pads on the board so it has a different address, you can use i2cdetect to see what it was assigned for reef-pi.

Thank Rob as always :D
I've tryed to plug a PCA9685 board I've and it has shown up as a new device.
After that my controller stop working, I have the red plug on top right and it wont respond.
I have to manually remove the new PCA9685 in php admyn page.
I'll do some more test in the next days ;)
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Thanks for letting me know, I'll take a look, there's been quite a few changes since I tested it so not really a surprise. If you haven't already, in the database if you go to the i2cDevices table it should be the last entry, delete it and it should be good. Maybe verify in the pinsAvailable table that there are 39 records. When you selected pca9685 in the UI it should have added 16 records to pinsAvailable, one for each pin, I think that probably didn't happen.
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Hi Rob, no problem, I already had a second PCA9685 board so I've done the test..
I've deleted the device in i2cDevices tab.
In pinsAvailable I have 25 records; I've also seen that in the new PCA9685 I cannot set the pin function (for example light, dosing pump, ecc)
If you need me to do more tests please tell me.
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Hi Simon, are you maybe only looking at page 1, by default it only shows 25 records per page. 25 is an odd number to have, if the main pca9685 was deleted it would remove 16 records leaving 23 so I think they are there. If you find you do have 39 records

Makes sense the issue you are having, after I created the configure ports page I didn't try adding another pca9685 and that probably broke it. I haven't tested it since the original UI and a lot has changed in that area. I have one laying around so I will give it a test tomorrow and see what's happening. My guess is the 16 pins weren't added to the pinsAvailable table.
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Hello Rob!!!!

I see that everything is working good with your new project and I am very happy for you. But what about US that we spend our good money buying your arduino based Robotank v5.2 and it never worked??? I thing that now that you have develope your new controller you should think and the clients that they have support you by paying almost 500$ and they bought something that never work.
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