09-10-2021, 08:13 PM
Oh one thing I should have mentioned long ago.
There's one thing that does worry me, date and time.
If the Pi isn't connected to the network and can't give the correct date and time it's big trouble for Robo-Tank. I don't think it's good for reef-pi but not sure to what extent, for mine it'll shut it down mainly due to my scheduling system.
The whole program runs on timers using date and time in milliseconds, this is updated every millisecond or more by reading the network time on the Pi. The problem comes because schedules have a timestamp when they were created due to the feature saying run schedule X number of days. For that you need to know when the schedule was created. If the network time on the Pi isn't updated, I'm not sure how that works, it will crash the program because the date timestamp used will be before the timestamp of the schedules.
To get around this when the Pi starts the program won't start until a network connection is made and it gets the date/time. No network no controller. Personally I've never experience any issues but I know it will be for someone.
So for this reason I highly recommend using a real time clock (RTC) module. I've added this to the updated controller but sadly current connectors don't have one however it's easy to add. The controller has an I2C port so you can simply plug one it. I'm using the DS1307 on controller but if you get one may as well go with a DS3231 as they are more accurate. Here's some affiliate links.
DS3231
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082G6MXVR/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=5302020-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B082G6MXVR&linkId=8b85c5c380873b768c181f048bfaa01b
DS1307
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XB2265S/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=5302020-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XB2265S&linkId=52724100bee1754aeb25800659caa1da
Now with all that said the program isn't able to use one yet, I'm debating before release or right after. Shouldn't be too difficult so might do first. I have a DS3231 on hand and probably the other somewhere in a box.
There's one thing that does worry me, date and time.
If the Pi isn't connected to the network and can't give the correct date and time it's big trouble for Robo-Tank. I don't think it's good for reef-pi but not sure to what extent, for mine it'll shut it down mainly due to my scheduling system.
The whole program runs on timers using date and time in milliseconds, this is updated every millisecond or more by reading the network time on the Pi. The problem comes because schedules have a timestamp when they were created due to the feature saying run schedule X number of days. For that you need to know when the schedule was created. If the network time on the Pi isn't updated, I'm not sure how that works, it will crash the program because the date timestamp used will be before the timestamp of the schedules.
To get around this when the Pi starts the program won't start until a network connection is made and it gets the date/time. No network no controller. Personally I've never experience any issues but I know it will be for someone.
So for this reason I highly recommend using a real time clock (RTC) module. I've added this to the updated controller but sadly current connectors don't have one however it's easy to add. The controller has an I2C port so you can simply plug one it. I'm using the DS1307 on controller but if you get one may as well go with a DS3231 as they are more accurate. Here's some affiliate links.
DS3231
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082G6MXVR/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=5302020-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B082G6MXVR&linkId=8b85c5c380873b768c181f048bfaa01b
DS1307
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XB2265S/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=5302020-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07XB2265S&linkId=52724100bee1754aeb25800659caa1da
Now with all that said the program isn't able to use one yet, I'm debating before release or right after. Shouldn't be too difficult so might do first. I have a DS3231 on hand and probably the other somewhere in a box.
