WIP: Cleaning up RoboOS / Work In Progress

After numerous attempts to get RoboOS upgraded to Raspbian Stretch (Debian 9) I have decided to come at this from a different angle. I am going to sort of follow on some previous work (http://community.robo3d.com/index.php?threads/robo-flavored-raspberry-pi-octoprint.16942/) and see if the RoboOS can be streamlined a bit and extraneous files removed (There are two OctoPrints on the SD image, for example). At the same time, trying to reduce the dependence on Robo's GIT repositories and make sure all parts are up to date with current releases of everything on that µSD.

I am going to start with Guysoft's Stretch version of Octopi as Octopi was the basis for RoboOS. That should give me a working base configuration allowing the R2 / C2 to fully function, minus the LCD screen. If anyone is interested in assisting me, I am not a very good Python coder, I would appreciate it. I will be creating a repository for the parts that need to be rewritten (not too much, as well as a place to store the rPi images. Since 4GB and 8GB µSD cards are nearly impossible to find in a Class 10 card I am going to build this as a 16GB image. This will require a 16GB or larger card to get working.

 

So @CdRsKuLL I did a bunch of internet sleuthing and found the current source code for roboLCD (1.11.15) it was up on Amazon web services. I have created a GITHUB repository for it located here: https://github.com/WheresWaldo/roboLCD_current. I already have a currently working rPi Raspbian Stretch OctoPrint (installed in the default sub-directories), with most of the add-ons used by Robo. Instead of using Robo's GITHUB, I pulled them all directly from the authors they cloned. I also omitted the ones that 'phone home'. Right now all that is missing is roboTheme (I installed Themeify instead) and roboLCD. The plan is to take roboLCD and strip all the parts that change sources to Robo's repositories then work on cleaning up all the code to strip all the proprietary G35/G36 crap out of the wizards.

Basically roboLCD v1.11.15 is RoboOS v2. My end goal is to make RoboLCD a GenericLCD instead, that way it will work on the Robo or pretty much any other OctoPrint controllable printer. The interface while needing some work, is still pretty and usable.

 

I think if you make it as generic as possible, there is no need for special firmware. Just any old flavor of Marlin should work.

 

This is my shocked face



Not really, just being sarcastic

 

It took all morning staring at update scripts before I found the source directories. They basically moved RoboOS from GITHUB to Amazon Web Services, from what I can tell, RoboOS is just a combination of the following parts:

1. RoboLCD
2. roboOctoPrint
3. meta-Reader (Robo)
4. OctoPrint-Filament (sensor)
5. OctoPrint-robotheme (Robo)

In addition, it looks like RoboOS updater:

1. expands the root partition
2. stops the webcam during updating
3. upgrades to Marlin 1.1.6
4. restores the sample gcode scripts
5. adds a custom command to OctoPrint to enable/disable ssh
6. replaces the slicing profiles

 

I am working on a µSD image now. It sucks that my only current Linux boxes are all rPi's. I used a 32 GB µSD on this and Win32DiskImager will only backup the entire µSD. Had to add Hyper-V to my Win10 install so I could run a Ubuntu VM to shrink the image. Currently waiting on Ubuntu to finish up it's install.

 

I should have the Raspbian Stretch / OctoPrint image up some place accessible by Sunday evening, I will be testing it in the morning. Using pishrink.sh on Ubuntu I was able to take a 32 GB µsd image and reduce it to just 2.8 GB. This is still missing RoboLCD, but since I have it on GITHUB I am not too worried that the very smart people on this forum can help figure out how to get it working.

 

Here is a link to the 2018-10-09 Raspbian Stretch (Debian 9) image that I would like to use as a base for building a better RoboOS. The image was tested by loading it onto a 32GB µSD. It auto-expands after the first reboot to fill the entire µSD no matter what size you are using. The image will fit on a 4GB µSD, although those and 8GB are getting harder to find and none are Class 10 cards. It is set up for a HDMI based screen running 800 x 480 resolution, touchscreen drivers are not currently installed (next iteration).

Here is a list of what is currently installed, with default installation settings:

1. OctoPrint (naturally)
2. pybonjour
3. mjpg-streamer
4. CuraEngine
5. haproxy
6. wiringpi
7. Kivy (installed globally)
8. wpa_supplicant.conf (needs to be edited)
9. Netconnectd

The following OctoPrint add-ons are installed, all from the original author's repositories:

1. Active Filters
2. Custom Control Editor
3. EEPROM Marlin Editor
4. Firmware Updater
5. Print History
6. Themeify (to replace the limited octoprint-robotheme)
7. Webcam Tab

What is not currently installed:

1. Meta-Reader
2. OctoPrint Filament Sensor
3. Alexa Voice Services
4. KAA Print Event
5. Lani
6. RoboLCD
7. Robotheme (replaced by Themeify)

What will be in the next iteration:

1. Cura profiles
2. Custom controls
3. Touchscreen driver for Waveshare 5" screen (same as installed in the R2)

 

Need to order a V2 raspi camera module, right now I am leaning toward removing mjpg-streamer and using uv4l instead. Need to experiment a bit, but need the camera module to make sure it works. About two hours of work and I have the splash screen working without using additional software, it uses Plymouth themes instead.

Cura profiles and demo gcode files were added.

 

Ran into my first big issue last night, RoboLCD will not install on OctoPrint 1.3.9 (current release). I have an experiment to try out to see if it will run but just not install. I am going to take a standard RoboOS2.0 image and then force the install of the new OctoPrint to see if it actually runs or breaks everything.

 

Here is another one, https://github.com/mcuadros/OctoPrint-TFT

 

Then there is always this, that is constantly being updated, https://github.com/Leapfrog3DPrinters/OctoPrint-LUI

 

Okay, I updated the base configuration. It is still missing a frontend GUI. but it is ready to run OctoPrint 1.3.9. A few things to note:

1. There are no OctoPrint users set up
2. You have to edit /boot/wpa_supplicant.conf if you want it to connect to wifi, it currently has a .txt extension added on the end, edit it accordingly then remove the .txt, then reboot to connect.
3. It has boot and shutdown screens that display services run from systemd before completing
4. netconnectd is not installed
5. It basically uses only stuff that comes preinstalled in Raspbian Stretch Lite.
6. Touchscreen driver is not installed.
7. OctoPrint will go through the first run screens the first time you access it.
8. SSH is enabled.

Base OctoPrint v3 Link

 

Here is what I am seeing on GITHUB,

Octoscreen hasn't been updated in over a year, essentially dead.
OctoPrint-TFT has been dormant for 8 months, and it is an X app. It might work but needs a lot of cleaning up.
Leapfrog, basically works on the Leapfrog BOLT printer and would be a significant effort to make work generically.
OctoPiTouchPanel might be a good choice, it isn't real involved, it isn't an OctoPrint plugin and it is written in Kivy