LCDProc 0.5.4-dev

mdima · Jan 5, 2012, 7:58 AM

I CowBoy,
well… as for your considerations, this is really not "my app", everyone can change it as I started some time ago since was just unsupported anymore. I apreciate a lot your suggestions and ideas, I am only a bit worry that users don't make a mess and a feature turns into a nightmare for 99% of the users.

Coming back to your suggestions, I was investigating a little more on them, and:

Com ports: there are both dev/cua0, dev/cua1 then dev/cuau0, dev/cuau1 for serial ports. I think it is better to add them all, and add Serial port com "alternate", because this can change from system to system. Until now the "com1" has not beed added from the previous developer I think in order to avoid the users to mess up with com1 that is the one used as terminal port in appliances.
and 3) Com port speed selection and brightness/contrast: the situation can be tricky here because you allow the "average user" to mess up their configuration. Every single driver allows only certain speed, brightness, contrast values according to the LCDProc documentation (http://lcdproc.sourceforge.net/docs/lcdproc-0-5-5-user.html). If the values insert by the user don't match the specific values for that driver, I don't know what can happen. This is what I am concerned about...

But if you are confident that for a specific driver the optimal brightness/contrast/speed values are different, please send that values to me so I can use them as default!

What do you think about it?

Ciao,
Michele

fmertz · Jan 6, 2012, 5:11 PM

@mdima:

If you can give me the compiled version already for 0.5.4 I can ask Chris to upload it then I can include it in the dev package!

I uploaded the file here:

<edit: url="" removed="" as="" file="" is="" now="" part="" of="" a="" package="">To recap, this is the new code for the sdeclcd driver for Watchguard Firebox, V1.06. It includes a heartbeat, and a 30 sec back light. It has support for all known keypads, has vbars, hbars and support for big numbers. Some icons were also added out of the custom SDEC char table. At this point, the level of testing is "It works for me". It was compiled in FreeBSD 8.2 release, as part of version 0.5.4 of the lcdproc package from:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/lcdproc/files/lcdproc/0.5.4/lcdproc-0.5.4.tar.gz/download

Feedback most welcome.</edit:>

mdima · Jan 5, 2012, 6:59 PM

@fmertz:

https://github.com/downloads/fmertz/sdeclcd/sdeclcd.so
Feedback most welcome.

Thanks a lot! Can you pls tell me which parameters the driver supports?
Standards are: Device, Size, Contrast, Brightness, Offbrightness, Speed, and so on… also if you can tell me which are the default values for all the parameters...

Thanks!
Michele

fmertz · Jan 5, 2012, 7:06 PM

@mdima:

Can you pls tell me which parameters the driver supports?

Short version: None
Longer version: This is fixed PC parallel port0. No Watchguard model have this on any other port. As this is a pre-made firewall appliance, and not for self-built setups, there is no parameter. Also, there used to be a back light time out, but I took it out. The documentation rates the back light at a half life of only 3,000 Hours. I figured I might as well save whatever life is left by keeping the light on for just 30 sec after a key is pressed, but off otherwise.

mdima · Jan 5, 2012, 7:08 PM

@fmertz:

@mdima:

Can you pls tell me which parameters the driver supports?

Short version: None

crystalline! :D

ok, thanks for the answer!

mdima · Jan 5, 2012, 8:21 PM

Hello,
after some thought about how "to make it safe" and avoid users to mess up with the drivers, I added a lot of improvements to LCDProc-dev.

Added in the com port selection: com1 (dev/cua0), com1 and com2 alternative (dev/cuau0 and dev/cuau1). The default port is anyway "com2" in order to avoid to interfer with the terminal port;
Added com port speed selection;
Added Contrast/Brightness/Offbrightness selection. Since the drivers use different ranges for this values, they are specified in % and chosen from a combo-box, so there's no possibility that the users can specify not valid values. For each model/driver is specified a custom default values, based on the previous code (I think that values come from experience on the specific panels, so it's better to keep them).
If the driver do not allow one or more of this settings they are just ignored by code.

When the new version will be published in the repository just update or reinstall the package. Don't forget to set the com port speed at the first run.

Enjoy!
Michele

mdima · Jan 6, 2012, 3:14 PM

Hello,
I just updated the package to version 0.6. The only change was to integrate the sdeclcd driver.

Ciao,
Michele

joe_cowboy · Jan 6, 2012, 8:11 PM

Good job on adding the server deamon interface changes. Looks good and like the drop down % on the brightness and contrast. I used the drop down for brightness and contrast works great because could not use default. So, perfect. Keep up the good work.

-Joe Cowboy

mdima · Jan 6, 2012, 9:10 PM

@joe_cowboy:

Good job on adding the server deamon interface changes. Looks good and like the drop down % on the brightness and contrast. I used the drop down for brightness and contrast works great because could not use default. So, perfect. Keep up the good work.
-Joe Cowboy

Hi Joe Cowboy,
glad you liked it! Actually was your idea, I just needed a while to think about it and to find out on how to make it safe for all the drivers…

Ciao,
Michele

jpsb · Jan 7, 2012, 2:30 PM

@mdima:

@jpsb:

I just use the HD44780 in the driver list, and by connecting the display, the system log shows "LCD2USB device found"
The display is a little slow, and works best by refresh frequency on 5 or 10 sec.

Hi JPSB,
mmhhh… seems strange... how many screens you have active? Did you have the same problem also with the previous version?

Thanks,
Michele

Hi Michele

Yes I had the same problem with last version.
I only have "Interface Traffic" and "Load" running.
But the new version with options to change contrast, etc. makes the display is running perfectly.
I have not had any luck getting the new driver "hd44780 Fast" to run.
But as I said, it runs perfectly with the other changes.
So once again, many thanks for a fantastic job.

See my youtube video of the display:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moL-x1HpPew&feature=autoplay&list=ULmoL-x1HpPew&lf=mfu_in_order&playnext=46

mdima · Jan 7, 2012, 7:46 PM

Hi jpsb,
this is awesome! I remove the "hd44780 Fast" driver, since it's useless.

Thank you for the feedback!

AFAIK there's only 1 thing missing as new feature: the "output" commands to control the optional LEDs on the panel (some models have). I just need 2-3h of relax one evening to do that.

Michele

Brak · Jan 8, 2012, 2:43 AM

Any chance you guys could look into the EZIO-100 driver? I think this LCD is very common on OEM hardware appliances, Portwell (Used by UntangleAppliances.com for example I believe), Lanner and a few others.

This guy made a driver for LCDProc 4.5.X I think, so it would need updated. http://lists.omnipotent.net/pipermail/lcdproc/2004-January/008494.html

I wanted to maybe get one of the Lanner systems ( http://www.leitechnology.com/6-GbE-Port-1U-Rackmount-Network-Appliance-FW-7565E.htm ), but the LCD would be useless unless there is a driver. :(

fmertz · Jan 8, 2012, 2:56 AM

@mdima:

I just updated the package to version 0.6. The only change was to integrate the sdeclcd driver.

I released the code for the driver here:

https://github.com/fmertz/sdeclcd/tree/sdec

Firebox users, just install the lcdproc-dev package, pick the sdeclcd driver and a port, and you should be good to go.

mdima: for this driver we need the following configuration for the buttons. The resulting LCDd.conf should be:


PrevScreenKey=Down
NextScreenKey=Up

[menu]
MenuKey=Left
EnterKey=Right
UpKey=Up
DownKey=Down

Taking a step back, lcdproc can use a number of keys (up, down, left, right, Enter, Menu, Next and Prev). Each driver has between 0 and 6 buttons. Depending on the particulars of each setup, some buttons have to do more than one key. As the Firebox setups has the buttons organized visually as a diamond, Menu can be Left and Enter can be Right. Updating the package to have this resulting LCDd.conf would bring the package support for the SDEc LCD driver to a 100%. Thanks to stephenw10 for documenting this issue.

fmertz · Jan 8, 2012, 3:11 AM

@Brak:

Any chance you guys could look into the EZIO-100 driver?

Post a bounty and send me some hardware ;)

Brak · Jan 8, 2012, 3:18 AM

@fmertz:

@Brak:

Any chance you guys could look into the EZIO-100 driver?

Post a bounty and send me some hardware ;)

Haha, might not be too far fetched of an idea need be…

Brak · Jan 8, 2012, 5:18 AM

Using my firebox, I was trying this out. Seem to work fine with the menu edits. One issue I am having is getting LCDExec working. Is it supposed to launch on it's own? I added the lcdexec.conf file, but I don't believe the process is ever launching.

If I make my own rc.d script to start it, it works fine.

Also, any modifications I make to LCDd.conf gets wiped at reboot, what am I doing wrong?

mdima · Jan 8, 2012, 7:33 AM

@fmertz:

mdima: for this driver we need the following configuration for the buttons. The resulting LCDd.conf should be:

fmertz: consider it done in a couple of days!

Ciao,
Michele

mdima · Jan 8, 2012, 7:41 AM

@Brak:

Using my firebox, I was trying this out. Seem to work fine with the menu edits. One issue I am having is getting LCDExec working. Is it supposed to launch on it's own? I added the lcdexec.conf file, but I don't believe the process is ever launching.
If I make my own rc.d script to start it, it works fine.
Also, any modifications I make to LCDd.conf gets wiped at reboot, what am I doing wrong?

Hi Brak,
lcdexex is not run at all, the package use its own client to interact with LCDproc. Sorry about the question, why do you need it to run?

The file LCDd.conf gets refreshed every time the package gets a "resync" command, so I think also when the box is restarted. If you need to make some permanent change to LCDd.conf you need to modify the lcdproc.inc file in order to let it write the LCDd.conf file every time with the changes you need.
If the changes you need are related to the menu (see previous post), just consider it done in a couple of days.

Ciao,
Michele

stephenw10 · Jan 8, 2012, 1:15 PM

Great work Michele, thanks for all you've done. :)

I have to get a post in this thread so I don't miss updates!

Steve

mdima · Jan 8, 2012, 4:41 PM

@stephenw10:

Great work Michele, thanks for all you've done. :)

I have to get a post in this thread so I don't miss updates!

Steve

Thanks a lot! I just released a new update, I summarize the changes:

Removed driver "HD44780 fast" since the problem why this fork was created has been solved in a different way
Set the custom Keys and Menu section for the "sdelcd" driver (fmertz: I wait for your feedback!)
Added the Blacklight setting. Now it is possible to optionally turn the blacklight on, off or (default) to leave it managed by the panel
Added the "output led" support for the "CFontz633" driver. This is totally to test since my panel doesn't have any output led, worked almost blind (fireman039: I wait for your feedback! Consider that I was working almost blind on this, to test it I need one of that panels in my office)

The changes are published on the version "LCDproc 0.5.4 pkg v. 0.7". Soon it will be available for the update… (thanks to Chris, Jim, Ermal and all the others members of the stuff that approve my pull requests).

Thanks to all,
Michele