Need advanced technical information - Gold member?

fabricioguzzy

Hello gentlemen,
I need specific information on how to compile the kernel and some other things like adding specific hardware support to it.
Subscribing to GOLD membership, will I have such information?

Cordially,
Fabricio.

A Former User

No, I don't think so.
Gold gives you access to the (very excellent) pfSense book and some other features like remote backup etc.
I think for you sort of query you want either:

A) To learn FreeBSD to a degree or
B) To purchase a support agreement

(Note: I base this off being a cheapskate who can only afford the non-gold HTML pfSense book)

fabricioguzzy

Hello Muppet.
Appreciate the message.

I already have some good skills with freebsd, but it happens that pfsense has some "different" scripts to generate packages and kernel, and that's the point I need support. I got stuck in the kernel process. I'm ok with all the other steps like ports, iso, etc.
I'm ok paying and supporting pfsense dev teams for that.
Absolutely no problems.

Thanks.
Fabricio.

ivor

Sorry, purchasing support won't get the help you require. We don't provide engineering or development support to outside parties as we're too busy with our own development. Thanks.

fabricioguzzy

Hi Ivor,
Thanks for the message.
I totally understand it. Unfortunately pfsense doesn't support an LCD display I have developed based on Arduino.
I have to manually add drivers and changes to the loader.conf after installation.
I want to embed the driver to the base install.
Any chance to have uchcom enabled to pfsense?

Thanks.
Fabricio.

johnpoz

Couldn't something like that just be a package?

fabricioguzzy

Hi Johnpoz.
Thanks for the message.
Well, I really think you have a point here.
I didn't think (yet) about a package to work as a "patch" and add the drivers and config files.
That really got my attention now.
Thanks much. You made my day.

Fabricio.

Derelict

You probably want to start with this package:

LCDproc 0.10.5 LCD display driver.

Package Dependencies:
lcdproc-0.5.7_2

fabricioguzzy

Hi Derelict,
You're correct. I'm using the lcdproc package with matrix orbital.
It happens that I have developed my own lcd hardware with Arduino, but pfsense doesn't recognize it automatically.
I have to add the uchcom file and enable it on loader.conf. That way it works perfectly. I will work on it with the package.
Thanks much!

Fabricio.

SammyWoo

Why do you need Arduino, we are talking about a character (not graphical) LCD right? What is it that LCDproc + MO not doing for you? Curious.

fabricioguzzy

Hello SammyWoo,
Yes. It's a character LCD with an Arduino nano board + USB.
I Have used a "generic" matrix orbital driver source code on arduino. When you connect it to Freebsd/pfSense, the Arduino board is recognized by the uchcom driver which is not installed on pfsense. What I'm doing is, taking the uchcom.ko file from a full Freebsd 11 install, copy it to /boot/kernel and enable it on /boot/loader.conf with: uchcom_load="YES" by the end of the file. What I want to do is, to install uchcom support during the pfsense installation or during the package installation. (Package will be easier). That's it.

Regards,
Fabricio.

stephenw10

You should really open a redmine feature request for this if there isn't one open already. (https://redmine.pfsense.org/)

It looks like a relatively well established driver so it may be possible to add it without much issue. Or have it included in /kernel maybe. I am not a developer though…

When loading it at boot you should use the file /boot/loader.conf.local as that wonlt be overwritten at a firmware update etc.

Steve

revengineer

@fabricioguzzy:

Hello SammyWoo,
Yes. It's a character LCD with an Arduino nano board + USB.
I Have used a "generic" matrix orbital driver source code on arduino. When you connect it to Freebsd/pfSense, the Arduino board is recognized by the uchcom driver which is not installed on pfsense. What I'm doing is, taking the uchcom.ko file from a full Freebsd 11 install, copy it to /boot/kernel and enable it on /boot/loader.conf with: uchcom_load="YES" by the end of the file. What I want to do is, to install uchcom support during the pfsense installation or during the package installation. (Package will be easier). That's it.

Regards,
Fabricio.

Sounds like you have something interesting brewing. Please do tell more when you have it working! :)

fabricioguzzy

Hi Stephenw10,
Sure thing. Will do it for sure!

Appreciate the message.

Fabricio.