LCDProc 0.5.4-dev

Morlok8k

I've been meaning to post this for a while, but only recently made an account.

I hope it will help others out there, as this info took me a while to find in this thread, plus some experimenting of my own.

If the link breaks in the future, here are the relevant settings:

My LCD screen is U204RF-A2 from lcdmodkit.com

The COM port depends on your setup, so look at your logs to see which port it is connected to.

Display Size: 4 rows 20 Columns

Driver: hd44780

Connection Type: Till Harbaum's LCD2USB

Brightness: 20% (looks the best on my screen, results may vary)

The other settings don't really apply.

mikeisfly

Trooper I too am willing to help in terms of money to get this package running. I'm pretty disappointed that it is not working. Hopefully the drivers are compatible with the version of FreeBSD that is currently being used. I don't have enough BSD or PhP skills to be of much help but I will try to see what I can do as well. I guess my first step is to make sure that my screen is running on 2.6.

Topper727

I got part coming to fix my lcd and then will try get it going. Will keep you guys in loop as to what I find

timotl

After playing around for a couple hours, I have LCDProc dev working in 2.3.
I have no idea how to make/update a package, but it's not too hard to manually install it.

1- Add lcdproc and freetype2 packages.
pkg add http://pkg.freebsd.org/freebsd:10:x86:64/release_3/All/freetype2-2.6.2.txz
pkg add http://pkg.freebsd.org/freebsd:10:x86:64/release_3/All/lcdproc-0.5.7_2.txz

2- Copy package related files from 2.2.6 install
lcdproc.inc -> /usr/local/pkg
lcdproc.xml -> /usr/local/pkg
lcdproc_client.php -> /usr/local/pkg
lcdproc_screens.xml -> /usr/local/pkg

lcdproc.sh -> /usr/local/etc/rc.d

3- Backup your existing configuration. All, with RRD data if you care.
Backup Package Manager configuration only

4- Add the contents of LCDPROC-config.xml to the <installedpackages>section of the Package Manager backup.
5- Restore the edited Package Manager backup and reboot.

Configure under Services/LCDproc as usual.
The package seems to behave exactly as before
Tested with CrystalFontz 635 with CrystalFontz Packet driver.
I have attached the needed files, but if you have a working 2.2.6 you can just copy them from it and get the installedpackages section from your own config.
If you grab them from 2.2.6, a couple files needed to be edited for different paths. The DriverPath in lcdproc.inc and I think the paths in lcdproc.sh also.

Should need to be said, but please carefully test this before doing anything to a production machine. I think it's relatively safe, but you never know.

-timotl

lcdproc2.3.zip</installedpackages>

uknownme123

timotl, thanks for the information.

I'm stuck on step 4. Not sure how to get the cong.xml into <installedpackages>.

I manually add the package following your step 1. and have recovered my LCD, because I have a script that runs the client, but skiped step 4. My packages do not show LCDproc and LCDproc is not listed under Services.

Can you elaborate on step 4 for noobies please, thank you!</installedpackages>

chpalmer

@uknownme123:

I'm stuck on step 4. Not sure how to get the cong.xml into <installedpackages>.
Can you elaborate on step 4 for noobies please, thank you!</installedpackages>

Step 3 2nd half…

Backup Package Manager configuration only

Step 4 Edit that file.

uknownme123

Thank you, got it working following all directions here. To elaborate for noobies like me. This is only if you only have lcdproc install, if you have other packages, it will not restore anything else except lcdproc

Basically go to Diagnostics > Backup & Restore.

Backup area: choose "Package Manager", leave everything default.
Click on "Download configuration as XML", a file be be downloaded unto your pc.
Using your PC, edit this file using text editor, delete everything except <installedpackages></installedpackages>.
Copy everything from timotl's "LCDPROC-config.xml" and put them in between <installedpackages></installedpackages>.
Save your edited .xml file.

Go back to Restore Backup in pfSense GUI, in restore area: choose "Package Manager", Configuration file: will be the file you saved edited on your PC.
Click "Restore Configuration."

Got a message saying "The firewall will reboot after restoring the configuration." but didn't have to reboot. I went under Services and saw LCDproc. Nothing was listed under Install Packages, even after reboot. But no worries, everything is working as it should.

Thanks a million!

Lugie

I also miss this package and would donate for an update.

zorro_66

+1 :'( ;D :'(

uknownme123

@zorro_66:

+1 :'( ;D :'(

LOL, yah progress. I also read x86 will no longer be supported by pfSense. pfSense will eventually be x64 only. Those x750, x550 firebox will have to be stuck on a pfSense version and left behind. Who knows when that time will be, but here's the quote.

"We have a goal of being able to forward, with packet filtering at rates of at least 14.88Mpps. This is “line rate” on a 10Gbps interface. There is simply no way to use today’s FreeBSD (or linux) in-kernel stacks for this type of load. Since this work is only available on certain, select Ethernet cards (mostly 1Gbps/10Gbps/40Gbps Intel interfaces as well as various VMware and Xeon ‘virtualization’ NICs. Other vendors, including Broadcom, Myrianet, Chelsio and Cisco have shown interest. This also means that the underlying kernel and system will be 64-bit only."

joako

After upgrading to 2.3 my display shows "thanks for using pfSense"

Morlok8k

@joako:

After upgrading to 2.3 my display shows "thanks for using pfSense"

That makes sense. That is what is displayed when you shutdown pfsense, so since LCDproc-dev isn't running after your upgrade, it will continue to display the last text that was sent to it (assuming it was just rebooted - the LCD would have been powered during the reboot.)

now, that might disappear when you do a full shutdown or not, depending on the type of memory the LCD has.

novatechies

First post here as this has really gotten my goat.

I'm currently using a fresh install 2.3 with an XTM5 series box on a 4GB embedded image. I was able to follow all the direction on this thread (https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=43574.msg259735#msg259735) to flash the bios and make a few upgrades. It is currently running a Core 2 Duo E6600 at 2.33 with 2GB DDR2 800.

I have been able to install LCDProc with this fresh system but the LCD currently only displays "pfSense V1.8" which makes no damn sense. I'm running 2.3 dammit! I was able to put all the files to where they needed to go but I am currently trying to figure out how to get info to display on the panel.

Any advice? Do I need to execute the script after boot up or what?

dotdash

I think I had to add
LCDd_enable="YES"
to /etc/rc.conf to get it to start automatically after a reboot.

novatechies

@dotdash:

I think I had to add
LCDd_enable="YES"
to /etc/rc.conf to get it to start automatically after a reboot.

Tried that. No dice. Also there is a comment in the the file that says it doesn't do anything. Is there a different conf file that I need to edit?

I'm starting to wonder if I need to do a fresh install on the package to see if that does anything.

PanicAcid

@timotl:

After playing around for a couple hours, I have LCDProc dev working in 2.3.
I have no idea how to make/update a package, but it's not too hard to manually install it.

snip

Configure under Services/LCDproc as usual.
The package seems to behave exactly as before
Tested with CrystalFontz 635 with CrystalFontz Packet driver.
I have attached the needed files, but if you have a working 2.2.6 you can just copy them from it and get the installedpackages section from your own config.
If you grab them from 2.2.6, a couple files needed to be edited for different paths. The DriverPath in lcdproc.inc and I think the paths in lcdproc.sh also.

Should need to be said, but please carefully test this before doing anything to a production machine. I think it's relatively safe, but you never know.

-timotl

Is it normal to get this after the reboot following the restore of the backup?

"General
• Package LCDproc-dev does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed. @ 2016-05-13 17:19:50"

Crash report shows:

"PHP Errors:
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP Stack trace:
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 1. {main}() /etc/rc.start_packages:0
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 2. sync_package() /etc/rc.start_packages:66
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 3. eval() /etc/inc/pkg-utils.inc:597
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 4. sync_package_lcdproc() /etc/inc/pkg-utils.inc(597) : eval()'d code:1
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 5. unlink() /usr/local/pkg/lcdproc.inc:523"

frosty

@PanicAcid:

@timotl:

After playing around for a couple hours, I have LCDProc dev working in 2.3.
I have no idea how to make/update a package, but it's not too hard to manually install it.

snip

Configure under Services/LCDproc as usual.
The package seems to behave exactly as before
Tested with CrystalFontz 635 with CrystalFontz Packet driver.
I have attached the needed files, but if you have a working 2.2.6 you can just copy them from it and get the installedpackages section from your own config.
If you grab them from 2.2.6, a couple files needed to be edited for different paths. The DriverPath in lcdproc.inc and I think the paths in lcdproc.sh also.

Should need to be said, but please carefully test this before doing anything to a production machine. I think it's relatively safe, but you never know.

-timotl

Is it normal to get this after the reboot following the restore of the backup?

"General
• Package LCDproc-dev does not exist in current pfSense version and it has been removed. @ 2016-05-13 17:19:50"

Crash report shows:

"PHP Errors:
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP Stack trace:
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 1. {main}() /etc/rc.start_packages:0
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 2. sync_package() /etc/rc.start_packages:66
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 3. eval() /etc/inc/pkg-utils.inc:597
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 4. sync_package_lcdproc() /etc/inc/pkg-utils.inc(597) : eval()'d code:1
[13-May-2016 17:19:58 Europe/London] PHP 5. unlink() /usr/local/pkg/lcdproc.inc:523"

I got that when using the 2.2.6 files I copied over. I ended up using the 4 files that timotl posted that go in /usr/local/pkg and didn't have that crash report after a reboot. I also admit to not editing the paths in lcdproc.inc and lcdproc.sh which was likely what caused it for me.

jdijulio

Is there anyone actively working on creating a v2.3 compatible package for this?

I have a few WatchGuard x750e boxes that are running pfSense 2.2.x and I don't really want to upgrade to v2.3 if my LCD display will stop working.

I'd be willing to contribute to a bounty if that helps?

Thanks!

hansaya

we really do need lcdProc on 2.3 :'( . I miss my LCD

tmdrake

@hansaya:

we really do need lcdProc on 2.3 :'( . I miss my LCD

Same here, or someone needs to site down and maintain it.