Raspberry Pi, Linux, Python

viking325is

http://alltheware.wordpress.com/2012/12 ... ard-setup/

Heres a link to an app for the mac that should make installing the Pi image to an SD card fairly safe. I've used it a few times for my Pi, seems to do the trick fairly well

Bob H

Thanks viking,

I'll give it a try.

Would Sketch work for a control interface?

What are you using your Pi for?

Bob H

A buddy of mine got temporarily stuck in our driveway today.

Can't believe this weather. 18th of April. Who woulda guessed, 8 inches of snow and counting. :upset:

Oh well back to my Pi. :geek:

viking325is

Bob H wrote:

Thanks viking,

I'll give it a try.

Would Sketch work for a control interface?

What are you using your Pi for?

Mines being used for an OpenVPN server at the moment. I wouldnt mind trying to do things with it for aquaponics, but to do that I need to actually set up my rig. I've got all the bits to get a system going, just struggling on the time front

werdna

Whats that funny white stuff on the ground?
That isn't snow is it???

I thought that was a fairy tale, like snow white, Cinderella, rain and tax reductions from politicians

Journeyman

Bob H wrote:

Thanks DrLuke, BW, and Jake. I'll look that stuff up.

I've been reading Raspberry Pi by Upton and Halfacree and it looks interesting enough. Up till now I've been saving old computers to use in projects but if I can learn Linux, I'll chuck all the old desk tops.

My biggest challenge is trying to grasp Chapter 2, Linux System Administration. I don't have a clue about Linux and all those little files there talking about. :banghead:

I can do some BASIC but this Linux animal is something else :upset:

My Mac has spoiled me. I suppose it's all time on task. I think I have to actually start thinking again :oops:

You realise Linux will run on almost any computer and run better than Windoze ever did? And there are any number of GUI (picture interfaces) using mouse etc. that you can download free? And thousadns of people willing to do stuff in Linux to make it do things it doesn't already do?

I know from nothing about a raspberry pi (but will go look it up) but there is no need to go buy new equipment to run Linux.

African-Rob

The are flavors of linux running on devices all around you these days, for example your wifi boxes your phones even you internet ready TVs are running one flavor of linux or another.

Each flavor of linux is different sometimes the diferences are subtle sometimes they are huge, I started working with Linux some years ago and I still feel like a really small fish in a really big pond lol but one thing that has remained constant is more often than not someone has already tried to do what you want to do and most of the time they have posted a guide directly relating to it on a forum like this or a blog etc, with Linux google is your best friend and there is pretty much nothing you cant figure out with the right amount of time spent googling!

So happy googling!

Bob H

@viking- a VPN you say. I wonder if there is enough room to include a small AP greenhouse control program that reports or does 2 way communication. Ideally it would be nice to have a video feed also. Mind you I don't have a clue if all that is possible.

werdina -" white stuff on the ground?" actually I'm thinking I'm having a nightmare. We are stuck in winter and I can't get to what I want to do outside! Or is it mother nature trying to tell me something?

BTW last night a power line went down and we went without power for about 8 hours. We ended up with 15 inches of heavy wet snow at our place. Also had a lot of thunder. A little more up north they had reports of 22 inches of snow. Now they are reporting that we are going to get rain of all things.

Seems every early spring we loose power due to late snow storms.So I guess I have to plan for some serious power backup. So I'll have to consider a battery system and be prepared to remove snow every couple of hours off of a hoop house :cry:

Journeyman - Yes I agree there is a lot of Linux around. Not being an IT person I don't have a working knowledge of nor where to start looking. All though I'm learning to search the internet and looking for Utubes to explain this stuff. One thing I'm impressed by is that the Linux community shares a lot and is very helpful. I have to better define what all I want to do.

African-Rob - Can't believe all the "flavors" that are out there. That's my problem for the Pi. Which flavor is the best? Like you said I'll just have to keep on googling.

Thanks for your help guys!

BullwinkleII

Journeyman wrote:

Bob H wrote:

Thanks DrLuke, BW, and Jake. I'll look that stuff up.

I've been reading Raspberry Pi by Upton and Halfacree and it looks interesting enough. Up till now I've been saving old computers to use in projects but if I can learn Linux, I'll chuck all the old desk tops.

My biggest challenge is trying to grasp Chapter 2, Linux System Administration. I don't have a clue about Linux and all those little files there talking about. :banghead:

I can do some BASIC but this Linux animal is something else :upset:

My Mac has spoiled me. I suppose it's all time on task. I think I have to actually start thinking again :oops:

You realise Linux will run on almost any computer and run better than Windoze ever did? And there are any number of GUI (picture interfaces) using mouse etc. that you can download free? And thousadns of people willing to do stuff in Linux to make it do things it doesn't already do?

I know from nothing about a raspberry pi (but will go look it up) but there is no need to go buy new equipment to run Linux.

The pi isn't really something you might use as a desktop computer, it's a credit card sized self contained computer that you might use as the thing that governs a discrete system. Say for monitoring and controlling you aquaponics or a robot brain or whatever.

I realise this is redundant because you said you were going to look it up, but I thought I'd drop this in for anyone else feeling a little lazy

The raspberry pi is an open source super inexpensive computer that costs around 5 burgers or around 7 burgers for the networked version.

It has onboard high def graphics, audio, USB for mouse and keyboard or whatever, an SD card drive, and runs (for those of you that have been around for a while) with around the same specs as a 300MHz Pentium but with much better graphics.

Bob H

Here is a pic of what BW was talking about. I stole it off of the RPi site. The RPi fits easily in the palm of your hand.

Bob H

Houston - This is Discovery.

All Pi systems are a go with 2013-02-09-wheezy-raspbian.img. :cheers:

Be advised, Discovery is requesting the Weather Modification Agency to continue to give us our current miserable weather conditions so we can continue with Phase 2: World Domination. :geek:

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In other news, viking325is suggestion of using http://alltheware.wordpress.com/2012/12 ... ard-setup/
worked perfectly and seamlessly. :notworthy:

A word of caution; make sure one uses "version 1.2". Also when selecting which program to use. One should eject the target disk, then look at available disks. Then remount the target disk. Compare the results to verify the correct target disk. Make sure to uncheck all non target disks to rewrite.

I will definitely continue using this tool in the future.

Bob H

If you are :think:

about using a Pi for Aquaponics (or other projects) you may want to check past online issues of MagPi Magazine.

http://issuu.com/themagpi/docs

Bob H

I had a vague idea for my Pi, AP/Greenhouse data logger/controller. But the more I looked for canned applications the more I got discouraged. Until my May issue of Nuts and Volts magazine came :blob:

Low and behold there on page 35 is what I was hoping to find. Now to finish reading and ordering parts :thumbright:

Here is a pic of the over view and first page of the article.

The author's ( Benjamin Kibalo) last sentence; "I hoped you enjoyed this quick overview. If there is enough interest, we will expand our control system locally and implement remote control over the system in future articles."

SOOOO! let's lay out for the author the "ideal" AP/Greenhouse system you would like to see.

I for one will be emailing the magazine for more articles.

N&V should be on the selves soon if you are interested.

What does the "ideal" logger/control system look like.? All ideas welcomed and needed!

Dave Donley

So today was take your kid to work day and I taught my 11 year old some programming using a C-64 emulator and my programmer's reference guide from 1982. I am now thinking of getting a Rasberry Pi for him to learn on. It's only $40 phreeking bucks!!!

Bob H

Hey DD that's terrific.

If you get him a Pi can you ask your 11 year old if he could explain to this old Jarhead, how to do things on the Pi?

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