Installation Specification

[TerryJC]

In between other activities, I've been producing a draft Installation Specification. It is far from complete; it is expected to grow as the System does and it currently covers only software installation, apart from some references to material yet to be produced. The main reason that I am posting this now is so that I can test it while building a new set of SD Cards to test the updated Software Framework that Hamish has produced, see viewtopic.php?f=14&t=131.

If anyone has any comments, please flag them here.

[hamishmb]

Notes:

The Python links are for python 2.x, but this code runs on python 3, so would be preferable to have the links pointing there instead.
You put the usernames and passwords used for the pis in this document (!), are you sure you want them to be public?

[TerryJC]

Hamish,

I've found a fair few omissions and errors while carrying out this procedure, so am in the process of updating it anyway; I'll update the links at the same time.

I've put the Usernames and Passwords into all the earlier documents, simply to ensure that anyone who comes along later can find them! I don't think that in this instance it adds very much risk, because any attacker would need to have physical access to the Ethernet network anyway. When we connect the system to the WiFi, we will want to come up with a 'secret' password for the Webserver and ensure that the physical network is properly firewalled.

I'm currently trying to get a definitive list of which Python Modules are installed by default on Raspbian Lite. (Not many, I know, because I had to install RPi.GPIO on the Underground system and I'm sure it's standard on the full version.)

[hamishmb]

Sounds good.

Maybe "dpkg --get-selections | grep 'python3-'" might help?

[TerryJC]

Sitrep:

After a 'temporary' hold on this work, I have recommenced it by using the Installation Spec to build the SD Card for the 1st-off production Master & Remote Pi see viewtopic.php?f=15&p=2066#p2066. I've been updating the document as I went along and will post the updated version as soon as the new-build cards have been tested here (at home) and then at WMT.

One of the things that I've learned include the creation of a 'Base' River System SD Card with a clean installation of Raspbian Lite, the installation of all of the packages and Python Modules needed to run the various software routines needed for the three types of hardware and the basic software configuration that is common to all three types. This Base installation is then backed-up to an image and used as the starting point for specific Pis. It should help a lot when we go into 'Production' with Gate Valves etc.

[TerryJC]

As reported elsewhere, I have now completed the development of the base SD Card and updated the Installation Specification accordingly. Using that procedure I then built three SD Cards, which were customised from the base image to provide cards for Sump Pi, Wendy Butts Pi and the Wendy Butts Gate Valve. The process seems to have worked well, so I will share the latest version of the Installation Specification now. It will need to change as we build further kit, but the overall process should remain the same.

[TerryJC]

I have updated the Installation Specification to reflect the changes to the Software Framework put in by Hamish over the past few weeks and months. Obviously this will have to change again when the next generation Software Framework is completed which will include the new segmented control and probably a few changes to config.py.

I will post the new version on the Forum fileserver shortly.

[TerryJC]

I have updated the Installation Specification to include several new Sections; System Testing and three Annexes to cover the use of VMs to test the Software Framework. There have been one or two minor updates to the software installation instructions in Section 4.

I will post the new version on the Forum fileserver shortly and would appreciate comments on these new sections.

[PatrickW]

I've made some comments on the annexes to the specification in the "Smaller Pi VMs" thread.

[TerryJC]

Thanks Patrick.

I'll update the document in due course.