Headless start on a Pi

[hmiller]

Use screen -r

[swyman18]

Ok, thanks. I can't seem to get the -r option to work, I'm not quite sure how to specify the [host.tty].

But if I do screen -d -r, it will detach the running screen and resume in the current session. That works too.

Thanks!

[hmiller]

If I remember right it's sudo screen -r. Seems like you need to be super user. Also ctrl-a d detaches. Press ctrl and a at the same time then let go and press d. Then sudo screen -r to get back in.

[swyman18]

Also ctrl-a d detaches. Press ctrl and a at the same time then let go and press d. Then sudo screen -r to get back in.

Yes, that works perfectly. That way you can start CumulusMX, then detach and logout and leave it alone.
Then if you need to end CumulusMX "gracefully", you can re-attach.

Thanks for the tip!

[hmiller]

I got it installed on my Pi this evening and it is working good with screen. To go a step further with this you can have it start CumulusMX at boot time by doing sudo nano /etc/rc.local At the end of the file just before exit 0 add:

cd /home/pi/CumulusMX
screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe

This is assuming you put CumulusMX in /home/pi/CumulusMX

Now reboot... sudo reboot

When it starts back up CumulusMX should start up. sudo screen -r takes you to the running screen.

[henkg]

Thanks about 'screen'. Now CMX keeps running after closing the Putty session. And with the mod in rc.local CMX starts when (re)booting the RPI.

[thecivvie]

Thanks for all the tips, my CMX ran faithfully overnight with headless Did find it very hard to browse into this am, but it was still updating the website.

[SteveMSJ]

I got it installed on my Pi this evening and it is working good with screen. To go a step further with this you can have it start CumulusMX at boot time by doing sudo nano /etc/rc.local At the end of the file just before exit 0 add:

cd /home/pi/CumulusMX
screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe

This is assuming you put CumulusMX in /home/pi/CumulusMX

Now reboot... sudo reboot

When it starts back up CumulusMX should start up. sudo screen -r takes you to the running screen.

I tried this on my Pi but I get an error when it reboots and runs CMX. When I go to the running screen I see that CMX started but after the 'Last Update..' line I get
System.FormatException: String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s, IFormatProvider provider, DateTimeStyles styles) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
etc.

I can manually start a screen, run CMX, detach and reattach and it runs fine but when I do it from rc.local I get this error. Any thoughts?

Steve

[hmiller]

Is it possible you have CMX in a different directory than I do?

[SteveMSJ]

Is it possible you have CMX in a different directory than I do?

It is in a different directory '/home/cumulus/' and therefore my entries in rc.local are
cd /home/cumulus
screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe

As I say it does run the program and gets beyond the 'Last update...' line before throwing the error. Also it runs ok if I enter the same commands once it has fully booted. I wondered whether it was starting Cumulus before the Pi has set it's internal date, seeing as the error is about a not valid DateTime, but that's probably rubbish.
I will experiment further, perhaps using Cron. I'm not very knowledgeable about Linux.
Steve

[steve]

If you let me have that full stack trace, using build 3009, I should be able to say what it's complaining about.

[SteveMSJ]

If you let me have that full stack trace, using build 3009, I should be able to say what it's complaining about.

OK. I recreated the entries in rc.local and this is the file it created in MXDiags
2015-01-17 17:29:18.707 ========================== Cumulus MX starting ==========================
2015-01-17 17:29:18.751 Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3009
2015-01-17 17:29:18.818 Platform: Unix
2015-01-17 17:29:18.819 Current culture: Invariant Language (Invariant Country)
2015-01-17 17:29:18.820 01/17/2015 17:29:18
2015-01-17 17:29:18.828 Data path = data/
2015-01-17 17:29:18.876 Creating backup folder backup/20150117172918/
2015-01-17 17:29:19.223 Reading Cumulus.ini file
2015-01-17 17:29:19.921 ASM=10 AST=00:10:00
2015-01-17 17:29:19.941 Cumulus start date: 03/08/2008
2015-01-17 17:29:20.331 Station type: Fine Offset
2015-01-17 17:29:20.340 WindUnit=m/s RainUnit=mm TempUnit=°C PressureUnit=mb
2015-01-17 17:29:20.346 YTDRain=0.000 Year=0
2015-01-17 17:29:20.347 RainDayThreshold=-1.000
2015-01-17 17:29:20.347 Offsets and Multipliers:
2015-01-17 17:29:20.349 PO=0.000 TO=0.000 HO=0 WDO=0 ITO=0.000 UVO=0.000
2015-01-17 17:29:20.350 WSM=1.000 WGM=1.000 TM=1.000 TM2=1.000 HM=1.000 RM=1.000 UVM=1.000
2015-01-17 17:29:20.351 Spike removal:
2015-01-17 17:29:20.353 TD=60.000 GD=100.000 WD=100.000 HD=999.000 PD=9999.000
2015-01-17 17:29:20.354 MR=999.000 MH=999.000
2015-01-17 17:29:20.354 Cumulus Starting
2015-01-17 17:29:20.360 Opening station
System.FormatException: String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s, IFormatProvider provider, DateTimeStyles styles) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s, IFormatProvider provider) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.WeatherStation.ReadTodayFile () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.WeatherStation..ctor (CumulusMX.Cumulus cumulus) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.FOStation..ctor (CumulusMX.Cumulus cumulus) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.Cumulus..ctor (Int32 port) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at .Main (System.String[] args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

If I run CMX using the exact same commands directly, rather than from rc.local, it runs fine and I can reattach to screen and see it working.

Brilliant program by the way.

Steve

[steve]

I think this is the problem:

2015-01-17 17:29:18.819 Current culture: Invariant Language (Invariant Country)

I think that the default date format for 'Invariant' is US format, so it's not recognising your UK format dates. You could try adding -lang en-GB to the command line, if you're not doing that already.

[SteveMSJ]

I think that the default date format for 'Invariant' is US format, so it's not recognising your UK format dates. You could try adding -lang en-GB to the command line, if you're not doing that already.

That cracked it. Revised entries in /etc/rc.local are:

cd /home/cumulus
screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe -lang en-GB

Now starts up when it boots no problem.

Thanks
Steve

[henkg]

About the -lang parameter:

With 3002 I did not specify the –lang parameter. No message, works OK.
With 3004 I get the message: Invariant Language, but everything works as expected.
With 3009 & -lang parameter (maybe also in an earlier version): I get current culture: English. After that: String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.
With 3009 without –lang parameter: Invariant Language, but everything works as expected.

RPI Raspbian: only locale: en_GB.UTF UTF8

So, without using the –lang parameter everything works OK (as far as I can tell). With using the –lang parameter CMX does not inititalize.
Do I use some wrong settings?

Copy from /etc/rc.local:
# Start Cumulus MX
cd /home/pi/cmx3009
screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe
#screen -amds bash mono CumulusMX.exe -lang en-GB

MXDiags:

2015-01-06 08:06:32.401 ========================== Cumulus MX starting ==========================
2015-01-06 08:06:32.440 Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3002
2015-01-06 08:06:32.507 Platform: Unix
2015-01-06 08:06:32.508 Current culture: English (United Kingdom)
2015-01-06 08:06:32.508 06/01/2015 08:06:32


2015-01-08 19:16:12.001 ========================== Cumulus MX starting ==========================
2015-01-08 19:16:12.046 Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3004
2015-01-08 19:16:12.116 Platform: Unix
2015-01-08 19:16:12.117 Current culture: Invariant Language (Invariant Country)
2015-01-08 19:16:12.118 01/08/2015 19:16:12


2015-01-18 10:26:01.738 ========================== Cumulus MX starting ==========================
2015-01-18 10:26:01.783 Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3009
2015-01-18 10:26:01.850 Platform: Unix
2015-01-18 10:26:01.851 Current culture: English (United Kingdom)
2015-01-18 10:26:01.852 18/01/2015 10:26:01
2015-01-18 10:26:01.861 Data path = data/
2015-01-18 10:26:01.913 Creating backup folder backup/20150118102601/
2015-01-18 10:26:02.208 Reading Cumulus.ini file
2015-01-18 10:26:02.478 ASM=10 AST=00:10:00
2015-01-18 10:26:02.498 Cumulus start date: 01 January 2015
2015-01-18 10:26:02.878 Station type: Fine Offset with Solar
2015-01-18 10:26:02.888 WindUnit=m/s RainUnit=mm TempUnit=°C PressureUnit=hPa
2015-01-18 10:26:02.893 YTDRain=0.000 Year=0
2015-01-18 10:26:02.894 RainDayThreshold=-1.000
2015-01-18 10:26:02.894 Offsets and Multipliers:
2015-01-18 10:26:02.896 PO=0.000 TO=0.000 HO=0 WDO=0 ITO=0.000 UVO=0.000
2015-01-18 10:26:02.898 WSM=1.000 WGM=1.000 TM=1.000 TM2=1.000 HM=1.000 RM=1.000 UVM=1.000
2015-01-18 10:26:02.898 Spike removal:
2015-01-18 10:26:02.900 TD=999.000 GD=999.000 WD=999.000 HD=999.000 PD=999.000
2015-01-18 10:26:02.901 MR=999.000 MH=999.000
2015-01-18 10:26:02.901 Cumulus Starting
2015-01-18 10:26:02.907 Opening station
System.FormatException: String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s, IFormatProvider provider, DateTimeStyles styles) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s, IFormatProvider provider) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at System.DateTime.Parse (System.String s) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.WeatherStation.ReadTodayFile () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.WeatherStation..ctor (CumulusMX.Cumulus cumulus) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.FOStation..ctor (CumulusMX.Cumulus cumulus) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at CumulusMX.Cumulus..ctor (Int32 port) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at .Main (System.String[] args) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0


2015-01-18 11:32:32.483 ========================== Cumulus MX starting ==========================
2015-01-18 11:32:32.528 Cumulus MX v.3.0.0 build 3009
2015-01-18 11:32:32.596 Platform: Unix
2015-01-18 11:32:32.596 Current culture: Invariant Language (Invariant Country)
2015-01-18 11:32:32.597 01/18/2015 11:32:32
2015-01-18 11:32:32.606 Data path = data/
2015-01-18 11:32:32.660 Creating backup folder backup/20150118113232/
2015-01-18 11:32:32.957 Reading Cumulus.ini file
2015-01-18 11:32:33.232 ASM=10 AST=00:10:00
2015-01-18 11:32:33.252 Cumulus start date: 01 January 2015
2015-01-18 11:32:33.641 Station type: Fine Offset with Solar
2015-01-18 11:32:33.650 WindUnit=m/s RainUnit=mm TempUnit=°C PressureUnit=hPa
2015-01-18 11:32:33.656 YTDRain=0.000 Year=0
2015-01-18 11:32:33.657 RainDayThreshold=-1.000
2015-01-18 11:32:33.657 Offsets and Multipliers:
2015-01-18 11:32:33.659 PO=0.000 TO=0.000 HO=0 WDO=0 ITO=0.000 UVO=0.000
2015-01-18 11:32:33.661 WSM=1.000 WGM=1.000 TM=1.000 TM2=1.000 HM=1.000 RM=1.000 UVM=1.000
2015-01-18 11:32:33.661 Spike removal:
2015-01-18 11:32:33.663 TD=999.000 GD=999.000 WD=999.000 HD=999.000 PD=999.000
2015-01-18 11:32:33.664 MR=999.000 MH=999.000
2015-01-18 11:32:33.664 Cumulus Starting
2015-01-18 11:32:33.670 Opening station
2015-01-18 11:32:33.856 Last update time from today.ini: 01/18/2015 11:30:00
2015-01-18 11:32:34.035 Read today file: Date = 01/18/2015, LastUpdateTime = 01/18/2015 11:30:00, Month = 1
2015-01-18 11:32:34.061 ReadTodayfile: set notraininit false
/home/pi/cmx3009/data/alltime.ini
Alltime.ini file read