123 replies to this topic

[Frenske]

With the first builds recording didn’t work as it should. As soon as this issue was reported together with some additional wishes this was solved.

As far as I’ve tested recording works ok now. 
 

But as already mentioned, there still are some issues to fix / finetune.
It’s a pity, at least IMHO, that they have choosen for a different implementation of multiboot. I will perform some multiboot related tests later today.

[littlesat]

OpenATV code for flash online...

 

looks like they cannot select a slot with online flash... this is always and only in the current slot...?

                                               if SystemInfo["canMultiBoot"]:
                                                               if getMachineBuild() in ("gbmv200","cc1","sf8008","sf8008m","ustym4kpro","beyonwizv2","viper4k"): # issue detect kernel device and rootfs on sda
                                                                               print "[FlashImage] detect Kernel:",self.MTDKERNEL
                                                                               print "[FlashImage] detect rootfs:",self.MTDROOTFS
                                                                               command = "/usr/bin/ofgwrite -r%s -k%s %s" % (self.MTDROOTFS, self.MTDKERNEL, imagefiles)
                                                               else:
                                                                               command = "/usr/bin/ofgwrite -r -k -m%s %s" % (self.multibootslot, imagefiles)

And here they did a tricky work-a-round with a first and last run and... brrr... 

 

https://github.com/o...ls/Multiboot.py

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 12:13.

[littlesat]

And this is important...

https://github.com/o...BootSelector.py

[littlesat]

And when I need to adapt this multiboot I still need the box...  Or someone else should adapt.... But when adapted than simpler please... 

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 12:20.

[twol]

@Littlesat - you can select any of the slots to flash just like any multiboot receiver - its just that only 1 is on the eMMC (why)  and 2 on the SDcard - SystemInfo (CanMultiboot) handles the SDA card use - its just a pain in Tools/multiboot doing the 2 runs to find all the slots (and whether they are in use).

(If you look at OpenViX it might be clearer - OpenATV just copied the code for Multiboot fron OpenPli and OpenVix last year)

Originally the multiboot SDcard format routine was not gpt (SF8008 initially couldn‘t handle Gpt format) so limited to 2 x(root & kernel pairs) - it could in theory now handle more.

Its also #### that Octagon use a 32 MB eMMC kernel partition when its really about 6.5MB - which causes issue with a backup restore to SDCard slots for the kernel (ATV have just changed the SDcard kernel partition size - but unless everybody converts this is far too late to fix the issue - would be better for Octagon to fix

Edited by twol, 10 January 2020 - 12:42.

[littlesat]

It shouldn't be a pain when the manafacturer put the proper data into the 'home' slot where we find the STARTUP image... 

I think the flash is limited so it cannot hold multiple images so that is why they are 'moved' to SD.

 

How can you recognize the slots for multiboot... I think all can be done and scanned in 'one run' when you properly create the code. You can do somethink like when a 'mountpoint' does not exist and slots should be there then try (a first one) on the SD card.
 

I also see when we have images in a directory we do 3x unmount/remount so the code as is can also be streamlined.

 

 

you can select any of the slots to flash just like any multiboot receiver

 

I see in the code it reads the current slot and only can flash in the current slot???

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 13:26.

[twol]

It shouldn't be a pain when the manafacturer put the proper data into the 'home' slot where we find the STARTUP image... 

I think the flash is limited so it cannot hold multiple images so that is why they are 'moved' to SD.

 

How can you recognize the slots for multiboot... I think all can be done and scanned in 'one run' when you properly create the code. You can do somethink like when a 'mountpoint' does not exist and slots should be there then try (a first one) on the SD card.
 

I also see when we have images in a directory we do 3x unmount/remount so the code as is can also be streamlined.

 

 

you can select any of the slots to flash just like any multiboot receiver

 

I see in the code it reads the current slot and only can flash in the current slot???

"How can you recognize the slots for multiboot... I think all can be done and scanned in 'one run' when you properly create the code. You can do somethink like when a 'mountpoint' does not exist and slots should be there then try (a first one) on the SD card."

I check for multiple partitions on the SDcard in SystemInfo (as the SD card can also be used for normal storage e.g. hdd) as an indicator that its using multiboot.

 

"I see in the code it reads the current slot and only can flash in the current slot???"

Certainly, in OpenViX you can flash an image to ANY partition (eMMC, SD card slots) - I do it all the time.

- the only restriction (unless someone re-formats the SD card with the new (OpenATV) 32MB kernel partitions) is that you cannot restore an image backup from the eMMC slot to the SD card (32MB kernel doesn't go into 8MB SD card slot) - and in ViX the user is given a warning message and such a restore is blocked. (OpenATV fails in ofgwrite)

[littlesat]

I cannot find openvix's online flash code...

 

 

"How can you recognize the slots for multiboot... I think all can be done and scanned in 'one run' when you properly create the code. You can do somethink like when a 'mountpoint' does not exist and slots should be there then try (a first one) on the SD card."

 

Maybe collect the images first... and then start to mount/recognice/unmount and take next...

 

i did not play with SF8008 so for now I have no case to do this right...

At the time some HiSilicon boxes (but first Multibox) did change to directory structure I received the adaptions from them... 

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 14:25.

[twol]

I cannot find openvix's online flash code...

 

 

"How can you recognize the slots for multiboot... I think all can be done and scanned in 'one run' when you properly create the code. You can do somethink like when a 'mountpoint' does not exist and slots should be there then try (a first one) on the SD card."

 

Maybe collect the images first... and then start to mount/recognice/unmount and take next...

 

i did not play with SF8008 so for now I have no case to do this right...

At the time some HiSilicon boxes (but first Multibox) did change to directory structure I received the adaptions from them... 

https://github.com/O...ImageManager.py

 

look for start of restore code: def keyResstore0(self, answer):

Edited by twol, 10 January 2020 - 14:57.

[littlesat]

Sorry a lot of code and I'm totally lost due to al those keyRestore1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5_ET8500 etc... and it is running via the job stuff...

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 15:39.

[littlesat]

But they made a flash and backup manager replacing the full backup plugin in pure python code without sh. I now understand the 0,1,2,3 those are steps... but I prefer to give the steps a name so you have a description what is done...

Edited by littlesat, 10 January 2020 - 16:54.

[littlesat]

Just for my preparation how do you format that sd into the four partitions?

[twol]

Just for my preparation how do you format that sd into the four partitions?

https://github.com/T...Multibootmgr.py

 

I have just changed the kernel partition to 32MB (in my Git - will probably not commit to OpenViX) .. its better you use this as the base rather than 8MB, although its too late for most users, they are not going to re-initialise their SD cards.

[littlesat]

Ok you have a format as function... does this also work for zgemma h9 with sd card (the one who does not have multiboot?)....
this format option need some additional stuff. You always have a basic image in flash. When the box supports multiboot with sd the sd need to be formatted so actually you only have multiboot when you have a formatted sd card... FlashImage need to have a format option when sd inserted and not configured for multiboot... and having at least 8 gig...

[twol]

Thats certainly an option, - but we also have code in Harddisk.py (and ViX MountManager)

The SF8008 (from memory) doesn‘t recognise an unformatted SD card - and most Sdcards come as FAT32 format

H9 code is different...... 

https://github.com/O.../H9SDmanager.py

Edited by twol, 11 January 2020 - 09:23.

[littlesat]

Crasy... one more different method.... terrible! But once formatted the h9 goes for regular method? Then the plugin as stand alone makes sense... I see it also does USB.

Brainstorm on....

In the onflash where you select the image we can consider to add a blue button for format (or better call it multiboot prepare sd) (or usb?) for multiboot... for the 8008 and maybe also for the h9.... but not on show the option when the sd is too small or the sd is already prepared.

Then in SystemInfo we can check for sd properly formatted (partition there)...? And then make slot1 emmc flash, slot 2 and 3 the sd....

(I try to design the ui before I ‘Hammer’ it...)

Edited by littlesat, 11 January 2020 - 11:09.

[Frenske]

Please do.

[littlesat]

End of Jan begin of feb
I Need a short name for prepare sd card (or usb) for multiboot that fits next to the blue button... name it format is actually not correct. It should also include a warning (all data on the sd or usb wlll be purged)

Edited by littlesat, 11 January 2020 - 11:39.

[twol]

All these „extra initialisation plugins“ are receiver specific (SF8008/H9) and are not seen by other receivers - but whatever you do (and I know your python code will be good) for the SF8008 multiboot is really a hack - I hate their multiboot architecture.

 

You probably also need to look at this for the H9 (Yes another plugin!!) as you need to switch the H9 bootargs to get it to boot using the root on the sdcard (or usb)

https://github.com/O...ens/H9SDswap.py

[littlesat]

For me indeed the H9 stucture is better. It just moved all stuff to the USB or SD... Then the rest of the code doesn;t care and is backwards compatible. But as far I can see the internal 'flash' is not really used anymore.

SF8008 still uses internal flash and two images on SD. It can be coded, but we can also ask if they are willing to go for the H9 method.... But as 'other' images already adapt that another structure there might be no way back. But with a try to ask them I mihgt save time soon

 

As far I can see the ViX plugin for H9 (and maybe also the other HiSilicon boxes) could also be added in OpenPLi. As far I can see that plugin does work right away as for the existing code it is transparant (please tell me when I make a big mistake)

 

Just a question.. why are you doing this

                               f = open('/proc/cmdline', 'r').read()
                               if "root=/dev/mmcblk0p1" in f:

In this case I think this is a bit better

                               if "root=/dev/mmcblk0p1" in open('/proc/cmdline', 'r').read():

Your code keeps the 'file' longer open as f exists longer... I see it a lot in openvix/atv that the open the file in a variable do something and then a seperate close... event when the manipulation is short..? 

Edited by littlesat, 11 January 2020 - 12:38.