RE: [neonixie-l] Re: Raspberry PI controlled Nixie display
Agree w/Paul - crontab is for periodically running things, not to start a daemon on system startup. To add a little bit more to what he mentioned, you may want to have a script that accepts a parameter indicating if it's "start", "stop" or "restart" (e.g. stop then start) for the daemon. Then within the /etc/init.d/ dir you put your script. It must have a standard LSB header and you run a command (see 2nd link) so the system knows how to connect all the parts. This way for shutdown (or restart) your clock code can accept a shutdown request (in your clock program C code catch a SIGTERM or other 'signal') and gracefully put any GPIO pins to a safe state before exiting. Restart is handy after you've swapped in a new program version. For that once in a blue moon instance when your program won't shut down gracefully, you can in your script also code a "kill" section that sends a SIGKILL to your program. In the script you also choose at what run-level you want the clock program to run. Typically, that would be 2, 3 & 5. See http://www.tldp.org/LDP/sag/html/run-levels-intro.html for run-level info, which also talks a little about the /etc/init.d/ A decent RPi example & explanation of what's needed with some shell start/stop code is here: http://raspberrywebserver.com/serveradmin/run-a-script-on-start-up.htmlI haven't verified it works, but the shell scripting looks OK from my Red Hat perspective. Good luck and have fun! - Steve -Original Message- From: neonixie-l@googlegroups.com [mailto:neonixie-l@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Andrews Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2017 8:08 AM To: neonixie-l Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Raspberry PI controlled Nixie display Good news. I had wondered about using a PI myself but was concerned with lack of realtimeness. BTW, in regular UNIX you would set your app up as a demon that runs at boot up. Crontab would not be the way to go. There should be a bunch of stuff in /etc/init.d or /etc/initd or something like that. You'll have to google the details, you should be able to specify at what stage in the boot process it gets run and as what user. - Paul -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/6ef0cef0-e433-4ecf-839a-fbd8f98838dd%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/009101d2ea32%249595e9e0%24c0c1bda0%24%40liny.net. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Dekatrons for sale shortly
Thank you! I am excited about thos opportunity. I need some of these. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/4b47d731-1c7a-42d1-a3c0-f2ef70786a68%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Re: LIXIE DISPLAYS
> The Lixie displays had been out of stock for a while, but I requested > notification from the Tindie site for when they were available. I ordered a > set within minutes of receiving the back in stock notification a few days > ago. They were again out of stock shortly after my order. > The displays arrived yesterday... very well packed and very nicely built. Have not yet started playing with them, though have the support libraries for Arduino loaded. I was a bit hesitant to order based on the sellers history, but the Tindie site has what appears to be a pretty solid guarantee. Best regards, Bob -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/c3dba936-73fa-4e82-a056-b202db03c5e8%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Re: Raspberry PI controlled Nixie display
If you want 10msec granularity, traditional Linux may not be the right choice. I did quite a bit of data-gathering (See my April 14 post in this subject), and got 64-bit serial packets to transmit , on average, in 32usec. Occasionally there is an outlier, on the order of milliseconds, due to system housekeeping tasks. THAT is what may clobber your 10msec fading. My code is intentionally 'bursty'. Every second, the system clock is queried, then the date or time display-message is composed (message varies, such as time format, day, date). Once the message is composed and translated into segment data, the actual 128-bit serial transmission takes place. It's a 'flattened' subroutine with no loops or calculations that hammers the GPIO pins as quickly as possible to get the data send to the display board. Since I'm running 2 boards, I send 128 bits. The last step is to check the PIR sensor, if that function is enabled, and decide whether or not to keep the display on. Last night while running a system update, the CPU was pegged at 100% for about half an hour. There was no degradation in the display. Apparently the task swapper in Linux gives my clock software a large enough slice so that it finishes; I believe the default is 100msec. I dont have fading, but I do plan to add 'dissolving', where segment-changes are staged in 100msec intervals and characters morph from one to the next. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/c34c9817-0ca0-4c1c-a790-a5baf94e986b%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Re: LIXIE DISPLAYS
Has the seller started actually shipping? This same seller had a previous project go belly-up and never made it right with his investors. It was discussed here not long ago. Terry On Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 7:47:28 AM UTC-5, dixter wrote: > > Has anyone taken the time to use the Lixie Displays in a clock yet > I'm getting 6 of these and trying to figure out the best way to use them > as a clock.. > > > https://www.tindie.com/products/connornishijima/lixie-an-led-alternative-to-the-nixie-tube/?pt=ac_prod_search > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/daf63312-7660-48f4-a9fb-2345ab8a8d14%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Re: Raspberry PI controlled Nixie display
Greg, is I/O fast enough to support cross fades? For a really smooth fade, I think updates must be 10ms or less. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/95b567cf-da72-4b53-88a8-55d847463c71%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] Re: LIXIE DISPLAYS
Years ago I had a digital voltmeter that used these displays, and used stepper relays for the "logic". I turned it into a clock. The displays were OK, I prefer nixies. Having LEDs, with the ability to control the brightness of individual digits would be a big improvement. There rearmost digits will be dimmer because they have to transmit thru more obstacles; making them progressively brighter should solve that issue. Also, the displays shown on the website were manufactured with much better materials and precision than what I had from ~1960. I eventually abandoned this clock because the relays were intermittent and would not respond to cleaning attempts. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/65a5fec1-38b5-45b4-8675-58a8e0533ec0%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
[neonixie-l] LIXIE DISPLAYS
Has anyone taken the time to use the Lixie Displays in a clock yet I'm getting 6 of these and trying to figure out the best way to use them as a clock.. https://www.tindie.com/products/connornishijima/lixie-an-led-alternative-to-the-nixie-tube/?pt=ac_prod_search -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/44aead5c-25c1-4abc-a115-96afb7918ce5%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Raspberry PI controlled Nixie display
Good news. I had wondered about using a PI myself but was concerned with lack of realtimeness. BTW, in regular UNIX you would set your app up as a demon that runs at boot up. Crontab would not be the way to go. There should be a bunch of stuff in /etc/init.d or /etc/initd or something like that. You'll have to google the details, you should be able to specify at what stage in the boot process it gets run and as what user. - Paul -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/6ef0cef0-e433-4ecf-839a-fbd8f98838dd%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
