June 20, 201610 yr 9 hours ago, The Terrible Triplett said: So UNLESS a)) someone puts there money where their mouth is and contract a Linux developer to redo it all and keep on paying for more devices or b)) someone re-writes it all in Linux by copying what we have done to date, and is prepared to keep on adding new devices, to then share back with us for free ... there is NOT going to be a Linux version for a Pi on the way anytime soon. For now we are developing a reader that will run on Windows, Finish and Klaar / Over and Out. I did offer to help converting your code to a format that can be read on Linux. You didn't want to.
June 20, 201610 yr 1 hour ago, SilverNodashi said: I did offer to help converting your code to a format that can be read on Linux. You didn't want to. I missed that ... sorry SilverNodashi. We will chat.
June 20, 201610 yr FWIW, you also get these: http://mecer.co.za/mecer-pc-on-stick-s01/ starting at about R1450.00
June 22, 201610 yr @plonkster If you help us get the MK2 sorted for VB, the code will be shared. @SilverNodashi Lets do it! I have a few suggestions, BEFORE we get derailed again on what OS, DB and all that cr_p again. (Not sarcastic, just not open for that debate again.) One: Keep the reader apart from the actual DB / Front end. Why? Reading the data is quick and easy, Plonkster said, I tend to agree, so lets do that. I also then picked up that to develop the front end and supporting the software is what most hard core developers like to pass onto others. So keep it separate. We then have a free reader of all devices, any developer can then take that and do what they please. And anyone who wants to develop front ends, and support them, for free or for a fee, can then do so. Two: What DB to use? Why does it have to be any specific one? Make it so that if I want Apache, you want MySQL and Plonkster insists on MS SQL, built them all in. Really what is the problem? Three: We are quite far with VS development and with MK2 stable, we cover quite a few devices already. Can our code be ported to Linux OR WHATEVER flavours your fancy, to save some time? Rules: Windows version we can sell and make money off, as we are the ones going to support that. Linux / Pi version is and always will be free to use, no-one can charge money for that. Rules here are as per Plonskter communistic viewpoint, with which I have NO problem with. It then boils down to users preference / device choice really, but I do suspect the Pi version will find a lot of attraction.
June 22, 201610 yr I'm sticking with VRMLogger for now, for there are future bread and butter possibilities for me here. You guys have fun... :-)
June 22, 201610 yr Also, I will never insist on MS SQL. The only admissible options are the open ones (MySQL, Postgresql) and MySQL is a toy. Also, for time series data, I would look at whisper, rrd, or influx. You see... I just live on a completely different planet... :-)
June 22, 201610 yr 8 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said: If you help us get the MK2 sorted for VB, the code will be shared. So ffs put it on a github gist, or a paste site, or something. Because gmail is protecting me from C-hash apparently.
June 22, 201610 yr You have a link from Google docs Plonkster. Must say, the email systems are quite clever to block the code. Respect. If I had only Victron, I probably would have followed your lead, but I don't nor do I want to be bound to only one option for things MIGHT change, never a Axpert. For the rest, it is then settled. You have your solution, a good one I might add. Anyone else up for this plan, or along the lines of the plan or a new plan, to get a Linux Pi reader for all and any device users may have on PF? You can port our code over, was done in Visual Studio 2015, which I believe now has a Python module now, IF that helps. Note: Will ONLY share our code if it is for Linux Pi reader, and for the PF users as a whole. Not for sharing to potential competitors, unless we chat about it first. And if there are NO takers, then note, that no debates will be entered into here anymore re. Linux / Windows, Pi / Tablet, MS SQL or whatever, for the offer is here, take it up or do it from scratch ... otherwise forever hold your peace, or hold it until you want to contribute.
June 22, 201610 yr 23 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said: If I had only Victron, I probably would have followed your lead, but I don't nor do I want to be bound to only one option for things MIGHT change, never a Axpert. I'll make you a morningstar implementation. Just give me a bit of time. What this gives you really is a mapping: Take THIS value from this piece of equipment, publish it on dbus under the name com.victronenergy.solarcharger.ttyUSB0 and provide the required interface so the other components of the system can ask you about voltage and current. And you're done. Its the same idea I had with bluelantern... just further developed.
June 22, 201610 yr ... and then, if someone with an Axpert wants to, we can write a bit of code to take the axpert's values and publish it under com.victronenergy.solarcharger (for the mppt side) and com.victronenergy.whatever...
June 22, 201610 yr You are aware that Matthijs was not open at all for Voltronix device data ending up on their site? We discussed that a length telephonically. I fully agreed with his reasons. He did say I am more than welcome to include my Morningstar though, store the data on their site, but I assumed it as a favour to me and not the masses, for I have more Victron equipment than just a BMV. If I understand all the tech talk correctly, on the other thread, are you saying that the data can be sent to say our SQL server?
June 22, 201610 yr 1 hour ago, The Terrible Triplett said: You are aware that Matthijs was not open at all for Voltronix device data ending up on their site? We discussed that a length telephonically. I fully agreed with his reasons. He did say I am more than welcome to include my Morningstar though, store the data on their site, but I assumed it as a favour to me and not the masses, for I have more Victron equipment than just a BMV. If I understand all the tech talk correctly, on the other thread, are you saying that the data can be sent to say our SQL server? Why do you want to store it there? Why not on your own server?
June 22, 201610 yr 2 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said: You are aware that Matthijs was not open at all for Voltronix device data ending up on their site? I wasn't sure about that. I meant to ask him about it at some point. Nobody can really prevent you from doing it, perhaps just best that it isn't me then. The point of the VRM site, from the venus mailing list, is to sell hardware. I think I made that point before: That there really is nothing like the BMV, and so, if you sell nothing else, you will probably sell a BMV in this forex-challenged country. Another angle might be that when you do this, you become the benefactor of a flexible framework that is loved by enthusiasts and this drives more business your way. Anyway, it is not difficult to do. Just having trouble finding a suitable deranged open-source nut with an Axpert. Maybe those are mutually exclusive... oh well. 2 hours ago, The Terrible Triplett said: If I understand all the tech talk correctly, on the other thread, are you saying that the data can be sent to say our SQL server? Yes. Implement something that can parse the http post, and you can run that on your own server and harvest the data. To parse the http post you need to understand how http handles compressed payloads (because you need to uncompress it, or configure your server to do it, easy with apache, no idea about commercial-OS), then take the payload which is application/x-www-form-encoded and split it up, and then turn it into key-value pairs and urldecode each half of the pair (it uses a 7-bit alphabet and %NN notation for characters outside that). Then it is a matter of recognising which value is which and bob should be your uncle.
June 22, 201610 yr 25 minutes ago, SilverNodashi said: Why do you want to store it there? Why not on your own server? No, I do not want to do that. It was more a off the record comment to Plonkster, for I have tried that we use Vicron's site, it is AWESOME, for all devices, pooling our efforts with theirs. But they decided no. Which I agreed with for their is no benefit to them in doing that. BIG plus for Victron, wiping ALL @Chris Hobson minus points off the table. Where have you EVER seen a corp that big, making the effort to call me, a nincompoop, in person to discuss the possibility and implications of such an idea.
June 22, 201610 yr 1 minute ago, The Terrible Triplett said: Where have you EVER seen a corp that big, making the effort to call me, a nincompoop, in person to discuss the possibility and implications of such an idea Indeed. On both points. :-P
June 22, 201610 yr 1 minute ago, plonkster said: On both points. :-P Tongue in cheek sarcasm with no smiley thingy that works I see.
June 22, 201610 yr Read this again :-) https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/victron-dev-venus/qnKGnTTxo7s
June 22, 201610 yr 3 hours ago, The Terrible Triplett said: @plonkster If you help us get the MK2 sorted for VB, the code will be shared. @SilverNodashi Lets do it! I have a few suggestions, BEFORE we get derailed again on what OS, DB and all that cr_p again. (Not sarcastic, just not open for that debate again.) One: Keep the reader apart from the actual DB / Front end. Why? Reading the data is quick and easy, Plonkster said, I tend to agree, so lets do that. I also then picked up that to develop the front end and supporting the software is what most hard core developers like to pass onto others. So keep it separate. We then have a free reader of all devices, any developer can then take that and do what they please. And anyone who wants to develop front ends, and support them, for free or for a fee, can then do so. Two: What DB to use? Why does it have to be any specific one? Make it so that if I want Apache, you want MySQL and Plonkster insists on MS SQL, built them all in. Really what is the problem? Three: We are quite far with VS development and with MK2 stable, we cover quite a few devices already. Can our code be ported to Linux OR WHATEVER flavours your fancy, to save some time? Rules: Windows version we can sell and make money off, as we are the ones going to support that. Linux / Pi version is and always will be free to use, no-one can charge money for that. Rules here are as per Plonskter communistic viewpoint, with which I have NO problem with. It then boils down to users preference / device choice really, but I do suspect the Pi version will find a lot of attraction. I'm in. By the way, I can also contribute / donate some space on a Linux web server if you want to go that route?
June 22, 201610 yr 19 minutes ago, plonkster said: I wasn't sure about that. I meant to ask him about it at some point. Nobody can really prevent you from doing it, perhaps just best that it isn't me then. The point of the VRM site, from the venus mailing list, is to sell hardware. I think I made that point before: That there really is nothing like the BMV, and so, if you sell nothing else, you will probably sell a BMV in this forex-challenged country. Another angle might be that when you do this, you become the benefactor of a flexible framework that is loved by enthusiasts and this drives more business your way. Anyway, it is not difficult to do. Just having trouble finding a suitable deranged open-source nut with an Axpert. Maybe those are mutually exclusive... oh well. Yes. Implement something that can parse the http post, and you can run that on your own server and harvest the data. To parse the http post you need to understand how http handles compressed payloads (because you need to uncompress it, or configure your server to do it, easy with apache, no idea about commercial-OS), then take the payload which is application/x-www-form-encoded and split it up, and then turn it into key-value pairs and urldecode each half of the pair (it uses a 7-bit alphabet and %NN notation for characters outside that). Then it is a matter of recognising which value is which and bob should be your uncle. I have Axpert I also have InfiniSolar And I have Microcare I don't have pizza and milkshake though.... On a more serious note, why bother compressing the data? Surely it's little enough data that compression isn't really needed, and would free up valuable resources on the Pi?
June 22, 201610 yr Just now, SilverNodashi said: why bother compressing the data It's compressed in transit to the VRM site. Specifically, the body of the http post has gzip compression on it. No compression is done on the Pi. The backlog sits in a straight sqlite3 database that you can open with sqlitebrowser.
June 22, 201610 yr 16 minutes ago, The Terrible Triplett said: Jou punt is ... ? My point is that some "free loading" is expected and will be tolerated. But let me be honest, I have no idea what the business case is here, but I can sort of see it. For example, I know attorneys who run facebook groups on the internet handing out free legal advice. You might think that is a silly thing to do, because you're giving away your services for free, but the reality is that this particular company does make money! (Because, after asking help about the non-paying tenant and given lots of advice and options for free... I decided to send a lawyer after the guy and who did I use? Bingo... :-)
June 22, 201610 yr 12 minutes ago, SilverNodashi said: I'm in. By the way, I can also contribute / donate some space on a Linux web server if you want to go that route? Cool. Lets get your stuff working, as is, and the sort the rest once what is, adds value. Send me you email address. For the way I see it, if there is enough users, we contract a developer to get Axpert on a Pi. Victron MK2 and Morningstar I am not going to bother with a Pi, will wait for Plonkster.
June 22, 201610 yr 1 hour ago, plonkster said: My point is that some "free loading" is expected and will be tolerated. Matthijs called me twice on the issue ... no Voltronic devices. Would not go there if I was in your shoes, Victron relationship is worth a lot more than a few Axperts data. EDIT: What you can do it you WANT, and there is a need and help, use the same application, just send the data to us. You want a challenge, so there.
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