Running from Source

Running from Source

This page is for working on pyEFIS itself: a development checkout on a desktop or laptop, with the test tools. To set up a device to fly, follow Setting Up a Device instead.

Prerequisites

• Python 3.9 or later. CI runs 3.12. (pyproject.toml still says 3.8, but the code needs 3.9.)
• git (one dependency installs from a git URL) and make.
• A display: pyEFIS is a Qt application and needs one, even for a quick look. The tests run offscreen.
• fix-gateway for live data; see Setting Up a Device.

Check out and build the environment

git clone -b dev https://github.com/billmallard/pyEfis.git
cd pyEfis
make init
source venv/bin/activate

• make venv creates venv/ with the development tools: flake8, black, pytest, pytest-qt, pytest-env and pytest-cov.
• make init does that, then installs pyEFIS editable with PyQt6 6.8.0 (the qt extra).
• On a Raspberry Pi running Bookworm, both use the system's PyQt6 instead (sudo apt install python3-pyqt6 x11-utils first), and the venv sees the system packages.

Neither installs synthetic vision's dependencies. Add them with:

pip install -e '.[qt,svs]'

Extra	Installs	For
qt	PyQt6 6.8.0	Running pyEFIS.
svs	numpy, PyOpenGL	Synthetic vision. Without it the attitude display shows SVS UNAVAIL.
build	build	make wheel.

Run it

python pyEfis.py          # or the installed entry point: pyefis

Flag	What it does
--debug	Debug logging.
-v, --verbose	More logging.
--config-file <path>	Use this configuration file. Nothing is copied; preferences.yaml must sit beside it.
-m, --mode	normal (default) or test.
--log-config <path>	A logging configuration file.

Without --config-file, every start copies the shipped configuration to ~/makerplane/pyefis/config/ and loads default.yaml from there. Files you have not edited are replaced; edited ones are kept, with the new version beside them as .dist. See Customizing Beyond the Configurator.

Started by systemd, pyEFIS exits unless AUTO_START is on under enabled: in the preferences. It is on in the shipped preferences.yaml.custom.

The other entry point is pyefis-accept-notice; see Setting Up a Device.

Synthetic vision data on a desktop

The stock screens' synthetic-vision include (config/includes/ahrs/svs.yaml) ships with synthetic vision off, and its paths point at /data/makerplane-data/..., where pyefis-data installs packs on a device. To try it on a desktop:

1. Install the svs extra.
2. Install packs somewhere you can write, with pyefis-data (Setting Up a Device).
3. In ~/makerplane/pyefis/config/includes/ahrs/svs.yaml, set enabled: true and point tile_path and the database paths at your packs.

A configurator panel sets these on the instrument instead; see Attitude & SVS.

Tests and checks

make test        # flake8 (errors only, then a full report), then pytest
pytest tests/    # just the tests

pytest runs with coverage, so pytest-cov must be installed (make venv does). make wheel builds a wheel.

The instrument reference tables are generated from the code; after changing an instrument's options, refresh them with docs/images/reference/gen_reference.py --update docs/wiki (see its README).

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'PyQt6'	Install the qt extra, or on a Pi python3-pyqt6.
The attitude display shows SVS UNAVAIL	Expected without the svs extra, a usable GPU, or position data.
No live values	fix-gateway is not running, or FixServer/FixPort in main/default.yaml do not point at it.
Display errors from a terminal	Set DISPLAY=:0.