Creating Eddystone Beacon

[ukBaz]

Hello,

I am looking to create an Eddystone URL beacon using BlueZ DBus API. It looks like this library has some support for this. However, I am new to the Go language and am rather intimidated by the empty text editor in front of me. Is it possible for you to give me some guidance on getting started with an example for this?

An example of the information required for "org.bluez.LEAdvertisement1"
Type = "broadcast"
ServiceUUIDs = "FEAA"
ServiceData = map[string[13]int] {"FEAA": [16 0 1 98 108 117 101 116 111 111 116 104 7]}
IncludeTxPower = false

The DBus object path for the above then needs to be passed to method RegisterAdvertisement on interface "org.bluez.AdvertisementManager1"

Any pointers in getting started with this would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[muka]

Hi @ukBaz
I tried to get something to work and now I feel intimidate too :D
I am doing some refactoring on the library (on branch generator), after that I will retry to setup a beaconing example.

I think the way you described is a pretty good start.

Let me know if you have any update with some code to work on. Once it work could you also submit a PR?

Thanks

[muka]

Hello
I added an example here
https://github.com/muka/go-bluetooth/blob/master/examples/beacon/beacon.go

It shows on mobile app but I think it still need some refinement, as beacons are not constantly visible.
Let me know

[ukBaz]

Thanks for posting this. I did panic when I clicked on the link in the email and it said the link was broken but I see you have edited the location. :-)

I am a golang noob so could you give a little more detail of how to run this. I have tried using your Makefile to run some other example but it is giving me various errors. Not sure if it is my setup or if there is something missing.

Thanks.

[muka]

You can try with `go run main.go beacon eddystone` See examples folder for the source code sent from my phone

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On Sat, Aug 3, 2019, 09:03 Barry Byford ***@***.***> wrote: Thanks for posting this. I did panic when I clicked on the link in the email and it said the link was broken but I see you have edited the location. :-) I am a golang noob so could you give a little more detail of how to run this. I have tried using your Makefile to run some other example but it is giving me various errors. Not sure if it is my setup or if there is something missing. Thanks. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#81?email_source=notifications&email_token=AAHZKVPGXJS5DNJVYBW2BSDQCUUUZA5CNFSM4IGBJJIKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOD3PIXKI#issuecomment-517901225>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAHZKVP5F5IZTK6XCAAMKWTQCUUUZANCNFSM4IGBJJIA> .

[ukBaz]

Thank you for sending the command across, very helpful.
This now suggests the beacon is running

$ go run main.go beacon eddystone

DEBU[0000] Retrieving adapter instance hci0             
DEBU[0000] Connecting to DBus                           
DEBU[0000] Creating LEAdvertisement1 instance           
DEBU[0000] Exposing LEAdvertisement1 instance           
DEBU[0000] Setup adapter                                
DEBU[0000] Registering LEAdvertisement1 instance        
DEBU[0000] eddystone ready                  

When I use the nRF Connect app on my phone I can't see the beacon.
If I monitor with bluetoothctl then I see it registers the advertisement (ActivieInstances increases) but then removes it right away.

[CHG] Controller FC:F8:AE:8F:0C:A4 DiscoverableTimeout: 0x00000000
[CHG] Controller FC:F8:AE:8F:0C:A4 SupportedInstances: 0x04
[CHG] Controller FC:F8:AE:8F:0C:A4 ActiveInstances: 0x01
[CHG] Controller FC:F8:AE:8F:0C:A4 SupportedInstances: 0x05
[CHG] Controller FC:F8:AE:8F:0C:A4 ActiveInstances: 0x00

If I put bluetoothd in debug mode then I see that it is getting a client timeout

bluetoothd[2592]: src/adapter.c:set_discoverable() sending set mode command for index 0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/adapter.c:set_mode() sending set mode command for index 0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:register_advertisement() RegisterAdvertisement
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:client_create() Adding proxy for /org/bluez/example/advertisement0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:register_advertisement() Registered advertisement at path /org/bluez/example/advertisement0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:parse_service_uuids() Adding ServiceUUID: FEAA
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:parse_service_data() Adding ServiceData for FEAA
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:parse_discoverable() Adding Flags 0x00
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:refresh_adv() Refreshing advertisement: /org/bluez/example/advertisement0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:add_adv_callback() Advertisement registered: /org/bluez/example/advertisement0
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:client_timeout() 
bluetoothd[2592]: src/advertising.c:client_release() Releasing advertisement :1.173, /org/bluez/example/advertisement0

I suspect that is RegisterAdvertisement getting a timeout trying to read the org.bluez.LEAdvertisement1 interface. You say that beacons are not constantly visible, are you seeing the same?
Could it be that the publishing of org.bluez.LEAdvertisement1 needs to happen in a separate thread?

It is clear that my golang skills are not very good at the moment so please feel free to close this issue if you think the issue is with the user rather than the library.

[muka]

There is still something out of place, the timeout is a good indicator.

This setup is similar to the bluez python example, it could be related to golang types introspection by dbus library.

Let's keep the issue open until it works properly, thanks

[muka]

You were right, the timeout was the problem. Removing DiscoverableTimeout which was set to 0 show the beacon in a stable manner.

Maybe this is relevant https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-bluetooth/msg79915.html

Please reopen if still not working

Thanks

[ukBaz]

Thanks for the update. I'll test in the next couple of days.

There is also this patch that I wondered if it was relevant:
https://marc.info/?l=linux-bluetooth&m=156509924619419&w=2

[ukBaz]

Apologies, this took longer for me to get back to than I had hoped for.
Sadly, the beacon example still isn't working for me :-(

I am busy on another project now so there is no pressure from me. However, if you would like me to test anything then let me know.

[muka]

Thank you for the update, there is no hurry. I am working a bit on it as I have some free time. If you have a change to try it up please let me know sent from my phone

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On Sat, Aug 10, 2019, 21:09 Barry Byford ***@***.***> wrote: Apologies, this took longer for me to get back to than I had hoped for. Sadly, the beacon example still isn't working for me :-( [image: Screenshot from 2019-08-10 20-01-52] <https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/8608260/62825835-d6da2b00-bba9-11e9-9c15-ee64343154d0.png> I am busy on another project now so there is no pressure from me. However, if you would like me to test anything then let me know. — You are receiving this because you modified the open/close state. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#81?email_source=notifications&email_token=AAHZKVJDPGEOANYUGOYKIALQD4G55A5CNFSM4IGBJJIKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOD4ATJJY#issuecomment-520172711>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAHZKVKQA23WBBCYENNLQCTQD4G55ANCNFSM4IGBJJIA> .

[muka]

Just pushed the updated version which works with both ibeacon and eddystone.

https://github.com/muka/go-bluetooth/blob/master/examples/beacon/beacon.go#L14

Please reopen if needed