DEBUG_BASICS.md

Basic Support Techniques for Raspberry Pi

For debugging problems that you expect to get help on please cut & paste text from a console window into your email. Not html, not jpeg images, not an mp4 movie or a youtube link, text only.

Below is a list of assumptions about solving problems & getting a DRAWS hat humming along.

Assumption 1: RPi & another computer

• You have an RPi with the DRAWS hat installed, connected to your home network.
• You have a computer that has email & browser capability.

Assumption 2: ssh

• You have a program on your computer that can be an SSH client or serial console.
  • For Windows guys that usually means downloading PuTTY
    • PuTTY home page
    • Connect to Linux from Windows by using PuTTY from RackSpace Support.
    • Search the udrc forum for PuTTY
  • For everyone else (Linux/Unix/MAC) you already have a program that does this called ssh.
• Learn how to ssh into your RPi

Virtual Network Computing: VNC

• Besides using ssh to transfer console output to your email program you may also use VNC
  • I do not use VNC because ssh provides everything that I need to configure & run an RPi.
  • If you feel more comfortable using a GUI then you might find a VNC setup useful.
• Ken Koster N7IBP has provided instructions on installing VNC on a Raspberry Pi here
• Note: By default the provided NWDR image has realvnc-vnc-server installed

Assumption 3: cut & paste

• Learn how to cut & paste text from a ssh console window to an email app.

Assumption 4: use the NWDR image

• Load the RPi image from NW Digital Radio found here
  • current_image.zip and nwdrxx.zip ARE the same file.
  • A lot of work went into installing software on the NWDR image and that is what is supported.
  • There is NO support to install software starting from a Raspbian image since that has already been done in the NWDR image.

After successfully following the instructions here to create a working RPi image that supports the core functionality of a UDRC/DRAWS hat you should follow these hints to get further help.

• When you post a problem that you want help on besides describing the problem in as much detail as possible, run the showudrc.sh command on your RPi & cut & paste that console output into an email or post to udrc@nw-digital-radio.groups.io

• Learn how to search the groups.io udrc forum

  • The search button on groups.io forums actually works.

• Learn how to google. Google is your friend.