Script Ctrl failed to connect - Update automation documentation

[piebaker]

Using the automation script i consistently get failed to Ctrl messaging, and it failed to work properly.
Using the application itself without the script works like a dream.
The script succeeds in waking the PS4 up, however it appeared to error on line 62, starting chiaki and connecting.
I have included screenshots of the chiaki error message & the log file/konsole output for context.
I have fixed this issue by enabling UPnP & opening some remote ports. (Pull request for documentation submitted)

Update: Issue not fully resolved. Still encountering this problem with the automation method. In addition the automation script does not run when launched outside of directly calling it.

[streetpea]

Hi there @piebaker, what do you mean by “the automation does not run outside of directly calling it”? (I’m presuming that means you’re somehow indirectly calling it and it’s failing but not sure what you’re actually doing to call it indirectly)

Are you using this via a local connection or remotely? I’m thinking it’s probably local but ask because unless you specifically have ports blocked on your home router you shouldn’t need to enable UPnP or port forwarding to get things to work locally. Generally, the only times when you may have issues is if you set your wifi connection to public or are connecting as a guest to your wifi network from my experience. However, of course routers vary widely.

I haven’t seen this issue at all on my Steam Deck other than when the PS5 was in the process of a firmware update which also causes the (Official) PlayStation remote play app to temporarily error out for me for obvious reasons. Having said that, I don’t have a PS4 to test this on.

The part you are getting to is Chiaki launching. At that point, the automation is done so it’s unlikely something with the automation itself other than maybe the speed with which it progresses (maybe the PS4 is still closing out the discovery connection) or something to do with the different options you’ve set.

Based on your logs, it looks like the PlayStation is the one terminating the connection, based on the error message “connection reset by peer”. I would think your PS4 either doesn’t like something about your connection or is hitting some sort of timeout on its end and resetting. Are you using the PS4 option when connecting via the automation? Are you very far from your router? If no to all of those, can you try adding a line with:

sleep(5)

On the second to last line (above the stream command) to emulate how long it would take if your manually waiting to rule out a timing issue.

[piebaker]

So launching Chiaki4deck inside of steam, either through gamemode or desktop simply brings me to the main screen, rather than connecting automatically like with the automation script.

(Main screen after launching via steam)

Running the automation script test "${HOME}/.var/app/re.chiaki.Chiaki4deck/config/Chiaki/Chiaki-launcher.sh" does launch the script with the error. (This is what i mean by manually calling the script)

This is a local connection, within 10m of the router, so unlikely to be that. PS4 option is selected.
Sleep 5 & 30 were both inconsistent, they worked once, and then not again.

Attempting to manually connect straight after the ctrl error has this message:

Waiting 30s or more & then manually connecting is then successful. (Somtimes. Again, very inconsistent)

Manually sending a wakeup packet, and then selecting the awake console is consistently successful, so it seems to only be an automation script thing, so not a huge deal if we can't get it working

[streetpea]

So launching Chiaki4deck inside of steam, either through gamemode or desktop simply brings me to the main screen, rather than connecting automatically like with the automation script.

You probably added chiaki4deck itself as the non-Steam game instead of the launcher script. See https://streetpea.github.io/chiaki4deck/setup/steaming/ for how to add the launcher script itself. Since you already have the app added, you can go to the game properties and change the path to that of the script in step 3 of the link above.

Attempting to manually connect straight after the ctrl error has this message:

Initially, this is normal since the PlayStation itself has to shut down its streaming app and that takes a few seconds during which time it still reports itself as available for streaming since it is currently streaming (in its eyes). Having said that, for me with my PS5 in order to trigger this I have to reconnect immediately (within a few (3) seconds of the connection shutting down), certainly not anywhere near 30 seconds and this is consistent across the automation and gui (though is harder to trigger naturally with the gui due to getting the timing right whereas with a script you can up arrow and refire or click play again almost immediately from game mode). This seems unavoidable since it seems to be coming from the PlayStation’s side. It isn’t a large issue because you have to reconnect almost immediately which usually only happens if you’re having other problems. It being that long on your PS4 seems to me to imply that either the PS4 is much worse at shutting down or something is going amiss.

The issue you are having very well could be a PS4 specific issue (though probably not since others have told me it works fine with a PS4 though I’m not sure which firmware version they are on) or have to do with your network settings and the traffic somehow looking more suspicious when using the automation among other things.

Have you tried setting your PS4 to a static IP and using that in the script? Also, another thing to try is launching the gui and waking your PlayStation up with that and then closing it. Then, just launching the last command in the script (the stream command) and see if your issues persist. (Note: This is just a troubleshooting step. It obviously is not a solution)

Also, anecdotally my streaming services all seem to do better from my Steam Deck in game mode so you may want to see if the issue persists there as another thing to try once you add the script itself to Steam.

[streetpea]

@piebaker any update on this?

[rhangad]

@streetpea I'm also facing this issue but on PS5. Logs are showing different errors from OP but the same error message inside the stream window. I've been using the regular chiaki app with no problems except I can't close the app in game mode and just hangs until I restart steam so I'm here trying out this one.

[streetpea]

@rhangad is there anything on your PS5 when you receive this message if you login locally? You say you have been using “regular chiaki app with no problems…”. Can you use Chiaki and see if you can connect properly after receiving this message via chiaki4deck?

The reason I ask this is because the version of the message you are getting is from the Chiaki executable not the script itself and it usually happens when there is something wrong with the stream session with the PS5 itself (i.e. you haven’t enabled remote play, a game crashed on the console and you need to respond to an error message so can’t initiate a remote connection, remote play server crashed on the console previously, etc. not related to the Chiaki app itself).

FYI: Ctrl has failed itself is just a general message meaning something failed with the remote play session (I.e., could be a multitude of issues with the specific error detailing your issue) so this is likely not related to OPs issue.