Questions about using remote mode

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

The new Sean’s manual mention the possibility of using a second pypilot computer as a control head or display for the main autopilot computer (3.7.5). 

I tried every possible way but did not succeed.

First of all, how do I configure the repeater's wifi connection? As for the Remote Mode button, it once allowed a "connect to server" message to be displayed but now, it just allows a white screen to be displayed for a second before returning to the normal display. I also wonder what to enter in the text field next to the button. When the button is unchecked, it displays "localhost". But when you click it later, the localhost indication remains displayed. I replaced localhost with “remotemode” and also tried to directly modify the hat.conf and networking.txt files, but I can't do anything.

[seandepagnier]

The wifi connection should be up to you, so long as both devices are on the same network.

For example, if the main autopilot computer is an access point, the repeater control head should be set to wifi client mode.

The text field next to the button you can just put the ip address or host of the autopilot computer. For example 192.168.14.1. I could improve this by make it auto-detect the server. This would probably be better.

Directly editing the config files should be possible as well. Can you try with the above mentioned example? Then I can update the manual, and code to improve remote mode.

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

Thanks Sean,

I have the impression that it is good for wifi in client mode. I now have wifim on the display of the second computer

The second computer displays "connect to the server..." but unfortunately it returns to normal display of its IMU after a while.
Here is the content of the hat.config and networking.txt files of the control head:

Is it normal to have the same host in the first line as the autopilot computer?

{"host":"192.168.14.1","actions":{"-10_":["ir03111800","ir03111000","KEY_LEFT","gpio06","rf3F402350","rf3F405350"],"-1_":["ir03201800","ir03201000","KEY_UP","gpio27","rf77082350","rf77085350"],"+1_":["ir03211800","ir03211000","KEY_DOWN","gpio22","rf7B042350","rf7B045350"],"+10_":["ir03101800","ir03101000","KEY_RIGHT","gpio05","rf5F202350","rf5F205350"],"auto_":["ir030C1000","ir030C1800","KEY_POWER","gpio17","rf7E012350","rf7E015350"],"menu_":["ir030D1000","ir030D1800","KEY_MUTE","gpio23","rf7D022350","rf7D025350"],"mode_":["ir030B1000","ir030B1800","KEY_SELECT","gpio18","rf6F102350","rf6F105350"],"-1":["rf77082950","rf77085950","rf481C4A20","rf08721C60"],"+1":["rf7B042950","rf7B045950","rf441C4A20","rf04721C60"],"-10":["rf3F402950","rf3F405950","rf4C1C4A20","rf0C721C60"],"+10":["rf5F202950","rf5F205950","rf421C4A20","rf02721C60"],"tack port":["gpio27_06","rf37482950","rf37485950","rf37482350","rf37485350"],"tack starboard":["gpio22_05","rf5B242950","rf5B245950","rf5B242350","rf5B245350"],"standby":["rf7E012950","rf7E015950","rf471C4A20","rf07721C60"],"engage":["rf4F1C4A20","rf0F721C60"],"compass mode":["rf7D022950","rf7D025950"],"gps mode":["rf6F102950","rf6F105950"],"nav mode":["rf6D122950","rf6D125950"],"wind mode":["rf7F002930","rf7F005930"],"true wind mode":["rf6F102930","rf6F105930"],"pilot absolute":[],"pilot basic":[]},"arduino.adc_channels":[],"pi.ir":true,"arduino.ir":false,"arduino.nmea.in":false,"arduino.nmea.out":false,"arduino.nmea.baud":"38400","lcd":{"contrast":59.609294879999545,"invert":false,"backlight":12.77888591999178,"flip":false,"language":"en","bigstep":10,"smallstep":1,"hue":214,"buzzer":1.588708112000046,"buzzer_pitch":2},"command":"touch \/home\/tc\/t","remote":true,"hat":{"mpu":{"driver":"icm20948","port":"\/dev\/i2c-1"},"lcd":{"driver":"jlx12864","port":"\/dev\/spidev0.0"},"arduino":{"device":"\/dev\/spidev0.1","resetpin":16,"hardware":0.26},"lirc":"gpio4"},"modes":["compass","gps","nav","wind","true wind"],"arduino_firmware_version_available":"1.2","arduino_firmware_version":"1.2"}

mode=Client
ssid=pypilot
key=
client_ssid=pypilot
client_key=
client_address=192.168.14.1

[seandepagnier]

having client_address set to 192.168.14.1 could be the problem. Can you change it to something different or leave it blank (dhcp) ?

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

Well spotted Sean,
It works perfectly now. I'll put it back in the manual.
Everything you've imagined and done is great.

I know you have a lot of projects...

Knowing that the pilot's computer really has an interest in being inside the boat, connected to the wind vane by USB and away from magnetic disturbances, it would be interesting to make a control head with buttons and integrated DC-DC converters. A simple 12-24V power supply would be necessary. This would be useful for those who want to make a pypilot without a remote control as well as for users of your computers with a remote control receiver. I think the wifi connection can be configured via the LCD interface. This control head could therefore be waterproof.

[seandepagnier]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am working on fully waterproof displays that mostly are for gauges but do display autopilot data. It does not have the +1 -1 buttons for the autopilot but the idea is you could mount a remote control panel under it if needed.

[Jean-Marc Douroux]

Hello Sean and best wishes for this new year.
I wish you great navigations and a lot of satisfaction.

I installed Pypilot on a pi zero 2W and I can no longer configure the second pi zero in remote mode. I had kept a copy of the files networking.txt and jat.conf but I think I have a problem with the content of the pypilot_client.conf file. The calculator in remote mode switches to client by displaying wifim. On the other hand, the display "connect to server ..." remains displayed for a long time then the calculator switches back to displaying the heading of the IMU.

Thank you very much for your help

hat.conf
{"host":"192.168.14.1","actions":{"-10_":["ir03111800","ir03111000","KEY_LEFT","gpio06","rf3F402350","rf3F405350"],"-1_":["ir03201800","ir03201000","KEY_UP","gpio27","rf77082350","rf77085350"],"+1_":["ir03211800","ir03211000","KEY_DOWN","gpio22","rf7B042350","rf7B045350"],"+10_":["ir03101800","ir03101000","KEY_RIGHT","gpio05","rf5F202350","rf5F205350"],"auto_":["ir030C1000","ir030C1800","KEY_POWER","gpio17","rf7E012350","rf7E015350"],"menu_":["ir030D1000","ir030D1800","KEY_MUTE","gpio23","rf7D022350","rf7D025350"],"mode_":["ir030B1000","ir030B1800","KEY_SELECT","gpio18","rf6F102350","rf6F105350"],"-1":["rf77082950","rf77085950","rf481C4A20","rf08721C60"],"+1":["rf7B042950","rf7B045950","rf441C4A20","rf04721C60"],"-10":["rf3F402950","rf3F405950","rf4C1C4A20","rf0C721C60"],"+10":["rf5F202950","rf5F205950","rf421C4A20","rf02721C60"],"tack port":["gpio27_06","rf37482950","rf37485950","rf37482350","rf37485350"],"tack starboard":["gpio22_05","rf5B242950","rf5B245950","rf5B242350","rf5B245350"],"standby":["rf7E012950","rf7E015950","rf471C4A20","rf07721C60"],"engage":["rf4F1C4A20","rf0F721C60"],"compass mode":["rf7D022950","rf7D025950"],"gps mode":["rf6F102950","rf6F105950"],"nav mode":["rf6D122950","rf6D125950"],"wind mode":["rf7F002930","rf7F005930"],"true wind mode":["rf6F102930","rf6F105930"],"pilot absolute":[],"pilot basic":[]},"arduino.adc_channels":[],"pi.ir":true,"arduino.ir":false,"arduino.nmea.in":false,"arduino.nmea.out":false,"arduino.nmea.baud":"38400","lcd":{"contrast":59.609294879999545,"invert":false,"backlight":12.77888591999178,"flip":false,"language":"en","bigstep":10,"smallstep":1,"hue":214,"buzzer":1.588708112000046,"buzzer_pitch":2},"command":"touch \/home\/tc\/t","remote":true,"hat":{"mpu":{"driver":"icm20948","port":"\/dev\/i2c-1"},"lcd":{"driver":"jlx12864","port":"\/dev\/spidev0.0"},"arduino":{"device":"\/dev\/spidev0.1","resetpin":16,"hardware":0.26},"lirc":"gpio4"},"modes":["compass","gps","nav","wind","true wind"],"arduino_firmware_version_available":"1.2","arduino_firmware_version":"1.2"}
networking.txt :
mode=Client
ssid=pypilotR
key=amplitude
client_ssid=pypilot
client_key=amplitude
client_address=

pypilot_client.conf
{"host":"192.168.14.1","port":23322}

[seandepagnier]

You would want to change the "host" field to the ip address of the remote pilot