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Display_BBB_Setup.md

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BeagleBone Black Setup for Display

The 4D Systems LCD 4.3" Display (4DCAPE-43T) is mounted to a BeagleBone Black (BBB) that requires some setup for the POPS display application to function properly. In general, it must have the operating system installed and configured, and software installed. The Qt display application must be installed and made to autorun at boot.

The operating system used is BBB-eMMC-fasher-debian-7.5-2014-05-14-2gb.img (available from BeagleBoard.org). This is flashed on to the eemc memory. No changes need to be made to the uEnv.txt file, and no capes need to be loaded. The BBB is connected to a laptop with an internet connection (or directly to the internet) to install software and perform an update. These instructions are found in the NOAA_BBB_PRU_DAQ_Cape_Setup.md file under the POPS instrument.

The uSD card is available for transfering files or making backups; this is configured with: 

sudo mkdir /media/uSD
sudo chmod 777 /media/uSD

The rc.local file is used to automatically mount the uSD on boot by inserting the line below before exit 0. 

mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /media/uSD

The files that must be transfered to the /home/debian directory are the POPS directory, the UDP directory (only used to troubleshoot communications) and QCustomPLot.tar.gz downloaded from [QCustomPlot](http://www.qcustomplot.com/index.php/download).

With this much done, connect to the internet, and set the time with 

ntpdate -b -s -u time.nist.gov

Then do the following 

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-cache search qt4
sudo apt-get install qt4-dev-tools
sudo apt-get install qtcreator
tar -zxvf qcustomplot.tar.gz

Edit /etc/network/interfaces to include the static port on eth0 

auto eth0
iface eth0 inet static
address 10.1.1.4
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 10.1.1.0
broadcast 10.1.1.255

The next steps are more easily performed using a monitor and keyboard plugged in to the BBB. Prepare the desktop for the POPS Data Display:

  1. Move the lower panel by right clicking on it and selecting Panel Settins. Under Geometery select Position right and top, size 25 pixels wide. In Appearance select solid color (black). In Panel Applets delete the clock and desktop pager.
  2. Right click on the Desktop and select Desktop Preferences. In the Wallpaper mode select Fill with background color only.
  3. If there is a top white bar, that will need to be removed also.

Make the POPS Data Display automatically start on boot by editing the file /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart. Add the line:

@/home/debian/POPS/pops.sh

Open QtCreator to configure it. First under Tools open Options. Add the QCustomPlot Documentation by selecting Help, and the Documentation tab. Click Add, and find the file /home/debian/qcustomplot/qcustomplot.qch. Next setup the build kit by selecting Build and Run and checking compilers. If one was not found automatically, add it manually by selecting Add-GCC and finding it at /usr/bin/gcc. Similarly, the debugger is at /usr/bin/gdb. The Qt version should show up now without errors. It is not necessary to recompile the program on the BBB, but the setup is done is case any modifications need to be made. QCustomPlot is used by adding the files qcustomplot.h and qcustomplot.cpp to the directory created for the project, then adding them to the project in QtCreator by right clicking on the main project name and selecting Add Existing Files. Select the files and OK. The *.pro file needs to have the line 

Qt+ = widgets printsupport

The BBB is now ready to have the 4DCAPE-43T cape installed. Power off completely and disconnect power and the monitor before doing this. It should now start witht the POPS Display running.

POPS Instrument Setup

The instrument BBB needs to be running the POPS_BBB_dt_disp.c version of the POPS software compiled with build_dsp. The /etc/rc.local file is modified to run popsdsp un the background. The POPS_BBB.cfg set to 25 bins, with the logmin set to 1.4 and the logmax set to 4.817. The serial communication should be set to false for both uarts, and the UDP[1] should also be set to false. The display data is sent through the status UDP[0] to 10.1.1.4 (the Display BBB) on port 8000. The instrument is set to the IP address of 10.1.1.3. The instrument needs to boot first and start sending data before the display Qt application starts. The two are connected with an ethernet cross cable.

To restart the network 

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

This may be useful if changing cables brings the network down.