OpenCPN Runs on Embedded ARM

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Very frustrating.... I know "0" about Linux, can barely run it. Shot in the dark here...What is glsln (or something like that)? Some kind of driver or something? You probably know, but I've seen it mentioned... along with troubles...

Since no one else answered, Here is my understanding:

OpenCPN uses OpenGL to allow hardware graphics acceleration.

The ARM devices that are being used to run OpenCPN do not support Desktop OpenGL. They support a reduced functionality version called OpenGLES (Embedded System).

In order to allow OpenCPN with OpenGL to work on an OpenGLES system glshim translates some functions of OpenGL to OpenGLES.

The project glshim creates libGL.so.1 where the translations take place.

boat_alexandra created the version we are using based on the original version made by lunixbochs; I do not understand what the differences between the two version are, but the lunixbochs version will not work for OpenCPN or the test program glxgears.

Cheers,
JM.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by mattkab

My cubietruck is at my office so I can't see what is reported at runtime.

My download package is Cubian-desktop-r1-a20-ct.7z

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I can not find this version anywhere.

Not sure how to proceed !

Any ideas ?

Cheers,
JM.

[akopac]

OK, so Matt what would it take to post a sd/nand image of your working setup as a first beta? :-)

[akopac]

OK, but is hardware acceleration working... That's the holy grail...

[mattkab]

I would post an image of my working system. It does have hardware acceleration.

I just don't know how to create an image from the system. At a minimum I can post the root image I pulled down in August.

Cubie X1 simply does not work.

I've been playing with Aruntu Peace edition the past few days and that one looks like it might work too. I'll continue with it again on Monday.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[akopac]

Matt, Confirmed the link I posted has Cubian Debian Release 7.7 (Wheezy) Kernal Linux version 3.4.79-sun7i, Mate 1.8.1 for all versions of Cubie on it in English after install.

[petter5]

Originally Posted by mattkab

I just don't know how to create an image from the system. At a minimum I can post the root image I pulled down in August.

Is the system running from a SD card or similar ? If so, and you do have access to a (SD) card reader and a windows pc, you can use win32 disk imager http://win32diskimager.sourceforge.net/ . Or, under Linux you can use the DD command dd (Unix) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[seandepagnier]

use dd, but compress with xz

I would like to know.. is it the kernel version that causes a problem? 3.4 kernel is old.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

use dd, but compress with xz

I would like to know.. is it the kernel version that causes a problem? 3.4 kernel is old.

Hi, thanks for all the work you have done to get OpenCPN working on these ARM boards. It seems like it is very close to being usable. I have a bunch of questions for you if you don't mind:

1. What version kernel do you have ?
   
2. What image are you using on your Cubie Truck ?
   
3. Did you try CM93 charts ? Did all the text display correctly ?
   
4. Are any of the errors/warnings that come up in the console window while running OpenCPN/glshim important.
   

   (opencpn:30035): Gdk-CRITICAL **: IA__gdk_colormap_new: assertion `GDK_IS_VISUAL (visual)' failed
   
   (opencpn:30035): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: g_object_unref: assertion `G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
   libGL: built on Dec 1 2014 19:01:06
   
   (opencpn:30035): Gtk-WARNING **: gtk_widget_size_allocate(): attempt to allocate widget with width -5 and height 15
   
   glXGetProcAddress: glGenFramebuffers not found.
   
   glXGetProcAddress: glGenFramebuffersARB not found.
   
   glXGetProcAddress: glGenFramebuffersEXT not found.
   
   glXGetProcAddress: glGetCompressedTexImage not found.
   
   ERROR: EGL Error detected: EGL_BAD_ALLOC (0x3003)

Cheers,
JM.

[akopac]

I'm posting on the Cubie X1 forum our issue over here with the video acceleration on the latest version.

[NahanniV]

Originally Posted by akopac

I'm posting on the Cubie X1 forum our issue over here with the video acceleration on the latest version.

Can you provide a link to your post ?

I'd like to follow the discussion.

Thanks,
JM.

[mattkab]

As promised here is a link to my google drive of the only working CubieTruck image that I have found. If someone has a better way to share it, please feel free.

Download it and follow the instructions on OpenCPN.com and you should be able to get OpenCPN 3.3.2410 running and OpenGL working with hardware acceleration on a CubieTruck.

I don't know why this version works and Cubie X1 does not. I'm not even sure how to investigate further -- there are no errors in the logs, or other obvious debugging signs. I'm gussing it's a Kernel flag, but don't know how to compare them (I'm a Linux Noob).

I am still seeing if I can get Aruntu Peace Edition to work. I think I had it working at one point, but wasn't paying attention and overwrote that SD card with a different image.

[sbfreddie]

Originally Posted by mattkab

As promised here is a link to my google drive of the only working CubieTruck image that I have found. If someone has a better way to share it, please feel free.

Download it and follow the instructions on OpenCPN.com and you should be able to get OpenCPN 3.3.2410 running and OpenGL working with hardware acceleration on a CubieTruck.

I don't know why this version works and Cubie X1 does not. I'm not even sure how to investigate further -- there are no errors in the logs, or other obvious debugging signs. I'm gussing it's a Kernel flag, but don't know how to compare them (I'm a Linux Noob).

I am still seeing if I can get Aruntu Peace Edition to work. I think I had it working at one point, but wasn't paying attention and overwrote that SD card with a different image.

Matt:
Hi, Freddie here, I still have a working version of OpenCPN with plugins working on two CubieTruck's, one with Aruntu 1.001 (Ubuntu 13.10), and one with Qbee-X (Ubuntu 12.04.5).

I have no problems building OpenCPN or the plugins on these Cubie's. Keep in mind that every time you build a new version of OpenCPN you should also delete and rebuilt the caches as the code seems to be changing often. It takes about 16-20 hours on Qbee-X and a little longer on Aruntu to build the entire lot of raster charts from NOAA.

I also have the RTLSDR dongle working to pull in AIS from up to 150 miles away (Mostly only at night, 75 miles during the day). I'm currently working on building an antenna for receiving sat weather pictures from the NOAA satellite's. I still have to finish building my up-converter to receive HF weather-fax's.

Are you using Aruntu 1.001 or the previous version?

Thanks,
Freddie

[mattkab]

Originally Posted by sbfreddie

Matt:
Hi, Freddie here, I still have a working version of OpenCPN with plugins working on two CubieTruck's, one with Aruntu 1.001 (Ubuntu 13.10), and one with Qbee-X (Ubuntu 12.04.5).

I have no problems building OpenCPN or the plugins on these Cubie's. Keep in mind that every time you build a new version of OpenCPN you should also delete and rebuilt the caches as the code seems to be changing often. It takes about 16-20 hours on Qbee-X and a little longer on Aruntu to build the entire lot of raster charts from NOAA.

I have no problems building either, on any distribution. Further, running without OpenGL works for both Raster and Vector charts.

I've been spending the past few weeks trying to discover why vector charts utilizing OpenGL Hardware Acceleration stopped working (if you start from scratch) in the past few weeks. If you build from scratch today, and enable OpenGL in OpenCPN, you will either get an all black screen, or partial rendering on a black screen. I have concluded it is not OpenCPN, but the root OS images that are causing the problem.

Originally Posted by sbfreddie

I also have the RTLSDR dongle working to pull in AIS from up to 150 miles away (Mostly only at night, 75 miles during the day). I'm currently working on building an antenna for receiving sat weather pictures from the NOAA satellite's. I still have to finish building my up-converter to receive HF weather-fax's.

The NOAA satellite feature would be awesome... What style antenna are you building?

Originally Posted by sbfreddie

Are you using Aruntu 1.001 or the previous version?

Yes, 1.001

[mattkab]

I can also confirm that Aruntu 1.001 (Peace Edition) does work with OpenCPN 3.3.2410. Just simply follow the instructions on OpenCPN.com for installing on a CubieTruck.

I'm seeing some odd artifacts and display behavior, but it does run in OpenGL mode. No black screens or completely wrong rendering. I'm going to try some other charts and play with building up the texture cache.

The OS image appears fairly stable, and even works with my wireless keyboard without installing any drivers. You do need to expand the file system on first run -- I only had about 100MB of free space before doing so. I also get glxgears framerates between 60 and 250 FPS after installing glshim. But it is not very lean and has a ton of extra apps included that I don't like -- I am going to spend some time uninstalling those.