I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io

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Good Morning

In Line with these old Thread
Re: Pimatic-johnny-five Plugin dont found MCP23017 on I2C

I have a Problem with my I2C Expanders.

I made it like the desciption say but i always get an error or pimatic crashes.

When I only take the Expanders in the config.json under the plugin like these:

 {
      "id": "1",
      "boardType": "expander",
      "port": "1",
      "controller": "MCP23017"
    },
    {
      "id": "2",
      "boardType": "expander",
      "port": "1",
      "controller": "MCP23017",
      "adress": "0x21"
    }

the daemon.log say:

[pimatic-johnny-five] error: [BoardManager] Error: Board not found
[pimatic-johnny-five] error: [BoardManager] Creation of board Controller1 raised exception: Error: Board not found

and when I put the rapi-io in the config.json over the expander boards pimatic crashes every time with:

[pimatic] error: A uncaught exception occured: Error: Error: No such file or directory, cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0
[pimatic] error:>    at Error (native)
[pimatic] error:> This is most probably a bug in pimatic or in a module, please report it!
[pimatic] info: exiting...

What i´m doing wrong or what have i forgotten?
@mwittig perhaps you have an idea?

Thank you

@Masterplayer The expander board is defined as a slave board to another board. The “port” property serves as reference to the master board which is the raspberry repreresented by raspi-io in your case. The following setup should work for you:

    {
      "boards": [
        {
          "id": "1",
          "boardType": "raspi-io"
        },
        {
          "id": "2",
          "port": "1",
          "boardType": "expander"
        },
        {
          "id": "3",
          "port": "1",
          "address": "0x21",
          "boardType": "expander"
        }
      ],
      "plugin": "johnny-five",
      "active": true
    },

Hello @mwittig ,

thank you for your response, but this doesn´t work. I have tested it already as you say and pimatic crashes every time with these log:

20:42:52.538 [pimatic-johnny-five] error: [BoardManager] Creation of board 2 raised exception:Error: Missing controller property for expander board
20:42:52.548 [pimatic-johnny-five] error: [BoardManager] Creation of board 3 raised exception:Error: Missing controller property for expander board
20:42:53.542 [pimatic] error: A uncaught exception occured: Error: Error: No such file or directory, cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0
20:42:53.542 [pimatic] error:> at Error (native)
20:42:53.542 [pimatic] error:> This is most probably a bug in pimatic or in a module, please report it!
20:42:53.547 [pimatic] info: exiting…

@Masterplayer said in I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io:

Missing controller property for expander

I am sorry, I should have tested this myself. I forgot to include the controller property which you had in your config as part of the first post. Here is the corrected config:

    {
      "boards": [
        {
          "id": "1",
          "boardType": "raspi-io"
        },
        {
          "id": "2",
          "port": "1",
          "controller": "MCP23017",
          "boardType": "expander"
        },
        {
          "id": "3",
          "port": "1",
          "address": "0x21",
          "controller": "MCP23017",
          "boardType": "expander"
        }
      ],
      "plugin": "johnny-five",
      "active": true
    },

Hello @mwittig

i have tested it like you have written but the same problem.
Pimatic crashes with these log:

[pimatic] error: A uncaught exception occured: Error: Error: No such file or directory, cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0
[pimatic] error:> at Error (native)
[pimatic] error:> This is most probably a bug in pimatic or in a module, please report it!
[pimatic] info: exiting…

@Masterplayer Strange, I am not getting this error which looks odd as no serial devices are involved.

With my normal test setup the expander boards are connected to an arduino which works fine with the current version. I have spent some time today and reconfigured my setup to use raspi-io and I am getting an error which is different from yours, however. Seems the recent update to Version 10 of J5 broke the initialization for the expander board. I am about to fix the issue and will provide a new release asap.

https://github.com/mwittig/pimatic-johnny-five/issues/54

Released fix: pimatic-johnny-five@0.9.7

I have a working setup for arduino and raspi-io. If you’re still having issues, it is most likely a configuration error. Please send me your plugin configuration, in case.

OK, thank you.

i will install the update and check it. Then i will report!

One note regarding the error message “cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0”. Maybe this is originating from some other plugin. Do you a plugin using serial line comms, like pimatic-homeduino?

@mwittig

oh yes… i use the Arduino nano with USB…

(as a note: i have update the plugin but the same error and pimatic crashes… and i have copy your plugin in my configuration)

I use the Arduino to switch relays over 433Mhz.
My othe plugins are:

  "plugin": "cron"
  "plugin": "mobile-frontend"
  "plugin": "ping"
  "plugin": "sunrise"
  "plugin": "shell-execute"
  "plugin": "openweather"
  "plugin": "homeduino"
  "plugin": "links
  "plugin": "fritz"
  "plugin": "sysinfo"
  "plugin": "pushbullet"
  "plugin": "johnny-five"
  "plugin": "amazing-dash-button"
  "plugin": "iframe"

You told that you use the j5 over your arduino. should i test that? is it a advantage to use the MCP23017 with the j5 over the arduino?

@Masterplayer said in I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io:

johnny-five

Can you please send me the current plugin config you have for johnny-five?

@mwittig

here my plugin-config:

  },
    {
      "boards": [
         {
           "id": "1",
           "boardType": "raspi-io"
         },
         {
           "id": "2",
           "port": "1",
           "controller": "MCP23017",
           "boardType": "expander"
         },
         {
           "id": "3",
           "port": "1",
           "address": "0x21",
           "controller": "MCP23017",
           "boardType": "expander"
         }
        ],
      "plugin": "johnny-five",
      "active": true
    },

i also have install the raspi-io as a normal user (user:pi). was that right?

@Masterplayer said:

I use the Arduino to switch relays over 433Mhz.

My test setup is similar as I have connected an arduino for pimatic-homeduino, too. Which serialDevice setting do you have for homeduino?

You told that you use the j5 over your arduino. should i test that? is it a advantage to use the MCP23017 with the j5 over the arduino?

No, I don’t think there is an advantage with that.

i also have install the raspi-io as a normal user (user:pi). was that right?

No, that’s not required. However, please make sure you have wiringPi installed.

@mwittig

my plugin-config for homeduino is:

 {
      "plugin": "homeduino",
      "driver": "serialport",
      "driverOptions": {
        "serialDevice": "/dev/ttyUSB0",
        "baudrate": 115200
      },
      "receiverPin": 0,
      "transmitterPin": 4,
      "active": true
    },

wiringPi is installed. i have updated wiringPi but always the same issue and crash…

and the mcp23017 are online:

pi@raspberrypi:~/pimatic-app $ sudo i2cdetect -y 1
     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  a  b  c  d  e  f
00:          -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
20: 20 21 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
50: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
pi@raspberrypi:~/pimatic-app $

@Masterplayer I have published another update today ( pimatic-johnny-five@0.9.9) which improves error handling for expander boards and provides other minor improvements. Please give it a try.
From there, I think it makes sense to check the log for error messages in more detail and also have a look at debug output for pimatic-johnny-five. Debug output can be enabled by adding setting the plugin configuration "debug" to true.

@mwittig thanks a lot for your efforts!

I had 2 errors at the install of the update!

serialport@4.0.7 install /home/pi/pimatic-app/node_modules/pimatic-johnny-five/node_modules/johnny-five/node_modules/serialport
node-pre-gyp install --fallback-to-build
node-pre-gyp ERR! Tried to download(404): https://github.com/EmergingTechnologyAdvisors/node-serialport/releases/download/4.0.7/serialport-v4.0.7-node-v46-linux-arm.tar.gz
node-pre-gyp ERR! Pre-built binaries not found for serialport@4.0.7 and node@4.4.5 (node-v46 ABI) (falling back to source compile with node-gyp)
make: Entering directory '/home/pi/pimatic-app/node_modules/pimatic-johnny-five/node_modules/johnny-five/node_modules/serialport/build’
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/serialport/src/serialport.o
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/serialport/src/serialport_unix.o
CXX(target) Release/obj.target/serialport/src/serialport_poller.o
SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/serialport.node
COPY Release/serialport.node
make: Leaving directory '/home/pi/pimatic-app/node_modules/pimatic-johnny-five/node_modules/johnny-five/node_modules/serialport/build’
pimatic-johnny-five@0.9.9 node_modules/pimatic-johnny-five
├── oled-font-5x7@1.0.0
├── pimatic-plugin-commons@0.9.3
├── oled-js@4.0.2
├── etherport-client@0.1.2 (debug@2.6.0)
├── etherport@0.1.4 (es6-shim@0.35.2)
├── particle-io@0.14.0 (es6-shim@0.35.2, array-includes@3.0.2)
└── johnny-five@0.10.6 (lodash.debounce@4.0.8, lodash.clonedeep@4.5.0, ease-component@1.0.0, browser-serialport@2.1.0, color-convert@1.2.2, temporal@0.5.0, nanotimer@0.3.10, firmata@0.15.0, chalk@1.1.3, es6-shim@0.35.2, serialport@4.0.7)

i have tested it and i´m sorry to say it but the same issue and pimatic crash.

I have set the debug of j5 to true and this is what the log say:

20:20:44.351 [pimatic] info: Loading plugin: “pimatic-johnny-five” (0.9.9)
20:20:44.357 [pimatic] debug: debug is true in plugin config, showing debug output for pimatic-johnny-five.
20:20:45.472 [pimatic] info: Loading plugin: “pimatic-amazing-dash-button” (0.9.11)
20:20:45.570 [pimatic] info: Loading plugin: “pimatic-iframe” (0.2.0)
20:20:45.619 [pimatic-cron] info: the time is: Tue Jan 17 2017 20:20:45 GMT+0100 (CET)
20:20:45.947 [pimatic-sunrise] info: Your location is set to lat: 52.834815, long: 8.311706
1484680847469 Device(s) RaspberryPi-IO
20:20:47.477 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [BoardManager] Created board 1
20:20:47.492 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [BoardManager] Created board 2
20:20:47.497 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [BoardManager] Created board 3
20:20:47.509 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveOledDisplay
20:20:47.524 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveSwitch
20:20:47.534 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveContactSensor
20:20:47.544 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFivePresenceSensor
20:20:47.554 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveButton
20:20:47.574 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveRelay
20:20:47.588 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFivePwmOutput
20:20:47.597 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveTemperature
20:20:47.606 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveTemperatureHumidity
20:20:47.616 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: Registering device class JohnnyFiveTemperaturePressure
1484680848340 Connected RaspberryPi-IO
20:20:48.342 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [Board#1] Message received: RaspberryPi-IO
20:20:48.351 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [Board#1] Board Ready
20:20:48.407 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [ExpanderBoard#2] Board Ready
20:20:48.436 [pimatic-johnny-five] debug: [ExpanderBoard#3] Board Ready
20:20:48.581 [pimatic] error: A uncaught exception occured: Error: Error: No such file or directory, cannot open /dev/ttyAMA0
20:20:48.581 [pimatic] error:> at Error (native)
20:20:48.581 [pimatic] error:> This is most probably a bug in pimatic or in a module, please report it!
20:20:48.584 [pimatic] info: exiting…

Thanks

@Masterplayer said in I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io:

node-pre-gyp ERR! Pre-built binaries not found for serialport@4.0.7 and node@4.4.5 (node-v46 ABI) (falling back to source compile with node-gyp)
node-pre-gyp ERR! Pre-built binaries not found for serialport@4.0.7 and node@4.4.5 (node-v46 ABI) (falling back to source compile with node-gyp)

I am getting the same error during install, but as said it fallbacks to building the binaries and the installations succeeds,

I have set the debug of j5 to true and this is what the log say:

The debug output is indicating the the boards have initialized successfully. Do you already have johnny five as part of your config? If yes, can you please remove them for a test? If no, I am a bit lost here, as there is not much happening after board initialization if no device involved.

Can you please also let me know:

1. Do you use /dev/ttyAMA0 for something elese? If yes, can you please briefly describe what it is?

2. If it not used, can you please check whether or not the device exists, e.g. ls -lHA /dev/ttyAMA0

@mwittig said in I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io:

Do you use /dev/ttyAMA0 for something elese? If yes, can you please briefly describe what it is?

no not that i know. i´m only running pimatic and an lighttpd webserver on my pi. I have deleted the websever and check what you said and that is the output:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ls -la /dev/ttyAMA0
ls: Zugriff auf /dev/ttyAMA0 nicht möglich: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden
pi@raspberrypi:~ $

you asked:

Do you already have johnny five as part of your config?

What do you mean?
Every time i write the boards in the config to the j5 plugin pimatic crashes.

@Masterplayer said in I2C Problem with Johnny-five and raspi-io:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ls -la /dev/ttyAMA0
ls: Zugriff auf /dev/ttyAMA0 nicht möglich: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden

Can you please do a sudo ls -lHA /dev/ttyAMA0? This is to check whether your system has the device in place and to check the access rightw.

Meanwhile, I have digged a little deeper and found out that raspi-io actually is trying to open /dev/ttyAMA0 and throws an exception on failure. I have been able to reproduce the error by removing the device on my system. I think this a bug in raspi-io and I have created an issue for that (see below). I think the work-around for you is to make sure /dev/ttyAMA0 is in place on your system and it can be opened by user root. I am assuming you run pimatic as root. Please let me know otherwise.

Thank you very much for your patience and commitment on the matter. This error wasn’t obvious to me at all. Please keep posted.

https://github.com/nebrius/raspi-io/issues/83