v1.2.0

Init Script Overhaul

Init scripts have been overhauled for a more robust, standardised boot process. This has had a focus on defining predictable behaviour for every detector system and removing the requirement for non-standard boot scripts placed in SD cards varying by system causing confusion. Everything is now central. A particular focus has been placed on ensuring that a machine set up for interfacing with LOKI-based control systems does not require any additional configuration when switching between LOKI control boards, detectors, or even detector types.

• Persistent files and directories have been moved from flash to eMMC. This is because the SoM is now considered an interchangeable part, and therefore all storage of detector-specifics are stored on the LOKI control PCB itself.
• Dedicated eMMC bootstrapping script will automatically format and partition the eMMC on first boot, making the first bring-up of a new LOKI board no different to any other boot.
  • This script also bind mounts persistent network interface settings from an eMMC. See networking below.
• Dedicated system ID recovery script will recover a System ID from the eMMC. This can be programmed manually with the use of a new helper function (see below), but will default to the already unique serial number of the eMMC module.
• Default configuration directory for odin-control is now in eMMC
• Dedicated host mounting script will search for a controlling host PC and mount directories from it
  • The host PC IP and export location can be overridden with a file in eMMC
  • The export directory will automatically be separated by application (detector type) name
  • Exact structure, and what is or isn't included is the choice of the host; they create a layout.conf file to specify what is present, and the LOKI system will interpret it
    • If there is no file yet present, an example will be dropped in
  • It is possible to either share configuration with all detectors of the same type, or have separated directories by System ID
    • This can be specified on a per-directory basis
    • For example, one could provide sequences for every HEXITEC-MHz system from a common directory, but have different detectors have different SPI data export directories.
  • The host machine doesn't have to provide anything at all; no export directory will not prevent boot, and will still allow interfacing with the web UI

ECDSA SSH Host Key Support:

• Dropbear now generates an ECDSA host key alongside the RSA one, which prevents issues connecting from systems refusing to use old ciphers.

Helper Aliases / Functions:

• Several helper functions have been added to the environment (all starting with loki_) to make common operations easier
  • loki_info prints out some basic information about the application, module, versions
  • loki_set_system_id will set the System ID stored in the eMMC
  • loki_system_id will return the current System ID
  • loki_update_image_flash will program a specified image.ub file into the SoM flash (not typical)
  • loki_update_image_emmc will program a specified image.ub file into the eMMC (reccomended)
  • loki_remount_host will remove and re-mount the control host directories
  • loki_set_static_ip a quick way of writing a config to eMMC that will be picked up by the networking service to add a static address
    • This uses an alias, therefore not preventing DHCP from operating at the same time; good as a fallback
    • This would mean the control host could be a machine without a DHCP server
  • loki_restart_app will restart the odin-control instance
  • loki_stop_app will stop the odin-control instance

Networking Upgrades:

• DHCP by default, support for static addresses (or anything that could be specified in an interfaces file). See helpers.

What's Changed

• Version 1.2.0 by @josephnobes-stfc in #54

Full Changelog: v1.1.1...v1.2.0