Sd card disk Image

[tekkydave]

Every time I make a change to a config file I download all the files in /sys as a zip to my PC and archive it away. I also give each version a number - I'm currently on V17.
Spot the ex-developer/DBA

[FrcWifiDuet]

@jacotheron
Yes easy if you done it once, but easy to forget something for example in your last link on the last candidate version 2.02 RC2 where is the iap4e.bin file oups? Ok maybe in the last real release 2.0.1 not there ok it's 2.0 release. Having a complete package and version stamped packet is less prone to error .

The process is not complex but not user friendly, took me 30 minutes instead of 5.

[FrcWifiDuet]

@tekkydave
Thanks Yes I've many backup of my config file, just arguing that a 3 steps process Download image, burn image, replace config files is simpler that a 10 steps one...

[Phaedrux]

There's also this.

https://duet3d.dozuki.com/Wiki/Firmware_Overview#Section_SD_card_structure

And the folder structure as shipped from the factory:
https://github.com/T3P3/Duet/tree/master/Duet2/SD Card Contents

[Danal]

Actually, I agree that a complete image for each MAJOR release would be a wonderful thing for the community. I'm never 101% confident that I have the right things on an SD, because tidbits of information, like which iap... or the exact name of the firmware file, or similar are spread all over the place. The forum, the wiki, release notes, maybe other places.

An image would solve all of that.

Along with that, I'd like to see a /sys and /usr (user) directory, separate. Names should make it self-evident what goes where.

This would require a very small change to RepRap firmware, and a somewhat larger change to DWC. In fact, it would be nice if DWC had a "file browser", instead of hard-coded assumptions about what uploads where, what can/can't be edited, etc. This might make many things simpler in the long run.

Installing a new release could become:

1. Download/burn new physical SD with release that you want.

2. Click the button in DWC that says "Copy /usr to new SD"

3. Move the SD from computer to printer, boot printer, and look! The DWC copy operation put a "one time".g file somewhere on the SD that contains the "load firmware" M-Codes. From a user perspective that boot takes a little longer... and "just works".

Very, very simple for a printer user/operator. A few changes to RepRap and DWC that only have to be done once, and a small effort to produce the image each time (that could easily be scripted).

[Phaedrux]

@danal I kinda wish that the DWC had an auto updater function like octoprint. It should notify the user that a new version is available, and auto download the needed files when the user says update. It could give a warning about what is changing and then proceed to update. It could even create a backup first and have a function to revert.

Or perhaps have a single zip file package that contains all the latest versions and installs whatever is out of date.

The image is good idea, but wouldn't it depend on what version of the firmware is currently installed on the board?

[Danal]

@phaedrux said in Sd card disk Image:

The image is good idea, but wouldn't it depend on what version of the firmware is currently installed on the board?

Given the sequence: "build entirely new", "overlay user files like config.g, override, macros", "boot and update flash-on-card", then no, it really should not depend on what was there before... any /sys file incompatibilities would be auto-resolved by the fact it is a "complete, new, image".

With one caveat: Any necessary release-to-release config incompatibilities.

Release to release config changes will always be a thing... not really any (reasonable) way around that.

[FrcWifiDuet]

@danal said in Sd card disk Image:

Actually, I agree that a complete image for each MAJOR release would be a wonderful thing for the community. I'm never 101% confident that I have the right things on an SD, because tidbits of information, like which iap... or the exact name of the firmware file, or similar are spread all over the place. The forum, the wiki, release notes, maybe other places.

Thanks you totally get my point...

@danal said in Sd card disk Image:

With one caveat: Any necessary release-to-release config incompatibilities.

Yes that's life, if you upgrade from a much lower version you must be willing to put the effort.

[garlicbread]

Just to add to this there's also this as a starting point
https://github.com/T3P3/Duet/tree/master/Duet2/SD Card Contents

Although Im guessing it's probably best to make sure the www directory and the sys/DuetWiFiServer.bin file matches that of the firmware version reported with M115

so for example for the www directory

for 2.02
https://github.com/dc42/RepRapFirmware/tree/2.02/SD-image/www

for 1.21
https://github.com/dc42/RepRapFirmware/tree/1.21/SD-image/www

for the wifi bin, that can be sourced from the releases page
https://github.com/dc42/RepRapFirmware/releases

[dc42]

The SD card image in the RepRapFirmware github repo is very out of date. Use the one in the T3P3 repo instead.

[garlicbread]

@dc42 That's okay for the latest version of the firmware, but if you've got an older version of the firmware installed, doesn't the web interface need to match?

There doesn't seem to be any tags on the T3P3 one

aha I just realised it's in DuetWebControl-1.21.1.zip

[Phil Maddox]

yeah tags would be useful
The whole firmware update procedure is just a mine field of mismatches

[dc42]

@phil-maddox said in Sd card disk Image:

yeah tags would be useful
The whole firmware update procedure is just a mine field of mismatches

The standard firmware update procedure since version 2.02 is to upload ONE ZIP FILE to your Duet. That zip file contains the main firmware, the WiFi firmware (if needed), and DWC.

If you wait until several major releases go past and then upgrade piecemeal, then of course you may get mismatches.