8.18 Generating a Hamlib error log for a problem / bug report
The Hamlib API is continually being refined by the development team.
WIth 250 rigs supported, I have observed a new code version appearing on the majority of days
in the eight months that I have been developing piWebCAT with Hamlib.
The developers do not have 250 radios on which to test their code and so they are dependent
on user feedback. When a new rig appears on the market, its Hamlib support has to be
developed from its CAT manual together with the experience of similar rigs.
I have only four of the 250 supported rigs here and I am in a similar position with piWebCAT.
Generating the error log
Using piWebCAT's configuration editor, edit the rigs table.
Temporarily change the hamlib field from your rig's hamlib code to zero.
This will prevent piWebCAT, on start up from starting Hamlib rigctld.
On the RPi, open a terminal window.
Type: sudo killall rigctld.
(rigctld may still be running if you last exited piWebCAT by just exiting the browser)
Type: script logfilename.txt ... everything appearing in terminal will now be recorded.
Type the following (I give the example for my Ftdx101D)
rigctld -m 1040 -s 38400 -m /dev/ttyUSB0 --vfo -Z -vvvvv
- 1040 is the FTdx101D's hamlib number - substitute yours
- 38400 is my baudrate - substitute yours.
- /dev/ttyUSB0 if for USB connection. For serial port, substitute /dev/ttyAMA0.
- --vfo sets VFO mode. Omit if not used (eg: with Icom)
- -Z dates the generated log items.
- -vvvvv With five v's this generates maximum log information.
rigctld will start on the terminal. You will see several lines of log generated.
If the green $ prompt returns, you have entered something wrong.
Now you have two options:
- Open a second terminal window.
Type telnet 127.0.0.1 4532
You can now type in individual rigctld commands (eg: \get_freq Main) and:
- observe their response on the following line (set commands will report ok as RPRT 0)
- observe verbose log text generation in the first window. - Start piWebCAT. It will run using your rigctld in the terminal window.
Startup will generate a lot of log text and then log generation will continue as piWebCAT
continues its stream of background tasks.
Don't let this run for too many seconds .. otherwise you will generate a huge log which
is large to email and which someone has wade through.
If your problem relates to a control operation or tuning action on piWebCAT, then get
these test actions done quickly and then exit piWebCAT (to keep down the log size)
Finally, type Ctrl-C at the terminal window to exit.
Don't forget to restore your hamlib rig number in piWebCAT's rig table !!
If you need both the telnet and piWebCAT logs, please generate them separately!
The log file, logfilename.txt will be on the RPI in folder /home/pi.
Use FileZilla (other other FTP client) to connect to this folder.
The preconfigured FTP access to /home/pi is:
host = 192.168.1.117 (or your IP address) port = 21 user = piuser password = feline
Download the logfile(s) to your PC.
If you have used the telnet option 1. above, you may wish to also have a copy of your
telnet dialog with rigctld. This can be done easily if you used Real VNC access on your PC.
Expand the terminal window vertically to show all your text. Select it all with the mouse.
Then use menu - Edit - Copy. Then paste it into an open instance of Notepad and save.
Yes - using RealVCN, you can copy and paste text between the RPi and the PC.