t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

All things relating to the Nextion Screen(s)
Post Reply
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

You seem to be the "guru" here on Nextion Screens.

I have just finished a "clean install" with 4.1.5 21-Jun-2021.

I then tried to load the Nextion Drivers and found I had problems.
Researching via this forum, I found you notes on the new Drivers , so I worked through them and have successfully upgraded the Nextion Drivers to 1.21.
The only problem that I now have is with the MMDVM Idle screen, the Fields T30, T32 are slow to update and T31 is even slower to update.

T30 and T32 are intermittent in which field displays and T31 can take up 5 - 10 minutes to populate when the hot spot is left in Idle.

During a QSO in the brief times that the Idle screen comes up, most of the time these three fields will not load and display. The other fields all update timely.

I am using D-Star and there are no problems with the D-Star screen.

Prior to the upgrade to 4.1.5, there were no problems with these fields displaying using the older Nextion Driver.

I have another Duplex Pi-Star hot spot, that I loaded with 4.1.4 about May June, where I then manually carried out the "Upgrades" and therefore it is still running the older 1.8.? Nextion Driver and this one does not have any problems with any of the fields and they all very quickly refresh and update OK.

Any ideas or suggestions please?

73 Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: Offical ON7LDS NextionDriver version 1.20 released.

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Thanks for your reply. I have been "banging my head" working through this following your reply.

OK, my hot spot that I am playing with is one of my originals that I built a few years ago and have built several with the same hardware, all without any problems, up until upgrading to 4.1.5 and loading the new Nextion Drivers. I use this one as a test bed for several others that i have given away and provide ongoing support.

With regards to the HMI images that I am using, they are all from PD0DIB's github repositry, and the only editing that I have done is resized the display areas and font sizes.

The unit comprises of:
Raspberry Pi 3B
Chinese Jumbospot modem/radio hat, simplex,
Nextion Screen NX4832T035_011
HMI image, from PD0DIB's github repositry, Model7_FLAG_3.5inch.HMI

These hot spots are only used for D-Star operations and that hardware configuration has served us well.

My other hot spot, which is currently running OK is a duplex unit using N5BOC's duplex hat.
This unit is built around the Raspberry Pi 3 A+ with the same version Nextion Screen. Though the HMI image is now Model 8-3.5inch_GLOBE-DUPLEX_v1.2.HMI.
The upgrade to 4.1.5 on this unit was via Pi-Star Dashboard Upgrade process from 4.1.0, and is still running the older pre 1.2 Nextion Drivers and is working very well with very much timely updates of all fields. It also still displays the T31 location field!

Back to the problem in question, back to my Jumbospot simplex unit, after reading through your reply with the question regarding the version of the HMI file, I have since downloaded a later version of PD0DIB's images,

Nextion_HAM-radio-screens/MODEL 8/GLOBE/NX4832T035_NE_Model 8-3.5inch_SMPLX-Basic.HMI ,

compiled that and loaded it onto the Nextion Screen. (a "head banging bit" was that I had to update my Nextion Editor and also edit some of the display fields and font sizes so as to properly display the data. )

Loaded and running, the T30, T32 and the T31 fields are still veeery slow in updating, both in the Idle MMDVM screen and the in the D-Star screen the T30 and T32 fields do not update during a QSO.

If I leave the unit in Idle for about 5 minutes or more, these fields will populate, but are lost as soon as the hot spot becomes active. Just watching the display as I work on this reply, it took 10 minutes for all of those three fields to fully display on the Idle MMDVM screen?

They certainly do not update in a matter of seconds as per your own review? Perhaps you could point me to where I can see similar data that you used?

I am a "plug and play" operator, my programming skills are very limited. So at this time I have difficulty in "watching" what is happening and being able to get at some of that data that you have used as part of your replies.

Thanks for your time, I hope that you can point me towards a solution?

73, Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the feedback, I am working through it all.

This hot spot that is showing all fields in a very timely manner is my duplex hot spot using the N5BOC duplex hat with the Nextion Screen connected via the Modem port on the hat, with Pi-Star

MMDVM Display Type: Nextion, Port: /etc/ttyNextionDriver, Nextion Layout: ON7LDS L3

With regards to the MMDVMHost version, my return of your advice,
pi-star@pi-star(rw):~$ grep MMDVMHost /var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021*.log
M: 2021-09-05 05:35:41.716 MMDVMHost-20210617_PS4 is starting
M: 2021-09-05 05:35:44.275 MMDVMHost-20210617_PS4 is running
pi-star@pi-star(rw):~$ grep Built /var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021*.log
M: 2021-09-05 05:35:41.716 Built 16:32:57 Jun 17 2021 (GitID #9106fd6)
So it seems to be the same as you suggested and is current?

I did change the log settings but at 6 it was running almost too fast to see what is happening. I will have a look at the problem hot spot and see if I can see anything there??

I will work through the rest of your advice and respond as i work it out.
Thanks,

73, Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Just ran the MMDVMHost version on the problem hot spot with the following return,
pi-star@pi-star(ro):~$ grep MMDVMHost /var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021*.log
/var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021-09-04.log:M: 2021-09-04 04:47:17.090 MMDVMHost-20210617_PS4 is starting
/var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021-09-04.log:M: 2021-09-04 04:47:19.688 MMDVMHost-20210617_PS4 is running
pi-star@pi-star(ro):~$ grep Built /var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021*.log
/var/log/pi-star/MMDVM-2021-09-04.log:M: 2021-09-04 04:47:17.090 Built 16:32:57 Jun 17 2021 (GitID #9106fd6)
How can I check the version of the Nextion Driver installed?

Also could you give some advice or pointers as to how to better use this text editor please?

73 Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the feedback.

To work with the Raspberry Pi, I use PuTTY and I am quite familiar with using PuTTY. (my current computer is still running W7 Pro)

With regards to the question of the Text Editor, I was referring to this editor we are using to communicate, the one I am currently typing in. You capture text in a "box" other than the quotes or seem to be doing something fancy when replying to me. I would like some pointers as how better make use of this editor..

With regards to the Nextion Screen connections, the Nextion Screen is connected directly to the modem port on the modem/radio hat.

And yes that was a typo in the Nextion path.

I just tried searching the syslog file and there is nothing mentioning "Nextion"? The grep command does not return anything either other than an error message when I get the path wrong. I also examined the file using nano and ctrl W to search for Nextion and nothing was found?

I am currently using my "working" hot spot and later I will try another "clean install" on the problematic unit using the later Model 10 screen, or the version that is work on my working unit and see what happens.

73 Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Thanks for hanging in there for me.

OK, I have downloaded PD0DIB's Model 10 screen layout, NX4832T035_Model 10-3.5inch_SMPLX_Basic_v1.05.HMI, created the TFT file and loaded it to the Nextion Display. No problems with that and no customisation on my part.

Next I ran a "clean install" of the 4.1.5 21-June-21, configured it for simplex D-Star operation, setting the display for Nextion, Modem, ON7LDS L3.

So far so good, the display worked nicely and the fields T0, T32, T30, T2, T3 all worked and displayed in a very timely manner, both on the MMDVM and D-Star screens. As the screens changed with operation, each time the respective screen came up, the respective fields were loaded and displayed, nicely.

Other fields, T20, T21, T22, T23 did not and that was to be expected.

OK, now I logged in via PuTTY and ran the Nextion Driver Installer process, just the once.

When the RPi rebooted, some fields were not displaying or loading and from previous experience I found that I had to always run the Nextion Driver Installation process twice to properly install and configure the Nextion Drivers.

Before I ran the installation the second time I checked MMDVMHost panel and the port was still set to Modem. Looking at the Transparent data panel, Enable was still set to 0 and the SendFrameType line was not there.

I then logged back in via PuTTY and ran the Nextion Driver Installation process again, with Yeses in the appropriate spots and noting that the Transparent Data panel was updated.

Once the system had completed its reboot, and the MMDVM Idle screen loaded, the Tx and Rx frequency fields, T32 & T30 were not loaded and neither the Location field T31.

Checking MMDVM Host panel, the port now displayed "/dev/ttyNextionDriver".

Checking the Transparent Data panel, Enable was set to 1 and the extra line for SendFrameType was set to 1.

When I keyed my radio to bring up the D-Star panel, again the TX and Rx fields T32 & T30 were not loaded.

When it went back to the MMDVM Idle screen, T32 loaded but not T30.

At this point I started typing up this response and was monitoring REF030C and I then noticed that on the D-Star panel, both T32 & T30 were loaded. I did not see the panel come up and therefore I did not see those fields load. During the ongoing QSO, the D-Star panel held up and those fields remained displayed.

Once the QSO closed and the screen reverted back to the MMDVM Idle screen, again the T32 & T30 fields were not loaded, and at no time have I seen the T31 location field ever displayed.

Thank you for the other pointers with regards to this text editor, I am slowly working out the buttons and I have used them before but not with the same clean layout that you generate, but I will work through that, thanks.

With regards to loading your HMI file, I have not done that and I am not sure where to find it?

I also understand with regards to the log files and "grep", oh boy am I learning some stuff here, I even remembered the "tail -f" function the other day so as to watch the log file live.

I made an edit to the hang times and when the system rebooted, the T32 field was loaded. I normally do not link on boot-up, so the system has been sitting Idle whilst I type this up, and over a period of 5 minutes, the T30 Rx frequency loaded. But still no T31?

I keyed the radio to display the D-Star panel and the TX and RX frequencies were displayed, but when the unit dropped back to the MMDVM Idle screen both those fields were blank. I have just waited another 3 minutes and T32 & T30 have not yet loaded? Arh 4minutes and T32 just loaded! It has now gone 10 minutes and the T30 field has still not loaded.

We are slowly getting there but there is still something not quite right with my setup?

Your thoughts please?

73, Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

OK I hear what you are trying to tell me but it is leaving me confused!

OK re your screetest.hmi file, I have down loaded it, extracted it and loaded it into my Nextion Editor. Now I am lost! My Nextion Editor skills are not much more than compiling the TFT file though I have edited some formatting.

I have been looking through the Nextion Editor application at your test screen but I am not seeing any programming for where the various fields decode and display incoming data? I am really lost here as I am not seeing where data is being captured, decoded and interpreted by customised programming to display the respective data sent to the screen.

Back to the respective fields not displaying data, I am confused. I do understand what you are telling me, that some fields are fed by the MMDVM Host and others are filled via the Nextion Driver. That is fine but at the moment with I am getting blank fields. It seems to me that with the current updates to both Pi-Star V4.1.5 and the Nextion Driver to V1.21 or V1.22, something is now broken?

With your comments regarding the caching of data, I understand the caching, but not then being able to display respective data on respective panels is leaving me lost!

I have a perfectly workable Pi-star hot spot running V4.1.5, upgraded from 4.1.4, but when it was built, it was loaded with the Nextion Driver 1.20. I have just confirmed that the driver is still 1.20. The screen HMI that I am using is PD0DIB's Model 8 globe v1.2 and all the fields display in a timely manner.

However, it seems that I cannot re-duplicate this with a new build, using current updated files from both Pi-Star and ON7LDS.

I am sorry if I am missing something but to me it seems that with upgrades and new builds, something is broken?

73, Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

How could I roll back the NextionDriver to V1.20 or rebuild or re-install the V1.20?

Looking at ON7LDS's github pages, I am lost?

73 Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Problem solved and fixed!

I started to have some suspicion from an earlier comment that you made that the path for the port via modem was through the hat!
It might be a hardware/firmware problem with your hat, perhaps you should move the hat to the one system you say works fine and see if it experiences the missing messages issue with that hardware. Maybe you need to update the firmware on the hat to the latest version, or at least 1.4.17.
In your last reply you queried the hardware/firmware. Since I was thinking along similar lines, I though the best way to check was to change hats.

The hat that I have been using for this range of builds and tests is one of my original Chinese Jumbo hats (JumboSPOT 2017/11/17) that I bought several years ago and had been doing OK up until this current building and testing with 4.1.5 and 1.22 Nextion Driver.

I had a spare N5BOC simplex hat, so I swapped it in and Presto! Nextion Display problem was fixed and all fields now display as I was hoping for!

All I had to do was to change the radio/modem hat! ( I did also update the Radio/Modem Type: to "LoneStar - MMDVM_HS_Hat for Pi (GPIO)")

And............this is what was confusing me, my other unit that was working very nicely is running the N5BOC Duplex hat and driving the Model 8 Globe Nextion image! So the problem is in the Radio/Modem hat firmware!

All my recent Radio/Modem hats have been from Dave Dennis, N5BOC. They are very nicely made and I do like them. He is now experiencing Microcontroller supply issues, with no stock of Duplex boards and limited stock of Simplex boards.

Oh and re your question with my location details in the configuration window, it is simple, no commas etc, just "Redwood Pk PF95IE" as that is all the fits within the display area without more customisation, though I have already increased the number of characters to fit all that in.

So that is where I need to address now, flashing the old hats up to a later firmware? Another new thing to look into? Any pointers as to how to do that would be appreciated, though I can research how to flash the Jumbo boards! I think I remember seeing something long past that relates to that subject?

Can I identify the hat firmware version through the Pi-Star configuration settings somewhere?

Many thanks for persevering with my problems, I much appreciate it all and I have learnt some more in working through your advice.

73, Ben VK5BB
VK5BB
Posts: 37
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:31 am

Re: t30, t32, and t31 slowly updating

Post by VK5BB »

Hi Jason,

Just an update on my previous post.

JumboSPOT HS Hat firmware FIXED!

I found that it was relatively simple to update the hat firmware, so refitted the JumbSPOT board and ran,
"sudo pistar-mmdvmhshatflash hs_hat"
When the system rebooted, all was now good, all fields on the Nextion Display now show and load in a timely manner.

Got to laugh, solution was relatively simple, but I had to work through it all, though it was a learning exercise.

Now I can confidently update and fix two other units that run the same hardware!

Many thanks for your guidance and tutoring,

73, Ben VK5BB
Post Reply