ArtNet Input AND Output possibly not working

[siegmund]

Hey guys,
I ran into an issue where I'm not sure if the problem is me or the software...
Sorry for a longer text describing my setup:

I got two ArtNet Nodes. One is for input, the other for output. for testing purposes, between them there is a LED Spot.
Then I have two computers running QLC+ (both Xubuntu 14.04 64Bit with QLC+ 4.10.2, Qt5.2.1). The first (Laptop) outputs signal to the output-node (ArtNet universe 1). That works easily. The other computer (desktop) receives data from the input-node. This isn't that problem either.
It gets complicated when I try to send some output from the desktop, too. As soon as I check the box for "output" in the In/Out-Tab (even if I use another universe for output than for input) I'm no longer able to receive ArtNet data from the input-node (sent by the laptop).

Maybe some of you will ask: "Why this?"
- The laptop simulates a DMX controller. Some time I want to be able to control my programmed show with such a DMX controller and so I need exactly that setup.

The fact that only checking the output makes the difference got me thinking that the problem might be inside QLC+.
What do you guys say? Maybe somebody could tell me something about how ArtNet data is sent in QLC+?

Update: While writing this I did some tests with wireshark. At first I thought the ArtNet data ist transmitted directly from one PC to another, because all 10 seconds there is some TCP traffic going on between the two instances, but this doesn't increases when changing values on the laptop. So the input on the desktop really comes from the interface.

I hope this is clear enough. If not, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks for help!

[plugz]

Hello,

This might be the same issue as this one: http://qlcplus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8951

The issue is probably fixed with the current source code.

Can you compile QLC+ yourself to test a new version of the ArtNet plugin ? If not, can you download a TEST version ?

[siegmund]

Hi plugz!
Thanks for your reply.

This might be the same issue as this one: http://qlcplus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8951

The issue is probably fixed with the current source code.

Can you compile QLC+ yourself to test a new version of the ArtNet plugin ? If not, can you download a TEST version ?

I read that some time ago but didn't realize that this is a very similar setup to mine. I'll give it a try today.
Installing the latest automated git build for Ubuntu should do that, right?

[plugz]

The latest automated git build (4.10.3.20151231.adf825e) does contain the wanted changes.

It should work

[siegmund]

The latest automated git build (4.10.3.20151231.adf825e) does contain the wanted changes.

It should work

I'm really sorry but this version does not work at all
Output works. But apparently no input is received (no joystick) even with no output selected.
Do you have some ideas to debug that?
I definitely can confirm that it's the other version - I tested it with the 4.10.2 release before I switched to the git automated build and that caused QLC+ to not recognize the input..

Besides, I really really like the ability to chose the ArtNet universe for input!

[siegmund]

While playing around I noticed a smaller bug: It's not possible to set the input ArtNet universe back to 0 if it was changed.

By the way: Could somebody please state why the upper limit for the ArtNet universe number is 65535?

[plugz]

For the input not working:
Are ArtNet universes the same ?
Do you send ArtNet to a broadcast address or to the IP of the target computer ? What's the network configuration like ?

While playing around I noticed a smaller bug: It's not possible to set the input ArtNet universe back to 0 if it was changed.

I will look into it, thanks

By the way: Could somebody please state why the upper limit for the ArtNet universe number is 65535?

I believe it's defined like this by the ArtNet protocol

[siegmund]

At first, thank you for your help!

For the input not working:
Are ArtNet universes the same ?

Yes. QLC+ assumes in 4.10.2 the ArtNet universe 0, doesn't it?

Do you send ArtNet to a broadcast address or to the IP of the target computer ? What's the network configuration like ?

When outputting ArtNet from the computers I use the addresses of the interfaces. Since the interfaces do not support setting a target IP they broadcast the ArtNet messages.
Just as I already stated, I made no change instead of the new QLC+ version.
A test with wireshark also shows that the packets are arriving at my network card.

Is there a possibility to get a little deeper to see whats going on?

By the way: Could somebody please state why the upper limit for the ArtNet universe number is 65535?

I believe it's defined like this by the ArtNet protocol

Maybe there should have someone a look into again. Following the ArtNet-specs from http://www.artisticlicence.com/WebSiteM ... rt-net.pdf we can only have 32,768 universes, because the bit 15 seems to be always 0. [sorry for hijacking the thread in this way - should I open another one for that?]

[plugz]

At first, thank you for your help!

I made the changes to the ArtNet plugin, so thanks for testing them

For the input not working:
Are ArtNet universes the same ?

Yes. QLC+ assumes in 4.10.2 the ArtNet universe 0, doesn't it?

It should stay the same, yes.

Do you send ArtNet to a broadcast address or to the IP of the target computer ? What's the network configuration like ?

When outputting ArtNet from the computers I use the addresses of the interfaces. Since the interfaces do not support setting a target IP they broadcast the ArtNet messages.
Just as I already stated, I made no change instead of the new QLC+ version.
A test with wireshark also shows that the packets are arriving at my network card.

I'm not sure I understand. The network interface of the target computer does not have an IP address ? Or the computer that sends ArtNet ? Or the ArtNet nodes ?

Is there a possibility to get a little deeper to see whats going on?

Can you draw me a network topology ? Or screenshots of the ArtNet configurations for both computers, and ifconfig results ? I suspect a network mask different than /24.

By the way: Could somebody please state why the upper limit for the ArtNet universe number is 65535?

I believe it's defined like this by the ArtNet protocol

Maybe there should have someone a look into again. Following the ArtNet-specs from http://www.artisticlicence.com/WebSiteM ... rt-net.pdf we can only have 32,768 universes, because the bit 15 seems to be always 0. [sorry for hijacking the thread in this way - should I open another one for that?

You're right, I'll take care of this.

While playing around I noticed a smaller bug: It's not possible to set the input ArtNet universe back to 0 if it was changed.

I will look into it, thanks

This was already the case with output ArtNet universe in 4.10.2, I'll fix this too

[siegmund]

At first, thank you for your help!

I made the changes to the ArtNet plugin, so thanks for testing them

It's a pleasure

Do you send ArtNet to a broadcast address or to the IP of the target computer ? What's the network configuration like ?

When outputting ArtNet from the computers I use the addresses of the interfaces. Since the interfaces do not support setting a target IP they broadcast the ArtNet messages.
Just as I already stated, I made no change instead of the new QLC+ version.
A test with wireshark also shows that the packets are arriving at my network card.

I'm not sure I understand. The network interface of the target computer does not have an IP address ? Or the computer that sends ArtNet ? Or the ArtNet nodes ?

Sorry this wasn't clear enough. With "interfaces" I normally mean the DMX interfaces.
Everybody has an IP address, of course (; The DMX interfaces got static ones, the Computers via DHCP (but they're not changing). The computers send their ArtNet output to the IP addresses of the DMX-interfaces. The DMX-interfaces seem not to be able to send ArtNet to an IP address, so I assume they are broadcasting.

Is there a possibility to get a little deeper to see whats going on?

Can you draw me a network topology ?

Of course, find that attached (;

I suspect a network mask different than /24.

If I didn't miss something you're (unfortunately) wrong...

While playing around I noticed a smaller bug: It's not possible to set the input ArtNet universe back to 0 if it was changed.

I will look into it, thanks

This was already the case with output ArtNet universe in 4.10.2, I'll fix this too

This was the next thing I wanted to check

ifconfig output
Desktop

Code: Select all

eth1      Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse 74:d4:35:fd:43:9d  
          inet Adresse:192.168.2.21  Bcast:192.168.2.255  Maske:255.255.255.0
          inet6-Adresse: fe80::76d4:35ff:fefd:439d/64 Gültigkeitsbereich:Verbindung
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metrik:1
          RX-Pakete:160995 Fehler:0 Verloren:0 Überläufe:0 Fenster:0
          TX-Pakete:135503 Fehler:0 Verloren:0 Überläufe:0 Träger:0
          Kollisionen:0 Sendewarteschlangenlänge:1000 
          RX-Bytes:199382820 (199.3 MB)  TX-Bytes:16828416 (16.8 MB)
          Interrupt:20 Speicher:f7c00000-f7c20000 

Laptop

Code: Select all

wlan0     Link encap:Ethernet  Hardware Adresse ac:72:89:2d:4a:38  
          inet Adresse:192.168.2.25  Bcast:192.168.2.255  Maske:255.255.255.0
          inet6-Adresse: fe80::ae72:89ff:fe2d:4a38/64 Gültigkeitsbereich:Verbind

Edit: Attached some screenshots.

[plugz]

OK thanks for all the information

So now, the question is: the "DMX IN" interface is sending ArtNet DMX packets to what broadcast address ? 192.168.2.255, or something else ? You should be able to see this on wireshark.

[siegmund]

So now, the question is: the "DMX IN" interface is sending ArtNet DMX packets to what broadcast address ? 192.168.2.255, or something else ? You should be able to see this on wireshark.

I did never think about it, but it broadcasts to 255.255.255.255 - is that good or bad?

[plugz]

ArtNet PDF, page 7: "Limited Broadcast: Art-Net packets should not be broadcast to the Limited Broadcast address of 255.255.255.255."

It should broadcast to the subnet's broadcast address: 192.168.2.255.

If you can't change that, then I'll have to do some new changes to the ArtNet plugin.

[siegmund]

ArtNet PDF, page 7: "Limited Broadcast: Art-Net packets should not be broadcast to the Limited Broadcast address of 255.255.255.255."

It should broadcast to the subnet's broadcast address: 192.168.2.255.

I also just read that. The 4.10.2 release also listens to the limited broadcast, right?
Give me a minute for checking that, but as I remember I'm not able to change the broadcast. But from the IP and net mask the interface should be able to build this subnet broadcast message, shouldn't it?

[siegmund]

If you can't change that, then I'll have to do some new changes to the ArtNet plugin.

I'm really sorry for holding you busy. Seems that the programmer doesn't really take care of the ArtNet specs:

Code: Select all

// send an ArtDmx packet
void artnet_sendDmxPacket(void) {
	
	[...]

	create_new_udp_packet(sizeof(struct artnet_dmx) + artnet_dmxChannels, artnet_port, artnet_port, (unsigned long)0xffffffff);
}

I already wrote him an email.
The question is: Is that a single case or are there more of these not well programmed interfaces?

[plugz]

OK then I'll make sure to make this work again, thank you. Should be done in a few days.

[siegmund]

OK then I'll make sure to make this work again, thank you. Should be done in a few days.

As I said, there is the possibility that this is only a single case.
The funny thing is, that the broadcast address in the DMX interface SourceCode is calculated twice, but never used. So I assume there was something forgotten. I hope he fixes that with a new firmware.

But anyway - thanks for your quick and constructive help

[plugz]

Actually it's done already

Universe on 15bits: done

Unable to restore parameters back to default: fixed

Able to receive broadcasts on 255.255.255.255: done



Are you able to compile QLC+ from sources ?

[siegmund]

Actually it's done already

Universe on 15bits: done

Unable to restore parameters back to default: fixed

Able to receive broadcasts on 255.255.255.255: done

Sounds great! Especially because the guy who sold the interface really is the most ignorant person that has ever answered a mail from me.

Are you able to compile QLC+ from sources ?

Yes.

[plugz]

Are you able to compile QLC+ from sources ?

Yes.

If you want to test it, the code is available on the master branch