Installation without Image

[FVerhamme]

Hello everybody,

I already has a Raspi 4B where I want to install the QLC+ stuff on.
This Raspi is already runnung PiHole so I can't use the Image provided.

I download the *.deb file and install it but the service is not starting up because of the missing service file.
Is there an installation guide how to bring QLC+ on the Pi without the image?

Kindly regards
FVerhamme

[mcallegari]

Hi, chapter 10 of the provided PDF explain a bit the manual installation steps.
The provided deb file does include the service too (/etc/init.d/qlcplus)
You just need to install it via systemd to start atuomatically at boot.

Code: Select all

sudo systemctl enable qlcplus

This is generic Linux knowledge I didn't include in the guide.
Hope it helps

[FVerhamme]

Unfortunately there is something missing.
If I try to "sudo systemctl enable qlcplus" then it prompts:
qlcplus.service is not a native service, redirecting to systemd-sysv-install.
Executing: /lib/systemd/systemd-sysv-install enable qlcplus

And when I try to start with "sudo systemctl start qlcplus" it prompts:
Failed to start qlcplus.service: Unit qlcplus.service not found

[mcallegari]

Are you sure the file is there?

Code: Select all

/etc/init.d/qlcplus

[FVerhamme]

Double checked it and yes it's there.

[mcallegari]

OK, more details required then.
Are you running on Xorg or on a terminal?
Running 'qlcplus' manually, does it start? Can you see anything on screen?

[FVerhamme]

Hi Massimo,

here are all infos I can give you.
Raspberry Pi 4 B 4GB
Running with DietPi Image.
Installed is a LXDE Desktop (but I want to run headless if possible) and also RealVNC Server
Connecting via VNCViewer as root I can see the LXDE Desktop and I can open a Terminal to run
qlcplus --web --operate --open /home/dietpi/documents/qlc+/autostart.qxw
QLC Plus opens with the autostart.qxw file and also the web interface on port 9999 is accessable.

Closing the terminal from LXDEDesktop close QLC Plus and the the web interface is no longer accessable.
So this works as designed!

A service is not loaded!
systemctl status qlcplus
● qlcplus.service
Loaded: not-found (Reason: Unit qlcplus.service not found.)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2021-02-28 22:30:07 G
MT; 22h ago
Main PID: 675 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

I tried the following:
Creating a file called start_qlc.sh with the following line
qlcplus -w -o /home/dietpi/documents/qlc+/autostart.qxw -p
I made the file executable: chmod g+rwx,u+rwx,o-rwx /home/pi/Documents/QLC+/start_qlc.sh
Then I added it to the autostart under /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart
@lxpanel --profile LXDE
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE
@xscreensaver -no-splash
@point-rpi
/home/dietpi/documents/qlc+/start_qlc.sh

So when I reboot the system will start the LXDE Desktop and autostart QLC Plus
That worked as expected, but this is not the service way.

So, what can I do get the service up and running?


HDMI settings in /boot/config.txt
hdmi_safe=1
#config_hdmi_boost=5
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
#hdmi_ignore_hotplug=1
#hdmi_group=1
#hdmi_mode=1
#hdmi_drive=2
# Set "hdmi_blanking=1" to allow the display going into standby after 10 minutes without input.
#hdmi_blanking=1
display_hdmi_rotate=0

Since the interface is not always shut down properly before switching it off, it makes sense to deactivate the swap memory. So I did
sudo service dphys-swapfile stop
sudo systemctl disable dphys-swapfile
sudo apt-get purge dphys-swapfile

Regards FVerhamme

[FVerhamme]

No idea?
Greetings FVerhamme

[mcallegari]

I think the autostart way is the one.
I also described also in the official RPi PDF.
There might be a way to bind a systemd service to start after xorg (link), but why? Why do you necessarily need a systemd service?

[FVerhamme]

Just for convenience.
The Pi is in the basement while I want to control it via Web. This doesn't need a vnc nor a monitor connection. So why start a gui to only get the webservise up and running?

Kindly regards Frank

[mcallegari]

Then why don't you use the official Debian based image?
It doesn't even include xorg. It's faster to start and you can ignore the QLC+ UI.