Cannot compie SoapyRTLSDR or Soapy SDRPlay modules

[Twilight-Logic]

I have installed CubicSDR from the Ubuntu repository and got the prompt to download and compile at least one SoapySDR device support module. I have downloaded SoapyRTLSDR and SoapySDRPlay, but can't seem to compile either if them on my 64-bit Linux MINT 19 system. I am following the instructions linked from the CubicSDR software on here:

https://github.com/cjcliffe/CubicSDR/wiki/Build-Linux

I get the following output:

$~/src/CubicSDR/SoapySDRPlay/build $ cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 7.3.0 -- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ -- Check for working CXX compiler: /usr/bin/c++ -- works -- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info -- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - done -- Detecting CXX compile features -- Detecting CXX compile features - done CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:7 (find_package): Could not find a package configuration file provided by "SoapySDR" (requested version 0.4.0) with any of the following names:

SoapySDRConfig.cmake
soapysdr-config.cmake

Add the installation prefix of "SoapySDR" to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH or set "SoapySDR_DIR" to a directory containing one of the above files. If "SoapySDR" provides a separate development package or SDK, be sure it has been installed.

-- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred! See also "/home/johnc/src/CubicSDR/SoapySDRPlay/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".

I don't see either of those files in either of the tow module source packages I have downloaded although I do have FindRTLSDR.cmake and FindLibSDRplay?

[Dantali0n]

Cmake can't find the SoapySDRConfig.cmake or soapysdr-config.cmake files which it needs to determine if SoapySDR is installed and where. Likely the installation of SoapySDR itself was never executed or at least did not execute properly.

Try finding the requested files in /usr/local/share/cmake/ this is the location I have found the files on my (arch based) system. Another directory you could try is /usr/local/lib/cmake/

[Twilight-Logic]

Dantall0n thanks. There is nothing mentioned in the instructions on that page about installing something called SoapySDR so I didn't do that installation step. If it was not installed by the CubicSDR package as a dependency, then the install was probably not executed. Please could this information be added to the instructions?

I did an apt search on 'soapysdr' and can see lots of related packages in the Ubuntu repository. Do I need libsoapysdr-dev or just the relevant module such as soapysdr0.6-module-rtlsdr? If I install the latter, do I still need to compile the sources I have downloaded?

[Dantali0n]

Hi, I am sorry but your statement is incorrect. The documentation page you refer to very clearly lists installing SoapySDR. It is the fifth bold heading from the top named Build and install SoapySDR

All the best, Dantali0n

[Twilight-Logic]

Sorry, I missed that. That step appears to be part of the main section of instructions for installing the Cubic SDR package. Since I had already installed the cubicsdr package from the repository using apt install cubicsdr, which should install all dependencies, I naturally went straight to the section and steps for installing the modules.

As it turns out, for RTLSDR at least, perhaps even this step is not required. I installed soapysdr-module-rtlsdr and that seems to have satisfied cubicsdr and it no longer complains about the missing module. So it all boils down to two simple steps:

apt install cubicsdr apt install soapysdr-module-rtlsdr

I notice there is no pre-compiled module for sdrplay though. Is it no longer supported? Will I have to go through the whole compilation process just for that module anyway?

[SDRplay]

After building/installing SoapySDR you need to build and install SoapySDRPlay (after you've installed the API from our website) - https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDRPlay/wiki, it's still referenced on https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki - have you read that?

[Twilight-Logic]

Ok, so you are saying I should not use any of the packages in the Ubuntu repository but compile instead?

[Dantali0n]

I notice there is no pre-compiled module for sdrplay. Is it no longer supported? Will I have to go through the whole compilation process just for that module anyway?

Unlikely, installing soapysdr-module-rtlsdr will also have installed the SoapySDR dependency. I suspect that compiling SoapySDRPlay will go fine but you do need to download a driver from the vendor.

Furthermore, mixing packages from apt and compiling others manually from source can introduce issues. This is the reason we list liquid-dsp, wxwidgets and soapysdr installation instructions in the linux wiki as required steps to properly install cubicsdr. As you have now experienced yourself just using apt install cucicsdr and then continuing with the rest of the instructions already caused issues.

Ok, so you are saying I should not use any of the packages in the Ubuntu repository but compile instead?

Either only use packages or compile everything from source would be my recommendation, my personal preferred option is to just compile everything from source.

[SDRplay]

Don't know if there has ever been a package of SoapySDRPlay - as far as I know it's always needed to be built. Unless anyone else knows different? We have workflows on our website that show the whole build process for SoapySDR, SoapySDRPlay and CubicSDR

[Twilight-Logic]

SDRplay, when my RSP2 box arrives I will probably install SDRuno on Windows 7 and be done with it. It would be nice to get it working on Mint, but its starting to look like a lot of hassle.... I will have a look at your build process. Thanks.

Dantali0n, your points about mixing are well taken and thanks for the further links. I start from the point that for a modern Linux distro, the package ought to be available via apt install. If it is, then it should have all dependencies installed or al least available and work 'out of the box'. Even according to the OS providers, one should always use the distro packages and compiling should always be the last resort.

In the case of something like SDR, there will be a requirement for drivers. In the case of SDRplay, there isn't a pre-compiled driver in the repository, so I guess I will have to remove the apt packages and try and compile everything. From my experience, compiling rarely goes without problems and one usually has to have a lot of time to spare but when I have a bit more time I will have a go. I was looking for and downloaded CubicSDR, but had not heard of SoapySDR before today so thanks for your links, clarifications and help with this issue.

BTW, my RTL dongle works OK with the pre-compiled version (0.2.3) installed via apt so thanks to the developers for the hard work. Its a shame that an SDRplay driver is not available in the repository especially as there is a pre-compiled driver for the hardware of their competitor, AirSpy....

[Dantali0n]

@Twilight-Logic could you be so kind to close the issue.

Cheers, Dantali0n

[Twilight-Logic]

As recommended, I removed the version of CubicSDR from the Ubuntu repository along with the soapysdr RTLSDR driver and followed the workflow instructions on the SDRplay website. This is rather less involved than a full compilation, but does still require a couple of modules to be compiled. After installing the API, these compiled without issue and I can now confirm that I have the SDRPlay API installed and CubicSDR working. https://www.sdrplay.com/non-windows-workflow/

One small omission was that the API file had to be flagged as executable:

chmod +x SDRplay_RSP_API-Linux-2.13.1.run

It could then be run with

./SDRplay_RSP_API-Linux-2.13.1.run

The file CubicSDR-0.2.3-x86_64.AppImage is also an executable, but is already flagged as such and runs when you double-click on it.

As a final step I created a desktop launcher to start the application.

Interestingly, the RTLSDR dongle just worked without any additional configuration. The program has louder and clearer audio than GQRX and seems work more smoothly. I will have to wait for the RSP2 radio to arrive before being able to test the SDRplay drivers.

Thanks.

[guruofquality]

Thought I would mention that SoapySDR from apt will also look in /usr/local for modules (the default install path for source packages). So its perfectly fine to use the soapysdr from the package manager, but compile new hardware support modules. You can keep your packages installed, but compile from source when something is missing like sdrplay, or perhaps a update or bug fix that you want to try in rtlsdr thats not yet in the package manager, etc. -- just make sure to also install the development files from the package manager. -- https://github.com/pothosware/SoapySDR/wiki/ConfigGuide#when-to-build-from-source