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magicbug / Cloudlog

Web based amateur radio logging application built using PHP & MySQL supports general station logging tasks from HF to Microwave with supporting applications to support CAT control.
http://www.cloudlog.co.uk
MIT License
460 stars 190 forks source link

PHP socket call to rigctld #238

Closed magicbug closed 5 years ago

magicbug commented 5 years ago

As most are aware CloudlogCAT is now working for Windows and its Omnirig based, however of course we can't forget linux etc.

Therefor rigctld is purposed, haven't got a demo yet, but will use this for discussion.

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

Just thinking aloud - you could keep it simple for Cloudlog and use the PHP call to rigctld as I mentioned; the only problem would be (as mentioned by @Manawyrm) the hosting of Cloudlog outside of the LAN housing the computer hosting rigcltd. This could be overcome with the use of a VPN rather than trying to get Cloudlog to cover all bases? or an SSH tunnel?

magicbug commented 5 years ago

Yeah, I host mine outside the LAN too in a commercial data centre, which makes me think it would be better to keep the two separate. I also supply around 25 hosted instances of cloudlog too at the moment for people doing similar and some use Linux hence why I thought keeping it external would make sense

magicbug commented 5 years ago

The example of CloudlogCAT, it runs on the desktop and just does a json post when rig changes a value, this is similar for SatPC32.

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

Sorry, I didn't understand the mechanics of this before you said that; so Cloudlog is already capable of accepting a JSON post to alert it to the frequency and mode? All you need in that case, is a script to do so that interfaces with rigctld? I already have just the thing then ..... well close enough; I wrote a shell script that runs as a daemon process and syncs my rigctld controlled radio with my RTL-SDR (acting as a panadapter) via gqrx's remote control - just replace the gqrx remote call with a json post from cURL and we're good to go ..... unfortunately it's on my laptop ..... which is at home (I'm currently working away on another laptop until tomorrow evening!) Give me a clue how to work the JSON post, and I can do the modifications and test it in my time off from Wednesday until the weekend ......

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

Hi,

yes, that's exactly it. A quick curl call in your shell script should do the trick.

I'm going to upload my PHP implementation in just a minute, will want to clean it up just a tiny bit.

I was a bit surprised that (as far as I can see) nobody has written a PHP rigctld socket implementation yet. Everybody seems to be calling the rigctl binary directly, which is a bit dirty IMHO. I've implemented the network protocol for rigctld and it's using curl for the POST, so it should even work on Windows. (if you're willing to use a PHP shell on windows).

Will report back with my code, then you can copy the JSON call.

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

Here's my implementation: https://github.com/Manawyrm/cloudlog-rigctl-interface

It's a bit hacky, but at least it's not using shell_exec() but the TCP socket instead. @g0wfv Take a look at rigctlCloudlogInterface.php, there's the array that needs to be sent to the API endpoint.

@magicbug I'm a bit worried about the "open" API endpoint for the radio API. I'm thinking about adding an optional API key. Just hardcoded in the config. Would a PR for this be accepted? Could be backwards compatible with the current scripts if no key is defined.

magicbug commented 5 years ago

Key system is there in api section, just need to add check it's valid I'm adding that in the coming days.

magicbug commented 5 years ago

That said @Manawyrm if you have time to do it feel free.

My thinking is used created API key via the current system and its just included in JSON post

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

OK, I'll implement that using the current system and send a PR :)

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

How do you run that PHP without webserver? (I'm a complete noob to PHP BTW!)

Edit: No matter, I think I answered my own question - GIYF!

magicbug commented 5 years ago

PHP runs on the command line :) if you have the latest it's also got a built in server.

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

How do you run that PHP without webserver? (I'm a complete noob to PHP BTW!)

Thanks for asking, good point. I have added some more documentation to the readme file: https://github.com/Manawyrm/cloudlog-rigctl-interface/blob/master/README.md (and it now also supports API with key authentication, as mentioned in the other pull request)

Is this clearer now? Any recommendations for additional documentation?

I'm a bit biased there, as a PHP coder by trade I'm probably missing some details for beginners. Sorry about that :-)

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

Screen or tmux (if like me you're odd!)

Also a good old shebang will also make it run from the command line too (apparently!)

#! /usr/bin/php or similar then just chmod +x the file and Bob's your uncle ...

Also rigctld can accept more than one command at a time, so fm (if I recall correctly) will return freq, mode and bandwidth in one query/response instead of 2 (if you were in to optimising for speed!)

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

Very nice info, thanks! I've added the shebang and changed the request command to fm. This might be helpful, especially with older radios with 4800baud CAT control. Not sure how efficiently rigctl handles this internally (my radio luckily does 115200 baud)...

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

I could, of course, be talking complete crap as I haven't got my script to hand to confirm anything until I get home tomorrow evening - I do recall that one of either rigctld or gqrx accepted multiple commands at once .... I'm 95% certain it was rigctld but what I'm not sure about was whether the command could be sent as fm or if it had to have a space - f m - perhaps you already tested it anyways?

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

No, you're right. It works fine with fm ;) I've already tested and implemented it into my code... Works!

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

Oh that's excellent! Another thing to test is if it will run in the background without screen or tmux by running it ....

./rigctlCloudlogInterface.php & >/dev/null 2>&1 or perhapsnohup ./rigctlCloudlogInterface.php & >/dev/null 2>&1

(you will need to manually kill the process though!)

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

nohup will definitly be required, and I think especially with todays "modern" systems with systemd, without using tmux or screen, even nohup processes get killed after you close your shell...

magicbug commented 5 years ago

Merged into the main branch, will update my two applications tomorrow to include the API bits :)

This this reminds me that I should probably sit down and write a proper wiki soon hah

Manawyrm commented 5 years ago

I think this answer of yours was meant for the other thread... The 2 PRs and 1 issue is a bit chaotic... :smile:

But this issue can now probably be closed?

btw: Thanks for the shout-out in the readme :+1:

magicbug commented 5 years ago

Most welcome, tbh soo many emails popping up I always get confused lol

right onto the next thing that pops up 👍

g0wfv commented 5 years ago

Just for completeness, a (very simplistic) bash script to synch Cloudlog with rigctld ....

https://github.com/g0wfv/CloudlogBashCat