Setting up a Raspberry Pi 4.0 to use as a Swallow

swallow_setup.md

Setting up a Raspberry Pi 4.0 to use as a Swallow

These instructions are a work in progress

Operating system

• flash SD card with raspberry pi OS using Raspberry PI Imager application
• can now use the set-up features to:
  • set the host-name (swallow-016, eg)
  • enter wifi credentials for a local wifi network.
  • enable SSH
  • set username ("pi" is good) and password (ask a lab member)

IP and SSH

• enable ssh: run "touch ssh" in root of boot drive, if not enabled during imaging

• find IP address:

for a local wifi router network:

arp -na | grep -i dc:a6:32 (for Pi 4, or b8:27:eb for pi <4 )

if you directly connect ethernet to the Pi:

ping raspberrypi.local and check the IP address

• SSH into the pi: ssh pi@[ip address], password: raspberry (unless you set it during imaging)

• Get MAC address: from Pi's command line interface, run

ip link show | grep ether

• write IP and MAC address in internal Google Drive swallow spreadsheet
• Also add serial number to internal Google Drive swallow spreadsheet

cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep Serial

• if not set above, change the password: passwd -> raspberry -> [device password]
• select custom HDMI resolution to enable auto usb mounting of USB drives (became a problem with Pi 4):

sudo raspi-config > advanced > resolution > select any

• Change hostname of device to devices name, eg swallow-001

sudo raspi-config > system > hostname > swallow-00x

• Expand file system to use entire SD card

sudo raspi-config > advanced > expand filesystem

• add exfat file system support

sudo apt-get install exfat-fuse exfat-utils

• reboot

sudo reboot -h now

• SSH into the pi again, using the new password

Set up the picopy python script

• clone picopy from github:

git clone https://github.com/sammlapp/picopy.git

• make executable

sudo chmod +x ~/picopy/picopy.py

• run at bootup: modify rc.local using sudo vi /etc/rc.local, add these lines just above the "exit 0" line:

echo Running picopy from /etc/rc.local
sudo python3 -u /home/pi/picopy/picopy.py > /home/pi/picopy.log 2>&1 &

install power button control

Easy power-button setup:

git clone https://github.com/sammlapp/pi-power-button.git
./pi-power-button/script/install

test hardware

• run test script on pi: python3 /home/pi/picopy/test_leds_buttons.py
• all leds will light up if they are working properly
• Check the power button last - it will turn the pi off
• check that all buttons work by pushing each button (should see text logged in console for each button)
• Reboot using power button and test that it starts picopy (flashes green light 'ready' status) and recognizes an external exFat drive (source/dest drive LED lights up)

use Swallow to copy SD cards

Follow instructions from picopy