I used interceptty to create a pty that logs and passes through to the serial port. I don't know the exact version number where it broke, but definitely happened after I last upgraded, previously it was working OK. Currently using a usb->rs485 adaptor and everything works as expected.

Seems like 0xff gets duplicated in the response even if it is part of the CRC

< 0x01 ([SOH])
< 0x01 ([SOH])
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0x0e ([SO])
< 0xbd (�)
< 0xce (�)
> 	0x01 ([SOH])
> 	0x01 ([SOH])
> 	0x02 ([STX])
> 	0xf4 (�)
> 	0x00 ([NUL])
> 	0xff (�)
> 	0xff (�)
> 	0x3c (<)

Hello,
After upgrading to the latest kernel modules and modbus tools, there seems to be an issue with rs485 communication with serial devices.

Sending a "turn on coil" command through rs485 produces the following communication output on /dev/ttyNS0

< 0x01 ([SOH])
< 0x05 ([ENQ])
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0xff (�)
< 0x00 ([NUL])
< 0x8c (�)
< 0x3a (:)
> 	0x01 ([SOH])
> 	0x05 ([ENQ])
> 	0x00 ([NUL])
> 	0x00 ([NUL])
> 	0xff (�)
> 	0xff (�)
> 	0x00 ([NUL])
> 	0x8c (�)
> 	0x3a (:)

In the reply from the serial extension, the byte "0xff" seems to be duplicated. This doesn't happen on the physical layer, attached decoded communication using an oscilloscope. Also, other types of communications don't seem to be affected (turn off coils, read inputs etc).

Package versions:

root@basementplc:~# dpkg -l | grep unipi
hi  unipi-common                          1.2.30                               armhf        Common utilities for Unipi/Neuron/Axon
hi  unipi-firmware                        5.52                                 all          Firmware files for UniPi Neuron/Axon boards
hi  unipi-firmware-tools                  1.2.30                               armhf        Firmware utilities for UniPi Neuron/Axon controllers.
hi  unipi-kernel-modules-dkms             1.62                                 all          UniPi Neuron/Axon kernel modules - DKMS source
hi  unipi-modbus-tools                    1.2.30                               armhf        Modbus server for UniPi Neuron/Axon controllers.
root@basementplc:~# uname -a
Linux basementplc 5.10.11-v7l+ #1399 SMP Thu Jan 28 12:09:48 GMT 2021 armv7l GNU/Linux

OK, it seems that the issue was some weird corruption on the filesystem that was impossible to detect even with windows disk scan or linux fsck on the boot partition.
Your initramfs script was replacing the file config_unipi.inc with the new version not containing unipiee and neuronee, but the change was not visible and the file was remaining as is.

Even more wierdly, I changed the file by hand using vi, rebooted, the file seemed changed, but the system STILL loaded unipiee and neuronee overlays on boot, causing still an infinite reboot.

I removed the file completely and recreated it, and now the system seems to be working properly. Thanks for your help on pinpointing the issue.

root@officeplc:~# cat /boot/config.txt | grep -v ^# | grep -v ^$
include config_initrd.inc
include config_unipi.inc
disable_overscan=1
hdmi_force_hotplug=1
dtparam=audio=on
hdmi_ignore_cec_init=1
gpu_mem=16
hdmi_audio_config=0x200 
root@officeplc:~# cat /boot/config_initrd.inc 
[pi1]
initramfs initrd.img-5.4.72+ followkernel
[pi2]
initramfs initrd.img-5.4.72-v7+ followkernel
[pi3]
initramfs initrd.img-5.4.72-v7+ followkernel
[pi4]
initramfs initrd.img-5.4.72-v7l+ followkernel
[all]
root@officeplc:~# cat /boot/config_unipi.inc 
dtparam=i2c_arm=on
dtoverlay=neuronee
dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,mcp7941x
dtoverlay=unipiee
dtoverlay=neuron-spi-new
root@officeplc:~#

I guess some of those overlays should be disabled and are leftover...

Traced the issue to file /etc/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-bottom/setbootconfig.sh

+ grep -q 'Hardware[[:blank:]]*:[[:blank:]]*BCM' /proc/cpuinfo
+ unset IS_REAL_SYSTEM
+ unset DO_MOUNT
+ '['  '=' --noreboot -o -n  ]
+ IS_REAL_SYSTEM=1
+ DO_MOUNT=1
+ MNTDIR=/tmp/boot
+ '[' 1 '=' 1 ]
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/mcp7941x@6f ]
+ RTC=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/spi@7e204000/neuronspi@0 ]
+ NEURONDRV=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c01@57 ]
+ EEPROM_1=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c02@50 ]
+ EEPROM_2=1
+ '[' -n 1 -a -n 1 ]
+ EE_CONFLICT=1
+ grep -q okay /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/spi@7e204000/status
+ SPI=1
+ grep -q okay /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/status
+ I2C=1
+ '[' -n 1 -a -n 1 -a -z 1 ]
+ '[' 1 '=' 1 ]
+ mkdir -p /tmp/boot
+ mount /dev/mmcblk0p1 /tmp/boot
+ echo 'dtparam=i2c_arm=on'
+ echo 'dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,mcp7941x'
+ '['  '=' 1 ]
+ echo 'dtoverlay=neuron-spi-new'
+ rm -f /tmp/boot/config-unipi.inc
+ sed -i 's/include config-unipi\.inc/include config_unipi.inc/' /tmp/boot/config.txt
+ INCLUDE='include config_unipi.inc'
+ grep -q -e '^[[:blank:]]*include config_unipi.inc' /tmp/boot/config.txt
+ '[' 1 '=' 1 ]
+ umount /tmp/boot
+ rmdir /tmp/boot
+ sync
+ echo REBOOT
REBOOT
+ exit 0
done.

There seem to exist both /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c02@50 and /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c01@57 folders in my systems, setting the EE_CONFLICT flag. If I comment out the line that sets the flag and reconfigure the package, everything seems to be working OK.

+ grep -q 'Hardware[[:blank:]]*:[[:blank:]]*BCM' /proc/cpuinfo
+ unset IS_REAL_SYSTEM
+ unset DO_MOUNT
+ '['  '=' --noreboot -o -n  ]
+ IS_REAL_SYSTEM=1
+ DO_MOUNT=1
+ MNTDIR=/tmp/boot
+ '[' 1 '=' 1 ]
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/mcp7941x@6f ]
+ RTC=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/spi@7e204000/neuronspi@0 ]
+ NEURONDRV=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c01@57 ]
+ EEPROM_1=1
+ '[' -d /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/24c02@50 ]
+ EEPROM_2=1
+ grep -q okay /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/spi@7e204000/status
+ SPI=1
+ grep -q okay /sys/firmware/devicetree/base/soc/i2c@7e804000/status
+ I2C=1
+ '[' -n 1 -a -n 1 -a -z  ]
+ echo 24c02 0x50
sh: write error: Device or resource busy
+ '[' -f /sys/bus/i2c/devices/1-0050/eeprom ]
+ echo 0x50
sh: write error: No such file or directory
+ echo 24c01 0x57
sh: write error: Device or resource busy
+ '[' -f /sys/bus/i2c/devices/1-0057/eeprom ]
+ IS_NEURON=1
+ '[' '(' -n 1 -o -n  ')' -a -n 1 -a -n 1 ]
+ '[' -n  ]
+ '[' -n 1 ]
+ echo OK
OK
+ exit 0
done.

Is there a particular reason for this "conflict" test? Also, rebooting after applying the configs seems a bit extreme, since if anything goes wrong and system goes into an infinite reboot loop, it is a pain to debug and fix...

Hi @Martin-Kudláček,

found another issue on latest rpi kernel.

Building initial module for 4.19.93+
Error!  Build of unipi.ko failed for: 4.19.93+ (armv7l)
Consult the make.log in the build directory
/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/ for more information.
root@vkplc-home:~# cat /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/make.log 
DKMS make.log for unipi-1.36 for kernel 4.19.93+ (armv7l)
Wed 22 Jan 2020 12:33:22 PM EET
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-4.19.93+'
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_spi.o
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_iio.o
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_gpio.o
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.o
/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.c: In function ‘neuronspi_uart_handle_rx’:
/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.c:320:31: error: passing argument 1 of ‘uart_handle_sysrq_char’ from incompatible pointer type [-Werror=incompatible-pointer-types]
    if (uart_handle_sysrq_char(port, ch))
                               ^~~~
In file included from /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_common.h:36,
                 from /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.h:22,
                 from /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.c:19:
./include/linux/serial_core.h:514:42: note: expected ‘struct uart_port *’ but argument is of type ‘struct neuronspi_port *’
 uart_handle_sysrq_char(struct uart_port *port, unsigned int ch) { return 0; }
                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^~~~
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_sysfs.o
cc1: some warnings being treated as errors
make[1]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:303: /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi/src/unipi_uart.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
make: *** [Makefile:1522: _module_/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/unipi] Error 2
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-4.19.93+'
make: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-4.19.93+'
  CC [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/rtc-unipi/rtc-unipi.o
/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/rtc-unipi/rtc-unipi.c: In function ‘rtc_unipi_probe’:
/var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/rtc-unipi/rtc-unipi.c:666:6: warning: ISO C90 forbids mixed declarations and code [-Wdeclaration-after-statement]
      struct nvmem_config nvmem_cfg = {
      ^~~~~~
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST 1 modules
  CC      /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/rtc-unipi/rtc-unipi.mod.o
  LD [M]  /var/lib/dkms/unipi/1.36/build/rtc-unipi/rtc-unipi.ko
make: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-4.19.93+'```

Line 320 in unipi_uart.c

if (uart_handle_sysrq_char(port, ch))

passes "port" as an arqument to uart_handle_sysrq_char, which is of type "struct neuronspi_port", but uart_handle_sysrq_char expects a type of "struct uart_port", which is part of struct neuronspi_port as seen on unipi_common.h.

Changing line 320 as below seems to fix the issue.

if (uart_handle_sysrq_char(&port->port, ch))

@martin-kudláček said in unipi-kernel-modules-dkms does not generate modules on upgrade:

1.2.19.test.20191220083937

I can confirm the package works as intended on my systems.

Thanks,
Achilleas

One more patch against the latest version that renames the old file during package configuration, because if it gets upgraded on a live system, the previously inserted code is not executed (script exits early if devices are found)

--- setbootconfig.sh.orig	2019-12-19 21:39:51.490185707 +0200
+++ setbootconfig.sh	2019-12-19 22:04:27.094799784 +0200
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 if [ "$1" = "--noreboot" -o -n "${DESTDIR}" ]; then
     ## called from package install
     MNTDIR=/boot
+    # Move old file using '-' instead of '_'
+    [ -f "${MNTDIR}/config-unipi.inc" ] && mv -f "${MNTDIR}/config-unipi.inc" "${MNTDIR}/config_unipi.inc"
+    # Change include using '-' instead of '_'
+    sed -i "s/include config-unipi\.inc/include config_unipi.inc/" "${MNTDIR}/config.txt"
     # check if running from "real" Neuron system
     grep -q '^/dev/mmcblk[[:digit:]]p1 /boot ' /proc/mounts && IS_REAL_SYSTEM=1
 else

This cleaned up my system perfectly doing a dpkg-reconfigure unipi-common so I suppose it should be working on the package being upgraded also. I can test one of my systems if you generate a testing package to see if it applies cleanly.

Hi @martin-kudláček,
thanks for the reward.

Can't find the testing repository url, can you please send it?

Thanks,
Achilleas