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Announcing drats2 project
I have just created a new repository for rewrite of D-Rats.
I think this re-write is needed for several reasons. 1. Most of D-rats users are using Microsoft Windows and the use of GTK+ makes it hard to provide an easy to install package. 2. GTK+ is continuing to make incompatible changes with new versions making it harder make enhancements. The Glade editor for designing GTK+ layouts actually making things harder as it does not seem to be keeping up with GTK. 3. The config subsystem needs a rewrite to fix existing problems and requested features, the existing code structure makes that very difficult. Tracking Wiki for this new project. It may be a while before I get something ready for testing, and most of those tests will be of the "hello world" type packages at first just to make sure that everything can install and run. As this will be being brought up in sections, hopefully it will help someone learn programming and packaging processes. Regards, -John wb8tyw |
Re: D-Rats Issues
On 9/16/2024 12:56 PM, Jack Spitznagel (KD4IZ) wrote:
<snip> Since I last used the system there is now a version of Python 3 for 64 bit Win 11 that may or may not have the needed support.It still does not the last time I checked and it does not appear that anyone maintaining the needed packages is doing anything to make them run on Microsoft Windows, so I do not expect that to change anytime soon. (maybe still), a separate piece of the code for LZHUF was required that was critical for certain functions of D-RATS to run. I don't know if that is still the case.Lzhuf is in is own repository separated from d-rats as it needs to be built for the specific platform. Prebuilt lzhuf packages for some Debian based distributions including Raspbian and also Microsoft Windows distributions. I have not had time to working out building RPM packages for Lzhuf yet. LZHUF is needed for Winlink communications. Somehow Winlink continued to use LZHUF compression after the patent holder for LZHUF started requiring paid licenses for using LZHUF and suing anyone they found distributing LZHUF compression that did not pay. As a result, all the Linux distros removed lzhuf compression from their packages. Because of that, there are no independent suppliers of LZHUF compression libraries. But now the patents have expired on LZHUF world wide, it is now legal for LZHUF compression to be used with out a paid patent license. And at least in the U.S. it is past the statute of limitations for suing anyone that used it with out a license before the patent expired. The major Linux distros may not be interested in providing a full feature lzhuf package again since because of past lawsuits, there no longer is much use of lzhuf. (The old version did not need the interpreter because it had been compiled to work in Windows).The old version on windows was created independently of Dan Smith's efforts by a windows programmer that bundled the Python 2 package and a pre-built GTK2 package built for windows. It is python, and you can actually edit it in place and try to maintain it. But the tools needed to recreate the distribution package are gone. Currently the cross platform projects that are python based with a single package installer are actually installing the Msys2 environment with a shortcut to launch the application. I have not done that with D-Rats simply because not have time to reverse engineer what the others have done, and the Msys2 does not have documentation for that type of deployment. The other problem is that every time there is a CVE issued against a component in Msys2, a complete new D-Rats package would have to be built and everyone must upgrade to get it. These other projects have a pool of developers and do nightly package builds. If you have an old computer that used to run Windows XP or later, it can probably have Anti-X Linux installed on it instead, and D-Rats 0.40 runs very well on Anti-X Linux even on the older hardware. 73, -John |
Re: D-Rats Issues
On 9/17/2024 7:35 AM, Daryl Stout wrote:
Jack,Yes, that issue has been reported here before. If you use the Microsoft default for Windows 10/11 and create your default login account to use a Microsoft account, it creates a different directory structure. And that is fixed in the current 0.40 D-Rats, the problem was that D-Rats was assuming that directories in the config file already existed and failing if they are missing. For 0.40 the default is still the older directory structure. I do not want my main PC account to be tied to a Microsoft account, so I do not have any systems with that configuration to test. One very important thing with Windows to avoid getting your box turned into a brick is to make sure that you have at least two accounts. A Non-privileged account for your normal use, and also an administrator account. The administrator account should only used for maintenance and repair. There is a nasty virus that I have seen get by several big name antivirus scanners that appears to be delivered somehow from legitimate websites, assuming from banner advertisement. When it hits, you may or may not see a DOS box pop up, but the next thing you see is an extortion page and the mouse/keyboard no longer work. The free Malware Bytes scanner can repair it, but you need to run it from a different account. If you normally use a computer from an Administrator account, and one of these viruses gets in, you will need to reformat the drive and you may need to have the firmware re-flashed on the BIOS. I went into the Mode Overview file (available at the hyperlink off ofAnd if you hook up a radio on a USB serial port, you will eventually find that it will drop received packets. This tends to show up more newer faster computers. That is just one of the many fixes you are missing by staying with the 0.39. Now, if I could just keep power and internet during my ham radio nets.I use a number of UPS systems on all networking and desktop computers. 73, -John wb8tyw |
Re: D-Rats Issues
Jack,
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? The "fix" was so simple, and these are the ones that can cause a lot of aggravation, and the most problems. It's like having one line off in some programming code, that will mess everything up.
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? In looking at the debug log (as it was crashing instantly when I tried to load it), it said it could not find the "D-Rats Shared" folder, but it was on the desktop.
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? I looked at the path, and it hit me...the "username" under C:\Users\username (usually only 5 characters) was DIFFERENT. Next, I took a look at the configuration file from the D-Rats setup on the Windows 10 32-bit machine, and sure enough...that was the issue!!
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? So, I copied and pasted the d-rats.config file from the Windows 10 32-bit system onto the Windows 11 64-bit system...went into Windows Notepad, and CHANGED the username...saved it to where it needed to go (under \AppData\Roaming\D-Rats\D-Rats-EV)...then clicked on the D-Rats icon, and it came right up!!
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? I went into the Mode Overview file (available at the hyperlink off of my QRZ bio), and added that tidbit of info. So, I've got D-Rats 0.39 working on the Windows 11 setup.
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? On a related note, Xfinity has been having lots of networking and internet issues in the neighborhood lately, and I couldn't get the router to initialize. So, I did a reset on it, but it would NOT find all the devices on the LAN. I looked at the setup on my Google Nest doorbell camera, and I had "one extra letter" in the name of the network. So, I reset the router again (where you have to insert a pen into this "hole" in the back of the router, and hold it for 15 seconds, until it resets), and had to go through the browser to redo all the settings. As a side note, be sure to CHANGE the default name and password on your router, or someone can get into your system!! I have a VERY LONG password, comprised of numbers, letters, and symbols. While that's a bear on initial connect, it keeps hackers out. Once I got that set, the Network map "found everything" it needed to.
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? A friend of the family, assisting with the paralegal and other stuff after my younger brother's suicide over 10 weeks ago, got me a new Windows 11 Pro Desktop computer, with 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of hard drive space...I've never had a computer this good!!
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? The good thing is that the speed is much faster, so if the SharkRF OpenSpot 4 Pro resets or the app barfs and locks during a net, I can do the classic 3-finger-salute of CTRL-ALT-DEL (although many folks would like to give Microsoft the middle finger salute (hi hi)), and the task manager comes right up, where I can stop the SharkRF app via "end task", then reload it, and get back on to the reflector, in 15 seconds!! Now, if I could just keep power and internet
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? The bad thing is that it's an "office" computer, and NOT designed for "gaming". I had purchased Auran Trainz Simulator, and the CPU got to running real hot, even though I had set the graphics resolution to LOW. So, I wasted my money on that.
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? Now, if I could just keep power and internet during my ham radio nets.
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Daryl, N5VLZ
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Re: D-Rats Issues
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýHi Daryl, It has been a while! The original work was written in older
versions of Python 2 with libraries that are no longer supported.
There has been an enormous amount of work needed and much has been
done by John Malmberg, WB8TYW and Maurizio Andreotti IZ2LXI
.? While in your "absence", D-RATS has undergone some major changes
- much of the v0.4 development code was written to run under Msys2
or MobaXterm (emulation application) in the Python 3 environment
(IIRC) so that the primary maintainers could continue work on
fixing the Python code and making things current. Here is a quote from the github repository which has me a bit confused on a brief reading. It is from :
Since I last used the system there is now a version of Python 3
for 64 bit Win 11 that may or may not have the needed support.
Also for a while (maybe still), a separate piece of the code for
LZHUF was required that was critical for certain functions of
D-RATS to run. I don't know if that is still the case. So the
Python interpreter plus the LZHUF issue maybe where your attempt
to install D-RATS went south. (The old version did not need the
interpreter because it had been compiled to work in Windows). I had been loading and testing John's new versions, then got derailed by life demands. The old versions (v3) still will load and run OK on my old 2015 Dell Windows 10 based desktop (which just has been replaced by a Win 11 box). I have yet to install any version of Python or D-RATS on the new computer, so you and I will likely go on this journey together.? I do think I have the new code running on my Win 11 laptop - but
it has been a while since I did much with it. If I have the time (has been scarce lately) to install, I will. I
will share with you what the "secret sauce" steps that I discover
on the way. Hope that makes it easier. Jack - KD4IZ On 9/16/2024 12:28 PM, Daryl Stout
wrote:
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D-Rats Issues
I previously was running D-Rats 0.3.9 under Windows 10 32-bit on a desktop and Windows 11 64-bit on a Lenovo Laptop...and it still works on the desktop computer. I had to stop using the Lenovo Laptop, as the screen started going bad...but I also received an early Christmas/birthday present, with a new Windows 11 Pro Desktop, with 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB of hard drive space...which has made doing much of my ham radio nets much easier, with the SharkRF OpenSpot 4 Pro.
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However, I tried to get D-Rats 0.3.9 to work on the new computer, and it would not. Is there an additional file I need to download to make it work?? I took a look at D-Rats 0.4.2, but I wasn't sure what I needed to do to activate it, or get it working.
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Any help would be appreciated.
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Daryl, N5VLZ
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Re: Installing a RATFLECTOR on a Dplus Repeater
I got confused because I'm having trouble hitting WA7DRE's ratflector as well. Interesting you got such a close callsign.
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D-Rats reflector is part of the D-Rats install. It's a Python script
is where the most current version lives. You will need an updated Python3 and GTK3 installed. Instructions are on the GitHub page.
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Installing a RATFLECTOR on a Dplus Repeater
Hi all,?
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I've been admin for two Dplus repeaters in Washington State since 03/2023. The repeaters are WA7FW and WA7DR and both at one time were configured to be ratflectors, but when I tried to connect to them, the repeaters did not respond. I tried connecting via the internet using the listed addresses for each repeater - wa7fw.ratflector.com and wa7dr.ratflector.com.?
I also tried via radio, but still no joy. I obtained the command to restart the d-rats repeater from a fellow admin and ran the command via SSH?"nohup d-rats_repeater -C &" ?
The system responded with? "failed to run command d-rats_repeater - no such file or directory." So it appears that the ratflector is no longer configured on the repeaters.
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My question is where do I get the software and how do I install it on the two repeater servers? I have searched and searched on this io groups, on YouTube, and on the internet and found no help.?
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Can someone point me in the direction as to where I can get the software and how to install it??
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Thank you in advance.?
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v/r
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Perry - WB7NIL
FWARC.org WA7FW and WA7DR D-Star repeater Admin and REF035 Admin. |
Re: error message
On 8/27/2024 6:47 PM, John Primo wrote:
I am downloaded Drats it downloads fine but when i go to open theDownloaded from where? I have stopped attempting to build python eggs for releases for now as they are a bit of effort to maintain, and it is simpler to maintain a checkout of the D-rats repository on a system setup with the D-rats dependencies, and we do not have enough active volunteers create and test packages. What installation procedure did you use? D-Rats is a Linux Python program that requires a Linux emulation environment in Microsoft Windows. The only such known environments are Msys2, Cygwin, and MobaXterm (Cygwin). Of these MobaXterm seems to be the easiest to maintain. Microsoft Windows does not provide a complete Python runtime environment, and the GTK project required by D-Rats does not provide a working build procedure for building it using Microsoft Compilers. This is the current installation procedure on Microsoft Windows: Currently this installation procedure appears to work from Microsoft Windows 7 and later versions, although support for versions of Microsoft Windows earlier than Windows-10 is being very rapidly dropped by the libraries that D-Rats depends on for running. Note that the 0.3.9 and older version of D-rats are not getting any bug fixes and has a known bug in that it will drop some messages received over the radio. That bug may show up more on newer faster computers. The "Default" installation of Microsoft Windows 10/11 now tries really hard to get you to create a Microsoft account which sets up your user directory differently than what older versions of D-Rats expects so on those systems, Older D-Rats will fail to start. I am showing that as fixed in the current 0.40 repository. Until we get a volunteer that can come up with a better Windows installation package than installing and running from inside MobaXterm, that is what we have. 73, -John wb8tyw@... |
Re: error message
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýIs there a folder named ¡®D-RATS Shared¡¯ on you desktop??? disable?desktop back up and then try to install again¡you will see the?D-RATS Shared folder on the desk top and you should be good to go
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Re: error message
John,
?
I had the same experience. For background, I am running Windows 11. I downloaded the stable production version, Legacy for PC. I got the same error message. On clicking the Debug Log button, it showed a JSON add-in library error. I think this is when a Python program uses an include statement for a library that is not on my PC. I am not sure how to add that library. I cannot reproduce that error at the moment because I installed the Beta over it.?
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I then tried the beta 0.3.9x64 version to see if that had a similar issue with Beautifulsoup.py.? I tried ignoring the error but the application does not launch. I do not have a D-STAR capable radio so the app is my only alternative at the moment.
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Any suggestions?
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THANK YOU, 73 Doug/KI4VDU
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0.3.9x64 error below:
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Mainapp ? : Enabled debug log for Win32 systems
Version : headers={'User-Agent': 'd-rats/0.3.9 '} C:\Users\dpapc\Dropbox\!Radio\d-rats-0.3.9_win64\D-Rats-0.3.9_64\library.zip\BeautifulSoup.py:114: UserWarning: You are using a very old release of Beautiful Soup, last updated in 2011. If you installed the 'beautifulsoup' package through pip, you should know the 'beautifulsoup' package name is about to be reclaimed by a more recent version of Beautiful Soup which is incompatible with this version. This will happen at some point after January 1, 2021.
If you just started this project, this is easy to fix. Install the 'beautifulsoup4' package instead of 'beautifulsoup' and start using Beautiful Soup 4.
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Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
Ken Winograd
Sorry Patrick. I meant no disrespect to you or the group. I had a problem with a D-Star DVDongle and the DVDongle group has apparently zero activity, and I was looking for a way to get any info at all on a D-Star-related product. So, I tried this group hoping to find some kind soles with some solid info (which I did). Anyway, consider me gone! |
Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
This thread is off-topic. Please move this discussion to another forum. Patrick (N3TSZ)
On Monday, July 29, 2024 at 09:12:06 AM EDT, Ken Winograd <subscriptions@...> wrote:
Just FYI, I have some progress to report but still a problem. My problem surfing to dvdongle.com is resolved. It was a problem involving my Firefox settings and an extension that makes everything HTTPS when it can. No need to go into details, but now, I can surf to dvdongle.com without problems.
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I reinstalled the required drivers for the Mac as suggested, re-plugged in the DVDongle itself (it's pulsating green as it should) and I was able to download v2.1 of the DVTools (thanks for the link to it). But, as before with my v2.0 version of DVTools, the program still crashes before I even get to the DVTools main window. So, I still have some figuring to do...
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Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
Ken Winograd
Just FYI, I have some progress to report but still a problem. My problem surfing to dvdongle.com is resolved. It was a problem involving my Firefox settings and an extension that makes everything HTTPS when it can. No need to go into details, but now, I can surf to dvdongle.com without problems.
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I reinstalled the required drivers for the Mac as suggested, re-plugged in the DVDongle itself (it's pulsating green as it should) and I was able to download v2.1 of the DVTools (thanks for the link to it). But, as before with my v2.0 version of DVTools, the program still crashes before I even get to the DVTools main window. So, I still have some figuring to do...
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Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
Ken Winograd
Hi Paul and John...
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Thanks so much for getting back to me, very much appreciated. Unfortunately, I'm still having problems. I tried to re-install the drivers as you've suggested (which said it was successful when I did it), re-plugged in the DVDongle, but still get a crash before the program even fully opens. The DVTool 2.1 (and I'm delighted that there's a version above the 2.0 that I originally had) seems to be a ".exe" for PC only. Maybe they never made a 2.1 update for the Mac? But, I think I have another problem that needs to be fixed. I originally posted here because the DVDongle software crashed AND I couldn't get to their website. It seemed to be gone. If I try to surf to dvdongle.com <> on my Mac, it either says page not found (if I'm looking to download software using the link you included) or it connects me to some beauty supply company website instead if I just surf to dvdongle.com!!! What!!! That makes no sense, I know. If instead I surf to dvdongle.com <> on my iPad, I get to the dvdongle site without a problem. So, it appears I have something wrong with my Mac, or Comcast's name server or something. I'll work on that in the days ahead. Anyway, thank you both again...it's nice to know that the dvdongle site is actually still available, and that apparently the unit can still work...but just not here, at least not yet. If I discover anything, I'll certainly let you guys know. Regards, Ken N1NEG On Jul 28, 2024, at 5:07?PM, John M Wysocki <zl2tws@...> wrote: |
Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
Hi Ken
I use the DV Dongle a lot, along with the DV3K that came after it. I only have Windows 7 and 10 but DVTool 2.1 works perfectly on both and?the devices are very reliable. Install FTDI drivers from prior to connecting the DVDongle.? Once installed, plug in the DV Dongle and download the DVTool distribution at , double click the file to open it, and drag DVTool to your Desktop.? You can then proceed to the Using the DV Dongle page listed at the top of this page. I'm always on the look out for surplus dongles to pass onto new users. A little unknown fact that Robin AA4RC passed onto me is that the Blue dongle uses the AMBE2020 chip and the DV3K uses the AMBE3000. AMBE2020 displays BER in real time whereas the DV3K doesn't. AMBE?removed it from the 3000 as Internet Labs had been using that feature. I use the blue dongle to monitor repeater performance by transmitting a weak test signal into the repeater while Blue dongle connected to that gateway repeater. BER can be monitored in real time watching for bursts of QRM, antenna crackle, duplexer crackle that you would have previously heard if the repeater was FM. I hope this information helps and thanks for posting your message as it might uncover a few more of these excellent Internet labs devices. 73 and good DV. John ZL2TWS |
Re: That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
I don't have this device but did some internet searches give this a try: Apr 2, 2024 ¡ª DVTool version 2.0 (DVTool.exe) free download, latest version 2.1, The DV Dongle connects to your PC or Apple Mac via a USB port and?... Rating: 4.8 ¡¤ ?5 votes ¡¤ ?Free ¡¤ ?Windows ¡¤ ?Utilities/Tools Hope this helps. 73 On Sun, Jul 28, 2024 at 11:27?AM Ken Winograd via <subscriptions=[email protected]> wrote:
-- ¡°One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one nation evermore.¡±?Oliver Wendell Holmes? Paul Frey K9PTF (Really Old Guy With A Beard) |
That ol' Blue DVDongle by InternetLabs...
Ken Winograd
Hi... I purchased a D-Star DVDongle about a decade ago (that's the blue USB device by InternetLabs), and honestly haven't used it in years. I just tried to use it (on my current Mac), and it crashes immediately before its window even comes up. I tried to visit the manufacturer's site, and it is no longer available, and I can't find any updated software for it anywhere. My guess is, of course, the company is out of business and the product is no longer supported, but I don't know any of this for a fact. Anyway, I'm hoping someone might have some info on the product. Is it dead? Any hope of finding updated software for it that will work on a Mac? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks! Ken
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Re: Installing D-Rats on Windows 11
On 7/5/2024 1:19 PM, Brad Coston / KJ7GDN wrote:
I just installed D-RATS for the first time. Am I going to regretIf you want to use a path with a space in it, you need to enclose it in double quotes any place you reference. I have not tried installing msys2 in a directory with spaces in it. The only thing I can think of that needs to know the exact path is if you are using the option that allows creating an shortcut. I have switched to doing testing of D-Rats under MobaXterm as Msys2 no longer supports my Windows 7 system. Regards, -John wb8tyw@... |