X-Git-Url: https://git.gag.com/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=AltOS%2Findex.mdwn;h=f0f616e6bbb7b2ad3f806dff4fc4b6b1aa4a679a;hb=refs%2Fheads%2Fmorepro;hp=33e65b6faf64e950f5bebd03784ccaa58d7b3adb;hpb=cb12cd8c04316a76f616f79195d02c83d2c6c132;p=web%2Faltusmetrum diff --git a/AltOS/index.mdwn b/AltOS/index.mdwn index 33e65b6..f0f616e 100644 --- a/AltOS/index.mdwn +++ b/AltOS/index.mdwn @@ -3,34 +3,191 @@ AltOS is the name of Keith's firmware "operating system" for [TeleMetrum](../TeleMetrum/) and [TeleDongle](../TeleDongle/). -In addition to the firmware for [TeleMetrum](../TeleMetrum) and -[TeleDongle](../TeleDongle) boards, the AltOS source tree also includes a -number of utilities useful for monitoring and logging telemetry during flight, -post-processing flight data for analysis, and utilities for updating firmware, -and developing and debugging new functionality. The first generation of these -utilities were Linux-only, but our current second-generation software written -largely in [Java](http://java.com) with a small platform-specific library -works identically on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems! +In addition to the firmware for [TeleMetrum](../TeleMetrum) and +[TeleDongle](../TeleDongle) boards, the AltOS source tree also +includes AltosUI, which provides for flight monitoring, post-flight +analysis, device configuration and firmware updating. AltosUI runs on +Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. It's written in [Java](http://java.com) +and offers the same functionality and interface on all three +platforms. A small platform-specific library communicates with the USB +interface on the Altus Metrum devices. -## Features ## +There are also Linux-specific tools that provide lower level access to +the devices which are useful for developing firmware for the devices. -### User View ### +The firmware and associated software are licensed [GPL version +2](http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html) -More documentation is coming soon, but in the meantime, -most operations in the second-generation GUI are pretty easy to figure out. +## Available Versions ## -### Developer View ### +There is a single manual for all Altus Metrum products, which is available +in [html](doc/altusmetrum.html) and [pdf](doc/altusmetrum.pdf) formats. -* The firmware and associated software are licensed [GPL version 2](http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html) +[[!inline pages="./releases/* and !*/Discussion and !*.bz2 and !*.zip and !*.exe" show="10" rss="no" raw="yes" ]] -## Artifacts ## +The latest source, which may include unreleased work in progress, is always +available from [git.gag.com](http://git.gag.com) +in the project [fw/altos](http://git.gag.com/?p=fw/altos;a=summary). -The source is available from [git.gag.com](http://git.gag.com) in the project -[fw/altos](http://git.gag.com/?p=fw/altos;a=summary). +If you need to debug code on an Altus Metrum product, you may want our special +version of SDCC containing a highly modified sdcdb with support for the cc1111 +debugging interface, which you can find on [git.gag.com](http://git.gag.com) +in the project [fw/sdcc](http://git.gag.com/?p=fw/sdcc;a=summary). This is +not necessary if you just want to rebuild AltOS and use it. -### Pre-Built Binary Packages by Platform ### +### Version 0.9.2 Features ### -#### Linux #### +Version 0.9.2 is an AltosUI bug-fix release, with no firmware changes. + + * Fix plotting problems due to missing file in the Mac OS install image. + + * Always read whole eeprom blocks, mark empty records invalid, display + parsing errors to user. + + * Add software version to Configure AltosUI dialog + +### Version 0.9 Features ### + +Version 0.9 adds a few new firmware features and accompanying AltosUI +changes, along with new hardware support. + + * Support for TeleMetrum v1.1 hardware. Sources for the flash memory + part used in v1.0 dried up, so v1.1 uses a different part which + required a new driver and support for explicit flight log erasing. + + * Multiple flight log support. This stores more than one flight log + in the on-board flash memory. It also requires the user to + explicitly erase flights so that you won't lose flight logs just + because you fly the same board twice in one day. + + * Telemetry support for devices with serial number >= 256. Previous + versions used a telemetry packet format that provided only 8 bits + for the device serial number. This change requires that both ends + of the telemetry link be running the 0.9 firmware or they will not + communicate. + +### Version 0.8 Features ### + +Version 0.8 offers a major upgrade in the AltosUI +interface. Significant new features include: + +* Post-flight graphing tool. This lets you explore the behaviour of + your rocket after flight with a scroll-able and zoom-able chart + showing the altitude, speed and acceleration of the airframe along + with events recorded by the flight computer. You can export graphs + to PNG files, or print them directly. + +* Real-time moving map which overlays the in-progress flight on + satellite imagery fetched from + [Google Maps](http://maps.google.com). This lets you see in pictures + where your rocket has landed, allowing you to plan recovery + activities more accurately. + +* Wireless recovery system testing. Prep your rocket for flight and test + fire the deployment charges to make sure things work as + expected. All without threading wires through holes in your + airframe. + +* Optimized flight status displays. Each flight state now has it's own + custom 'tab' in the flight monitoring window so you can focus on the + most important details. Pre-flight, the system shows a set of + red/green status indicators for battery voltage, apogee/main igniter + continutity and GPS reception. Wait until they're all green and your + rocket is ready for flight. There are also tabs for ascent, descent + and landing along with the original tabular view of the data. + +* Monitor multiple flights simultaneously. If you have more than one + TeleDongle, you can monitor a flight with each one on the same + computer. + +* Automatic flight monitoring at startup. Plug TeleDongle into the + machine before starting AltosUI and it will automatically connect to + it and prepare to monitor a flight. + +* Exports Google Earth flight tracks. Using the Keyhole Markup + Language (.kml) file format, this provides a 3D view of your rocket + flight through the Google Earth program. + +### Version 0.7.1 Features ### + +Version 0.7.1 is the first release containing our new cross-platform Java-based user interface. AltosUI can: + +* Receive and log telemetry from a connected TeleDongle device. All data + received is saved to log files named with the current date and the connected + rocket serial and flight numbers. There is no mode in which telemetry data + will not be saved. + +* Download logged data from TeleMetrum devices, either through a direct USB + connection or over the air through a TeleDongle device. + +* Configure a TeleMetrum device, setting the radio channel, callsign, apogee + delay and main deploy height. This can be done through either a USB + connection or over a radio link via a TeleDongle device. + +* Replay a flight in real-time. This takes a saved telemetry log or eeprom + download and replays it through the user interface so you can relive your + favorite rocket flights. + +* Reprogram Altus Metrum devices. Using an Altus Metrum device connected via + USB, another Altus Metrum device can be reprogrammed using the supplied + programming cable between the two devices. + +* Export Flight data to a comma-separated-values file. This takes either + telemetry or on-board flight data and generates data suitable for use in + external applications. All data is exported using standard units so that no + device-specific knowledge is needed to handle the data. + +* Speak to you during the flight. Instead of spending the flight hunched over + your laptop looking at the screen, enjoy the view while the computer tells + you what’s going on up there. During ascent, you hear the current flight + state and altitude information. During descent, you get azimuth, elevation + and range information to try and help you find your rocket in the air. Once + on the ground, the direction and distance are reported. + +AltosUI provides all of these features on the three target operating systems, +Linux, Mac OS X (version 10.5 or newer) and Windows (XP, Vista or 7). The bulk +of the software is written in Java and is built once and tested and delivered +on all three target platforms. A tiny ‘shim’ library is built on each system +to provide access to the Altus Metrum devices connected over the USB link. + +## Future Plans ## + +Bug reports, feature requests, and planning for AltOS releases happens +on the [Altus Metrum Trac Site](http://trac.gag.com/altusmetrum). + +A number of features are implemented or in process in the sources available +in our publicly visible repository that are not part of the current stable +release. + +* A Kalman-filter based approach to apogee detection using more than just the + baro sensor, so that we can safely control apogee ejection on flights to + altitudes beyond the range of our baro sensor alone. Unlike the other items + on the list, this will be a significant change to the in-rocket TeleMetrum + firmware. It may therefore be a while before this becomes part of a stable + firmware release. + +* Motor characterization. Because TeleMetrum contains a + high-resolution, high-frequency accelerometer, it is possible to + take the data from that and compute an accurate thrust curve for + the motor. + +* Comprehensive PDF and/or HTML -based flight report. Construct a + complete report of the flight suitable for publication on the web + that includes graphs of the flight and details about motor + performance etc. + +* Publish flight data to the Altus Metrum web site. This will allow + you to share your flight data with others, and let you download + flights published by others. + +There are any number of additions that could be made to this list; feel free +to send along ideas that you’ve got. Of course, all of this software is +licensed under the GNU General Public License, so you can get the source and +hack on it in the comfort of your own home. + +## Platform Specific Notes ## + +### Linux ### If you use [Debian](http://www.debian.org), then a pre-built package for 32-bit x86 is currently available here: @@ -41,8 +198,7 @@ If you use [Debian](http://www.debian.org), then a pre-built package for apt-get install altos If you use some other distribution of Linux, then -a [Linux package](releases/current/Altos-Linux.tgz) of our -second-generation Java bits that +a Linux package of our second-generation Java bits that should run on any distribution with a modern Java version is also available. Unlike the Debian pacakge, which depends on various libraries already part of the Debian distribution, this package includes a "fat" jar @@ -71,28 +227,24 @@ directory in the source tree (the themes are included in the Debian package). ### Mac ### -A [Mac OS X package](releases/current/Altos-Mac.zip) that is compatible with -versions 10.5 "Leopard" and later (including 10.6 "Snow Leopard") is now -available. The Mac operating system includes Java, and all Altus Metrum -products show up as simple USB serial ports, so this should just work -with no additional drivers or other dependency issues. Older versions of -the Mac operating system come with Java versions that are too old for use -with Altus Metrum software, and we know of no way to update the Java version -other than upgrading to a newer operating system. +A Mac OS X package that is compatible with versions 10.5 "Leopard" and +later (including 10.6 "Snow Leopard") is available. The Mac operating +system includes Java, and all Altus Metrum products show up as simple +USB serial ports, so this should just work with no additional drivers +or other dependency issues. Older versions of the Mac operating +system, and even newer versions for PowerPC-based machines, come with +Java version 5 or older, which is too old for use with Altus Metrum +software. We know of no way to update the Java version other than +upgrading to a newer operating system (for Intel based macs) or +purchasing new hardware (for PowerPC based macs). ### Windows ### -Our [Windows package](releases/current/Altos-Windows.zip) is -known to work on XP and -32-bit Windows 7 Enterprise. If you don't already have Java installed, +Our Windows package is known to work on at least some flavors of XP, Vista, and +Windows 7 Enterprise. If you don't already have Java installed, download and install a current Java 6 version from [java.com](http://java.com) -first. Then download our zip and extract the files. Windows already has -the required USB serial device driver, but you will probably need to manually -point to the telemetrum.inf file included in the download when you first plug -in an Altus Metrum device to "train" Windows to know that it's ok to use the -existing driver to support our products. Once that's taken care of, just -clicking on the 'altosui' program should work to launch the user interface. -Reports of success or failure with other versions of Windows would be -appreciated! - -### [All Pre-Built Binary Packages](releases/) ### +first. Then download our installer and run it. Windows already has +the required USB serial device driver, and our package should do the right +things to bind it to our devices, but if you get a complaint about the device +being unrecognized, try pointing to the copy of the telemetrum.inf file +included in the package directory manually.