Domoticz

Hi,

I'm new to domoticz and to Linux, so having to learn the linux commands and architecture makes me a bit nervous. However, if I had good reasons for doing so, I'd be glad to jump to linux as well..
However, I couldn't find any Pros and Cons for the "Easy install" against the "long" full, traditional installation on a Raspberry Pi 2. I tried to look on the wiki, in the manual, in the forum, in other websites, and I could only find some fragmentary info..
Could you give me url to such comparison ? or listing here the Pros and Cons ?
For instance, here are the current statements I found.. (hopefully, they're true).

in Favor of easy "SD Image":
- easy (indeed I tried yesterday, and it worked, or at least it seems working so far ! )
- you can still add some modules (such as the google calendar: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8333&start=0 )

Against easy SD Image:
- I can't setup an AZERTY keyboard (no one succeeded according to websites..)
- you can't use your raspberry pi for anything else than Domoticz (webserver, NAS,..)

Are there pros and cons on memory usage ? reactivity ? compatibility ? addition of later modules to Domoticz (easy in "Easy SD image' case, complex in other installations..?) ? Update of Domoticz ?..?

br,
Ricorico94

- you dont want to have anything other running then domoticz on your system
- if you login via putty, if your keyboard working then ?

- you dont want to have anything other running then domoticz on your system

Is it due to limited capacity of Raspberry pi or for other reason ? If I could avoid duplicating sveral raspberry pi (for instance for a small PHP server, like for interface with Domoticz..?

- if you login via putty, if your keyboard working then ?

When I access via Putty session, I use another computer, also with AZERTY keyboard, and that one works well (it was even working well before I change settings with "raspi config"). It's only when using the USB keyboard attached to raspberry that it doesn't work.

So you use putty then

You dont want to mess with a system that controls your home with other things running on that device (but... that is my opnion! )

I agree I would most likely not want to use it for non secured purposes, but I understood that some features or use case of Domoticz require a webserver and thus avoiding a second raspberry to host it could make sense, as these webservers would be for Domoticz.
I was also thinking of other "features": for instance, as Domoticz seems very sensitive to loss of power and thus corruption of installation, I read that some people make regular backups, and it could make sense that such backups are stored somewhere else (local NAS or cloud, or whatever else). I read that someone was using rsync: but is it possible to use the SD image for rsync tasks or for periodic FTP transfer of a backup to another storage location ?

Hi,
If you don't want to use Putty from another computer, you may also install a desktop environment (like LXDE) on your Raspberry, and use the "Terminal" tool in that environment.
That works fine for me with an AZERTY keyboard, even if, like many other persons, I never could get it working on the original console.

And if you add a browser (like Epiphany), you will be able to access the Domoticz interface straight from your raspberry (http://127.0.0.1:8080).... No need of another computer!

I would also not try to install too many things on that small computer... Domoticz standalone runs fine, why risking to destabilize it? At the end, we're talking about a less-than-40-€ computer, don't we ? So, buy a second one for the other purposes. And eventually an HDMI switch to switch your monitor.

Re. backups, after significant changes to my system, I bring it down, take the sdcard out, insert it in my Windows PC and use Win32DiskImager to create a backup image. Yes, there's down time, but I don't have a "5-9" SLA to observe....

Oliviers

I strongly do not advice to install the desktop, it slows down the raspberry, and uses more memory
putty is the way to go, it is also not complicated

Your 'easy' vs. 'full' install wouldn't really be all that different, imho. In the end you get raspbian (wheezy or jessie) with domoticz on it...
If you install a lxde or another desktop enviroment there's always the option of not using it (if you have raspi-config just choose to boot to a command prompt, and you'll have the option of a desktop if/when you need one by using 'startx' or 'initx' or something of the kind).

Last I had a desktop on my pi I had to use iceweasel instead of epiphany to access domoticz because it didn't handle html5 all that well. That might have changed now though, but I would still say iceweasel>epiphany

To answer your initial question (I think), the easy vs full you outlined wouldn't really make much difference in the end (AZERTY keyboards aside, I don't even know how they look like - QWERTY user myself and proud of it, ha ha )
If you do the easy and decide you want to compile domoticz yourself it's just a few steps away (but trust me, gizmocuz builds new binaries almost every day so you wouldn't be left behind), and it takes 30-60 minutes or so to re-compile domoticz - and that's a long wait when you're waitin'... So if you're new to linux I would advise you to use the binaries.. and do choose the beta ones, gizmocuz is a busy beaver - but the 'betas' are really stable if you ask me! I build the sources almost every day and even they run like clockwork).

I don't think you're limiting yourself if you do the easy method, that's my point I think... It's kinda late here, and I'm really tired, so this post might not make much sense in the end...
But good luck all the same!

Hi,

I strongly do not advice to install the desktop, it slows down the raspberry, and uses more memory

Well....
With LXDE, my CPU consumption is between 1.5% - 2%, and memory usage around 40%.... (Raspberry PI 2B)
So we have margin left ....

Regards,
Oliviers