Installation instructions

[sapnho]

Ok, I hope I am opening this in the right place. The objective of this thread is to make the installation of PF2021 as simple as possible for users. I will update the article here first and then work my way through the rest.

I will test each setup at least twice on Pi 3 and 4. I don't have a Pi 2 anymore but I guess if it works on the Pi 3, it will work on the Pi 2.

Please jump in to correct any errors.

Let's start with the Pi 2/3:

git clone https://github.com/helgeerbe/picture_frame.git

Q: Will this be replaced with "pip install picframe" once deployed to prod?

Then we'll install all the dependencies.

sudo pip3 install pillow paho-mqtt ExifRead Pi3D PyYAML IPTCInfo3 numpy && sudo apt install -y mosquitto mosquitto-clients

In my experience, it's best to install everything upfront even if people don't use certain parts. Otherwise, there is always this and that additional module in the other articles to install which will confuse readers and make them send many emails to me. :-)

Q: Is there any module missing?

[paddywwoof]

Wolfgang, With the 'old' PictureFrame it was 'just' a single python script (OK with a few add-on files) so all the dependencies needed to be set up manually before hand. In this new setup it has been made as a package so the use of pip will install the dependencies for the user (via the setup.py file, which has a list of dependencies that should match your list) so we should promote that as the primary method as it should simplify the instructions! Even for people wanting to hack the code themselves there is setuptools way to use pip that doesn't hide the installed package in the usual place but puts it where you want it. Helge has started to write this up here..

I agree about installing everything at stage zero, even though some modules might not be needed for most people - there's no real hardship having them installed.

Also the installation as root had to be done previously as that was the only way we could get it to work on RPi4 - hopefully Helge has found a way to run as pi and still launch xinit so we can get round that.

Paddy

PS I moved this to a discussion rather than an issue - it doesn't really matter where it's pigeon-holed though.

[paddywwoof]

I suspect there is a way to pip install directly from a github branch without the git clone and checkout step but I doubt it's possible to use a different branch on pypi.org The only way would be to make a new module with a different name, but I think it would be regarded as very bad form - pypi.org is for serving working modules and not for development and I think the maintainers would discourage its use for anything else.

I must admit I've always followed the developer route so I could edit the code but I think doing the same but without the -e . will result in the same as the 'Easy Way'. (Helge, correct me if I'm wrong) But I think there is still a step of running picframe.start -i ... to put the data etc folders somewhere sensible and editing the configuration.yaml file.

Unfortunately I have no access to RPi at the moment so can't do any checking.

Paddy

[helgeerbe]

Paddy, you are right

• pip install picframe will pull the package form pypi.org and install it correctly.
• pip install /path/to/sources/ will do the same, but pulling package from the sources, but does a full installation
• pip install -e /path/to/sources, takes the sources, but does not do a full installation. Just linking to the source code. So changes to the source code, will have an immediate effect when calling picframe.

With all 3 option picframe will always installed as executable script under ~/.local/bin

To remove all installations run pip uninstall picframe (yes, the name of the package)

[helgeerbe]

pip install will install all required packages, if not present. Only heif is not installed, because I couldn't find an installabel package on pypi.org.

If you run picframe -v you will get a list of all required packages and their actual version numbers.

[helgeerbe]

What we can do, if we think we can run a test with pypi ist to merge an alpha version to main and publish this. Would get a release number like picframe 2021.02.27a01.
There are options for a=alpha, b=beta, rec=release candidate.

[paddywwoof]

Helge, that alpha options sounds ideal. I didn't know that was possible but it sounds to be just what Wolfgang asked for.

[helgeerbe]

I'll will give it a trial. I will create a release branch. Tag it and deploy it. We can continue to work on dev, but all release relevant commits have to be merged also to release

[helgeerbe]

without release number you will get the latest stable version

[sapnho]

It works indeed!

[sapnho]

One thing: When I manually remove the picframe directory and run the install command again, it is not recreated.

[jgodfrey]

Wow - quite the flurry of overnight (for me) activity... :) Sounds like some great progress here. I have 2 new raspi 4's arriving tomorrow so I can do some fresh-install testing if necessary.

In the mean time, I'll try to do some code work today.

[helgeerbe]

Wolfgang, to sort it out. pip install will only install it. You have to run picframe -i /path/.... this will create the directory and files.
Usually I will recommend cd ~ picframe -i .

[jgodfrey]

sudo pip3 install pillow paho-mqtt ExifRead Pi3D PyYAML IPTCInfo3 numpy && sudo apt install -y mosquitto mosquitto-clients

Q: Is there any module missing?

FYI - the above list is missing ninepatch, required by the auto-matting system. It's accounted for in the package Helge prepared, but I thought I'd mention it...

[helgeerbe]

Wolfgang, just to let you know. I changed the -i option. The created directory is now picframe_data. I want to ensure, that directory and executable don't have the same name.

[sapnho]

Makes sense. But I still struggle to understand the commands to install it: There is
python3 -m pip install picframe==2021.2.27a1 (without the ==2021.2.27a1 once fully deployed)

And then the user needs to add picframe -i .?

[helgeerbe]

Not to add. Just run. After install. picframe is a command like ls Or cd

[sapnho]

So, I just enter "picframe"?
Because this gives me

-bash: picframe: command not found

[sapnho]

Is there a simple way for the user to check the successful installation of PF prior to adding images and configuring PF?
Previously we had this:
cd /home/pi/pi3d_demos && python3 Earth.py

[helgeerbe]

Yes, type picframe -v

[sapnho]

Does this more than just checking the installed packages? I was wondering if some example picture could be shown in PF?

[helgeerbe]

If everything is configured properly, but there is just noch image in ~/Pictures. The no image found image is shown.

[sapnho]

Ok, that makes sense. I suppose this will work with the default configuration.yaml file.

[paddywwoof]

For a meaningful unit tests we possibly should have a small number of images of various types and sizes. And it might not be a bad suggestion for someone to run a test after first installation.

[sapnho]

Is there a particular reason why configuration_example.yaml first has to be renamed to configuration.yaml? Why not call it configuration.yaml in the first place?
Just trying to make the installation fool-proof and I know that many people will forget to rename it..

[paddywwoof]

That makes sense to me given that it's going to be copied. If the standard instruction was for the configuration.yaml file to be kept in config/ then keeping the original with a different name in the same location would have some logic.

Helge also put an enhancement suggestion on issues that proposed copying the configuration.yaml to the destination specified with -i and changing the paths (and renaming if we kept the configuration_example name for the original). This would be easy enough to do and would make installation easier but the user would still need to edit the configuration to decide which options to turn on and to add their email for the reverse geolocation key etc.

[sapnho]

Ok, I started updating the article. It's on a Staging server that is not accessible from the outside, so here is a screenshot of the WIP:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/t5wwymug56e6von/Install%201%20of%202.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/74ks25jlk3mbyer/Install%202%20of%202.png?dl=0

That article only covers the basic installation. Home Assistant, Matting, and MQTT will be covered in the other articles.

[helgeerbe]

I created a pull request for config enhancement:
Adding a quick hack for -i option
Creates configuration.yaml

• set all paths to selected picframe_data directory
• ask for pic dir
• ask for deleted pic dir
• reads current locale and ask for it

Hope this makes setup more easy. Later on, we should move config to the database an make setting persistent.

[jgodfrey]

Later on, we should move config to the database an make setting persistent.

I agree that it'd be nice to move the config to the db. However, this will leave many users in a position where they will no longer have the ability to make config changes. I don't think we can expect a User to install a SQLite management tool just for purposes of configuring the frame.

Longer term, we could maybe create a Python/Tkinter-based (or similar) configuration management tool. Or, potentially provide configuration access via the HTTP interface.

[helgeerbe]

I thought more of a web form. While in -i, launch the browser, an do the settings. When in server mode. You can do your changes on the fly

[paddywwoof]

I've run this on my laptop and it seems to work nicely.

[sapnho]

Gentlemen, I completely lost track of how to install and run the software. Can someone please tell me what I need to do after a fresh install? When I try the instructions further up, I get stuck.

[helgeerbe]

If its OK, for the others, I will publish a new alpha install package on pypi, with my changes.

• python3 -m install picframe=releasenumber
• cd ~
• picframe -i . there is a space between i and . (. stands for current directory)
• this will create a picframe_data directory
• in picframe_data/config you will find beside the configuration_example.yaml now also the configuration.yaml with
  -- correct paths
  -- correct Picture dir
  -- correct deleted_pictur_dir
  -- correct locale setting

[paddywwoof]

Wolfgang I did git clone and cd to directory then

git checkout dev
python3 -m pip install -e . #as I wanted to edit the code but normally without -e .
python3 -m picframe.start -i /home/patrick/temp_picframe #to install dependencies and put data files into a temp location
picframe picframe_data/config/configuration.yaml

the -i stage should do the copying and editing of the config file, after that you can just run as third line. I think you could do the second line as

picframe -i /home/patrick/temp_picframe

[helgeerbe]

I haven't merged yet to dev. Wait a second.

[helgeerbe]

OK, merged the user config enhancements and published a new install package. python3 -m pip install picframe==2021.2.27a2

[sapnho]

Ok, thanks to both. Helge just walked me through on Slack. Got it working now and can start to test again.

[helgeerbe]

Have fun, and please test it.

[helgeerbe]

Just published a new package to test with python3 -m pip install picframe==2021.2.27a4

• Ctrl-c should work
• convert heif image on the fly to jpeg to be displayed in browser
• Improve look-up efficiency of modified or missing files
• Issue 44 - Reduce text scrim height and opacity

[helgeerbe]

@sapnho Just tested it. Installing the new package is removing the old one. So no need to remove the old prior installation.

[sapnho]

Installing the new package is removing the old one. So no need to remove the old prior installation.

Now THAT is user friendly!

[sapnho]

Unfortunately, I still get the same error messages from abandoned files.

WARNING:viewer_display.ViewerDisplay:Cause: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/home/pi/Pictures/Fnatenrahmen Pictures Kopie 8/2011. 08.06 - 10.22. 45 Fnatenrahmen.jpg'

[sapnho]

But the keyboard interrupt works great now!

[helgeerbe]

I can confirm that PictureFrame is running on Pi 3 with Ubuntu 20.10 64bit 💪

But I hope this installation will work also for the PI4 setup with normal raspbian, to run as service: https://github.com/helgeerbe/picframe/wiki/Running-As-Service#running-as-service-on-pi4-console-only

Can anyone of you test it?

[helgeerbe]

@paddywwoof what is your glx setting? My ubuntu required True with dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d
gpu_mem=128

[paddywwoof]

Helge, sorry I had missed that you wanted it tested on ubuntu. I just used the standard latest raspberry pi os with fake KMS driver and GPU memory set to 128, both done with sudo raspi-config. But I guess that matches your options. (Yes, just looked in /boot/config.txt and they're the same)

I might try making an ubuntu 64 SD card and testing it out.

[helgeerbe]

@paddywwoof No testing on raspbian is fine. I just tried Ubuntu and thought, this might work also on the pi 4.

[helgeerbe]

@sapnho I saw in your tutorial, that you start on pi4 with dpms disabled. Is there a reason why? Screensaver off is not enough? On Linux I will turn off the display with xset dpms force off, but this requires dpms to be enabled.

[sapnho]

Hi Helge, I don't remember all the details, but I needed something which would avoid turning off the screen in both GUI and console mode and this way worked best.

[helgeerbe]

new version
pip install picframe==2021.2.27a5

• display switch for pi4 using X
• fix for browser downloads, if images have capital extensions (e. g. JPG)
• fix text refresh function to work with pairs, minor tidy in http interface
• cope with different pic_dir definition in config (or even mv ~/Pictures)
• fix for some errors leaking through try/except in viewer_display
• tidied unused variable from ViewerDisplay.slideshow_is_running
• Fixed a few broken logger messages
• copes with files being removed from expected location but added files missing until restart

[helgeerbe]

new version
pip install picframe==2021.2.27a6

• some minor changes to start.py to help with current work-around for RPi 4
• Cleaned up mat texture handling
  -- Allow the use of a texture on the inner and outer mats to be
  controlled independently. By default, the outer mat is textured
  and the inner mat is not textured.
  -- Cleaned up textured mat generation code
• Issue 62 - Independent control of mat texture
• wrapping text by pixel width instead of char count
• pi3d 2.43 required

[RichN001]

Great job guys... much easier than my last install haha. Coming together nicely.

[helgeerbe]

Seems for me, we are ready to release?!

[paddywwoof]

Yes, Go for it!

...that way all the problems we missed will creep out of their corners!

[jgodfrey]

Agreed - good here.

[helgeerbe]

pip install picframe

It's done 🚀

Last changes:

• geo_loc is set to False (to make it optional)
• reduce text background size when frame in portrait mode

A big Thank You to you. It's a pleasure for me to work with you. And I learned a lot about python coding.

[jgodfrey]

Now, time to put some additional effort into fleshing out the wiki... :)

[helgeerbe]

I saw, that we have to clean up a little bit the 'starting as service' page. The description for pi3 uses systemd user services (that I personally like, because even for running as a service, you don't need any root rights).
The setup for pi4 requires the root systemd service.

[paddywwoof]

Helge, I had the /etc/systemd/system/picframe.service set up from before (from following Wolfgang's blog) and it worked so I just put that in. I didn't check if ~/.config/systemd/user/picframe.service would work with User=root if it will then that would be better, with less variables. I will check that now.

It also occurred to me that it might be a bit confusing that I added 'Running from Command Line' instructions to the 'Running as Service' page, especially as there is a 'Command Line' page. The running from command line is really only for testing so maybe that should go in as a note somewhere. The 'Command Line' page could become 'Command Line Initialization'?

[helgeerbe]

would work with User=root if it will then that would be better, with less variables.

No, it won't. Systemd user services running always in the context of the user.

I will move the command line to the 'getting started' page

[paddywwoof]

Yes, as you say, it doesn't work! ;)

[helgeerbe]

I updated the wiki. I moved command line start to command line page.

While checking the config page, I found maybe the first 'bug'. There is a mismatch between description and and configuration_example.yam issue

[paddywwoof]

This discussion on pi3d issues might be relevant for setup instructions when people want to run picframe on ubuntu. It's mainly relevant when running on a laptop during development but with canonical supporting the Pi platform now with desktop and server versions there might turn out to be a benefit to using ubuntu (over RPi OS) so the less problems running pi3d that way the better.

[helgeerbe]

Hi Paddy, export EGL_PLATFORM=x11 does job on my ubunto 20.10 virtual box installation. Thanks for the hint. I can now enable 3d hardware support and use_glx to False. Only DRI seems not to be supported.

[john-k-mcdowell]

I just upgraded from Pi3D Demo to this new version. Big improvement, especially HomeAssistant integration, thanks.
I am having trouble with the "indexing" of the folders that my photos are in. It appears to be getting an error since the db3 file does not have all of the folders or file in it.
However, I can't find the log files to look for an error message. (it is possible that it is erring on large file names but I want to try to confirm)
I am running as a service on RPi4 and have tried "Check logfiles sudo journalctl picframe.service" but get "Invalid argument" Log level is set to Warning.

[jgodfrey]

It errores out on a bad date in the exif on one of the pictures and looks like it stops indexing after the error

Hmmm... This sounds exactly like something I fixed recently (7944f51).

I think that fix should be in a released version. Are you running the most current version?

[john-k-mcdowell]

I reinstalled picframe again and now I can't duplicate the error, so maybe I had the previous version. I am currently running:

picframe version: 2021.04.02

Checking required packages......
PIL : 5.4.1
exifread : 2.3.2
pi3d : 2.44
yaml : 5.4.1
paho.mqtt : 1.5.0
iptcinfo3 : 2.1.4
numpy : 1.16.2
ninepatch : installed, but no version info

Checking optional packages......
pyheif : Not found!

I am generating warnings on not being able to convert HEIC files due to pyheif. I tried to pip install pyheif but it generates errors. Is there a different package I should install to get pyheif installed?

[sapnho]

@john-k-mcdowell: Have you tried https://www.thedigitalpictureframe.com/the-heic-photo-format-now-works-with-the-pi3d-digital-picture-frame-image-viewer/

[paddywwoof]

John, getting heic working on RPi was a bit of a nightmare but I think Wolfgang's instructions tell you exactly what to do... And work.

I don't think the exif info can be extracted from them yet, but hopefully someone will sort it out soon.

[john-k-mcdowell]

thanks for the prompt replies. My photoframe (65" Samsung QLED) has never looked better. The HomeAssistant integration with the added MQTT topics is great.

I installed pyheif per Wolfang's instructions but I still get the error. I actually think the issue is that the files are name HEIC but are actually jpg. I am rcloning albums from Google Photos. My newer photos shot with my iphone and then synced to google photos are stored with an HEIC extension. However, I have found if I simply rename them to jpg with no conversion they display fine. I think that they are getting converted to jpg when getting loaded into Google Photos but the name is not being changed to include jpg extension. I am now running a script that just changes the names to jpg (actually copies them and leaves the HEIC to avoid rclone from copying them from Google Photos each time I change the name)

This works with no issue other than the warnings since I leave the HEIC files and picframe can't convert them. Not sure if anyone else has run into this google photos issue or if it is a setting I have not put correct to stop them from being auto converted to jpg.

[helgeerbe]

65'' wow, would love to have such frame on the wall.

@john-k-mcdowell I updated yesterday the automations.yaml. Fixing #91