pi-top-install
Do you want to run the standard raspbian jessie on the pi-top or pi-topCEED? In this repository you find tips, tricks and scripts to install the necessary capabilities to control the pi-top hardware using a standard raspbian jessie distribution. Several users have confirmed that the brightness and shutdown programs also work properly on a pi-topCEED using Raspbian.
The current version of the programs work very nicely with the PIXEL desktop, but when upgrading to PIXEL the brightess keys need to be configured again. Important: upgrade to the latest version after installing PIXEL (see upgrading the programs below). Also, if you are using the pi-topSPEAKER, you need to manually modify the desktop autostart file after installation of PIXEL. See instructions at the bottom of the speaker installation instructions (link in item 4 below).
1 - Battery status display widget (released)
See separate repository https://github.com/rricharz/pi-top-battery-status
This program has been tested on raspbian jessie and pi-topOS and should work well with any distribution. Do not forget to turn i2c on in Menu/Preferences/Raspberry Pi Configuration/Interfaces. The program will display the battery status, and will shut down the Raspberry Pi if the battery capacity is low and not charging. But unless you also install 3 (automatic poweroff) it will not be able to turn off the pi-top hub and the power to the Raspberry Pi. It would therefore not protect the battery from further depleting.
2 - program to set the screen brightness (version 1.1, released)
This program is for Raspbian Jessie only, it should not be installed in pi-topOS.
For installation instructions, see below under INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR 2 AND/OR 3.
Usage (new_value is a screen brightness value between 3 and 10):
brightness new_value
brightness increase
brightness decrease
The keyboard brightness keys will work, if you put the following into the keyboard section of /home/pi/.config/openbox/lxde-pi-rc.xml:
<keybind key="0xC7">
<action name="Execute">
<command>brightness increase</command>
</action>
</keybind>
<keybind key="0xC6">
<action name="Execute">
<command>brightness decrease</command>
</action>
</keybind>
Instead, you can also copy the lxde-pi-rc.xml file found in this repository to /home/pi/.config/openbox
Very experienced users can use the command "brightness off" to turn the screen backlight off, and "brightness on" or any other brightness command to turn it back on. But be aware that a turned off screen backlight might easily be mistaken for a Raspberry Pi, which has been shut down. Do not shut off your rpi or cut power to it in this state, and do not use "brightness off" unless you have tested that your brightness keys work, so that you can turn power back on! Also, please be aware that if you have a laptop pi-top with battery, it still draws power from the battery in this state. In order to save battery power, it is much better to shut down the pi-top as you would normally do. It is therefore not recommended for regular users to use the command "brightness off"!
3 - program and system service to turn the hub-controller off after shutdown (version 1.1, released)
This program is for Raspbian Jessie only, it should not be installed in pi-topOS.
This program will help to protect your battery by shutting the pi-top-hub-controller off after a shutdown of the Raspbery Pi
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR 2 AND/OR 3
To download this repository, open a terminal and type:
sudo apt-get install wiringpi
cd Downloads
git clone git://github.com/rricharz/pi-top-install
cd pi-top-install
chmod +x install*
Make sure that spi is turned on in Menu->Preferences->Raspberry Pi Configuration->Interfaces.
Make sure that your system is up-to-date:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
If you want to install 3 (automatic poweroff), you also need to make sure that your system is updated to the newest bootup and shutdown process, called systemd:
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
To install 2 (brightness):
./install-brightness
To install 3 (automatic poweroff)
./install-poweroff
Your new software will work after the next bootup.
Instructions to compile the programs
To compile the programs (only required if you want to modify the c programs), use
make
Then use the install scripts again to reinstall the programs
Upgrading the programs
Open a terminal and type
cd Dowloads/pi-top-install
git pull
install-brightness
install-poweroff
If you do not have the folder pi-top-install in Downloads anymore, you need to do a complete new installation.
What to do if brightness and shutdown stop working
Is is possible to put the pi-top-hub-controller into a strange state by experimenting with other devices on the spi bus. In this state it will not accept commands anymore. For details see the closed issue #2 "Brightness not working - pi hub in strange state?" in this repository, which also contains the information needed to resolve this problem.
4 - Use the pi-top speaker with Raspbian Jessie (and pi-topOS)
Thanks to Norman Lawrence we have now well written instructions for the installation of the pi-top-speaker. see https://github.com/rricharz/pi-top-install/blob/master/speaker.txt
5 - Use a printer with Raspbian Jessie (and pi-topOS)
The instructions at the following link are for Raspbian Jessie and for pi-topOS, see https://github.com/rricharz/pi-top-install/blob/master/printer.txt
Please open an issue in this repository to report problems.
The contributions in this repository are distributed in the hope that they will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. The owner of this repository is not affiliated with pi-top.