Correct installation instructions for Raspberry Pi3

[zwolfpack]

Not sure about the version on the newer one - I will check on that.

OK, I downloaded the latest https://homeseer.com/updates3/HomeSeerPi.zip, unzipped it and burnt to SD card. Looks like it's still a jessie build, so you're out of luck using it on the 3B+.
BTW, I tried Etcher for the SD burn - nice enough utility, although it doesn't appear to support reading an SD card back to the PC. So less useful overall than Win32DiskImager.

Card boots up OK on a 3B. Mono version is 4.5.1.

Poking around the filesystem a bit, looks like their usual klutz work. Oh well, as long as it works, right?

[pmoneill]

Great stuff Peter!

Can I copy or you copy and paste your excellent post to the Homeseer Help how to section such that it is easy to get to or refer to?

Yes, you may. Obviously, HomeSeer is never going to document how to install and use their software - they just leave it to us users to figure it out by trial and error.

[rge]

OK, I downloaded the latest https://homeseer.com/updates3/HomeSeerPi.zip, unzipped it and burnt to SD card. Looks like it's still a jessie build, so you're out of luck using it on the 3B+.
BTW, I tried Etcher for the SD burn - nice enough utility, although it doesn't appear to support reading an SD card back to the PC. So less useful overall than Win32DiskImager.

Card boots up OK on a 3B. Mono version is 4.5.1.

Poking around the filesystem a bit, looks like their usual klutz work. Oh well, as long as it works, right?

I'm running the full HS3 on trial, but considering using the RPi version if they bring out a B+/Stretch build or there's some other solution.

Can anyone answer a few questions...

- has anyone done an upgrade, and how does that work if it's on a disk image???

- do you get full root access and the ability to install other stuff (e.g. InfluxDB, Grafana), or is it limited in some way ?

- wouldn't it just be possible to take the software off the image and move it to a regular 3B+ - is there some reason they don't provide it in package format, with the 5 plug-in limit etc?

TIA

[Pete]

wouldn't it just be possible to take the software off the image and move it to a regular 3B+ -

Yes. Homeseer 3 Lite, Standard or Pro for Linux is a directory. The installation is just to untar a file to a directory and run a script inside of the directory.

With the initial upgrade here from the Zee to the Zee 2 I installed the image to an SD card then copied over the Homeseer directory to another computer.

[amr42]

wouldn't it just be possible to take the software off the image and move it to a regular 3B+ -
The installation is just to untar a file to a directory and run a script inside of the directory..

I think the directory you untar the gz bundle to matters... I just tried it to a Desktop folder and the event scheduler didn't work... Moved my install to /usr/lib/HomeSeer like the autostart script seems to think it should be located within... and everything is now hunky dory...

[rge]

Many thanks for the feedback - I have a second Pi on order so will give it a go.

[Pete]

I think the directory you untar the gz bundle to matters... I just tried it to a Desktop folder and the event scheduler didn't work...

Yes a desktop folder RW rights only exist for the default desktop user.

The default Zee HomeSeer directory is /usr/local/HomeSeer. I put HomeSeer in the root directory. Other users put the HomeSeer directory in the /opt/HomeSeer

After creation of the directories create new users say pete, homeseer and give them RW rights to the Homeseer directory. Create same users in the Homeseer GUI.

You can do that right now with your desktop folder HomeSeer. There are only one or two scripts maybe in the HomeSeer directory that have hard links to the /usr/local/HomeSeer directory. Just make the adjustments to those scripts.

In Linux software configurations is sort of similiar to in Windows. A Linux program will sit installed in say an opt directory or bin or sbin directory and the configuration files will sit on a users home directory. IE: say Kodi

User files for Kodi sit in a kodi directory..../home/pete/.kodi.

With HomeSeer though all of the bin files and configuration files sit in the homeseer directory.

[phillb]

Yeah here purchased Chart Director many years ago for the Windows Homeseer 2 boxes. It was reasonably priced way back.

Pete not sure if you are interested but new Chartdirector seems to work pretty well under Mono only issue I have had is a run time error when specifying transparency greater the &H7Fxxxxxxx as there seems to be a signing issue in .net and greater than this seems to get interpreted as a negative number. The work around is to use a bit shift that seems to placate the compiler/runtime i.e. use &Hxx << 24 OR &Hxxxxxx. All is discussed in more detail on the Chart director website

[Pete]

Thank you phillb

Will check it out ...looking at forum post for Chart Director over here ==> Chart Director Forum

[retiredtech]

I have a Pi3 running a licensed homeseer with the latest updates. Works great. Bought a new Pi3+. Loaded all the new stretch software and updates etc. etc. Works great. Now I want to discontinue the old Pi3 and run under the Pi3+. Much has been written about copying files etc. and moving them over from the Pi3 to Pi3+. I am "real lite" on Linux ability so there is got to be a simpler way of making this transition.
1. Is this feasible: Back up the configuration of the Pi3 then take the Pi3 offline. Download a new copy of the Pi homeseer software and load it onto the new Pi3+ then transfer my license to the Pi3+ and restore the configuration file and then I'm in business?
2. Sorry there is no easy way!

[Pete]

1. Is this feasible: Back up the configuration of the Pi3 then take the Pi3 offline.

Better to shut down Homeseer 3 of the Pi3 then copy over the directory to your computer or usb stick then You want to use the same version of HS3 then you want to update it with current version of Homeseer 3. There are only some OS changes from RPi Jessie to Stretch. Homeseer 3 works the same though.

The entire configuration of HS3 is in the directory. No need for configuration files. The license will be active with the new HS3 set up. Just shut off the old one.

You can easily do this with Ubuntu desktop using a USB to SD card device (well two of them). In Windows WinSCP you can copy over the HS3 directory once HS3 is shut off then boot up your new RPi with SD and copy over the HomeSeer directory. The HS way is to put it in the /usr/local/HomeSeer directory.

[retiredtech]

Pete, I'm having a little difficulty making this work due to lack of Linux smarts....

Here is what I have done: In Ubuntu, brought over the micro SD from the existing Pi3 and copied the HomeSeer directory onto a USB device. Then I brought over the micro SD card from the new Pi3+. Both are now showing in the left hand listing of devices. I then right clicked on the Pi3 HomeSeer directory and selected "copy to". Then I selected the Pi3+ and went down to /usr/local to copy the directory over. But it says I do not have the permission to do so. I messed around with "sudo cp" but never could make that work either. It looks like an authority issue but not sure how to correct it.

[dbvanb]

I have had this permission problem in various places as well, both on the raspberry pi and the SEL. This is a Linux issue I believe. When copying, linux does not
maintain the permissions. I have solved my problems with the command line: sudo chown -r "user" (often homeseer) "name of directory" to change all the permissions.
Then need to sudo chgrp -r "user" "directory". Both owner and group need to be changed. You can look up the exact syntax of the command on the internet, if I messed it
up.
Bruce

[retiredtech]

Bruce, thanks for the info. Actually I chose to run via the command line and this time do it correctly, eg, "sudo cp -a HomeSeer .........." That copied the directory over just fine and the Pi3+ boots up just fine but now I need it to auto-start the HomeSeer program and do not know where to look for that routine on the old Pi3. I would also like to manually start HomeSeer but can't seem to find the right command inside the HomeSeer directory. Any ideas?

Richard

[zwolfpack]

See this thread: https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/de...87#post1237387

Make sure to change where it says /home/pi/HomeSeer to /usr/local/HomeSeer (assuming thats where you copied it to).