Brad's Blog

Red Hat 6.2 MySql and Apache Setup

Author: Brad Gibson

Last Revised: 8/30/2012

This configuration was developed using Oracle Virtual Box and Red Hat 6.2 Enterprise Linux server.  A virtual machine was created and loaded with the required and additional packages.

Physical Hardware Information

System
Manufacturer MSI   Model MS-7374   Total amount of system memory 6.00 GB RAM   System type 64-bit operating system   Number of processor cores 4

Storage
Total size of hard disk(s) 1080 GB   Disk partition (C:) 183 GB Free (931 GB Total)   Disk partition (D:) 70 MB Free (100 MB Total)   Media drive (E:) CD/DVD   Disk partition (G:) 29 GB Free (149 GB Total)

Graphics
Display adapter type NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT   Total available graphics memory 3327 MB         Dedicated graphics memory 512 MB         Dedicated system memory 0 MB         Shared system memory 2815 MB   Display adapter driver version 8.17.11.9713   Secondary monitor resolution 1920x1080   Primary monitor resolution 1920x1080   DirectX version DirectX 10

Network
Network Adapter NVIDIA nForce 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet   Network Adapter VirtualBox Bridged Networking Driver Miniport   Network Adapter VirtualBox Bridged Networking Driver Miniport   Network Adapter MAC Bridge Miniport

1. Installation and Configuration of Apache

1. Check or load Apache module

1. System -> Administration -> Add/Remove Software

2. start apache

1. service httpd start

3. add to auto statup

1. chkconfig httpd on
2. chkconfig --list httpd

4. Test Apache from browser

1. http://thor.g.oasdev.net

2. Installation and Configuration of MySQL

5. Check or load MySQL from System -> Administration -> Add/Remove Software
6. Start MySQL as root

1. service mysqld start

7. Add to startup

1. chkconfig mysqld on

8. Check that it is in startup

1. chkconfig --list mysqld

9. Set MySQL root password

1. /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'ultimate1'
2. /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h thor password 'ultimate1'

10. Stop and restart the service

1. service mysqld stop
2. service mysqld start

11. Log into mysql

1. mysql -u root -p mysql
2. create database app_users;
3. use app_users;

12. Create simple test table in app_users        
13. Configure Firewall to allow connections from other computers

1. add port 3306 TCP and UDP as allowed using the

14. Update mysql configuration to allow connections

1. vi /etc/my.cnf

1. add the following lines

1. bind-address = 192.168.1.15
2. port = 3306

2. save file

15. Grant connection acces

2. GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON
    rematch.*
   TO
    'root'@'%'
   IDENTIFIED BY
    'ultimate1’';
3. FLUSH PRIVILEGES;  

Figure 1::

[root@thor ~]#  chkconfig --list mysqld

mysqld                 0:off        1:off        2:on        3:on        4:on        5:on        6:off

[root@thor ~]#  chkconfig --list httpd

httpd                  0:off        1:off        2:on        3:on        4:on        5:on        6:off

It's been a while since I have made a blog entry so I figured I would add a post about Oracle's Virtual Box. In this post I will show you what VBox is and what you can do with it. In this post we will simply install Oracle Virtual Box and then load a Virtual Box image of Red Hat ELS 6.2.

First you need to download Virtual Box from the URL below and install it on your machine. In my case I installed it on both a Windows 7 box and a Mac-mini and I did not have any issues so I won't waste time explaining the Virtual Box installation.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html

Once you have VBox installed you can then download one of Oracle's ready to go VBox images or create a new machine and install Red Hat 6.2.

You can download all different kinds of "Virtual Appliance" images from the URL below:

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/vm/overview/templates-101937.html

The one issue is they all sit on top of Oracle Linux. I do not know any clients that are currently using Oracle Linux in a production environment. Most clients I work with use some recent version of Red Hat.



Here is a quick outline of how to get started with VBox and installing Oracle products onto a virtual machine.

1) Download Virtual Box at link above
2) Install Virtual Box
3) Download Basic Oracle Red Hat Linux image
http://download.oracle.com/otn/other/virtualbox/dd/Oracle_Developer_Day.ova (4.1 GB)
4) Import appliance to Virtual Box (File - Import Appliance)

You can discuss issues in the Oracle Virtualization forum at:

https://forums.oracle.com/forums/forum.jspa?forumID=823

Importing the appliance

See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1200175/log4j-redirect-stdout-to-dailyrollingfileappender

Here is another article about the latest efforts of the 9ma Team which uses the DaqAnalyzer to help analyze the DAQ data from the LINAC.

Backyard Flight

VIDEO-0051.avi

Nothing improves an application like actual use in the field and good feedback from users. After users testing the application at DESY in Germany they wanted a way to save interesting timeframes and then apply those timeframes to a DAQ Project. I have recently add this functionality in a similar manner to the Favorite Channels, as a matter of fact it is accessed through what is called the Channels Explorer. I guess I am going to have to come up with a new name for that window. Now from the Channels Explorer you can select "Favorite Timeframes" from the Source: drop-down.



Once the Favorite Timeframes item is selected you will see your list of favorite timeframes that you can right click on to access the action available. Currently there are two actions available from the Timeframe node, Remove Timeframe and Set Project Timeframe. The remove is self explanatory. The set project timeframe will present a list of projects for the user to select. When the user selects a project the projects timeframe is set to the start and stop time of the selected timeframe.



The timeframe properties are editable through the properties window when a timeframe is selected. Note the Tool-tip gives you information about the timeframe as well as the properties window.



In addition to actions from the Timeframe nodes you have actions available from the Daq Project Nodes. In the image below the Graph Favorite Timeframe can be seen as well as the Add Favorite Timeframe. If you select one of the timeframes the project will be graphed for the selected timeframe without updating the original project unlike the Set Project Timeframe action that is available from the timeframe node.



Another change that users requested was to remove the Long Range timeframe and rename the short range timeframe to indicate only a single available timeframe. With the Project level and channel level functions as well as function parameters this has become obsolete. I changed the interface so that there is only one timeframe in a project.

My son is in Cub Scouts this year and we had to build a Pinewood Derby Racer for this years derby. We came up with a Semi-trailer racer design. He took a Design award at the Pack Derby in January and was invited to complete in the divisional competition which was today. I am proud to say he received a trophy for 2nd place in the divisional competition. A long time judge at the competition said it was one of the best designs he has seen in years. Way to go little buddy!

I figured since it was Super Tuesday now would be a good time for my first political post on my blog. Newt get out, you are wasting our time. You left the House in disgrace and a $300k "fine" for ethics violations. You sir are not Presidential material. If you can't keep a commitment to your 1st or 2nd wives how can we take you seriously on your commitment to the People. Your speech tonight was dishonest and uninspiring. You have been running for public office since 1972. Ever consider retirement? I hear Florida is nice this time of year.

On another note Joe the Plumber won his primary race. You got to be kidding?

I have finalized the design for the first GPS tracker that I will attach to the AR.Drone. I wrote a simple program that builds a string containing the date, time, latitude, longitude, heading, and speed. This data is then sent through the XBee using API mode. A second program on the base station Arduino receives the packet through the XBee and extracts the payload. The program then echos the data to the serial port where it will be picked up by the Java program running on the Mac-mini. The program will then record the data for playback on Google Earth.

Transmitter Code

XBeeAddress64 addr64 = XBeeAddress64(0x0013a200, 0x40703ea9);

ZBTxRequest zbTx = ZBTxRequest(addr64, payload, sizeof(payload));

ZBTxStatusResponse txStatus = ZBTxStatusResponse();

TinyGPS gps;

SoftwareSerial nss(3,4);

void setup() {

  pinMode(statusLed, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(errorLed, OUTPUT);

  xbee.begin(9600);

  nss.begin(4800);

}

void loop() {

...

 if (age != TinyGPS::GPS_INVALID_AGE) {

    sprintf(sz, "%02d/%02d/%02d %02d:%02d:%02d  %s %s %s %s", month, day, year, hour, minute, second, latChar, longChar, altChar, spdChar);

  }

  

  for(int cnt=0; cnt < 55; cnt++) {

    payload[cnt] = sz[cnt];

  }  

  zbTx.setPayload(payload);

  xbee.send(zbTx);

...

}

Receiver Code

XBee xbee = XBee();

XBeeResponse response = XBeeResponse();

// create reusable response objects for responses we expect to handle 

ZBRxResponse rx = ZBRxResponse();

ModemStatusResponse msr = ModemStatusResponse();



....

void loop() {

    xbee.readPacket();

    for(int cnt=0; cnt < 55; cnt++) {

       Serial.print((char)rx.getData(cnt));

    }

...

}

An article written by Leah Helsa about the workshop I attended in June 2011 at DESY. The gentleman in the black shirt looking over his glasses is Gustavo. He lives down the street from me in Batavia and works for Fermi. It is funny that I had to go all the way to Germany to meet him. He introduced me to an excellent little Bistro in Hamburg, Samarkand Bistro. The owner was a great guy. Never before have I had somebody bring me an entire bottle of Ouzo and just leave it on the table. The food was great too.

I had mistakenly set my XBee to the wrong firmware and was not able to change it. I set it to XBP24-ZB with the function set of "ZIGBEE ROUTER/END DEVICE DIGITAL IO", 27A0. This function set of the firmware I does not communicate over the TX/RX lines like the END DEVICE AT that I wanted to set. My typical setup for programming the XBees is to use the Adruino in reset mode. I had to use an FTDI and XBee 3.3v regulated adapter from SparkFun.com. You have to be sure to connect the DTR and CTS wires otherwise you will not be able to reprogram the XBee. I set the BAUD rate to 115200 and selected the XBP24-ZB modem and the "ZIGBEE COORDINATOR AT" as the function set. Be sure to check the "Always Update Firmware" checkbox.

FTDI              XBee Adapter

---------       --------------------

GND              GND

CTS              CTS

3V3              5V

TX0              DIN

RXI              DOUT

DTR              DTR

My main machine for daily development is a Mac-mini. I love the Mac but I hate Apple's keyboards and mice. I carry my Mac-mini back and forth to work every day. I just throw it in my backpack with my keyboard and mouse. I have two monitors at work so I don't need to bring them. The diNovo Edge fits nicely in the backpack without sticking out the top of the backpack. It stays charged forever. I can go a month or two without having to put it in its charging stand. It charges really fast. If for some reason you need it and it is dead you can charge it for a few minutes and get a full days use out of it. The keyboard connects via Bluetooth so it is easy to connect. You can connect it over the Mac-mini's Bluetooth but I recommend you use the Bluetooth dongle that comes with the diNovo Edge, plug and play. I see this keyboard in just about every movie that has a high tech computer room scene so you know it looks cool.

Pick one up at TigerDirect.com

I not so recently sent in the parts from my AR.Drone to be replaced under warranty. The ultrasonic sensors failed on the navigation board mid-flight and this caused the drone to decide it was no longer tethered to the earth and this would be a good time to embark on a trip to the moon. Needless to say, gravity reestablished itself bringing the ill fated mission to a carbon fiber cracking halt. Now Parrot could have given me the run around about replacing this or that but they covered the crash under warranty. The broken parts arrived at Parrot's location on January 26th and I had not heard anything until I called them today. I even sent them an email on the 15th of February but I did not get a response. When I called tech support the representative said he had to check with his manager on it but he was on the phone. He said he would talk to him and send me an email with the status. I didn't expect I would hear from them but a couple hours later I got an email. It is going to be at least another week until they get the parts in.

Hello,

Your parts are on the way to us here as the have been ordered. Once we have them by Friday or Monday then we 

will be shipping them all right out to you. Sorry for the delay, your patience is greatly appreciated.

Thanks



Ticket Details

===================

Department: ARDrone

Priority: Normal

Status: Waiting Parts

Today my software will be loaded into the control room at the German Synchrotron (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) to start monitoring the 9ma tests. For the next week I will be providing on demand support to the other half of my team in Hamburg, Germany. The DaqAnalyzer is a tool designed to help engineers and scientists analyze the tons of DAQ data that is generated from the Free-Electron-Laser's Data AcQuisition system. The data comes in the form of RF waveforms, BIT words, images and other various esoteric data types. The data represents the physical state of some part of the synchrotron at some point in time. The users can create multiple types of graphs using a virtually unlimited library of mathematical and logical functions. This latest version of the DaqAnalyzer has all the bells and whistles. It may have too many features to test in the week ahead but I'm sure John will give it a workout.

I have managed to get the prototype transmitter to send the GPS data over the XBee to the base station receiver. There is still much work to do, especially in the programming area. I plan to use the tinyGPS library to read the NEMA data and then transmit the data over the XBee in API mode. Currently I have the XBees running in AT mode. I would like to change that to API mode. The GPS module is connected to pins 2 and 3 on the Arduino and a SoftSerial is used to read the 4800bps data one line at a time and then transmit it over the TX line through the XBee.