[OUTDATED] How to Install Piaware v 3.7.2 on Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic) & Ubuntu 19.04 (Disco) amd64 / Intel PC

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
1

SUMMARY

|Distro|dump1090-fa|piaware|Remarks|
|—|—|—|—|—|
|Ubuntu Bionic 18.04 (LTS)|OK|OK|OK|
|Ubuntu Disco 19.04|OK|OK after workaround|Workaround done for cx_Freez-5.1.1
(due to MLAT fails and gives following warning:
Fatal Python error: initfsencoding: Unable to get the locale encoding)|


STEP-BY-STEP METHOD


Click here for Ubuntu Bionic 18.04 (LTS)

dump1090-fa

sudo apt update 

sudo apt install -y git lighttpd 
sudo apt install -y build-essential debhelper dh-systemd 
sudo apt install -y libboost-system-dev libboost-program-options-dev  
sudo apt install -y libboost-regex-dev libboost-filesystem-dev libsoapysdr-dev  
sudo apt install -y soapysdr-module-rtlsdr librtlsdr-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev  
sudo apt install -y pkg-config libncurses5-dev libbladerf-dev  

git clone https://github.com/flightaware/dump1090.git dump1090-fa  
cd dump1090-fa  
sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b  
cd ../  
sudo dpkg -i dump1090-fa_3.7.2_*.deb  
sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa

(2) piaware

sudo apt update 

sudo apt install -y git devscripts build-essential debhelper 
sudo apt install -y tcl8.6-dev autoconf python3-dev python3-venv 
sudo apt install -y virtualenv dh-systemd zlib1g-dev tclx8.4 
sudo apt install -y tcllib tcl-tls itcl3 net-tools 
sudo apt install -y libboost-system-dev libboost-program-options-dev 
sudo apt install -y libboost-regex-dev libboost-filesystem-dev 


git clone https://github.com/flightaware/piaware_builder.git 
cd  piaware_builder 
./sensible-build.sh bionic

cd package-bionic 
sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b
cd ..
sudo dpkg -i piaware_3.7.2*.deb

sudo piaware-config feeder-id xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx 
sudo systemctl restart piaware



.
Click here for Ubuntu Disco 19.04

(1) dump1090-fa

sudo apt update 

sudo apt install -y git lighttpd 
sudo apt install -y build-essential debhelper dh-systemd 
sudo apt install -y libboost-system-dev libboost-program-options-dev  
sudo apt install -y libboost-regex-dev libboost-filesystem-dev libsoapysdr-dev  
sudo apt install -y soapysdr-module-rtlsdr librtlsdr-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev  
sudo apt install -y pkg-config libncurses5-dev libbladerf-dev  

git clone https://github.com/flightaware/dump1090.git dump1090-fa  
cd dump1090-fa  
sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b  
cd ../  
sudo dpkg -i dump1090-fa_3.7.2_*.deb  
sudo systemctl restart dump1090-fa

(2) piaware

sudo apt update 

sudo apt install -y git devscripts build-essential debhelper 
sudo apt install -y tcl8.6-dev autoconf python3-dev python3-venv 
sudo apt install -y virtualenv dh-systemd zlib1g-dev tclx8.4 
sudo apt install -y tcllib tcl-tls itcl3 net-tools 
sudo apt install -y libboost-system-dev libboost-program-options-dev 
sudo apt install -y libboost-regex-dev libboost-filesystem-dev 


git clone https://github.com/flightaware/piaware_builder.git 
cd  piaware_builder 
./sensible-build.sh bionic

cd package-bionic 

## Next two commands are Workaround for MLAT issue
sudo rm -rf cx_Freeze-5.1.1
git clone https://github.com/anthony-tuininga/cx_Freeze.git cx_Freeze-5.1.1

sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b
cd ..
sudo dpkg -i piaware_3.7.2*.deb

sudo piaware-config feeder-id xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx 
sudo systemctl restart piaware

.

2 Likes
2

Are there any advantages/disadvantages to using Ubuntu over Stretch?

edit - I’m not trying to be cheeky. I’m probably going to make a new image for one of my PIs so I figured I’d ask.

3

  1. I have both Ubuntu amd64 and Debian amd64 installed on my Desktop through Oracle VM. I did not notice any significant advantage or disadvantage. It is matter of personal preference wheather to use Debian or Ubuntu.

  2. Ubuntu is Debian based.

4

This thread is for Ubuntu amd64 which is installed on Intel Desktop/Laptop. I have never installed Ubuntu on RPi

5

I’ve put Ubuntu Mate, which is Bionic 18.04, on a few PIs in the past, just never for piaware service. I guess kind of apples to oranges on the platform and flavors.

1 Like
6

Just to test, wrote Ubuntu-Mate 18.04 on a spare microSD card and slipped the card in RPi, connected monitor+keyboard+mouse, booted, configured, enabled SSH, then successfully installed piaware & dump1090-fa (package install) by method given here: https://flightaware.com/adsb/piaware/install.

1 Like
7

Very nice. I think this will be my first Pi4 project.

8

Well that didn’t work for me:

Installing ./doc/tcllauncher.n
make[2]: Leaving directory ‘/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/tcllauncher’
install -d /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/piaware/usr/lib/piaware/helpers
install -t /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/piaware/usr/lib/piaware/helpers dump1090/faup1090
/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/python /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/cxfre eze --target-dir=/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/piaware/usr/lib/piaware/helpers /home/pi/piaware_builder/pac kage-bionic/debian/venv/bin/fa-mlat-client
/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/python: can’t open file ‘/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/deb ian/venv/bin/cxfreeze’: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
make[1]: *** [debian/rules:66: install_mlat-client] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory ‘/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic’
make: *** [debian/rules:88: binary] Error 2
dpkg-buildpackage: error: debian/rules binary subprocess returned exit status 2

Any ideas? Note that I already did tried your fix with alternate Freeze-5.1.1 at previous step.

9

Which distro you are using, Ubuntu Bionic (18), or Ubuntu Disco (19)?

The cx_Freeze-5.1.1 workaround is only for Ubuntu 19 Disco.

10

Disco, sorry I wasn’t clear…

Got to go to my daytime job now.

11

@SoNic67

I have tested it on Ubuntu Disco 19.04, works like a charm. Current version is 19.10, on which I have not tested the method.

The cause of problem may be any of these

  • Some of the dependencies did not get installed. Repeat commands to install dependencies and carefully watch the output.
  • Some of the files got corrupted during cloning of source code. Delete the cloned folder and issue the clone command again.
  • If above two do not solve the problem, then problem may be due to version of Ubuntu. Try older version 19.04

EDIT: Ignore above writeup. Read following:
Workaround commands:

sudo rm -rf cx_Freeze-5.1.1 
git clone https://github.com/anthony-tuininga/cx_Freeze.git cx_Freeze-5.1.1

Seems workaround’s first command worked, but second command did not work, resulting in following error message:

/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/cxfreeze’: [Errno 2] No such file or directory

Repeate workaround commands, then check
ls piaware_builder/package-bionic
Does folder cx_Freeze-5.1.1 exist? If yes, then give this command:
sudo dpkg-buildpackage -b

If error message repeats, delete the folder piaware_builder, and repeat the whole process.

1 Like
12

install -t /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/piaware/usr/lib/piaware/helpers dump1090/faup1090
/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/python /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/cxfreeze --target-dir=/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/piaware/usr/lib/piaware/helpers /home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/fa-mlat-client
/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/python: can’t open file ‘/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic/debian/venv/bin/cxfreeze’: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
make[1]: *** [debian/rules:66: install_mlat-client] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory ‘/home/pi/piaware_builder/package-bionic’
make: *** [debian/rules:88: binary] Error 2
dpkg-buildpackage: error: debian/rules binary subprocess returned exit status 2

13

Seems some missing files in cloned source code.

Delete cloned directory piaware_builder and then start again from begining.

https://github.com/flightaware/piaware_builder/blob/master/README.md

14

Yesterday I installed Ubuntu 19.10 amd64, and found building piaware package fails when workaround mentioned for Ubuntu 19.04 are carried out, exactly like you have experienced.

I then deleted the cloned folder piaware_builder and repeated process again, but this time without any workaround for cx_Freez, and the package built successfully.

Further observations:

The piaware package builds successfully after following dependencies are installed, as mentioned on page https://github.com/flightaware/piaware_builder/blob/master/README.md

build-essential debhelper tcl8.6-dev autoconf python3-dev python3-venv dh-systemd libz-dev

However when this package is used to install piaware using sudo dpkg -i at the end there is a warning you have held broken package, and I had to run sudo apt --fix-broken install, which installed following packages, and then everything was OK

sudo apt --fix-broken install
.... .... ....
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  itcl3 net-tools tcl tcl-tls tcllib tclx8.4

CONCLUSION (Ubuntu 19.10):

(1) Do NOT carryout any workaround for cx_Freez.

(2) Install following dependencies before cloning & building.

## Package required for cloning the source code:
sudo apt install git

## Dependencies & tools specified in flightaware's github page for piaware_builder:
sudo apt install build-essential debhelper tcl8.6-dev autoconf python3-dev python3-venv dh-systemd libz-dev

## Additional dependencies required to avoid "broken install' warning:
sudo apt install itcl3 net-tools tcl tcl-tls tcllib tclx8.4

EDIT:

Dont use Workaround, package builds & installs :smile:, BUT :rage:

Nov 03 14:29:42 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: Starting multilateration client: /usr/lib/piaware/helpers/fa-mlat-client --input-connect localhost:30005
Nov 03 14:29:42 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: mlat-client(2186): Fatal Python error: initfsencoding: Unable to get the locale encoding
Nov 03 14:29:42 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: mlat-client(2186): ImportError: invalid flags 1570553265 in 'encodings'
Nov 03 14:29:42 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: mlat-client(2186): Current thread 0x00007fd1b4c46740 (most recent call first):
Nov 03 14:29:43 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: got EOF from multilateration client
Nov 03 14:29:44 ubuntu19 piaware[2044]: fa-mlat-client exited with SIG SIGABRT

Use workaround, package fails to build :slightly_frowning_face:

QUIT UBUNTU DISCO

1 Like
15

I have tried the Bionic LTS, but the Ubuntu install it gave some errors on my Windows 10 VM.
I kinda abandoned the idea, thank you!

1 Like
16

Let us wait till Flightaware releases new version of piaware. I hope it will have cx_Freez bug fix for Ubuntu Disco.

1 Like
17

Why dont you try Debian 10 amd64? It starts up and runs faster than Ubuntu. Also Piaware and dump1090-fa build and run on it without any issues.

Current Stable Version: debian-10.1.0-amd64-netinst.iso
Download Page: Index of /debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd
Direct download link: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/debian-10.1.0-amd64-netinst.iso

I have been using Ubuntu for about a decade.
Last year I installed Debian. I found it is much faster than Ubuntu.

I like Option “Install” better than “Graphical install”

image
image656×559 23.3 KB

1 Like
18

I didn’t. I tried Ubuntu over the Windows 10 Hyper-V Manager (on a desktop).
Well… it seemed to install everything except that it didn’t “see” my airspy device… not sure if the USB ports are redirected correctly.
I might need to get something better as my VM, like VMWare.

19

During installation, when you reach this screen, enable SSH

image
image814×680 22.7 KB

1 Like
20

Did you install Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack?
Without it USB 2.0 & 3.0 are NOT enabled. See 2nd screenshot below.


image

.

.

image
image876×597 25.1 KB