New ArduPilot methodic configurator GUI

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  • 3 More templates are available, including yours
  • Fixed the CAN renaming bug
130

No problem on sharing the template under GPL.

Maybe the app is supposed to auto reconnect between steps where flight is required and USB is in use. I had to close and reopen the app every time and then goof around with the drop downs to re-trigger the dialog options. Experienced similar with SiK, though sometimes I could maintain the connection throughout the step and keep things moving along.

Computer in use has a lot of third party drivers from projects like these. I owe it a fresh start. Even so, I bet I’m not the last to experience that type of behavior.

For those following, the ZD550 frame uses 10-15 inch props, has folding prop arms and long, spindly fixed skids. It’s not a great frame, but it’s inexpensive for what it is, and it’s better than some of the floppy plastic BS that’s out there. I’ve never had an issue with the folding arm mechanism, and vibes are quite low overall.

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Now I found the issue. It was a regression I introduced in the last couple of days. I fixed it now. Thanks for reporting. New 0.8.1 release is in CI

1 Like
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v0.8.1 Latest

Commits

133

Related to the differences between your template and mine (if this is a big tangent, I’ll start a new topic):

You used PILOT_TKOFF_ALT of 0. I prefer to set that to 300cm (10 ft). When I used 0 and had the remainder of the TKOFF parameters set correctly for this frame, I noticed that it would take off (in alt hold), gain a few feet, and then nearly land again before climbing up and away (usually commensurate with a big throttle input from me). If I set 300cm, the takeoff was smooth with no altitude oscillation. Could that be indicative of a thrust expo issue? Or is PILOT_TKOFF_ALT=0 the likely culprit all by itself? Hover thrust was set correctly and verified by log review. I don’t have the log on hand to share, and I don’t think you want this topic to turn into a log review topic, anyway.

Which leads me to my next related question - how is the average user supposed to arrive at a good thrust expo value? Tridge’s script seems dead in the water, and most have no access to thrust test stands.

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Very interesting find, your description matches almost perfectly a problem we observed with the Taycan that I brought up here: Discrepancy between EKF altitude and barometric altitude in AltHold
I don’t know if the PILOT_TKOFF_ALT value should be visible in the desired altitude though…

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Altitude control was rock solid after the initial takeoff bobble. Leads me to believe your exploration of EKF fixes was probably not the place to look. Also leads me to believe it’s not a thrust expo issue, though I still want an “every man’s” solution to properly setting that.

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I did edit your template and moved PILOT_TKOFF_ALT=300 from 07_esc.param to 13_general_configuration.param.

Those are good questions, we will need to do some flight tests to test that. Then I can add that to our template as well.

The current method is still to use the “spreadsheet” calculation that I re-implemented in the configurator. (step 11_initial_atc.param)

Yes, that is a pity.

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v0.8.3

Latest

@github-actions github-actions released this 12 Jun 22:02

v0.8.3

9b42c92

Commits

Commits

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v0.8.4

Commits

139

v0.8.5 Latest

Commits

140

v0.8.6

Commits

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v0.8.7 Latest

Commits

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How do I insert the drone photo?? I tried to upload it in the indicated directory but nothing appears.

Immagine drone
Immagine drone2528×1256 81.1 KB

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It has to be called vehicle.jpg and be in the same directory as the param files.

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Hello.

No problem to install ‘MethodicConfiguratorSetup-0.8.7.exe’ on a Windows 10/11 system, but I am an ordinary Linux user, not a developer and would like to have the Configurator on my Debain 12 bookworm desktop.

The README states

Install python pip. Then do:
pip install -U MethodicConfigurator

and there my questions start. Debian is known for shipping most necassary software in its sources. So is it essential to install pip from an external source?

Installed the Debian package ‘python3-pip (23.0.1+dfsg-1)’ and gave it a try.

user@debian:~$ pip install -U MethodicConfigurator
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
    
    See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.

OK, gives me the hint to install pipx from Debian sources.

user@debian:~$ pipx install -U MethodicConfigurator
usage: pipx [-h] [--version]
            {install,inject,upgrade,upgrade-all,uninstall,uninstall-all,reinstall,reinstall-all,list,run,runpip,ensurepath,environment,completions}
            ...
pipx: error: unrecognized arguments: -U
user@debian:~$ pipx install MethodicConfigurator
  installed package methodicconfigurator 0.8.7, installed using Python 3.11.2
  These apps are now globally available
    - annotate_params
    - annotate_params.py
    - ardupilot_methodic_configurator
    - extract_param_defaults
    - extract_param_defaults.py
    - param_pid_adjustment_update
    - param_pid_adjustment_update.py
⚠️  Note: '/home/user/.local/bin' is not on your PATH environment variable. These apps will not be globally
    accessible until your PATH is updated. Run `pipx ensurepath` to automatically add it, or manually modify
    your PATH in your shell's config file (i.e. ~/.bashrc).
done! ✨ 🌟 ✨
user@debian:~$ pipx ensurepath
Success! Added /home/user/.local/bin to the PATH environment variable.

Consider adding shell completions for pipx. Run 'pipx completions' for instructions.

You will need to open a new terminal or re-login for the PATH changes to take effect.

Otherwise pipx is ready to go! ✨ 🌟 ✨
user@debian:~$

This seems to work here and creates folders in ‘/home/user/.local/’

but is that a possible way for an installation and if so, how to go on from here?

br Karl

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Bookworm is a strange new animal for me.

I develop and test the software on ubuntu 20.04 and 22.04

I will add that ‘special’ install procedure when i get some time.

Just run it with ardupilot_methodic_configurator

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You are pushing me to Windows for running your configurator?

Not giving up yet. :slightly_smiling_face: My next try under Debian …

user@debian:~$ git clone https://github.com/ArduPilot/MethodicConfigurator.git
Cloning into 'MethodicConfigurator'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 3542, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (1485/1485), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (470/470), done.
remote: Total 3542 (delta 1064), reused 1324 (delta 989), pack-reused 2057
Receiving objects: 100% (3542/3542), 14.71 MiB | 6.74 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (2408/2408), done.

then

user@debian:~/MethodicConfigurator$ ./install_linux.sh
Updating package lists...
[sudo] password for user: 
Hit:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm InRelease
Get:2 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security InRelease [48.0 kB]
Get:3 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates InRelease [55.4 kB]
Get:4 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main Sources [101 kB]
Get:5 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main amd64 Packages [165 kB]
Get:6 http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security/main Translation-en [98.7 kB]
Fetched 468 kB in 1s (851 kB/s)                                 
Reading package lists... Done
Installing Python3 PIL.ImageTk...
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Suggested packages:
  python-pil-doc
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  python3-pil.imagetk
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
Need to get 74.2 kB of archives.
After this operation, 104 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm/main amd64 python3-pil.imagetk amd64 9.4.0-1.1+deb12u1 [74.2 kB]
Fetched 74.2 kB in 0s (1,322 kB/s)       
Selecting previously unselected package python3-pil.imagetk:amd64.
(Reading database ... 164752 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../python3-pil.imagetk_9.4.0-1.1+deb12u1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python3-pil.imagetk:amd64 (9.4.0-1.1+deb12u1) ...
Setting up python3-pil.imagetk:amd64 (9.4.0-1.1+deb12u1) ...
Uninstalling serial and pyserial...
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
    
    See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.
Installing project dependencies...
error: externally-managed-environment

× This environment is externally managed
╰─> To install Python packages system-wide, try apt install
    python3-xyz, where xyz is the package you are trying to
    install.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian-packaged Python package,
    create a virtual environment using python3 -m venv path/to/venv.
    Then use path/to/venv/bin/python and path/to/venv/bin/pip. Make
    sure you have python3-full installed.
    
    If you wish to install a non-Debian packaged Python application,
    it may be easiest to use pipx install xyz, which will manage a
    virtual environment for you. Make sure you have pipx installed.
    
    See /usr/share/doc/python3.11/README.venv for more information.

note: If you believe this is a mistake, please contact your Python installation or OS distribution provider. You can override this, at the risk of breaking your Python installation or OS, by passing --break-system-packages.
hint: See PEP 668 for the detailed specification.
This system is not Debian-based. Skipping .desktop file creation.
cp: cannot stat '/home/user/.local/share/applications/MethodicConfigurator.desktop': No such file or directory
chmod: cannot access '/home/user/Desktop/MethodicConfigurator.desktop': No such file or directory
MethodicConfigurator.desktop copied to ~/Desktop.
The databases in [/home/user/.local/share/applications/] could not be updated.
Installation complete.

You can run the ArduPilot methodic configurator GUI by executing:
cd MethodicConfigurator
python3 ardupilot_methodic_configurator.py

For more detailed usage instructions, please refer to the USERMANUAL.md file.

leads to the same dead end.

Karl

147

No I’m not pushing you to windows at all.

Linux is great.

And I 'm sure it will work fine in bookworm. We just need to find a way

Im on holidays and away from any PCs. I only have a smartphone. Once I’m back at the office I can help you out more.

After cloning did you try:

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Bookworm tends to enforce venv installs for Python. If your implementation uses global pip modules, it will likely break under Bookworm.