Lirc Odissey...

ohyeah · 06-02-2005, 02:33 PM

I've tried to install lirc many times but never been able to get it working.

I was just curious about lirc so I never struggled with it so much, but since some months ago, I heard about a java API that interacts with lirc I'd like to try it (should be funny

) .

I'm running Slackware with a recompiled 2.6.7 kernel on an asus a2500h laptop with built-in IrDA.

After searching over google again and again, I found some useful threads on this forum dealing with lirc but didn't solve my problem.

So this is the point where I am:

port configured in BIOS

from "dmesg" I can see that the port is recongnized:

Code:

Serial: 8250/16550 driver $Revision: 1.90 $ 48 ports, IRQ sharing enabled
ttyS1 at I/O 0x2f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A

So unpacked lirc-0.7.0.tar.gz and then executed "./configure" as the INSTALL file says then in the ncurses configuration tool:

1-> driver configuration
6-> IrDA Hardware
1-> SIR IrDA (built-in IR ports)
then selected (X) 2 COM2 (0x2f8, 3)
3-> Save configuration & run configure

Configure ends without problems with the following output in the end:

Code:

You will have to use the lirc_sir kernel module.

Now enter 'make' and 'make install' to compile and install the package.

both 'make' and 'make install' end tasks correctly, so I assume Lirc Installed (allright!) .

I'm quite sure about the port but I'm going to check again:

Code:

root@ohyeah2:~# cat /proc/tty/driver/serial
serinfo:1.0 driver revision:
0: uart:unknown port:000003F8 irq:4
1: uart:16550A port:000002F8 irq:3 tx:0 rx:0 CTS|DSR
2: uart:unknown port:000003E8 irq:4
3: uart:unknown port:000002E8 irq:3
4: uart:unknown port:000001A0 irq:9
5: uart:unknown port:000001A8 irq:9
6: uart:unknown port:000001B0 irq:9
7: uart:unknown port:000001B8 irq:9

[ ... ]

The port is used by the serial driver. I'm going to free it by the command :

Code:

root@ohyeah2:~# setserial /dev/ttyS1 uart none
root@ohyeah2:~# cat /proc/tty/driver/serial
serinfo:1.0 driver revision:
0: uart:unknown port:000003F8 irq:4
1: uart:unknown port:000002F8 irq:3 <---- Was here, remember?
2: uart:unknown port:000003E8 irq:4
3: uart:unknown port:000002E8 irq:3
4: uart:unknown port:000001A0 irq:9
5: uart:unknown port:000001A8 irq:9
6: uart:unknown port:000001B0 irq:9

[ ... ]

So I think the port should be free... . Then i do:

Code:

root@ohyeah2:~#depmod -ae
root@ohyeah2:~# lsmod | grep lirc
lirc_dev               13580  0
root@ohyeah2:~# modprobe lirc_sir io=0x2f8 irq=3
FATAL: Error inserting lirc_sir (/lib/modules/2.6.7/misc/lirc_sir.ko): Device or resource busy

The /dev/lirc exist as you can see :

Code:

root@ohyeah2:~# ll /dev | grep lirc
crwxrwxrwx  1 root root    61,   0 2005-06-02 20:01 lirc
prw-r--r--  1 root root          0 2005-06-02 20:01 lircd
prw-r--r--  1 root root          0 2005-06-02 20:01 lircm

In a post on this forum i found that the "depmod -ae" command solved his problem...
but it isn't my case unfortunately... (anyway I don't even know what it does exactly )

Can anyone help me?

(I'm not so good with English so if there are mistakes I'll appreciate if anyone will make me notice them.)

Many Thanks for attention.

ohyeah · 06-02-2005, 02:47 PM

I forgot to quote an other interesting thread that could be useful:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...?postid=745195

ohyeah · 06-02-2005, 03:05 PM

Found another post that i havent seen before that is very similar to mine...
Probably I should have posted there:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=327993

ohyeah · 06-25-2005, 07:04 PM

Oooohyeeeaah...

Finally my lirc works very well with every remote command i tried with!

Thanks to me and the lirc documentation... : ) .

Well i can see that not everyone is interested in lirc but anyway i'm going to post final steps
that brought me to have a full working lirc... :

*** Got new kernel .
I don't know if there are kernel compatibilities issues but i've done it anyway. (did'nt hurted...) .

*** Configured it
I think here is the matter! The serial module should absolutely be compiled as module.
The module in the config file should be called:

CONFIG_SERIAL_8250

so here is my "cat config | grep SERIAL" :

<CODE>
CONFIG_PARPORT_SERIAL=m
# CONFIG_MOUSE_SERIAL is not set
CONFIG_SERIAL_NONSTANDARD=y
CONFIG_SERIAL_8250=m
CONFIG_SERIAL_8250_CS=m
# CONFIG_SERIAL_8250_ACPI is not set
CONFIG_SERIAL_8250_NR_UARTS=4
# CONFIG_SERIAL_8250_EXTENDED is not set
CONFIG_SERIAL_CORE=m
# CONFIG_SND_SERIAL_U16550 is not set

[ .. ]

</CODE>

I can't say surely that the module is the right one because I marked as module some others, but i'm sure about it at the 98% : ) .

If someone knows more please tell me... . Anyway in the "menuconfig" can be reached by:

Device Drivers --->
Character devices --->
Serial drivers --->
<M> 8250/16550 and compatible serial support

*** Recompiled the kernel then almost followed the steps in my previous post
But this time inserting the lirc_sir module (with modprobe lirc_sir io=0x2f8 irq=3) gave no errors!!

"mode2" gave correct output on remote command key press so I started configuring my LIRC!.

For the configuration I followed the documentation on the lirc website .

I found that can be very useful using lirc with dcop, doing it under KDE is amazingly easy with a tool called irkick.

*** OK DONE!

I'd like to write a very-mini-mini-howto for Lirc with built in irda, but i lack some info and i don't know anything about the "format" of an howto. I've read many howtos but I wish to know if there is a standard style and what should it contain.
Anyone wrote an howto?
Could you say to me if there are some "essential parts" that an howto MUST have (such as a GPL licence or stuff like that...) ?

Bye and thanks !

romagnolo · 08-23-2011, 05:11 AM

Ciao ohyeah! I'm facing a more subtle problem with lirc but thankyou for posting you solution!