Firmware 007: A License to Node

Lazar Demin

We've been hard at work at Onion HQ, sometimes even sleeping on the couch overnight, but all that hard work has paid off...

The Omega now supports NodeJS version 4.3.1!!

The new version requires some updates to the Linux kernel, so you will need to do a full firmware update to prepare your Omega for the latest NodeJS. To reflect this, the Omega firmware version has been changed to 0.0.7

To update to the latest firmware, either run oupgrade in the command line, or upgrade through the console.

Installing Node

opkg update
opkg install nodejs

If you experience any issues, a factory reset should fix everything, just make sure to back up any data you don’t want to lose.

NPM is also available and can be installed with:

opkg install npm

Note that it takes up quite a bit of space, so you will most likely need to transfer your rootfs to USB storage to install both NPM and node.

We’re working on reducing the amount of space the default programs take up so that additional storage is not required to use both programs. Stay tuned.

SPI Support

Also included in the firmware is support for SPI over the GPIOs! There's a static C library, a Python Module, and a command line tool.

There's a wiki article that goes in-depth on how to use the library.
To install the Python Module (and the static C library):

opkg update
opkg install python-light pyOnionSpi

To install the command line tool:

opkg update
opkg install spi-tool

For info on how to use it, run spi-tool -h.
~~A wiki article on the tool is coming soon!~~
EDIT: The wiki article can be found at: https://wiki.onion.io/Tutorials/Using-SPI

A message from the Onion team

We want to take a minute to thank all Onioneers for their support and patience. We've encountered issues with manufacturing and delays with our software, but through this process we've learned how to better manage these activities and what it means to run an IoT startup.

As a team, we're 100% aligned in giving our customers everything that was promised during the Kickstarter campaign and more, the best from Onion is yet to come! Look out, 2016 will definitely be the year of the Omega and the Onion!

PS: Be sure to keep an eye on the Onion Wiki, we’re working hard to add content and make it a valuable resource to the community!

Anders Öster

@Lazar-Demin

When I run oupgrade it says that the firmware is up to date. I'm on 0.0.6 b275. Am I missing something?

Ken Conrad

@Anders Oster

No Anders, appears what we are missing is the Omega firmware update to 0.0.7.

I installed Node 4.3.1-1. Can't use due to "Illegal instruction" error. I am also running the current newest firmware, V 0.0.6 b275.

I'd guess that this announcement was a bit premature, hoping Onion will soon upload their 0.0.7 firmware. Lazar and Onion, thanks for your work to make this possible.

Lazar Demin

@Ken-Conrad @Anders-Öster
Sorry! Oversight on my end, the new firmware should be available now!

Kit Bishop

@Anders-Öster @Ken-Conrad @Lazar-Demin I too am currently on v 0.0.6 b275 and if I run opgrade -check it show that I am apparently up to date and that there is no update available.

There is a file omega-v0.0.7-b281.bin dated 05-Mar-2016 21:09 in http://repo.onion.io/omega/images/ but I am reluctant to use it if it isn't really fully complete yet.

Lazar Demin

@Ken-Conrad @Anders-Öster @Kit-Bishop

The issue was that the oupgrade database was not updated to point to the newest, 0.0.7 firmware. That has been fixed and running oupgrade now will install the 007 firmware

Kit Bishop

@Lazar-Demin Cool thanks I can see it now.

Anders Öster

Thanks @Lazar-Demin , I just upgraded.

Sawyer McBride

updated! cheers @Lazar-Demin

Kit Bishop

@Lazar-Demin Sorry to be picky, I know you people are all very busy, but would it be possible to update the Firmware Change Log at https://wiki.onion.io/Documentation/Firmware-Changelog to cover this latest version.

While I'm at it, would it be possible to re-instate the information on the Wiki that used to list the most recent Latest Changes - I found it very useful to check this form time to time to see what i might have missed - I now miss it

Thanks for all the good work.

Kit Bishop

@Lazar-Demin I may have been a bit premature with my request for update to Firmware Change Log - have just noticed it is now updated. Thanks

Daniel Sitnik

Finally!! This is some great news!

I was starting to get a little worried because as a Kickstarter backer I still haven't seen many of the things that were promised during the campaign. Even things like the Cloud and App Store that were supposed to be released in February (as stated in many topics in this forum) are still unavailable.

But this nodejs 4.3 and npm support is surely great!
Can't wait to do some tests with Blynk now.

Keep up the good work guys.

Mike Kranidis

Daniel, how can interact with blynk?
I mean, how can send blynk commands from let's say Android app to omega?
Do you have / know any good how to to follow?
Thanks

Marcelo Gaio

No space left on device

Even after doing a Factory Reset (firmware .7), I start with just 7MB of free space.
I install nodejs (opkg update; opkg install nodejs), and after that, when I try to install NPM (opkg install npm), halfway through the install, I get a No space left on device error.
And not only NPM is not installed, but the space is left occupied (by the NPM download and the expanded files, I guess)...

Is it possible to install nodejs and NPM without adding any external storage??

Cheers!

Anders Öster

I got the same space problem, and I hadn't installed any other packages before that.

cecemel

Hi there,

thanks for the release!
I both installed node and npm -with storage extension- but npm install seems give some errors:

npm WARN package.json test@1.0.0 No repository field.
npm WARN package.json test@1.0.0 No README data
npm ERR! Linux 3.18.27
npm ERR! argv "/usr/bin/node" "/usr/bin/npm" "install" "--save" "ws"
npm ERR! node v4.3.1
npm ERR! npm v2.14.12
npm ERR! code ENOTFOUND
npm ERR! errno ENOTFOUND
npm ERR! syscall getaddrinfo

Anyone else having the issues?

Anyway, once manually added the packages, node seems to running fine (as far as i tested it)

Victor Quintanilha

Wow! I can now try to build my dream iBeacon

Lazar Demin

Right now, you will need to transfer your rootfs to USB external storage to install both node and npm, as mentioned in the original post:

@Lazar-Demin said:

NPM is also available and can be installed with:
opkg install npm
Note that it takes up quite a bit of space, so you will most likely need to transfer your rootfs to USB storage to install both NPM and node.

We’re working on reducing the amount of space the default programs take up so that additional storage is not required to use both programs. Stay tuned.

Marcelo Gaio

@Lazar-Demin

Note that it takes up quite a bit of space, so you will most likely need to transfer your rootfs to USB storage to install both NPM and node.

So, is it most likely, or is it always that way?... Most likely = MUST?
Why not write MUST in the first place. IF you already know that starting from scratch requires the use of external storage, please be more clear about that in the post.

The disappointing thing is, as far as I have read in the community, that Blynk, node.js, and almost any cool use requires external storage!
It adds space, power consumption, complexity...

It's a shame that all the beauty of the onion (small, simple, compact) is lost because of the insufficient storage

Can we expect to have a lighter/streamlined release that does not require external storage?
Cheers

Stephen Tunney

I just updated my firmware about two hours ago and have just installed node. I'm getting an "Illegal Instruction" when I try to run node for anything other than reporting the version information (-v).

Thoughts folks? I still have free space left on my onion as I removed python-light prior to this. Can't even run a HelloWorld app

Lazar Demin

@Stephen-Tunney which firmware did you upgrade to? also, which version of node does node -v return?