Software Build

This tutorial will walk you through updating, modifying, and building NEPI Software running in a NEPI Docker Container.

For additional support, see the documentation, tutorials, videos, and community forum available at NEPI.com: NEPI Website

NEPI Source-Code Repository Setup

RUN THESE STEPS ON A NEPI HOST DEVICE or NEPI REMOTE DEV SYSTEM

Note: You can run the following NEPI Software Build steps either directly on a NEPI Host device, or on a network connected Linux Ubuntu Remote Dev system for NEPI development. For the remote system build option, you will first need to configure your Remote Dev system for NEPI development. See the NEPI Remote Dev Setup tutorial.

Check or set up an SSH Key for your GitHub Account by typing the following:

nepigithub

Note: If successful, the nepi_engine_ws repo will be cloned to your home folder at ~/nepi_engine_ws.

Additional command line NEPI GitHub commands are available:

nepiclone     # Clone the latest NEPI source-code repo
nepiclonedev  # Clone the latest NEPI Development branch source-code repo
nepipull      # Update to the latest NEPI source-code repo
nepimain      # Switch to the NEPI source-code main repo branch
nepidev       # Switch to the NEPI source-code develop repo branch
nepidpl       # Deploy nepi source-code to nepi device
nepipush      # Push current repo (or submodule repo) if you have push permissions

Other useful NEPI development command line shortcuts:

sshn    # SSH into the running NEPI Software Container
sshnh   # SSH into the NEPI Software Host System

NEPI Software Deploy, Build, and Test Process

RUN THESE STEPS ON YOUR NEPI REMOTE DEV SYSTEM

Check network connection to the NEPI HOST Device:

pingn # Ctrl-C to stop

Deploy the NEPI Source Code to the Device:

nepidpl

RUN THESE STEPS IN THE NEPI HOST

Open a terminal on your NEPI Device (or SSH into your NEPI Device from your NEPI Remote Dev System using the terminal command sshnh).

Run the NEPI Docker Build processes to update your NEPI Docker files (password is 'nepi'):

nepibld
dps # Show running NEPI container

Start a NEPI container running in dev mode (password is 'nepi'):

nepistart # OR 'nepidev' if the container fails to run
dps # Show running NEPI container

Log into the running NEPI container (password is 'nepi'):

nepilogin # OR 'nepidev' if the container fails to run

Note: You can also SSH directly into a running NEPI Container from your Remote Dev System using the command line shortcut sshn.

RUN THESE STEPS IN THE NEPI CONTAINER

Run the NEPI Software Build processes to update your NEPI Container software files (password is 'nepi'):

nepibld
dps # Show running NEPI container

If you don't see any FATAL errors, then test the NEPI software by running:

nepistart

Look for any NEPI software error messages.

Note: You can store your modified NEPI Container software changes any time during development and pick up at a later time by committing the current running NEPI Container with your changes. Just type:

nepicommit # This will commit with an HoursMinutes tag. You can also pass a short custom tag like "dev1"

Note: Once committed, nepistart and nepidev commands will use the committed container.

NEPI Software Modification Process

This section covers modifying NEPI Software source code. If you just want to update your NEPI Docker Container's software, you can skip this section.

RUN THESE STEPS ON A NEPI HOST DEVICE or NEPI REMOTE DEV SYSTEM

Note: If you find errors in the code, you can resolve them one of two ways. Make changes to the source code in your device's ~/nepi_engine_ws repo folder, then: 1) Repeat the Software Deploy and Software Build steps, or 2) Deploy and test quick fixes by opening a terminal in the folder containing the updated source code, then use one of the NEPI SFTP command line shortcuts to log into the appropriate folder on the NEPI Device (e.g. sdk for SDK source code folder changes), then use the put * command to deploy the folder files directly. Then rerun the nepistart command in your NEPI Host Device to retest in the container.

NEPI Container Create Process

RUN THESE STEPS IN THE NEPI HOST

Once you are happy with the NEPI Software changes, you can create, deploy, and import your new NEPI Docker Image (password is 'nepi'):

nepistart
dps # Show running NEPI container

Export and Import the new NEPI Docker Image from the running NEPI Container (password is 'nepi'):

Note: Unless your NEPI Host Device is configured with NEPI's AB File System enabled, the current NEPI Docker Image and all of its commits will be replaced with the imported image.

nepicreate # OR 'nepiexport' to just export the new image without importing back in