openHABian hassle-free openHAB Setup

Hardware Server
, ,
999

openHABian v1.3 released!

A few months have passed and it’s time for a new official version of the openHABian scripts and images.
openHABian v1.3 packs many small changes and improvements in both the base images and the openHABian configuration tool.

Changes since v1.2

All git commits can be found here.

  • The RPi ua-netinst image is discontinued
  • The openHABian configuration tool openhabian-config received a complete menu overhaul, with submenus and usage specific sections, including a menu for manual setups
  • Add a function to switch over to the latest openHAB 2.0 unstable snapshot
  • Add the openHAB Log Viewer (based on frontail), is now a default component
  • Add the Amanda backup system, preconfigured by @mstormi (#127)
  • Add optional component NodeRED by @kubawolanin (#152)
  • Warn about and add fix for FireMotD cron job related DDoS (#142)
  • Warn about ua-netinst kernel panic (#153)
  • Mount all relevant openHAB folders under /srv (bind mounts) for ease of use and for backups (incl. correct permissions, see README inside)
  • The folder /srv is accessible via Samba as “openHAB-share”
  • Set all relevant passwords (user, samba, openHAB console) function by @EliasGabrielsson (#141)
  • Serial Port function on latest jessie fixed (#155)
  • Add openhab(ian) users to group gpio
  • Add bluetooth packages (RPi3, RPi0W) (#156)
  • RPi: heartbeat removed (upstream error), successful build indicated by openHAB dashboard
  • PineA64: Save initial random mac as permanent mac (#160)
  • Add an empty file authorized_keys for SSH PKI users
  • Samba veto file directive included
  • The documentation is up to date and includes many hints and answers to questions asked by users in the past few months
    *many more small fixes and improvements

Please check the commit history and the documentation for more details.

Attention Existing Users

In the past couple of weeks two problems arose you SHOULD be aware of.

  1. A wrongly configured cron job created DDoS like request spikes at other servers.
  2. A recent kernel update breaks a ua-netinst based RPi system.

What to do:
Please update the openHABian configuration tool (on SSH console type sudo openhabian-config, then select “Update”). Afterwards warning messages will show up automatically if you are affected by one of these issues.
Follow along the instructions give.

New setups are not affected.

As always for existing setups there is no need to install openHABian anew. To be up to date you should however update openHABian and execute the “Upgrade” option. Next you can go through the menu and execute interesting options as you wish.

New Menu, New Options

The menu of the openHABian configuration tool was growing out of its size. With it’s new submenus and sections for specific topics it’s now ready for new additions, platforms and further optional components.

grafik.png981×450 12.5 KB

  • openHAB Log Viewer

    openHABian always claimed to make working with openHAB easier and to hide the Linux world from the end user. However looking at the log files openhab.log and events.log was something different. As important that is during items and sitemap definition and rule development, these were best viewed via SSH, e.g. via the alias command openhablog.

    2ded5c56-0d0a-11e7-86fd-b5108abe564f.png1451×682

    The openHAB Log Viewer is a webpage to interactively view the logs. The component is automatically installed with a new setup or can be selected from the menu for existing setups. Check it out! More details can be found in documentation.

  • Backups (Thanks to Amanda and @mstormi)

    Often asked for openHABian now finally includes a backup option. You can learn more about this new component in its dedicated README (the file is not yet optimized for a good Markdown presentation, contributions welcome). Please test the new function and report your experience!!!

    At this point I also want to point out the other backup options you have. Under the new Samba share “openHAB-share” you’ll find all your openHAB files. You can simply create a backup from these files from another device.

openHABian v1.3 includes many more changes and improvements. Learn about them in the changes log above and the documentation article.

Feel free to update your system, Install the image or try a manual setup.

14 Likes