Timeouts waiting for blinkchain OS process to reply

[joelbyler]

I'm looking for tips or maybe additional data back to understand these errors. I notice that they've been coming up on a somewhat regular basis. Can I configure timeouts, or should I try and block updates until the previous reply has been received? Is that possible?

20:37:06.682 [error] GenServer Blinkchain.HAL terminating
** (RuntimeError) timeout waiting for blinkchain OS process to reply
    (blinkchain) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:194: Blinkchain.HAL.receive_from_port/1
    (blinkchain) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:109: Blinkchain.HAL.handle_call/3
    (stdlib) gen_server.erl:661: :gen_server.try_handle_call/4
    (stdlib) gen_server.erl:690: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
    (stdlib) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Last message (from :lamp): :render

20:37:06.730 [error] GenServer :lamp terminating
** (stop) exited in: GenServer.call(Blinkchain.HAL, :render, 5000)
    ** (EXIT) an exception was raised:
        ** (RuntimeError) timeout waiting for blinkchain OS process to reply
            (blinkchain) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:194: Blinkchain.HAL.receive_from_port/1
            (blinkchain) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:109: Blinkchain.HAL.handle_call/3
            (stdlib) gen_server.erl:661: :gen_server.try_handle_call/4
            (stdlib) gen_server.erl:690: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
            (stdlib) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
    (elixir) lib/gen_server.ex:1009: GenServer.call/3
    (lamp_control) lib/lamp_control/lamp.ex:48: LampControl.Lamp.handle_cast/2
    (stdlib) gen_server.erl:637: :gen_server.try_dispatch/4
    (stdlib) gen_server.erl:711: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
    (stdlib) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Last message: {:"$gen_cast", {:set_color, "#19ff02"}}

[mobileoverlord]

I see this too. It appears that blinkchain doesn't work anymore with the latest systems

[GregMefford]

Hm yeah that's strange that it would time out without actually crashing.
I just got the example rainbow project updated to work with the latest Nerves conventions and it fired right up for me like I expected. I'll push the updates up for that example project and keep fiddling with it to see if I can get it to break.

[GregMefford]

Ah I see! I am getting the same error messages during boot-up but it's still working fine apart from a momentary glitch that is visible, presumably as a result of the crash. I'm testing it on rpi3 and rpi3a with latest systems (1.11.1).

@mobileoverlord it sounds like maybe it's not working at all for you, right? Do you have a project I can clone and try, or a fw file that's not working?

If you're trying it on a rpi4, I do have one of those to test with, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet - need to get all the hardware put together.

[joelbyler]

FWIW, when I reported back in December, this was on an rpi0, I have a project but haven't touched it since January. I can dust it off and send you a link if thats of interest?

[GregMefford]

No pressure @joelbyler - if the only problem was seeing those logs, then I am able to reproduce that and I can try to figure out why they're happening. It seems like on my end, it's quickly restarting and continuing to work, but that's on much faster hardware (rpi3).

If your project was just breaking and not immediately fixing itself, then I'd definitely be interested to understand why.

[joelbyler]

👍 that's correct, mostly just extra noise in the logs. Thanks for looking into this @GregMefford

[konstantinzolotarev]

@GregMefford @joelbyler Any news on this issue ?

Getting same error from time to time.

18:51:05.713 [error] GenServer Blinkchain.HAL terminating
** (RuntimeError) timeout waiting for blinkchain OS process to reply
    (blinkchain 1.0.0) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:194: Blinkchain.HAL.receive_from_port/1
    (blinkchain 1.0.0) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:109: Blinkchain.HAL.handle_call/3
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:661: :gen_server.try_handle_call/4
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:690: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
    (stdlib 3.12.1) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Last message (from Stairs.Controller): :render
State: %Blinkchain.HAL.State{config: %Blinkchain.Config{canvas: %Blinkchain.Config.Canvas{height: 1, width: 420}, channel0: %Blinkchain.Config.Channel{arrangement: [%Blinkchain.Config.Strip{count: 420, direction: :right, origin: {0, 0}, spacing: 1}], brightness: 32, gamma: nil, invert: false, number: 0, pin: 18, type: :grb}, channel1: %Blinkchain.Config.Channel{arrangement: [], brightness: 255, gamma: nil, invert: false, number: 1, pin: 0, type: :gbr}, dma_channel: 5}, port: #Port<0.33996>, subscriber: nil}
Client Stairs.Controller is alive

    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen.erl:167: :gen.do_call/4
    (elixir 1.10.2) lib/gen_server.ex:1020: GenServer.call/3
    (stairs 0.1.0) lib/stairs.ex:66: anonymous fn/2 in Stairs.on/1
    (elixir 1.10.2) lib/enum.ex:3371: Enum.reduce_range_inc/4
    (stairs 0.1.0) lib/stairs/controller.ex:32: Stairs.Controller.handle_cast/2
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:637: :gen_server.try_dispatch/4
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:711: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
    (stdlib 3.12.1) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3

18:51:05.719 [error] GenServer Stairs.Controller terminating
** (stop) exited in: GenServer.call(Blinkchain.HAL, :render, 5000)
    ** (EXIT) an exception was raised:
        ** (RuntimeError) timeout waiting for blinkchain OS process to reply
            (blinkchain 1.0.0) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:194: Blinkchain.HAL.receive_from_port/1
            (blinkchain 1.0.0) lib/blinkchain/hal.ex:109: Blinkchain.HAL.handle_call/3
            (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:661: :gen_server.try_handle_call/4
            (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:690: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
            (stdlib 3.12.1) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
    (elixir 1.10.2) lib/gen_server.ex:1023: GenServer.call/3
    (stairs 0.1.0) lib/stairs.ex:66: anonymous fn/2 in Stairs.on/1
    (elixir 1.10.2) lib/enum.ex:3371: Enum.reduce_range_inc/4
    (stairs 0.1.0) lib/stairs/controller.ex:32: Stairs.Controller.handle_cast/2
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:637: :gen_server.try_dispatch/4
    (stdlib 3.12.1) gen_server.erl:711: :gen_server.handle_msg/6
    (stdlib 3.12.1) proc_lib.erl:249: :proc_lib.init_p_do_apply/3
Last message: {:"$gen_cast", {:on, :from_middle}}
State: []

[AlejandroHuerta]

I get this error often when rendering. Sometimes multiple times in a row.

[jasonmj]

I too am getting this error. It's hard to pinpoint when or why.

[jasonmj]

Well, I think I got this worked out by setting my dma_channel to 9 as described here: https://github.com/GregMefford/blinkchain#dma-channel-selection

[Lechindianer]

Can confirm @jasonmj fix works on RPI2 with nerves 1.7.4 and nerves_system_rpi2 nerves_system_rpi2

[EricHigdon]

Setting dma_channel to 9 worked for me as well.