correct shutdown procedure

[richbass]

Is it ok to shutdown my rpi using the ‘shutdown’ command while QLC+ is running, or is it important to press the exit icon in the main toolbar first?

(obviously unsaved changes will be lost)

[mcallegari]

Debian/Raspbian includes systemd, so when you invoke 'shutdown' or 'halt', systemd will nicely stop all the running services in the proper order. QLC+ is one of them.
You can shutdown/reboot from the web interface too. No need to ssh or access the UI every time.

[richbass]

Thanks Massimo

I have wired up a button that invokes shutdown, so it’s very simple to shutdown the pi with one button push, but wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to corrupt any files

[cannopa]

Hi,

I'm trying to set up an unattended lightig display, running on the Raspberry Pi, which I need to switch on and off at set times. I was planning to just use a time switch for the power for the Pi. Starting the display at power on is fine but if I just kill the power to the Pi then the fixtures remain on, following the last command they received.

I'd thought from this thread that if I schedule a shutdown, before killing power, QLC+ would stop the function and turn off the lights but this isn't the case.

I'd thought one solution could be to run a CRON job to kill the current QLC+ and then start another QLC+ Workspace with all fixtures off, but I can't figure out how to access that second workspace from a command line.

I wondered if anyone could suggest ideas as to how I can schedule a graceful shutdown to QLC+ and the running function?

Hope I'm not highjacking this thread, I think it's close enough to the original question but apologies if it should be a new topic.

(P.S. I'm a Linux novice and QLC+ newbie!)
(P.P.S. - I'v no means to just kill the power to the fixtures)

[richbass]

What dmx interface do you use?
When I shutdown my pi the lights go out (using an enttec usb dmx pro interface, and a homemade interface using the pi uart port).
Maybe your interface retains last state of it loses power(?)

[GGGss]

This behaviour is an option inside the fixtures itself also... (mostly you can choose between: refrain previous data, go black, go to automated mode, ...)

[cannopa]

o you use?

The DMX interface is a Xinfly http://amzn.eu/d/5X5nQY6 . It wasn't very expensive so I guess I might just get what I pay for! But you've got me thinking, if I keep the powered hub up supporting the DMX interface and just power down the Pi - that might make a difference. I'll test that tomorrow when I'm there.

[cannopa]

This behaviour is an option inside the fixtures itself also... (mostly you can choose between: refrain previous data, go black, go to automated mode, ...)

I have Chauvet Tour fixtures which do have this option, but I also have MTC PAR64 and PAR144 fixtures which unfortunately don't (according to the data sheet I have).

[cannopa]

But you've got me thinking, if I keep the powered hub up supporting the DMX interface and just power down the Pi - that might make a difference.

Nope, this doens't work, I tried keeping power on the DMX adapter when the Pi powers off and still the fixtures remain at their last command with the adapter I have.
So, the only solution I can see is to schedule, via CRON, to launch a QLC file, not the default one, but one which will just reset all the fixture to black.
I'm using Massimo's excellently crafted image for the Pi but I'm not sure I can actually access workspaces, that I've downloaded via the web interface, to use on the CRON command. Any assistance here would be appreciated (or other solutions!).

[Stringfamily]

cannopa,

I used the script function in QLC+ to create a shutdown function:
systemcommand:/sbin/shutdown

Then I created a Scene that turns off all fixtures.

Then I created a chaser and added 1. The scene to turn off fixtures and 2. The shutdown function.

Works beautifully!

[dgallo]

it's not requisite to create a function and a chaser, the script can induce a blackout before the shutdown :

blackout:on
wait:2s
systemcommand:/sbin/shutdown arg:

Daniel

[markzvo]

?

are you asking?

or telling?

[Battman]

cannopa,

I used the script function in QLC+ to create a shutdown function:
systemcommand:/sbin/shutdown

Then I created a Scene that turns off all fixtures.

Then I created a chaser and added 1. The scene to turn off fixtures and 2. The shutdown function.

Works beautifully!

Sorry to bring this topic up again but I've had a look around the forum and found a few other related posts and been playing around and can't get it to work as you have.

When I try to run this as a system command script linked through a button on VC the lighting scene works, but the shutdown process doesn't do anything at all. Do you have any more info on how you have this set up?


Many thanks,