New Project: BeSly System Analysis Tool (BeSlySAT)

Software
1

Hello Haiku users,

the BeSly knowledge base start up a new project of storing hardware data of Haiku users in order to get a hardware database in the future.

http://software.besly.de/images/BeSlySAT.png

Program description:

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About this Project

Many people ask for a database of compatible hardware for haiku. A project like this is a very big work and does not possible without the help of the users himself.

This project will try to generate a database like this, but not only to store compatible hardware, we want to collect all tried hardware, so developers can look into the database to work on new drivers too.

We also add a export funktion to get a text file for the haiku bug tracker, so you can add a hardware profile of your computer within a bug report.

How to use

Analysis:

Then you start the program many informations about your computer will be collected using the system commands “listdev” and “uname”.

You see a list of questions about yours system, answer them to generate a hardware profile of your system.

Store your hardware data using the database menu “add hardwaredata”.

We do a cut between program database and user database, so you can update your program database and add your own files of your user database into the program without destroying older entries.

Send you hardware data to BeSly selecting “Send your Database to BeSly” in the database menu (Here you only send the user database files to BeSly). A mail will be generated with the sending address, your database files included a zip archive and a generated subject.

Database:

Select the “Database” tab to see the hardware database. if you select one of the listed files the Hardware list will be listed at “Hardware”. All other informations are listed in the “Database” table.

Update the database

To update the database, select in the database menu “Update Database”. If a newer version is available you will be asked to install it.

Future plans:

  • We want to generate a online database on the BeSly knowledge base.
  • Some more export functions
  • Let us see that the users asking for
  • We hope to get any help of the Haiku main developers to can collect more usefull hardware informations

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This first release are for testing, bug hunting and idea catching. We hope that many people have fun to send us there hardware informations stored with BeSly SAT.

You can download the HPKG package from our repository website: http://software.besly.de (not available over haikudepot)

It is very usefull in a haiku boot usb stick

We hope you enjoy and help us to make this successful.

Greetings Lelldorin

Tutorial: http://besly.de/menu/search/archiv/misc/beslysat.html
http://www.besly.de

3 Likes
2

It should have an entry for usb ports.

usb 1,2,3

detected?

usable?

etc.

3

For a hardware database it will be fine to know that hardware is supported and that complete system (model of laptop or other) is supported by Haiku.

I think i need to add a text entry field for description of system like you that you have a onboard graphic card and a second one to to use haiku.

My idea for this program comes with this blog: http://aspeers.blogspot.de
He test so many hardware but they does not saved anywhere, only on the blog.

I have added the 3rdparty chanel to my vision configuration and i am online then i am on haiku

4

I have some small suggestions based just on the screenshot, as a native English speaker. These suggestions assume your goal was to write standard English, as would typically be the case in a computer program, rather than a non-standard dialect as you might want to in dialogue for a novel or play.

Although “Witch” is an English word it refers to a person (usually a woman) who performs magic spells or it functions as a pejorative. So you probably want the similar-sounding word “which”, and the sentence you used it in could stand to be improved such as:

“Does one boot icon in particular hang for a long time? Which one?”

Auxiliary verbs in English are tricky, “do” is the right choice for several questions you’ve written, but it can’t work with “able to run” in this way, so you need to use a “be” verb here, in this case the present tense, so try

“Are you able to run the biggest screen resolution?”

but maybe better yet

“Are you able to use the native resolution of your screen?”

Haiku developers have been glad to receive translations into non-English languages over the years from non-programmers and I’m sure a native English-speaking fan of Haiku would step forward if you asked for help writing this text. Not everyone likes to be corrected when using a language naturally in their everyday life, but in a piece of software no-one’s feelings need to be hurt by such improvements.

5

Hi Lelldorin,

i really like the idea.

The problem is pkgman quits with faild to read package info from your hpkg (bad data) :slight_smile:

Some things come to my mind:
A lot of devices are pluged in “internal” over usb (e.g. Cameras and so on) - at least with notebooks.
So the Programm should alson run 

listusb -v

The second thing would be also to add a “Name of the System” thing so vendor and model_name model_number.

So for futher development the online system can guess out from the transmittet components wich model it could be.
And also if someone want to buy a noteboook or a preconfigures system it would be 10 x more helpfull to have a overview models how well it is supportet than comparing every hardware detail.

The last thing is the data transfer:
The best way would be - if it could sync it directly with a Server side service (i dont know if there is something already avaliable for linux or open/freebsd) Becaus - i for exampel didnt configured a mail on my haiku machine (i only use webmail). Or offer a “upload” section on the besly webpage. - but syncing - would be of course - be the best.

Greets Paradoxon

6

The hpkg also failed for me. I added the BeSLY repository, but the app is not listed there yet.

7

it is not available using haikudepot, only as download from our Website, in this early state.

8

I did the download from the site, but the package will not install. I have 3 PC’s running Haiku, and would like to get them into your database, as well as help improve the app.

9

Hi!

Definitely a welcome initiative!
In case you weren’t aware, there’s a script by mmu_man, HardwareChecker.sh. It’s been there for a while and the only thing really missing was a server backend to store and present and query the sent forms. Maybe you can find some inspiration from the info it gathers.

Regards,
Humdinger

10

Ok, now the download should be run again. I need to include the hpkg into a zip file, because after upload the hpkg file was empty. Sorry for this mistake :-(.

11

[quote=NoHaikuForMe]I have some small suggestions based just on the screenshot, as a native English speaker. These suggestions assume your goal was to write standard English, as would typically be the case in a computer program, rather than a non-standard dialect as you might want to in dialogue for a novel or play.

Although “Witch” is an English word it refers to a person (usually a woman) who performs magic spells or it functions as a pejorative. So you probably want the similar-sounding word “which”, and the sentence you used it in could stand to be improved such as:[/quote]

Args you are right, i should change this.

[quote=NoHaikuForMe]“Does one boot icon in particular hang for a long time? Which one?”

Auxiliary verbs in English are tricky, “do” is the right choice for several questions you’ve written, but it can’t work with “able to run” in this way, so you need to use a “be” verb here, in this case the present tense, so try

“Are you able to run the biggest screen resolution?”

but maybe better yet

“Are you able to use the native resolution of your screen?”[/quote]

Is native the right solution to ask for the biggest screen resolution? I think first one it the best for this. Thanks

Yes this should be a goog way.

12

[quote=Paradoxon]Hi Lelldorin,

i really like the idea.

The problem is pkgman quits with faild to read package info from your hpkg (bad data) :-)[/quote]

Yes the file was empty, a copy problem to the server.

[quote=Paradoxon]
Some things come to my mind:
A lot of devices are pluged in “internal” over usb (e.g. Cameras and so on) - at least with notebooks.
So the Programm should alson run 

listusb -v
[/quote]

This sounds good, but pluged usb divices does not part of the system so i am not really think this will be a good part of BeSlySAT?

[quote=Paradoxon]
The second thing would be also to add a “Name of the System” thing so vendor and model_name model_number.[/quote]

Yes i have fields to enter these informations. Only model number is not included and therefore a good proposal.

[quote=Paradoxon]
So for futher development the online system can guess out from the transmittet components wich model it could be.
And also if someone want to buy a noteboook or a preconfigures system it would be 10 x more helpfull to have a overview models how well it is supportet than comparing every hardware detail.[/quote]

I share this opinion

[quote=Paradoxon]
The last thing is the data transfer:
The best way would be - if it could sync it directly with a Server side service (i dont know if there is something already avaliable for linux or open/freebsd) Becaus - i for exampel didnt configured a mail on my haiku machine (i only use webmail). Or offer a “upload” section on the besly webpage. - but syncing - would be of course - be the best.[/quote]

We know currently not exactly how we will do that. But for the first, the email solution should work.

13

[quote=humdinger]In case you weren’t aware, there’s a script by mmu_man, HardwareChecker.sh. It’s been there for a while and the only thing really missing was a server backend to store and present and query the sent forms. Maybe you can find some inspiration from the info it gathers.
[/quote]

Good idea Humdinger :slight_smile: Thanks

14

I haven’t had an opportunity to use the app yet, but hope to try it tonight after work.
Are you mostly interested in the stock hardware configuration? In my particular case, the on-board Intel graphics driver does not work with Haiku, so I have to use a PCIe Radeon card (which has its own issues with Haiku). Should separate reports be created for each possible hardware configuration?
Perhaps those of us who are testing the app could chat about it on the Haiku 3rd Party Development IRC?

15

[quote=bbjimmy]It should have an entry for usb ports.

usb 1,2,3

detected?

usable?

etc.[/quote]

Paradoxon ask for it before too, and now i will add this parts to the program, because the used usb hardware like mouse, keyboard and other need to detect too.

16

Wow! This sort of thing is the type of project I had hoped Haiku would have some time. I’ll keep the hardware list up here just in case: (http://www.landoftheleaves.org), but if all goes as planned, it sounds like the old list can be deprecated nicely. :slight_smile: Best of luck to you and I hope your work helps the Haiku team!

17

There should probably be a selection for differentiating between a “laptop” and “desktop” PC, since desktop systems are much more likely to be a custom hardware configuration.

18

That was my idea too, but I can not think term parent, among which I can Laptop, Notebook, Netbook and specify that.

Proposal:

  • Stationary PC
  • Mobile PC (laptop, notebook, netbook)
  • Tablets
  • Server
19

Is there in addition to the listed data even more data from your computers? The list says nothing about your computer only determine components.

20

ok Here is a selection of things which I will include next time:

  • more options regarding pc type
  • number of USB ports (USB 1 to USB3)
  • Notice
  • gathering of the data from the commands listusb, listdev, ifconfig… and storing into text files for the developers