Turning ideas into architecture / design...

[NoseyNick]

Having collected a bunch of the "feature requests / ideas" over at #3 , I have started to assemble some early design thoughts. Feel free to discuss...

Mostly hosted on noseynick.net and/or github 🌐 ...

I'm thinking it's probably safe to host most of the live HTML, 🖼️ Images, and Javascript code on my noseynick.net site and/or here on the github repo.

• I was briefly worried "what about IRLP nodes that are not on the internet?" but then I remembered what the I in IRLP stands for - 🙈 DOH!
• Of course IRLP nodes without internet access won't work very well anyway, so I think it's safe to assume if you can access your IRLP node, you can also access noseynick.net and this github repo. 🙄
• Hosting it there, rather than on your node, should keep "node code" small and more secure, allow quick bugfixes / updates, and new features to get to everyone without needing to update everyone's nodes each time something trivial needs tweaking.

The component on your IRLP node

You'll definitely need something running on your IRLP node as well...

• At the very least, for IRLPvMON (monitoring, "read only") type functionality, this needs to be able to serve up bits of logfiles, bits of config files, bits of "status", etc.
• For IRLPvCON (control, write) functionality, it also needs to be able to handle the (not entirely optional) authentication, and running of a (very finite) set of scripts to enable/disable IRLP, Echolink, timeouts, place calls, send DTMF, toggle AUX ports, update irlp-web-console, etc.
• I'm hoping to keep this component very minimal, probably a single Perl script.
  • I recognise that Perl is a bit "old-school", but I know it well, it's already on every IRLP node, it's good for processing mostly-text stuff, and has some appropriate security features for web apps (safe string handling, "tainting" of untrusted data, and others)
  • Having said "very minimal", there may be several good reasons to have "pluggable modules" for optional extra functionality, or if "the Raspberry Pi GPIO bits" need to be swapped out for "Ye Olde Parallel Port bits" after all. You want the special node-side APRS add-ons, plug 'em in. You don't? Then don't. Perl is pretty good at pluggable modules too.
• It should probably be capable of running under the Apache webserver like IRLPvCON / vMON / vMAP does, or with its own (very simple) embedded webserver so you don't need the overhead of Apache if you don't want/need it.
• I want this to be trivial to install, trivial to run, trivial to update, possibly even (authenticated) self-update from noseynick.net / github
• I want it to have not too many external dependencies, if any. Even the Apache external dependency, I'd like to be optional (TBD)
• It will almost certainly require a few other hooks into the IRLP system. IRLPvCON hooks into custom_on and custom_off for example, and I am pretty sure I understand why.
  • It should be able to cleanly install these hooks itself.
  • It should be able to cleanly uninstall these hooks if you change your mind and want to uninstall optional modules and/or the whole irlp-web-console.
  • If it requires (one-off) root access to install hooks in other places (/etc/rc.local?) it should guide you through the process
  • Most of these hooks can (and should) be quite minimal.
  • If most of the hooks are simply "append a special message to to the log", then the web console can do most of the read-only "monitor" functionality by "simply" watching the end of the log for these special events to occur, and triggering appropriately to toggle the blinkenlights or update status etc.

GUI / user experience - events and widgets

I'm thinking it needs an event-driven framework that "follows the log", then a whole bunch of HTML/JS/Image "widgets", each with a tiny trivial purpose and the ability to trigger on different events. There's probably an existing JS event / widget library I can "piggy back" on top of and extend (I've used JQ, but there are likely newer/better frameworks, I'll do a bit of research). Obviously we will need some IRLP-specific widgets...

• One widget built into the "node" script, whose sole purpose is to bootstrap any of the rest from noseynick.net or the github repo.
• A PTT/TX light 🔴, a COS/RX light 🟢, a node name/call widget VE3RBM, a node number widget 2410, a node status widget (idle/connected/etc), UTC date, UTC time, "local" date, "local" time, other widgets for random bits of label text, a link to view this node on irlp.net, etc. All optional.
• Some larger widgets for things like 📜 log file contents, 🗺️ world maps, 📈 "weekly activity" timelines / graphs, 📑 random blocks of HTML describing your node, ⚠️ messages from the admin, etc
• Some special widgets that show nothing, but help to arrange other widgets in rows, columns, etc 🔲🔲🔲
• Some special widgets that switch between various views, mostly by enabling / disabling / hiding / showing some of the above. 👁️
• Some way to edit the above views and arrangements into your personal perfect layout if you're the kind of person who likes detailed tweaking, because this hobby certainly has plenty of "homebrewers" 🤓
• At least one widget which is, itself, a "catalogue" of all the other widgets available for you to install on your node. 📘
• Ability for anyone who knows a bit of HTML and/or JavaScript coding to contribute to the above catalogue of widgets and layouts.
  • You invented a new layout that you are rather proud of? Share it! 😀
  • We don't have a "share on tiktok" widget and you really wanted to be able to share your node on tiktok? Contribute the widget and get it approved/published, 'cos I sure ain't writing that one for you 😜
• Some 🔒 authenticated widgets to "make the node do stuff" like enabling/disabling, placing calls to random nodes, placing calls to "favourite" nodes, dropping calls, and so on.
• Some widgets to accept and handle that authentication 🔑 - "log in" button or whatever
• Because all of the above sounds way too complicated for the non-nerds, a simple setup widget (/ wizard) which lets you configure the vital bits and install a few standard widget sets/designs/layouts. The "easy button" if you like, so you can run approx one command to install, then browse to the node, follow the simple steps, done. 😎

Embeddable

Ability to take any single widget, or small set of widgets, and embed them into other web pages, so your club can list "status of all of our club IRLP nodes" on the club website or whatever. This will need "just enough" of the event-driven framework to be able to update with the "live" status from your node(s) and toggle things on/off as appropriate.

The "bootstrap" page on your node will almost certainly be a special case of this in fact - "here is my config, now please embed the full-page standard layout and widget set for node 2410"

Why?!?

A few big advantages of the above approach - once I've got the basic minimal "node code", and event-driven widget framework sorted, you can all install the "node code" and "play along" as the rest is developed in small manageable chunks - each widget!

⚠️ FAIR WARNING: 🚧 The first version is likely to be ugly as sin, I'm guessing a crude disorganised line of buttons / labels, and a big log / debugging window. Prettier layouts and interesting active content can be added later, in approx priority order.

You'll be able to keep up with announcements here on github, then if you like the sound of a new widget / screen / layout, log into your node's console as admin, browse to the "widget catalogue", add the new function. If a new widget needs new "node code" to work, you can click the upgrade button, and that update installs itself. Someone discovers a security issue? I/we fix it, publish it, and let all admins know "please click on the update button on your web console ASAP to fix ..."

Like a free "app store" for your irlp web console.

So over to you...

Please keep "feature request" posts over in #3, but "how to make them real", architechture, design, implementation discussion, or "heck no not perl" type discussion here. Thanks and 73 -- Nick VA3NNW

[W5CSM]

Nick,

   I Liked your "ugly as sin" comment.  I know this has received little traffic recently but 

know that I am still very interested in assisting from the end user perspective.

73,
Dave - W5CSM

[NoseyNick]

Thanks Dave, yup, sorry, had a few other family priorities. Hope to be able to get some more time to spend on this background-project in the coming weeks.

[W5CSM]

Nick, Please take your time. I also volunteer what talents I have. No pressure and GREAT Thanks!!! 73, Dave - W5CSM

…

On Mon, Mar 7, 2022 at 6:53 PM Nosey Nick ***@***.***> wrote: Thanks Dave, yup, sorry, had a few other family priorities. Hope to be able to get some more time to spend on this background-project in the coming weeks. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#6 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AWKRSQVZQEXSGIVAR4KOSZDU62QIZANCNFSM5IAXMKFQ> . Triage notifications on the go with GitHub Mobile for iOS <https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1477376905?ct=notification-email&mt=8&pt=524675> or Android <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.github.android&referrer=utm_campaign%3Dnotification-email%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dgithub>. You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.*** com>

-- Dave Null - W5CSM ***@***.*** 915-861-2556 YouTube = txw5csm D