1 Topic by bobsz (edited by bobsz 2012-03-10 00:21:39)

  • bobsz
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  • Registered: 2011-01-01
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Topic: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

I read here about a lot of great hacks and solutions to problems, but I hate to admit it flies above me. I haven't done any kind of programming in over 30 years. So please help with the basics, if someone can. I could really use a "walkthrough" of a couple of basics.

First, I read everything starts with the debugchumby script on the root drive of a USB drive, and I think I know how to create one with a text editor. But what is the actual script? Is there more than one debugchumby script for different purposes? Is there anyplace on these forums I could download the script? (I just started trying to make non-.txt files, still a little iffy on that.) I know a couple of great hacks/solutions are zip files ready to go on a USB drive. But I don't understand the foundation that needs to come first, ie debugchumby.

I've tried reading around the web, but I don't understand about "SSH"ing things into the Chumby. I know how to push the button to SSH, but I don't know what to do next. What I need was pretty much written by Deb in an old post from 2010:

Deb wrote:

First, I would like to thank steelpaw for trying to help me understand the first basic steps to putting hack codes into my Chumby.

I would also like to ask the Chumby Forum techies to write a stickied post containing the necessary baby steps from A to Z for those of us that are not coders so that, if we wish, we may attempt some of the hacks talked about on these forums.

It is all very well saying SSH in to do this or that, but if there is no information to tell us EXACTLY where to go and how/what to do once we have actually pressed the SSH 'button' then it is all a moot point.

For example I would like to try the autoreboot hack by zurk, but I simply have no idea where it goes or how.

Thanks

I can't find any such "sticky" on the forum or the wiki, so I hope someone has the time to help. Thanks.

  • Duane
  • Duane
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Re: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

The wiki is a good place to start - check out the Chumby Tricks section.

A "debugchumby" script is just a sequence of commands, much like a Windows ".bat" file.  The first line of the file indicates what language is being used in the file - most use bash commands.  The rest is what ever you want to do.

"ssh" stands for "secure shell".  When you hit the "SSHD" button on the chumby, what you're doing is launching a "daemon" program on the chumby that will accept login connections from another computer.  You need another program on your computer in order to make the connection - typically "ssh" on Mac and Linux, or PuTTY on Windows.  Once you've logged in, you can type commands into the chumby and make it do things.  The chumby runs a special version of Linux, so many of the websites that discuss Linux commands apply to chumby.

Duane's Website

  • Registered: 2012-02-07
  • Posts: 535

Re: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

As Duane suggested, PuTTY is an excellent (stable, small, fast, and free!) Windows SSH client -- you can download it here.  The default login of Chumby is "root" with no password; yes, this is technically a security risk, but since sshd isn't enabled in the first place unless you hit the SSHD button, that sort of mitigates the risk.  Also, keep in mind that you'll need to start SSHD manually every time you boot the Chumby, unless you change that using this trick.  Of course, if you set sshd to run at startup, you may want to consider setting a password for root!

  • Registered: 2010-05-10
  • Posts: 222

Re: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

its easier to start with my offline firmware and play with the files there. you can unzip to a usb drive and go through it with notepad.
it has a proper boot sequence and its easy to get in there and modify stuff. then simply put it into the chumby and reboot to see the alterations etc.

5 Reply by bobsz (edited by bobsz 2012-03-10 17:24:37)

  • bobsz
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Re: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

Thanks to Duane and DrJ for heading me in the right direction. I really want to get to learn this stuff, so the links are great. I guess I thought there was just one "debugchumby" script, and I didn't know what that was. @zurk, I thought your instructions (and most hacks) said the debugchumby script has to be on the usb besides all, so things like that are why I'm starting from ground zero. I want to try some other hacks, too. So I'll try everything, thanks to all.

  • bobsz
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Re: Need help with basics of debugchumby, SSH, etc please?

@zurk- just re-read your original post on your zip file, see that tonight it now mentions it includes the debugchumby file.