ControlBlock Installed - But Doesn't shut down PI

k0zmir

final update on my end :

Tested by flashing 4.5.1 retropie to SD card ->Booted PIE -> Installed driver from retro pie setup -> driver -> control block.

It installed and I enabled the driver and rebooted. After system came up - Led was still pulsing - I went to configure the joystick "4 game pads detected" so the Controlblock player 1 + 2 were detected ( my ps4 controller and USB keyboard were plugged in) But Icould not configure the buttons. (This is probably because i did not disconnect the wires from the controlblock prior to installing the driver)

Hope we find a solution!

petrockblog

Ok, I can reproduce the issue. arcade controls via ControlBlock are working, but the power button does not work as expected. Something must have slipped through with the latest driver update. I will fix that today and give you an update here.

petrockblog

Sorry for that!

k0zmir

@petrockblog
Thank you! This is FANTASTIC NEWS! I thought I was going crazy.

I'm happy we were able to reproduce the issue so that if anyone else is affected they can find the solution in this thread and save themselves the time troubleshooting!

Thank you for your help, I look forward to the fix.

petrockblog

I tracked down the cause to the Raspberry Pi driver side - and not the ControlBlock firmware. That is for sure and good news. I will now work on a fix for the driver. Plan to release it sometime this evening.

k0zmir

Fantastic.

By any chance do you know if the driver was broken for all versions of Retropie? Do you think the new driver will fix it for future and past releases as well?

Looking forward to the update.

petrockblog

I have just released the updated driver at Github.
The driver is the same for all RetroPie versions.
it would be great if you could give feedback here if that solves the issues on your side.

k0zmir

@petrockblog thanks Petrock.

I will test this within the hour and report back.

k0zmir

@petrockblog Good News! It's working now. The LED went solid right after the quick install method. Power Switch confirmed working!

petrockblog

Glad to hear that!

k0zmir

Disregard!

petrockblog

ok, hope things are working for you now.

k0zmir

@petrockblog

Thanks PetrockBlog! I just installed the Control Block on a Raspberry Pi 4 but due to the cooler I had to use dumont connectors - turns out i had 2 wires crossed - which solved my issue.

One question I do have now though... On my RP3 i got a message when i hit my shutdown button that shutdown script had been initiated and it was shutting own. It was a quick screen of terminal text.

On the RP4 though - The system just shuts down and there is no text regarding the shutdown script. Can you confirm on the RP4 this is correct? Or is there a way i can check to ensure the controlblock is running the shutdown script and i'm not just cutting power?

Thanks :)

petrockblog

Glad to hear that!
The PowerBlock only cuts the power if it observes the corresponding signal.
You should be able to see log entries of the PowerBlock in the log file /var/log/syslog.

k0zmir

@petrockblog Thanks!

I had a look at the system log and here are the first few lines of when i started the shutdown.

May 17 22:38:30 retropie systemd[1]: Stopped target Sound Card.
May 17 22:38:30 retropie systemd[1]: Stopping Session c1 of user pi.
May 17 22:38:30 retropie systemd[1]: Stopped target Multi-User System.
May 17 22:38:30 retropie systemd[1]: rpi-eeprom-update.service: Succeeded.
May 17 22:38:30 retropie systemd[1]: Stopped Check for Raspberry Pi EEPROM updates.

Does that look right to you? Or what should i be looking for?

Thanks!

petrockblog

Sorry, I confused it with the PowerBlock.
The logs of the ControlBlock should be in in the file /tmp/controlblock.log.

k0zmir

@petrockblog Thanks!

2020-05-19 03:30:50.802 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Starting ControlBlock driver.
2020-05-19 03:30:50.811 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Created configuration. isEnabled: true, address: 0, pad type: arcade, power switch: true, only one gamepad: false
2020-05-19 03:30:50.812 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Created configuration. isEnabled: false, address: 2, pad type: arcade, power switch: false, only one gamepad: false
2020-05-19 03:30:50.838 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Enabled power signal.
2020-05-19 03:30:50.838 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Created PowerSwitch. doShutdown: 1
2020-05-19 03:30:50.838 DEBUG [447] [Logger::logMessage@18] Starting gamepad polling ...

Looks like it's calling the Shutdown in the second last line!

k0zmir

Hey @petrockblog

Have you heard about any undervoltage warnings when using the control block with a Raspberry Pi 4?

Ever since I switched it over to my Rp 4 i've been getting under voltage warnings. I'm using the same canakit power supply i used on my Rp3 through the control block. The only USB device i have plugged in as a logitech wireless keyboard dongle.

Any ideas?

Cheers!

k0zmir

Answered my own question. I'm using a Canakit 5v - 2.5amp Mirco-Usb raspberry 3 charger.

Because the PI4 requires 5.v at 3 amp my Canakit Micro Usb is underpowering it via the Micro Usb power on the RP4.

To rectify this I ordered the "Argon ONE Raspberry Pi UL Listed Power Supply 5.25 Volts 3 Amps" off amazon.

I'm certain this will resolve my under voltage issues.

k0zmir

@k0zmir Post for Postery incase anyone else runs a control block on a pi 4.

What you need to actually do is buy a USB C to MICRO USB adapter to use on the USB C power supply. After ordering a new 3 AMP micro usb power supply, I noticed that the offical pi 4's run at 3.5 amps. I didn't realize at the time USB C to MicroUSB adapters existed.

Hope this post helps someone.