Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu

DjDiabolik

@mitu
just another purpose test... open new terminal and:

diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0
dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti = 0
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ /opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py kcub1 kcuf1 kcuu1 kcud1 0x0a 0x20 0x1b 0x00 kpp knp -d
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ 2024-09-19 18:25:40,148 DEBUG  Using SDL Version 2.30.0, PySDL2 version 0.9.16
2024-09-19 18:25:40,201 DEBUG  Joystick #0 DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick added
2024-09-19 18:25:40,201 DEBUG  Added configuration for known device DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick, hats: {}, buttons: {6: 'pagedown', 4: 'pageup', 0: 'y', 2: 'x', 1: 'b', 3: 'a'}, axis: {0: [(-1, 'left'), (1, 'right')], 1: [(1, 'down'), (-1, 'up')]}
2024-09-19 18:25:42,926 DEBUG  Events emitted: ['left']
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 557, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ^^^^^^
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 549, in main
    event_loop(configs, joy_map, tty_fd)
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 409, in event_loop
    fcntl.ioctl(tty_fd, termios.TIOCSTI, c)
OSError: [Errno 5] Input/output error

just to understand... what sets that value that we set to 1?

mitu

@DjDiabolik said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

No more input/output error but i need to terminate the command whit CTRL + C.

Yes, that's normal.
I don't understand whether this works for you after the command I posted. I seems that the joystick works to command runcommand, but not the keyboard ? Confusing.

Lolonois

@DjDiabolik said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

what sets that value that we set to 1?

It forces the Linux kernel to allow a potential unsafe system call which mimics tty inputs. It can be a security vulnerability when crafted input is processed as the input is not sanitized. This long standing security loophole was fixed with kernel 6.2 onwards, hence the IOError respective crash. With the setting dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1 the pre 6.2 kernel behaviour is restored.

About the system call and the TIOCSTI value see man 2 ioctl and man 2 ioctl_tty (FWIW section 2 of man is for system calls).

The security implications are explained here: https://ruderich.org/simon/notes/su-sudo-from-root-tty-hijacking

HTH

DjDiabolik

@Lolonois said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

It forces the Linux kernel to allow a potential unsafe system call which mimics tty inputs. It can be a security vulnerability when crafted input is processed as the input is not sanitized. This long standing security loophole was fixed with kernel 6.2 onwards, hence the IOError respective crash. With the setting dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1 the pre 6.2 kernel behaviour is restored.

About the system call and the TIOCSTI value see man 2 ioctl and man 2 ioctl_tty (FWIW section 2 of man is for system calls).

The security implications are explained here: https://ruderich.org/simon/notes/su-sudo-from-root-tty-hijacking

HTH

Very great explanation.... I'm not an expert, in fact it was just a trivial curiosity of the case :)

@mitu said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

I don't understand whether this works for you after the command I posted. I seems that the joystick works to command runcommand, but not the keyboard ? Confusing.

It seems that the "retropie setup script" terminal crash issue and the problem of the "runcommand" options being inaccessible (every button pressed on the arcade stick seemed to be ignored) they are two distinct and in any case unconnected problems.
Try to explain better:

With dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1 :

Choose and open a game. The "runcommand" window appear. I can reach the "runcommand" option also if i press a button on my "arcade stick" and i can navigate all voices in the terminal windows.

With dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0 :

Choose and open a game. "Runcommand" window appear. Every button i press on my "arcade stick" it's like they're being ignored. Sometime, after two or three buttons pressed, the system crash report windows appear and i can send system report (I still haven't figured out who, what and where he sends this information to).
For open the "Runcommand" option i need to press any button on the keyboard. All "runcommand" voices can be navigate only by keyboard using the arrow keys. Apparently joy2key not work.

whatever the value of "dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti" is instead It has no effect on the "retropie setup script" issue crash. Every other terminal windows launched from ES continue to crash like "EsThemes" "Show Ip" "RunCommand Option" etc etc.

If I explain it and write it in my language in Italian then you can translate it into English do you think it's better? Maybe that way I can explain the situation better.

DjDiabolik

@mitu and all other user partecipated here :)

For made runcommand works look what did i do..It's a rude method but at the moment I don't see any alternatives:

create an "alternative" retropie.desktop on .local/share/application . This alternative .desktop point a file .sh :

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=/usr/bin/retropie.sh
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name[de_DE]=RetroPie
Name=RetroPie
Comment[de_DE]=RetroPie
Comment=retropie
Icon=/usr/local/share/icons/retropie.svg
Categories=Game

retropie.sh it's contain:

#!/bin/bash

file=/tmp/file.$PPID
 
if ! [ -f $file ]; 
then 
    echo 1 >$file && sleep 1 && rm $file
else
    sleep 10 && exit 0
fi

_isRunning() {
    ps -o comm= -C "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -x "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
}

if ! _isRunning emulationstatio; then
    sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1
    gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- emulationstation
    sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0

fi

exit 0

In this mode i'm "vurnerable" only when emulationstation it's running... and during that i can obtain the runcommand option work.

DjDiabolik

@mitu and @Lolonois

And have some news... from Today also whit dev.tty.tiocsti=1 joy2key start to crash anyway.

Look here:

diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1
dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti = 1
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ /opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py kcub1 kcuf1 kcuu1 kcud1 0x0a 0x20 0x1b 0x00 kpp knp -d
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ 2024-09-23 17:30:31,527 DEBUG  Using SDL Version 2.30.0, PySDL2 version 0.9.16
2024-09-23 17:30:31,580 DEBUG  Joystick #0 DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick added
2024-09-23 17:30:31,580 DEBUG  Added configuration for known device DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick, hats: {}, buttons: {6: 'pagedown', 4: 'pageup', 0: 'y', 2: 'x', 1: 'b', 3: 'a'}, axis: {0: [(-1, 'left'), (1, 'right')], 1: [(1, 'down'), (-1, 'up')]}
2024-09-23 17:30:35,213 DEBUG  Events emitted: ['left']
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 557, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ^^^^^^
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 549, in main
    event_loop(configs, joy_map, tty_fd)
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 409, in event_loop
    fcntl.ioctl(tty_fd, termios.TIOCSTI, c)
OSError: [Errno 5] Input/output error

From right now Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS it's not more capable to use runcommand and retropie ecosystem.

mitu

@DjDiabolik said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

And have some news... from Today also whit dev.tty.tiocsti=1 joy2key start to crash anyway.

I don't see why the workaround wouldn't work anymore - I suggest you re-check that the sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1 is run before your tests.
I'm working on a solution to eliminate the workaround and the cause of the crash, but it's not yet fully tested.

DjDiabolik

@mitu
I can't even explain it to myself why it doesn't work anymore.. lol :)

For right now my retropie.sh it's that:

#!/bin/bash

sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1

file=/tmp/file.$PPID
 
if ! [ -f $file ]; 
then 
    echo 1 >$file && sleep 1 && rm $file
else
    sleep 10 && exit 0
fi

_isRunning() {
    ps -o comm= -C "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -x "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
}
   
if ! _isRunning emulationstatio; then
    #gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -e emulationstation
    #sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1
    gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- emulationstation
    #sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0
    #sudo gedit

fi

sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0

exit 0

Look right now.. i have tryed to put the tiocsti = 1 and 0 before and after emulationstation runned.
It seems like they are being ignored...
And i ask... why ?

The strange things ? If i open manually a terminal windows and i manually enable the tiocsti and only after that i execute emulationstation runcommand work.
If i try for .sh not work... strange.

DjDiabolik

OMG... i have problably understand what's my issue... look that:

diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ /usr/bin/retropie.sh
dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti = 1
dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti = 0

Here i have tryed to launch retropie.sh from a manual opened terminal.... the tiocsti it's correctly setted to 1...

But in my case i need to SET this value at 0 only when i exit from emulationstation.

On my retropie.sh instead emulationstation it's correctly launched but immediatelly after the tiocsti it's setted back to 0 and runcommand it's not accessible :)

I think I'll avoid resetting it to zero for now....We said that the setting resets when the system reboots. I just hope I don't expose my NUC Mini PC to any risks during daily use...

DjDiabolik

Lol... founded another workaround..... right now my .local/share/application/retropie.desktop :

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- /usr/bin/retropie.sh
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name[de_DE]=RetroPie
Name=RetroPie
Comment[de_DE]=RetroPie
Comment=retropie
Icon=/usr/local/share/icons/retropie.svg
Categories=Game

And this /usr/bin/retropie.sh :

#!/bin/bash

sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1

file=/tmp/file.$PPID
 
if ! [ -f $file ]; 
then 
    echo 1 >$file && sleep 1 && rm $file
else
    sleep 10 && exit 0
fi

_isRunning() {
    ps -o comm= -C "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -x "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
}
   
if ! _isRunning emulationstatio; then
    emulationstation
    #sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1
    #gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- emulationstation
    #sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0
    #sudo gedit

fi

sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0

exit 0

This apparently it's a good workaround.
basically run the retropie.sh directly in a windows terminal, the tiocsti it's setted correctly to 1. And after that emulationstation it's launched.
Since it is launched in a terminal window runcommand is now properly accessible also from my arcade stick..
So when i choose to exit from emulationstation tiocsti it's setted again to 0 as default and terminal windows it's closed himself.

I thinks it's a good solution.

Thanks in advance for support and and for future fixes that will give back the possibility to use the retropie setup script directly from emulationstation.

-- EDIT --

Little TWEAK Operation on retropie.sh... now it's :

#!/bin/bash

file=/tmp/file.$PPID
 
if ! [ -f $file ]; 
then 
    echo 1 >$file && sleep 1 && rm $file
else
    sleep 10 && exit 0
fi

_isRunning() {
    ps -o comm= -C "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -x "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1
}
   
if ! _isRunning emulationstatio; then
    sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=1
    emulationstation
    sudo sysctl -w dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti=0
    #gnome-terminal --full-screen --hide-menubar -- emulationstation
    #sudo gedit
else
    wmctrl -a emulationstation
fi

exit 0

I have to install wmctrl to set focus to emulationstation if it's already runned.

All this it's to prevent a double istance if you made a erroneous double on retropie icon on left dock :)

mitu

The latest RetroPie-Setup version updares joy2key to a new version that's no longer dependant on dev.tty.legacy_tiocsti being modified from the default. You can give it a try by updating RetroPiet-Setup, joy2key will be automatically updated in the process.

DjDiabolik

@mitu

Yes I have seen the recent and latest commits.
Now I do all the updates... I edit everything and remove the "sysctl" entries from my retropie.sh and update you.

Should this also fix the 'retropie setup script' thing that crashes when launched from emulationstation?

DjDiabolik

@mitu no friends.... apparently the new joy2key it's not resolve the issue.

I have try to run a games and press a button during runcommand windows and there's happen this:

Open the detail it's appear this:

If you thinks it's usefull i can also try to run joy2key from terminal........ i try to edit this same post in a minute.

DjDiabolik

In a terminal it's happen this:

Try to lauch 'Retropie setup script' and other tools from emulationstation all goes in crash after you press a key or touch somethings on my arcade stick.

Look at here... for works good from terminal apparently i need to launch joy2key on sudo right now:

diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ sudo /opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py kcub1 kcuf1 kcuu1 kcud1 0x0a 0x20 0x1b 0x00 kpp knp -d
2024-10-16 03:21:20,549 DEBUG  Debugging enabled, running in foreground
2024-10-16 03:21:20,549 DEBUG  Cannot determine input code for "0x00", value ignored
2024-10-16 03:21:20,549 DEBUG  Cannot determine input code for "0x00", value ignored
2024-10-16 03:21:20,549 DEBUG  Joy map:
 {'left': 105, 'right': 106, 'up': 103, 'down': 108, 'a': 28, 'b': 57, 'x': 1, 'y': 0, 'pageup': 104, 'pagedown': 109}
2024-10-16 03:21:23,482 DEBUG  Using SDL Version 2.30.0, PySDL2 version 0.9.16
2024-10-16 03:21:23,483 DEBUG  Creating uinput keyboard devices with events: [(1, 105), (1, 106), (1, 103), (1, 108), (1, 28), (1, 57), (1, 1), (1, 0), (1, 104), (1, 109)]
2024-10-16 03:21:23,536 DEBUG  Joystick #0 DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick added
2024-10-16 03:21:23,536 DEBUG  Added configuration for known device DragonRise Inc. Generic USB Joystick, hats: {}, buttons: {6: 'pagedown', 4: 'pageup', 0: 'y', 2: 'x', 1: 'b', 3: 'a'}, axis: {0: [(-1, 'left'), (1, 'right')], 1: [(1, 'down'), (-1, 'up')]}
2024-10-16 03:21:32,167 DEBUG  Events to emit: ['down']
2024-10-16 03:21:32,168 DEBUG  Emitting input code 108
^[[B2024-10-16 03:21:41,959 DEBUG  Events to emit: ['up']
2024-10-16 03:21:41,959 DEBUG  Emitting input code 103
^[[A2024-10-16 03:21:43,827 DEBUG  Events to emit: ['left']
2024-10-16 03:21:43,828 DEBUG  Emitting input code 105
^[[D2024-10-16 03:21:45,544 DEBUG  Events to emit: ['right']
2024-10-16 03:21:45,544 DEBUG  Emitting input code 106
^[[C^C2024-10-16 03:21:47,829 DEBUG  /opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py exiting cleanly
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$

Emulationstation how use current joy2key ? By sudo or not ?

mitu

@DjDiabolik said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

Emulationstation how use current joy2key ? By sudo or not ?

The RetroPie setup (or the other dialog based configuration tools) is using sudo to launch, but not runcommand. Your user needs to be part of the input group, which apparently is not done by default on Ubuntu ?

I'll modify the installation routine to make sure the user is part of the input group, so the 1st error (for runcommand ) does not happen anymore.
EDIT: ok, update RetroPie-Setup and then re-login/reboot, the next run of runcommand (starting a game) should not give you an error.

DjDiabolik

@mitu ok... i have unpdate 'retropie setup script' to last recent commit.... and reboot my ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS

Apparently from terminal nothings it's changed :

diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$ /opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py kcub1 kcuf1 kcuu1 kcud1 0x0a 0x20 0x1b 0x00 kpp knp -d
2024-10-16 12:07:25,089 DEBUG  Debugging enabled, running in foreground
2024-10-16 12:07:25,089 DEBUG  Cannot determine input code for "0x00", value ignored
2024-10-16 12:07:25,089 DEBUG  Cannot determine input code for "0x00", value ignored
2024-10-16 12:07:25,090 DEBUG  Joy map:
 {'left': 105, 'right': 106, 'up': 103, 'down': 108, 'a': 28, 'b': 57, 'x': 1, 'y': 0, 'pageup': 104, 'pagedown': 109}
2024-10-16 12:07:27,766 DEBUG  Using SDL Version 2.30.0, PySDL2 version 0.9.16
2024-10-16 12:07:27,766 DEBUG  Creating uinput keyboard devices with events: [(1, 105), (1, 106), (1, 103), (1, 108), (1, 28), (1, 57), (1, 1), (1, 0), (1, 104), (1, 109)]
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 608, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ^^^^^^
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 600, in main
    event_loop(configs, joy_map)
  File "/opt/retropie/admin/joy2key/joy2key_sdl.py", line 334, in event_loop
    kbd = uinput.Device(events=keyboard_events, name="Joy2Key Keyboard")
          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/uinput/__init__.py", line 178, in __init__
    self.__uinput_fd = fd or fdopen()
                             ^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/uinput/__init__.py", line 84, in fdopen
    return _libsuinput.suinput_open()
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/uinput/__init__.py", line 70, in _open_error_handler
    raise OSError(code, msg)
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Failed to open the uinput device: Permission denied
diabolik@NUC-Ubuntu:~$

From emulationstation i need to test to run one games..... edit in a moment.

DjDiabolik

From emulationstation no works.... it's impossibile to open the "runcommand" option and i have tryed to press many times my controller buttons but not working.
The "runcommand" option it's not open also if i click some keyboard buttons....

mitu

@DjDiabolik Is your user in the input group` ?

DjDiabolik

@mitu said in Retropie setup menu/Runcommand crashing in ES on Ubuntu:

@DjDiabolik Is your user in the input group` ?

How do I find out?

mitu

@DjDiabolik You can run the id command and it should print the list of groups. However, it seems it's not enough on Ubuntu to enable write-access. I'll take a look again to see what options are available.
Thanks for testing.