SOLVED: tt-rss Update Deamon Not Running after Update

I solved the problem where after an update tt-rss displayed a red box “Update Deamon not Running” [regrets for not having a screen shot of that].

What I found, and I am sure it is in the documentation is that in the tt-rss/lock directory, there are two files: update_deamon.lock and update_deamon.stamp and mind had significantly different time stamps [ ls -l * ], one immediately after the update. I deleted them both and restarted my httpd.service and the deamon ran successfully after that.

I would post this on a support forum or upvote wherever I found it; however, I just took a quick look around for an error log and lock files to warm up my awareness of key issues prior to checking those. Yeah me!

Solved HDMI not working on Raspberry Pi 3 for Vizio P-Series

There is the theory that the HDMI output of the Raspberry Pi is only initialized if a monitor/television is connected and powered up before a Raspberry Pi 3 is turned on.
Yet when I connect my Raspberry Pi 3 to a old Panasonic Plasma display the Raspberry Pi actually turns on the device and the screen activates every time.
Not so with the Vizio P series I just hung on the wall.

Aside: some of the Panasonic HDMI ports were damaged in a painting disaster…never use a 20lb weight to hold a tarp.

With the Vizio, whether the monitor is on or off and the correct HDMI port is selected or not, the Raspberry Pi 3 simply never brings up HDMI output.

Edit the /boot/config.txt file and uncomment these two lines

#hdmi_force_hotplug=1

#hdmi_drive=2

And the device works every time from every state.  The first line is as it appears, the second activates HDMI and enables sound rather than DVI mode which does not.

I did like that the Vizio takes edits the HDMI connection in its table to Raspberry

Moodle 3.6 Log Problems

I am having backup problems, and was troubleshooting other issues earlier in the year, and my resolution at the semester was to export all the classes, create a clean database and reload the classes thereby getting rid of any cruft issues from a not-as-old-as-one-might-think Moodle setup.
The day started easily but I kept getting a nagging feeling that the classes were to large and found a mdl_log table in the database with entries from years ago and quite a large number of them. Apparently Moodle upgraded and did not remove the old log. So I used TRUNCATE and emptied the table. Of course I had researched the table and implications, backed up the database and so forth.
I then changed the log retention date to 2 days and ran cron repeatedly and was unable to trim the mdl_logstore_standard_log file at all and it was huge as well. I finally used TRUNCATE on that file as well.
I am a week along and the log files are running fine, no logs are appearing in the old table and I am hopeful the current logs are being pruned in accordance with the configuration.
I still haven’t resolved the backup issues and I am sure I have something else in the database and I pass on the obvious lesson that a Moodle site should be completely rebuilt annually, or on some regular schedule, to ensure that old data/tables are pruned or removed effectively.
If I could just resolve the backup stretching out as well as the backups in some, but not all, classes being retained I would have this system under control. Soon though.

Moodle Automated Backup Problems

I am back to troubleshooting, yet again, the problem of Moodle backups taking forever and a day. An actual day, for very small courses.

A second problem occurring with the automated backups is that the old backups are not being purged so the file system is filling up with them rather than purging/pruning them. I am solving the problem at present by a weekly manual clean up.

I could simply pour over the forums for an answer, which has not produced results. I could look at tables/records in the actual database for anomalies and that strikes me as time consuming. Or I could wait until the semester break in two weeks and backup and export each class and all the information and create a brand new instance of Moodle and restore the classes into that and see if that leaves the cruft and problems behind.

I am going with that alternative in the interests of cleaning up any other problems I am not yet aware of that affect other areas including performance.

Will post my results.

MagPi magazine #75

The 75 Greatest Raspberry Pi Projects star in this month’s edition of The MagPi.


FREE PDF OF MagPi #75 HERE

We asked our entire community, and stars from the Raspberry Pi Foundation, to unearth the best projects around. The result is an inspirational list of things to create. 

Also! Install the brand-new Raspberry Pi TV HAT official add-on board. Discover how to record and watch live television on your Raspberry Pi.

Plus all this inside The MagPi 75:

  • 4D Arcade
    Building an arcade cabinet that sprays water in your face when you crash.
  • Add 433MHz radio
    Build a secret chat device with Raspberry Pi to send and receive messages
  • Vintage knitting
    How one engineer hacked a knitting machine to create a giant star map
  • Camera Module
    How to add sight to your projects with the Raspberry Pi Camera Module. Plus! The best Camera Projects around.
  • Starter kits
    These amazing bundles make getting started with Raspberry Pi a breeze.
  • Minecraft resources
    Hack, build and code virtual worlds with Minecraft Pi.
  • Maker Faire New York
    The team visit the states and check out some amazing builds.
  • And much, much more