Odroid Etcher development thread

[joshua.yang]

Hi, all.

After I saw the URL download function from Etcher someday, I thought that it'd be great if I can modify this to download the Odroid image when using the URL download function.
So I have started, and have developed Balena Etcher for our Odroid images in my spare time last a couple of months.
And the result is; Successful.

(Updated #2) Check these screenshots.

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Could you find out the button named Flash Odroid image in the first image?

In the original Balena Etcher, that is the button to download an image file via URL a user entered. It hasn't been that long since it was added.
I replaced that button to the new button showing a dedicated procedure to select an image file to finally download.

I tried to use the "Balena things" including their UI components so that the new UI of the new modal to be showing familiar with the original one.
And I also tried to not interfere with the original components such as selecting a drive, flashing an image. That means, all the other functionalities alive even after my modification.

(Updated) I packed this for Linux and macOS, and Windows.

(Updated #3) The image list is from my AWS server. So I can update/correct the download URLs without building new binaries.

(Updated #2) Please notes,
Note 1: In the macOS application, it will warn you that the app is not signed. This program is not harmful (at least on my codes), so you can ignore that. But if you still have some doubt about this you can check that the source codes.
Note 2: In Windows, you can ignore a kind of security warning showing when you about to complete downloading the execution file. And, to use this properly, you have to run this as an administrator.
Note 3: If you find a bug, it may be the Etcher's bug, may not one by this Odroid edits unless you have faced in the Odroid modal.
Note 4: I'm new to Electron + React + Typescript. Any improvements to the codebase will be welcomed.
Note 5: Please share your ideas if it inspires you.

I opened this full source codes here: http://github.com/awesometic/odroid-etcher
And the download link is here: https://github.com/awesometic/odroid-etcher/releases

[AreaScout]

That was a good idea, didn't try it yet but I will, I hope my NAS Image will also be select able in the future

RG

[rooted]

I starred the repo and will definitely be looking at this, I would love for this to include CoreELEC as well

Awesome idea @joshua.yang

[mad_ady]

Indeed! It should be advertised on the wik on every firmware release page. And it should include links to official Android releases, as well as community releases, like *elec, petitboot recovery, Meveric's Debian, tobetter's installers, voodik's Android, etc.

Since it needs network anyway, it should read a "manifest" file curated by HK that points to various official/community releases.
You could have a simple backend script that crawls through that file and checks that the links are valid.

One thing though - can it automatically validate the checksum of the downloaded file?

[joshua.yang]

Thanks for the ideas.
Looks it is definitely needed to add the options for the awesome third-party OS.

Indeed! It should be advertised on the wik on every firmware release page. And it should include links to official Android releases, as well as community releases, like *elec, petitboot recovery, Meveric's Debian, tobetter's installers, voodik's Android, etc.

Since it needs network anyway, it should read a "manifest" file curated by HK that points to various official/community releases.
You could have a simple backend script that crawls through that file and checks that the links are valid.

One thing though - can it automatically validate the checksum of the downloaded file?

I will ask them to add the release page into our Wiki websites as soon as Odroid Etcher more matured.

I agree with that "manifest" file. I'll make a generator that crawls their websites for the manifest things.
The one that I concerned about is that the websites keep growing with changing their layout and/or link so it may become a huge job to code with for every change.
Cannot sure at this moment, but I will do crawling them though because it is one of the simple and easy ways I have to go.

Validating the checksum is involved in the official Etcher program. You can check this the end of the flashing process.

[mad_ady]

One complication of having a list of firmwares to download would be choosing the best mirror for the user...

[rooted]

One complication of having a list of firmwares to download would be choosing the best mirror for the user...

I think simplicity negates the need for speed, although it would be nice.

[mad_ady]

Since I made that post, I got to try this etcher build. And it lets you chose your mirror when downloading an image. So that's settled!
By the way, nice to see you back, we've missed you!

[joshua.yang]

Yes, there're four steps to determine the image URL to be downloaded.

These are the screenshots of the Linux version. I'm using KDE for the main Linux development environment.

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Here're to-dos at this moment.

- Building it for the Windows system. I'm sill trying on it. I think it almost closed but couldn't produce a result. It is making me a Windows expert.
- Improving structure for those steps. I have been thinking about how it lists multiple images in multiple places. For now, I decided to list our Android and Ubuntu images first, with somewhat improved structure.
- I found that the Etcher team is working on implementing the storing downloaded image feature. I think it will be very useful for us as well. If they put the core codes somewhere in the source tree, maybe I can use them.

[joshua.yang]

Finally, I was able to build this for Windows. I uploaded this portable execution file to the release page mentioned at the bottom of the original post.
To use Etcher on Windows properly, have to run this as administrator.

I didn't know that msys2 is the best assistant for development in Windows.

odroid-etcher-1.5.109.PNG (24.56 KiB) Viewed 14003 times

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Simple answer for those who wonder why the Windows version couldn't be built on Linux or macOS, even it is based on Electron:
Some modules have platform dependency. So, this Etcher program have to be built on each OS respectively to generate an execution file.

Now I can continue to develop this.

[joshua.yang]

The Linux AppImage file for ARM64 platform has been uploaded.

To run the odroidEtcher for ARM64, an additional package might be needed. Try the following command in this case.

Code: Select all

sudo apt install zlib1g-dev

[rooted]

This will help so many people that download the wrong image and/or use the wrong tool to flash.

I look forward to the userbase growing

[superpowter77]

I just found out this was available by watching tobetter latest GPIO emuelec 4.0 video. This is awesome. I've been keeping my fruity board w/32bit OS to flash all my Odroid and RK3399 images for a long time. Many thanks to joshua.yang for taking the time to develop, build and compile a forked Etcher for Odroids. Keep it up guys.

[joshua.yang]

Long time no see. I have updated Odroid Etcher.

Since I built a simple web server where provides a simple JSON string, the Odroid Etcher will get the images list from there so that the list can be updated without building new binaries.
And I merged the new patches from Balena Etcher.

Have updated the original post too.

This is still in the early stage, please be aware of using this.

[superpowter77]

Long time no see. I have updated Odroid Etcher.

Since I built a simple web server where provides a simple JSON string, the Odroid Etcher will get the images list from there so that the list can be updated without building new binaries.
And I merged the new patches from Balena Etcher.

Have updated the original post too.

This is still in the early stage, please be aware of using this.

Awesome job, so there's No ARM64 version yet. We'll wait then...

[joshua.yang]

Awesome job, so there's No ARM64 version yet. We'll wait then...

I have uploaded the ARM64 binaries.

For now, this version can provide,
- Hardkernel official OS images
- @tobetter's Ubuntu/Debian and Petitboot recovery (spiupdate_odroid*.img.xz. spiboot*.img is also shown but it is not for flashing use)
- @meveric's Debian (Recently)
- @voodik's LineageOS (Recently)

I will patch this for providing Armbian and CoreELEC. Currently, this version cannot recognize them correctly even with the right URLs.

[superpowter77]

Awesome job, so there's No ARM64 version yet. We'll wait then...

I have uploaded the ARM64 binaries.

For now, this version can provide,
- Hardkernel official OS images
- @tobetter's Ubuntu/Debian and Petitboot recovery (spiupdate_odroid*.img.xz, spiboot*.img is also shown but it is not for flashing use)
- @meveric's Debian (Recently)
- @voodik's LineageOS (Recently)

I will patch this for providing Armbian and CoreELEC. Currently, this version cannot recognize them correctly even with the right URLs.

Many Thanks, Working perfectly on HC4 with tobetter's Ubuntu 20.04 LTS & 5.9 kernel

[joshua.yang]

Hi.

I updated Odroid Etcher after a long time.
There are a few noticeable changes.

- Updated base to Etcher v1.5.115
- Added support for Armbian
- Added support for CoreELEC
- Increased the images table size so that we can see more items on one looking
- Changed the images table theme to the built-in one Etcher using
- Added more contents to the confirmation page. Now it shows the selected options
- Changed the loading text to the spinner animation
- Added a filter for showing only the available images for the selected board. This enforces the images must have the proper word like model name in their filename

See the attached screenshots.

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Please share your thoughts.

Here's the release page: https://github.com/awesometic/odroid-et ... v1.5.115-1
BTW, I can't create Linux AppImage for ARM64 though. I don't know why it errors. ?

[rooted]

Awesome work @joshua.yang

[datatrash]

Wow, @joshua.yang! This is great.

Will you also include the other boards in future releases? Like the gaming handhelds?

And a humble suggestion: Maybe integrate a "Back" button to go back to the previous step in the image selection dialogue. So that one can actually kind of browse through the available images.

[joshua.yang]

Will you also include the other boards in future releases? Like the gaming handhelds?

Added now.

The image list is fetched from my API server (Actually it is not that "API" thing for now. I'll develop more..). If there are no significant changes like changing CSS style on the release page, I always can edit the shown list.

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And a humble suggestion: Maybe integrate a "Back" button to go back to the previous step in the image selection dialogue. So that one can actually kind of browse through the available images.

Why not. I'm one of those who get a kind of bother from the absence of a back button.
I will add that to my to-do list.

[datatrash]

I'm repeating myself, but: Wow, @joshua.yang!
That is awesome! Eagerly awaiting new releases here.

[skare]

Any ETA on the Windows binaries for v1.5.115?

[joshua.yang]

Any ETA on the Windows binaries for v1.5.115?

In fact, I can't use my Windows computer since my home has been repairing until this weekend.
I will upload the Windows versions early next week.

[skare]

Any ETA on the Windows binaries for v1.5.115?

In fact, I can't use my Windows computer since my home has been repairing until this weekend.
I will upload the Windows versions early next week.

Thanks, looking forward to it and no stress

[joshua.yang]

Thanks, looking forward to it and no stress

Finally I got to my Windows machine working and could build the Odroid Etcher Windows binaries.
I just uploaded them to the Github release page.
Please check that and let me know it works or not.

[skare]

Thanks, looking forward to it and no stress

Finally I got to my Windows machine working and could build the Odroid Etcher Windows binaries.
I just uploaded them to the Github release page.
Please check that and let me know it works or not.

Works perfectly, thank you!

[joshua.yang]

Works perfectly, thank you!

Thanks for confirming.

[joshua.yang]

Hi all.

It's time to upgrade Odroid Etcher again.. even I don't know how many people use this program. I do know at least two for sure: me, and @tobetter

Anyway, I was waiting for the new Etcher version since 1.5.116 which is the latest at this moment. And I planned to add the new features with the new version. But there's no news for the new version from Balena so far. Looks like they are working on the new Electron version.
So I changed my plan. First, I'll release the new Odroid Etcher version based on 1.5.116 (the current version is based on 1.5.115), and then will add some features one by one.
The new version that has the updated base will be uploaded soon, and the new features will be coming within 2~3 weeks.

And, I deleted Armbian images from the image list. Armbian uses h5ai listing system at the development moment but now they change the directory listing system. And that new download page is quite hard to be parsed on the program.
That doesn't mean impossible, but, if they change their strategy regularly it will cause uncomfortable situations such as suddenly disappearing from the Odroid Etcher.

Rather, I added DietPi to the image list. We will be able to download and flash DietPi from the Odroid Etcher directly soon.

[soerenderfor]

Hi all.

It's time to upgrade Odroid Etcher again.. even I don't know how many people use this program. I do know at least two for sure: me, and @tobetter

Anyway, I was waiting for the new Etcher version since 1.5.116 which is the latest at this moment. And I planned to add the new features with the new version. But there's no news for the new version from Balena so far. Looks like they are working on the new Electron version.
So I changed my plan. First, I'll release the new Odroid Etcher version based on 1.5.116 (the current version is based on 1.5.115), and then will add some features one by one.
The new version that has the updated base will be uploaded soon, and the new features will be coming within 2~3 weeks.

And, I deleted Armbian images from the image list. Armbian uses h5ai listing system at the development moment but now they change the directory listing system. And that new download page is quite hard to be parsed on the program.
That doesn't mean impossible, but, if they change their strategy regularly it will cause uncomfortable situations such as suddenly disappearing from the Odroid Etcher.

Rather, I added DietPi to the image list. We will be able to download and flash DietPi from the Odroid Etcher directly soon.

I'm in tha club also, i use it almost on a daily basis! Thanks from me

[joshua.yang]

Thank you @soerenderfor. Now I can make sure there are at least 3 people who use this application, currently.

BTW, before I prepare the new release, I looked into the DietPi supporting. But it looks a little bit difficult.
DietPi images released as packed up with 7zip compression, which is not the type the other images use generally, so I have to put the decompression step into the flashing process of Odroid Etcher.
It looks, I believe it isn't impossible for some professionals but will take pretty time for me. To do that I found a helper package for decompressing 7zip extensions in Node.js.
So I would like to say that it might take time probably for supporting DietPi, and it is not estimated for now. It might be easy unexpectedly.

And, last weekend, I noticed that a mail received from AWS. That says I exceeded the free tier quote for network traffic on my AWS instance so they grabbed my money from my credit cards.
Suprised. Because I didn't expect this situation occurs by transferring the only tiny JSON strings.
That is not that big money, I can help it without any bothers, but I realized that I should change my strategy for giving image lists to the Odroid Etcher clients,
e.g, moving the API server to my personal home server or storing the image list manifest in the program in advance.. or something.

I cannot calculate how many people requests my AWS server because its monitor only shows that the in/outbound network traffic size and packet transferring counts. I didn't code anything to count that yet.
But the number is quite big than I thought.
Anyway, I should think about this again: more than 3 people use this definitely if it is not an attack.

I'm developing this slowly but will release the new version.

[mad_ady]

That says I exceeded the free tier quote for network traffic on my AWS instance so they grabbed my money from my credit cards.
Suprised.

Do you want poor old Jeff Bezos to starve to death and give you the cloud for free?

But why don't you host your API on Hardkernel/mdrjr's servers/mirrors? Or better yet, on some odroid somewhere? You don't need georedundant hosting
Let the cloud burn, I say!
By the way, count me as an occasional user as well...

[joshua.yang]

Do you want poor old Jeff Bezos to starve to death and give you the cloud for free?

But why don't you host your API on Hardkernel/mdrjr's servers/mirrors? Or better yet, on some odroid somewhere? You don't need georedundant hosting
Let the cloud burn, I say!
By the way, count me as an occasional user as well...

Right. There's nothing provided for free.

I just wanted to serve constantly which means not suffering from rebooting for maintaining or local blackout although it looks like even AWS is not that stable...
I agree that one of the best options is to use Hardkernel's API server. But there're a few things to consider before using that.. One thing for example is the domain stuff.
Realistically, it seems it'd be going to use Hardkernel's anyway.

And thanks for using this. Okay, now we know 4 people for sure plus an unknown number.

[superpowter77]

Same here. Etcher and I walk next to each other almost every day. Looking forward for the new etcher release.

[joshua.yang]

Same here. Etcher and I walk next to each other almost every day. Looking forward for the new etcher release.

Thanks for joining in.
Five and unknowns!

I uploaded the new Odroid Etcher release that is not containing any new features yet. It just has the new Etcher base, v1.5.116.
https://github.com/awesometic/odroid-et ... v1.5.116-1

There's Etcher v1.5.117 for now, which is I didn't know when I uploaded the v1.5.116 based version, so I merged that to my working branch so I will add my features on the top of the new based version.

[superpowter77]

Same here. Etcher and I walk next to each other almost every day. Looking forward for the new etcher release.

Thanks for joining in.
Five and unknowns!

I uploaded the new Odroid Etcher release that is not containing any new features yet. It just has the new Etcher base, v1.5.116.
https://github.com/awesometic/odroid-et ... v1.5.116-1

There's Etcher v1.5.117 for now, which is I didn't know when I uploaded the v1.5.116 based version, so I merged that to my working branch so I will add my features on the top of the new based version.

Awesome version. "Flashing odroid image" is a big plus and saves time locating available odroid images.

[joshua.yang]

Hi all. Sorry for the late contrary to what I said about a month ago.

Actually, I patched a few major things at that moment, but it is really delayed because I planned to add some more things such as checking checksum, which is not implemented now because there were some other jobs that I should do.
I just uploaded the new version and I think it is much more usable than before. I enhanced its usability a lot I think, such as sorting by columns and jumping the previous steps. I added the jumping feature instead of the "back" button.
Also, now we can re-try when failing to fetch the image list due to some reason like disconnection of the Internet.

Screenshot_20210531_172320.png (114.59 KiB) Viewed 10731 times

To get further information and the new packages, visit the Github release page: https://github.com/awesometic/odroid-et ... v1.5.116-2
Any feedback welcomes.