Options for running on a Pi-Top

WebThings
#1

I want to create a portable WebThings gateway for use at a LARP which runs at a remote campsite with spotty phone coverage and no internet service. WebThings looks like my best starting place as, if I can run it on a platform that has a screen and a keyboard, I can access the controls at 127.0.0.1 without an internet connection as I plan to use only zigbee devices. I have a couple of PiTop (Raspberry Pi 3 laptops) that I can add a zigbee dongle to and dedicate to the project. Presently I find I am stuck between two non-functional options:

  1. Start with the PiTop packaged Raspbian so that I can get the proper operation of the screen, battery status, etc. However, the debian package for webthings I can find cannot meet its dependencies and won’t install.
  2. Start with the WebThings Raspbian image and then try to add the packages for the PiTop, which also fails for unmet dependencies.

Am I left with building from source or is there some other source of debian packages? Is it possible to build on a Raspberry Pi or do I need to setup a complete cross development system? I am an embedded systems engineer so more experiences with the small devices that are the zigbee peripherals than the linux gateway though I am not totally inept with Linux.

#2

I use DOCKER to host WebThings and have not had a problem ever… If you search through the forum you will find several posts how to start the WT docker image. I’ve posted my script previously and there is a WT page with instruction somewhere.

I use a 64G USB stick, mounted at boot, to store/host WebThings data, addons, logs rather than writing to the SD card. If you boot from an SSD that’s even better and a USB stick is not really needed.

Note that WebThings is pretty much static at this point IMO. I have installed Home Assistant on a debian laptop I built as a second home controller.

I will eventually need to move my Z-Wave dongle to that platform. The chore of resetting the ZW controller, re-installing my dozen devices, and adding schedules keeps it on WT. If it ain’t broke as the saying goes.

#3

I agree the Docker image is a good option.

The Debian package is currently lacking a maintainer, which is why WebThings Gateway 1.1 was not released as a .deb.

Other than that you can build from source by following the instructions in the README. I would suggest using the 1.1 branch though since it’s more stable than master which is undergoing some major API changes.

#4

I can’t get the instructions in the README to actually produce anything like a functional webthings. I know a lot of people have put in a lot of time but it does not like there is anyway I can use webthings.

Thanks and best of luck
Mike