rPi software

[last updated: 2024-09-25]
rPi home page
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• The Recommended Operating System (OS) on rPi's is a Linux Debian derivative called the "Raspberry Pi OS" (previously called Raspbian").
  It is contained on the SD card that is loaded into your rPi slot.
  • The Raspbian OS (rPiOS) has evolved over the years:
    7 Wheezy
    8 Jessie
    9 Stretch
    10 Buster
  • Some versions of rPiOS may not work on latest rPi boards.
• The SD card is also your primary storage for all your files and any other software you've installed.
  (Unless you use a USB memory stick or drive).
  See: SD Card home page for more details.

• After you have installed your choice of OS onto the SD card:
  • If you put the SD card into a SD reader and examine the files on your host PC, you will see:
    Three separate drives/partitions are installed:
    root, boot, and SETTINGS
  • SETTINGS: Never used it
  • boot: The only thing I've used here is the config.txt file, which I used to try and get a non-standard HDMI monitor to work.
  • root:
    • /root/etc/ folder contains the rc.local file, which is used to implement running a program on bootup
      • The rc.local file gets executed automatically on every bootup
      • To edit the rc.local file:
        in terminal:
        $ cd /media/jay/root/etc
        $ sudo nano rc.local
      • To implement running a program automatically on bootup:
        Add a line like this to the rc.local file:
        /home/pi/Desktop/myDocs/programs/scriptFiles/autoRunAtStartup.sh

        Note you must add this line above the exit line in rc.local.
        When your rPi boots up, rc.local will execute, and the script file listed ( .sh extension) will also execute.

      • The script file will be something like this:
        #!/bin/bash
        sudo python /home/pi/Desktop/myDocs/programs/python/autoRunAtStartup/autoRunAtStartup.py &
      • The autoRunAtStartup.py file will be something like this:
        ...
        ...
    • /root/home/pi (on my systems) will have a directory,
      the name of which will identify the ID of the SD card, eg. "This_is_SD-04"
    • /root/home/pi/Documents will contain bundled/pre-loaded programs
    • /root/home/pi/Desktop/MyDocs/programs
      This is where I chose to put all my user programs.

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• If you're using Raspbian/rPiOS, then almost any software that will work in Linux will work on your rPi.

• Python is a powerful programming language very popular on the rPiOS-rPi.
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• Other Operating Systems are available for the rPi, including media center options, RISC systems, and others. See NOOBS.

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