There should be a better way of adding people to the doorbots

[amcewen]

Currently we have to ssh into one of the doorbots and manually modify a config file. This isn't ideal because:

1. It means only a few of us know how to add people to the doors
2. The definitive list of keys is only held in a couple of locations and not properly backed up.

An ideal version would hook into a member database, which is blocked on issue #45. In the meantime, just adding things in the git repository on bitbucket and having a way to (slightly more) easily deploy that to the doorbots would be good.

This is needed for us to implement a fix to DoESLiverpool/doorbot-setup#11

[DefProc]

I've ordered an NFC shield to be able to put on a Leonardo to act as a keyboard, so then at least filling in the config file in git should be more steamlined for inputting card numbers.

[DefProc]

The leonardo and shield are now programmed and around for use (source at: https://git.defproc.co.uk/DefProc/rfid-keyboard). There are top and bottom plates to laser cut next, so it's all a bit more practical.

[DefProc]

Related:

• config.yaml should be checked before pushing doorbot-setup#13
• doorbots should regularly check for up-to-date config doorbot-setup#14

[johnmckerrell]

It occurred to me that we could use a special RFID card as a way to trigger a refresh, that way you would just edit the config on gitlab and then scan the card, no ssh required. Of course a 1 minute or 5 minute cron job would be even simpler (tho not instant).

[ajlennon]

@johnmckerrell or maybe any organiser class card automatically triggering a refresh?

[DoESsean]

We're still in the 'Seán does the config file, then asks John/Adrian to SSH' mode of doing things.

What are the chances of a solution being put in place that would make that more streamlined? It's not a huge hardship right now, although I guess anything that makes things easier is good.

[amcewen]

We're still intending to improve this as part of the work going on for #670 and that a few of us are chipping away at in the monthly "Hack the Space" evenings. It's taking a while for that to get out of the starting-up weeds and so not the easiest thing for us to delegate more tasks on just yet, but longer term more eyes/hands on that system would be good, so anyone interested in helping out should watch #670 and come along on the evening of a first Tuesday of the month