to: robw810
from: gnubien on ##slackware at freenode.net
subject: notes on my apcupsd build on slackware 11
body: hi, here's some notes on my apcupsd build on slackware 11;
i've been a slack desktop user since slackware 7.0 
but only as a desktop user so i am no expert;
system info: uname -m = i686   uname -r = 2.4.33.3  
uname -s = Linux uname -v = #6 Fri Sep 1 04:15:45 CDT 2006
hardware: usb apc Back-UPS ES 350
apcupsd configure options: ./configure --disable-dumb --enable-usb --enable-powerflute --enable-test
install: configure,make,make install ran without errors
apcupsd first run error from syslog:
 apcupsd[26586]: apcupsd FATAL ERROR in smartsetup.c at line 174 PANIC! 
 Cannot communicate with UPS via serial port.
 Please make sure the port specified on the DEVICE directive is correct, 
 and that your cable specification on the UPSCABLE directive is correct.
evidence: hardware is usb, not serial port accessed
search the docs at http://www.apcupsd.com/manual/USB_Configuration.html#SECTION000101200000000000000
search info found: " Apcupsd  accesses  USB  UPSes via the hiddev device nodes. 
 Typically these are located in /dev/hiddevN,
 /dev/usb/hiddevN  or  /dev/usb/hiddev/hiddevN  (where  N is a digit 0 thru 9). Some distributions (some
 Debian  releases, possibly others) do not provides these device nodes for you, so you will have to make
 them  yourself. Check /dev, /dev/usb, and /dev/usb/hiddev and if you cannot find the hiddevN nodes, run
 (as root) the examples/make-hiddev script from the apcupsd source distribution."
action: ran the bash script: examples/make-hiddev  which created everything ok
syslog entry from next run of apcupsd:  apcupsd 3.12.4 (19 August 2006) slackware startup succeeded
hope the info helps, see you in ##slackware at freenode.net; gnubien