Linux build, libusb issues

OWL OwlControl
#1

Hi!

I don’t get why you’re bundling your own libusb shared lib binary. It’s not working anyway, fails at the linking stage. If you’ve made any source modifications in the bundled libusb you have to provide them because libusb is a GPL projet (you’d be violating the license otherwise).

Some advices:

The public repo really needs some love… Many ignored patches and issues.

The source zip download should have the makefiles already generated but the git repo should not. The README should have instructions on how to make them.

After installing all the necessary dev packages on OpenSUSE I was able to build OwnNest with the attached patch. I’m just using my system version of libusb. I’m using pkg-config to get the system flags (should be more portable). Since I’ve directly modified the generated Makefile I guess it’s not very useful (the proper way would be to change the jucer file I think)

My change is available on my gh repo on the libusb_build_fix branch:

The OWL is a really cool project! I’m just trying to make it easier for everyone to contribute, don’t take this the wrong way :wink:

#2

Glad you got it working, sorry it’s a hassle to build.

The libusb binaries were bundled because building libusb on three different platforms is a major ache, and we wanted to try to make it easier for people to build the project themselves. For the same reason we include the build files in the repo, even if they can be generated with Introjucer (a Juce tool).

The OwlNest was designed to make it easy to put your own firmware on the device using DFU, without having to use command line tools (seems some people don’t like them).

The latest beta version of the firmware [1] supports firmware updates by MIDI Sysex, as well as dynamic patches, so DFU updates will not be required. This is where development has focused recently, which is why OwlNest and OwlSim are both, as you say, in need of some love.

[1] http://hoxtonowl.com/forums/topic/major-updates-beta-firmware/

#3
>The libusb binaries were bundled because building libusb on three different platforms is a major ache

But as I said the bundled one doesn’t work and all linux distribution have a libusb package. It’s just not needed.