# Modules Reference: Command
# actuator_test
Source: systemcmds/actuator_test (opens new window)
Utility to test actuators.
WARNING: remove all props before using this command.
# Usage
actuator_test <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
set Set an actuator to a specific output value
The actuator can be specified by motor, servo or function directly:
[-m <val>] Motor to test (1...8)
[-s <val>] Servo to test (1...8)
[-f <val>] Specify function directly
-v <val> value (-1...1)
[-t <val>] Timeout in seconds (run interactive if not set)
default: 0
iterate-motors Iterate all motors starting and stopping one after the other
iterate-servos Iterate all servos deflecting one after the other
# bl_update
Source: systemcmds/bl_update (opens new window)
Utility to flash the bootloader from a file
# Usage
bl_update [arguments...]
setopt Set option bits to unlock the FLASH (only needed if in locked
state)
<file> Bootloader bin file
# bsondump
Source: systemcmds/bsondump (opens new window)
read BSON from a file and print in human form
# Usage
bsondump [arguments...]
<file> File name
# dumpfile
Source: systemcmds/dumpfile (opens new window)
Dump file utility. Prints file size and contents in binary mode (don't replace LF with CR LF) to stdout.
# Usage
dumpfile [arguments...]
<file> File to dump
# dyn
Source: systemcmds/dyn (opens new window)
# Description
Load and run a dynamic PX4 module, which was not compiled into the PX4 binary.
# Example
dyn ./hello.px4mod start
# Usage
dyn [arguments...]
<file> File containing the module
[arguments...] Arguments to the module
# failure
Source: systemcmds/failure (opens new window)
# Description
Inject failures into system.
# Implementation
This system command sends a vehicle command over uORB to trigger failure.
# Examples
Test the GPS failsafe by stopping GPS:
failure gps off
# Usage
failure [arguments...]
help Show this help text
gps|... Specify component
ok|off|... Specify failure type
[-i <val>] sensor instance (0=all)
default: 0
# gpio
Source: systemcmds/gpio (opens new window)
# Description
This command is used to read and write GPIOs
gpio read <PORT><PIN>/<DEVICE> [PULLDOWN|PULLUP] [--force]
gpio write <PORT><PIN>/<DEVICE> <VALUE> [PUSHPULL|OPENDRAIN] [--force]
# Examples
Read the value on port H pin 4 configured as pullup, and it is high
gpio read H4 PULLUP
1 OK
Set the output value on Port E pin 7 to high
gpio write E7 1 --force
Set the output value on device /dev/gpin1 to high
gpio write /dev/gpin1 1
# Usage
gpio [arguments...]
read
<PORT><PIN>/<DEVICE> GPIO port and pin or device
[PULLDOWN|PULLUP] Pulldown/Pullup
[--force] Force (ignore board gpio list)
write
<PORT> <PIN> GPIO port and pin
<VALUE> Value to write
[PUSHPULL|OPENDRAIN] Pushpull/Opendrain
[--force] Force (ignore board gpio list)
# hardfault_log
Source: systemcmds/hardfault_log (opens new window)
Hardfault utility
Used in startup scripts to handle hardfaults
# Usage
hardfault_log <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
check Check if there's an uncommitted hardfault
rearm Drop an uncommitted hardfault
fault Generate a hardfault (this command crashes the system :)
[0|1] Hardfault type: 0=divide by 0, 1=Assertion (default=0)
commit Write uncommitted hardfault to /fs/microsd/fault_%i.txt (and
rearm, but don't reset)
count Read the reboot counter, counts the number of reboots of an
uncommitted hardfault (returned as the exit code of the
program)
reset Reset the reboot counter
# hist
Source: systemcmds/hist (opens new window)
Command-line tool to show the px4 message history. There are no arguments.
# Usage
hist [arguments...]
# i2cdetect
Source: systemcmds/i2cdetect (opens new window)
Utility to scan for I2C devices on a particular bus.
# Usage
i2cdetect [arguments...]
[-b <val>] I2C bus
default: 1
# led_control
Source: systemcmds/led_control (opens new window)
# Description
Command-line tool to control & test the (external) LED's.
To use it make sure there's a driver running, which handles the led_control uorb topic.
There are different priorities, such that for example one module can set a color with low priority, and another
module can blink N times with high priority, and the LED's automatically return to the lower priority state
after the blinking. The reset command can also be used to return to a lower priority.
# Examples
Blink the first LED 5 times in blue:
led_control blink -c blue -l 0 -n 5
# Usage
led_control <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
test Run a test pattern
on Turn LED on
off Turn LED off
reset Reset LED priority
blink Blink LED N times
[-n <val>] Number of blinks
default: 3
[-s <val>] Set blinking speed
values: fast|normal|slow, default: normal
breathe Continuously fade LED in & out
flash Two fast blinks and then off with frequency of 1Hz
The following arguments apply to all of the above commands except for 'test':
[-c <val>] color
values: red|blue|green|yellow|purple|amber|cyan|white, default:
white
[-l <val>] Which LED to control: 0, 1, 2, ... (default=all)
[-p <val>] Priority
default: 2
# listener
Source: systemcmds/topic_listener (opens new window)
Utility to listen on uORB topics and print the data to the console.
The listener can be exited any time by pressing Ctrl+C, Esc, or Q.
# Usage
listener <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
<topic_name> uORB topic name
[-i <val>] Topic instance
default: 0
[-n <val>] Number of messages
default: 1
[-r <val>] Subscription rate (unlimited if 0)
default: 0
# mfd
Source: systemcmds/mft (opens new window)
Utility interact with the manifest
# Usage
mfd <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
query Returns true if not existed
# mtd
Source: systemcmds/mtd (opens new window)
Utility to mount and test partitions (based on FRAM/EEPROM storage as defined by the board)
# Usage
mtd <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
status Print status information
readtest Perform read test
rwtest Perform read-write test
erase Erase partition(s)
The commands 'readtest' and 'rwtest' have an optional instance index:
[-i <val>] storage index (if the board has multiple storages)
default: 0
The commands 'readtest', 'rwtest' and 'erase' have an optional parameter:
[<partition_name1> [<partition_name2> ...]] Partition names (eg.
/fs/mtd_params), use system default if not provided
# nshterm
Source: systemcmds/nshterm (opens new window)
Start an NSH shell on a given port.
This was previously used to start a shell on the USB serial port. Now there runs mavlink, and it is possible to use a shell over mavlink.
# Usage
nshterm [arguments...]
<file:dev> Device on which to start the shell (eg. /dev/ttyACM0)
# param
Source: systemcmds/param (opens new window)
# Description
Command to access and manipulate parameters via shell or script.
This is used for example in the startup script to set airframe-specific parameters.
Parameters are automatically saved when changed, eg. with param set. They are typically stored to FRAM
or to the SD card. param select can be used to change the storage location for subsequent saves (this will
need to be (re-)configured on every boot).
If the FLASH-based backend is enabled (which is done at compile time, e.g. for the Intel Aero or Omnibus),
param select has no effect and the default is always the FLASH backend. However param save/load <file>
can still be used to write to/read from files.
Each parameter has a 'used' flag, which is set when it's read during boot. It is used to only show relevant parameters to a ground control station.
# Examples
Change the airframe and make sure the airframe's default parameters are loaded:
param set SYS_AUTOSTART 4001
param set SYS_AUTOCONFIG 1
reboot
# Usage
param <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
load Load params from a file (overwrite all)
[<file>] File name (use default if not given)
import Import params from a file
[<file>] File name (use default if not given)
save Save params to a file
[<file>] File name (use default if not given)
select Select default file
[<file>] File name
select-backup Select default file
[<file>] File name
show Show parameter values
[-a] Show all parameters (not just used)
[-c] Show only changed params (unused too)
[-q] quiet mode, print only param value (name needs to be exact)
[<filter>] Filter by param name (wildcard at end allowed, eg. sys_*)
show-for-airframe Show changed params for airframe config
status Print status of parameter system
set Set parameter to a value
<param_name> <value> Parameter name and value to set
[fail] If provided, let the command fail if param is not found
set-default Set parameter default to a value
[-s] If provided, silent errors if parameter doesn't exists
<param_name> <value> Parameter name and value to set
[fail] If provided, let the command fail if param is not found
compare Compare a param with a value. Command will succeed if equal
[-s] If provided, silent errors if parameter doesn't exists
<param_name> <value> Parameter name and value to compare
greater Compare a param with a value. Command will succeed if param is
greater than the value
[-s] If provided, silent errors if parameter doesn't exists
<param_name> <value> Parameter name and value to compare
<param_name> <value> Parameter name and value to compare
touch Mark a parameter as used
[<param_name1> [<param_name2>]] Parameter name (one or more)
reset Reset only specified params to default
[<param1> [<param2>]] Parameter names to reset (wildcard at end allowed)
reset_all Reset all params to default
[<exclude1> [<exclude2>]] Do not reset matching params (wildcard at end
allowed)
index Show param for a given index
<index> Index: an integer >= 0
index_used Show used param for a given index
<index> Index: an integer >= 0
find Show index of a param
<param> param name
# payload_deliverer
Source: modules/payload_deliverer (opens new window)
# Description
Handles payload delivery with either Gripper or a Winch with an appropriate timeout / feedback sensor setting, and communicates back the delivery result as an acknowledgement internally
# Usage
payload_deliverer <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
start
gripper_test Tests the Gripper's release & grabbing sequence
gripper_open Opens the gripper
gripper_close Closes the gripper
stop
status print status info
# perf
Source: systemcmds/perf (opens new window)
Tool to print performance counters
# Usage
perf [arguments...]
reset Reset all counters
latency Print HRT timer latency histogram
Prints all performance counters if no arguments given
# reboot
Source: systemcmds/reboot (opens new window)
# Usage
reboot [arguments...]
[-b] Reboot into bootloader
[lock|unlock] Take/release the shutdown lock (for testing)
# sd_bench
Source: systemcmds/sd_bench (opens new window)
# Usage
sd_bench [arguments...]
[-b <val>] Block size for each read/write
default: 4096
[-r <val>] Number of runs
default: 5
[-d <val>] Duration of a run in ms
default: 2000
[-k] Keep the test file
[-s] Call fsync after each block (default=at end of each run)
[-u] Test performance with unaligned data
[-v] Verify data and block number
# sd_stress
Source: systemcmds/sd_stress (opens new window)
# Usage
sd_stress [arguments...]
[-r <val>] Number of runs
default: 5
[-b <val>] Number of bytes
default: 100
# serial_passthru
Source: systemcmds/serial_passthru (opens new window)
Pass data from one device to another.
This can be used to use u-center connected to USB with a GPS on a serial port.
# Usage
serial_passthru [arguments...]
-e <val> External device path
values: <file:dev>
-d <val> Internal device path
values: <file:dev>
[-b <val>] Baudrate
default: 115200
[-t] Track the External devices baudrate on internal device
# system_time
Source: systemcmds/system_time (opens new window)
# Description
Command-line tool to set and get system time.
# Examples
Set the system time and read it back
system_time set 1600775044
system_time get
# Usage
system_time <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
set Set the system time, provide time in unix epoch time format
get Get the system time
# top
Source: systemcmds/top (opens new window)
Monitor running processes and their CPU, stack usage, priority and state
# Usage
top [arguments...]
once print load only once
# usb_connected
Source: systemcmds/usb_connected (opens new window)
Utility to check if USB is connected. Was previously used in startup scripts. A return value of 0 means USB is connected, 1 otherwise.
# Usage
usb_connected [arguments...]
# ver
Source: systemcmds/ver (opens new window)
Tool to print various version information
# Usage
ver <command> [arguments...]
Commands:
hw Hardware architecture
mcu MCU info
git git version information
bdate Build date and time
gcc Compiler info
bdate Build date and time
px4guid PX4 GUID
uri Build URI
all Print all versions
hwcmp Compare hardware version (returns 0 on match)
<hw> [<hw2>] Hardware to compare against (eg. PX4_FMU_V4). An OR comparison
is used if multiple are specified
hwtypecmp Compare hardware type (returns 0 on match)
<hwtype> [<hwtype2>] Hardware type to compare against (eg. V2). An OR
comparison is used if multiple are specified