Hi,
I am using Volumio 1.5 on the Odroid C1. I want to use RAMPLAY so that I can shut down my USB HDD which is connected to the Odroid C1. First I had a hard time to find the RAMPLAY folder (found it by putting RAMPLAY in the search window). But it seems that there is no possibility to transfer files from the HDD to the RAMPLAY folder via the WebUI. In FAQ I found the tip to install Samba because it might be missing. I have done that, but things do not change. I did look for a Volumio folder in the Network folder in Windows 7 on my laptop, Volumio does not show up, so I cannot access the file structure of Volumio. Anyhow I would really want to access Volumio via my iphone. The only solution I have found so far was to ssh into Volumio and use cp -r to transfer the files to /dev/shm which is a very cumbersome solution. I would appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction.
Best Regards
Tinitus
Hi,
Here is the RAMPLAY section in the /etc/samba/smb.conf file:
[Ramplay]
comment = Ramplay (256mb)
path = /run/shm
read only = no
public = yes
follow symlinks = yes
wide links = yes
Do you have it in your setup?
Salut Stephane,
yes I got that entry in the samb.conf file. When I hit the update button for the databases I see the ramplay folder in the browse window, I am just not able to put anything into that folder. I do not know whether this is only possible if you are logged onto a Windows 7 system and if volumio and the W 7 system are in the same workgroup. I really would like to use my iphone in order to transfer files from the connected usb HDD to the ramplay folder. I did find out that volumio (its server function) does not allow you to establish a sftp connection and use a File Manager program (like FileZilla for instance) in order to move a file or a folder from the usb HDD to the ramplay folder. First I would have to download it on the computer which runs the File manager program and then to upload it again into the ramplay folder. Given the fact that the volumio device is only connected to the network by wifi, that would take ages.
Thanks for your reply
Tinitus
Hello,
Yesterday I tried to access RAMPLAY via Samba, it worked both with my Nexus7 Android tablet (File Manager HQ) and with a Windows7 PC. I could transfer, list and delete files.
It is quite easy to add a sftp server on Volumio, it is called gesftpserver:
su apt-get install gesftpserver
no need to reboot.
What kind of application do you use on your iPhone to transfer files with the SMB protocol?
Could you exactly explain, how do you fit the files inside “Ramplay”?
I use a Windows 8 pc to control Volumio.
Thanks.
Simple, point your file explorer to //volumio.local/ (or put the IP address of Volumio) and you should see a Ramplay directory.
on the Volumio Web UI, update this directory and should be able to play the music.
Hi Stephane,
I have used Filezilla on my Windows 7 computer and different Apps on my iphone. I then tried Putty and that told me that the server protocol on the Volumio device does not allow to move or copy files from a HDD connected with the Volumio device to Volumio’s RAM. It is no problem to move a file from the Windws 7 computer or the iphone to the Volumio device with those File Manager programs but this is not what I want to do.
Maxvise might have the same problem as I do regarding the network set up. All (Windows) computers connected to our Home network are in the same workgroup and I am able to access there file structure remotely. The Volumio device shows up as a network device only it is not in the same workgroup. This means I can access the //volumio/ local page when double clicking on the Volumio icon in Network devices but I am not able to access the file structure of the Volumio device. I have read somewhere that accessing the Volumio device’s file structure in the way you propose is only possible if this device is part of the same workgroup as the computer you want to use to access Volumio.
Best Regards
Tinitus
Thanks for your explanation Tinitus, this is exactly my situation 
Connect to the Volumio device with SSH and use the cp command to copy from the USB connected hard-disk to the RAMPLAY directory. I’m sorry but it’s the simplest solution.
I don’t understand why you want to copy from USB HDD to RAMPLAY? RAMPLAY is volatile and will be erased on next reboot… Can’t you play your music directly from the USB HDD?
The way you want to use a file browser is a non-sense: the files to be copied from USB HDD to RAMPLY will transit thru the Windows system, first copied to a temporary directory of Windows then copied back to the RAMPLAY.
Direct copy on the Pi from its USB HDD to the RAMPLAY ramdisk will be much faster and efficient. Use ‘cp -r’ to copy a whole directory at once.
Hi Stephane,
thanks for confirming my suspicions. It is not possible to move a file from folder A to folder B over an sftp protocol if folders A an B are both on the remote device. I agree with you that downloading the file onto the device where the File manager is running in order to upload it again onto the remote device is a pain in the butt. But so is the cp -r command in the console. My library is round about 300 GB scrolling through a list like that using ssh on the iphone is no fun. That is the reason I was looking for a solution to do this via a program with a GUI. The Ramplay feature is nice, but the way it is implemented defeats i usefulness. When browsing through mpd’s music library there should also be a button add to RAMdisk, then the feature would be well implemented.
Why I do not want to play music from directly from the HDD?
Acoustical noise
Electrical noise
power consumption
Probably reduced lifetime of the drive
sound quality
I can easily load a whole album in redbook quality into RAM, why should I have the HDD spinning the whole time?
Best Regards
Tinitus
I am able to copy files from smb://volumio.local/Ramplay/ from my Linux Laptop using the Thunar file browser. It is slow but it works. I suppose you can do it too from a Windows Explorer.
At home I have a NAS which spins down the disks when not in use, it does not consume much power and it’s always available 'it’s a RAID1 volume).
Hi Stephane,
thank you for the tip. Unfornutately my wireless network at home is really slow, so that would not be an option. I could nevertheless hook up my USB HDD to my rooter and use LAN through powerline devices to feed my Odroid C1 (it has Gb LAN). I will think about that. I will also llok out for this topic:
using-rpi-host-networked-device-with-volumio-t2963.html
I think if a solution is found there I will be able to work out how to acccess the file structure of my Volumio device via my Windows 7 PC. I might as well try to do this under Ubuntu (I installed it recently in order to improve my Linux capabilities) using Thunar.
Best Regards
Tinitus