[etherlab-dev] Etherlab master looses mailbox configuration during client connection loss

[Gavin Lambert]

The size in ecrt_slave_config_create_voe_handler specifies the maximum size of the VoE request/reply, which is different from (but must be equal or smaller than) the actual mailbox size.

The mailbox size itself is specified by the slave's SII data, as read from its EEPROM during the INIT -> PREOP transition.  If the slave reboots or once communications are restored it will be reconfigured (which involves redoing the INIT -> PREOP transition), but that shouldn't change the sizes unless there's a bug in the slave itself.

It's possible you're running into some kind of timing error, where it's somehow trying to execute the VoE request before the slave has properly re-entered PREOP or higher, although I thought that such cases are prevented in the unofficial patchset at least.  My application code does perform an additional sanity check before executing requests though so it's possible I missed a corner case if that is omitted.

Try running your test again with "ethercat debug 1" in effect and look at the syslog.  In particular look for log messages starting with "Mailbox configuration"; this is where it reports the detected mailbox sizes that are later used in the error message below.  Also check in what order things are happening with regard to when you're interrupting the slave and when the VoE request tries to execute and generates the error.
             
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christoph Schröder
> Sent: Thursday, 21 September 2017 03:09
> To: etherlab-dev at etherlab.org
> Subject: [etherlab-dev] Etherlab master looses mailbox configuration during
> client connection loss
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I encountered a problem with the recovery abilities of the Etherlab master
> after connection loss (e.g. pull out cable of one slave and plug it in again). The
> master seems to reset the mailbox configuration. If I start a VoE-request I get
> the following kernel message:
> [132256.054043] EtherCAT ERROR 0-main-0: Data size (24) does not fit in
> mailbox (0)!
> 
> The mailbox size configured through ecrt_slave_config_create_voe_handler
> seems to be lost and not only for the slave disconnected, but also for the
> slave that never lost it's connection (tested with 2). This happens with and
> without the newest inofficial patchset (20170914).
> 
> This seems to be a bug as ecrt_slave_config_create_voe_handler has to be
> called before ecrt_master_activate, so recreation of the config after
> recovery of the connection is not possible.
> 
> Without connection loss everything works fine, but we would like to make
> the system as robust as possible without the need to restart the application.
> Does anyone has an idea how to fix this or can someone at least explain what
> happens during a connection loss and recovery resp.
> which functions are called by the master?
> 
> 
> Thanks and best regards,
> Christoph
> 
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