Setting up a Pi as Point of Sale

I set this up months ago using a Raspberry Pi and a PIR to trigger a video when someone approached the system. I’m now returning to the project with a new request to replace the PIR with a push button. Seems simple enough. Now then, where did I put the damn software…

Firstly I only have 8 Gb SD Micros so I’m using Raspbian Jesse with Pixel via NOOBS. NOOBS is great. After download you drag all the files across to your SD RAM card and that’s you. I still get Forrest Whittaker eye when an install is as transparent as that. After twenty three years of using Windows I have come to expect progress bars, spinning wheels, background tasks and something rewriting a bunch of system files or registry entries. But no, just drag them the fuck across and you’re grand.

Now then, boot the thing! Wait now, not from your computer; on your Pi. Boot the thing and follow along the instructions. You’ll be brought to a wonderful little desktop. I’m using an Adafruit cheap as chips little screen.

The very first thing you’ll want to configure is network access. In the UI environment you’ll see a little wireless icon on the top right of the screen. Clicky on that and set up your wLAN. Next, no doubt, you’ll be wanting some file transfer. There are choices here. As far as I remember copying stuff over on the microSD is not ideal as the OS is running from there. There are also caveats to copying stuff from the Pi via this method but it is doable. But no, seriously, you’ve access to your local network now so use it. Stop gmailing yourself files and enable sFTP. Grab your Pi’s IP address via the Terminal command ifconfig. It’ll be listed under the wlan section (or eth0 if you’ve plugged in a patchlead). You’ll need that for the client (FileZilla/pUtty).

Now then, where are we? Oh yes, in the terminal I hope. Throw a cheeky ‘sudo raspi-config’ at the screen and select [Interfacing Options] from the ensuing screen. Therein select and enable SSH. You’ll be prompted to reboot. You really shouldn’t have to but I did. I mean rebooting to change the configuration of a network card is the kind of thing Windows does right? Linux systems should be ifupping that shit. But sure there you go, better safe than sorry.

By the way [ctrl]+[alt]+[f1]’ll get you out to a proper terminal if you prefer that. I know I do. [ctrl]+[alt]+[f7] to get back.

Holy shit!! My new computer just arrived!1 brb