node-usb/node-usb

Add Troubleshooting FAQ

kevinmehall opened this issue · 6 comments

kevinmehall commented

Runtime errors

  • LIBUSB_ERROR_BUSY
    • Linux: detach_kernel_driver (Example in #174)
  • LIBUSB_ERROR_ACCESS
    • macOS: Can't open devices that have a kernel driver, no good workaround. (discussion on #30)
      • Usually comes up with HID devices -- is there a recommended libhid library?
    • Linux: permissions, udev rules
  • LIBUSB_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED
    • Windows: Bind WinUSB driver with libwdi / Zadig
      • Mention WCID for custom devices
  • LIBUSB_ERROR_NO_DEVICE
    • macOS doesn't configure devices with bDeviceClass=255 "vendor defined" (#61)
      • If it's your firmware, use bDeviceClass=0 "defined at interface level" instead
      • workaround is .open(false), .setConfiguration(1) to tell the kernel to configure the device.

Install errors

  • Install fails with gyp WARN EACCES user "root" does not have permission to access the dev dir (#175, #210, #218)
    • Don't run npm as root. Best way is to install node via nvm, which sets up permissions correctly to run npm -g as your normal user.
    • Or if you really have to, npm install --unsafe-perm usb.
    • Common issue for all NPM packages with native code nodejs/node-gyp#454 (comment)
fatso83 commented

Some mention of how to enable those access rights without requiring sudo would be nice as well.

  • 👍5
mrbar42 commented

After fighting LIBUSB_ERROR_NOT_FOUND on an OSX Mojave for a while i ended up using node-hid which worked effortlessly.
might serve as a workaround for others with HID devices.

mcuee commented

is there a recommended libhid library?

Yes, libusb project recommends HIDAPI for HID device. It supports both USB and Bluetooth HID and even other types of HID devices. There is a active node binding node-hid as well.

hidapi project:
https://github.com/libusb/hidapi

node-hid:
https://github.com/node-hid/node-hid

mcuee commented

macOS: Can't open devices that have a kernel driver, no good workaround

Please refer to this discussion, libusb-1.0.26 adds the support to detach kernel driver with correct entitlement (which is diffcult to get from Apple) but at least you can run as root.

mcuee commented

Please read libusb FAQ here.
https://github.com/libusb/libusb/wiki/FAQ

fatso83 commented

Better late than never 😄

  • 😄1