I am a complete Newbie to Linux. When i install the redHat version of the BDI install, I get several icons on my screen for EMC, but only EMCSIM will run.

Any ideas how i can fix this, or how i get it to run? I don't even know enough about Linux to be dangerous, so i am out of my league with this issue.

Any assistsance would be greatly appreciated !!

Eddie Miller

sogregory [at] charter [dot] net

NO ANSWER ??

Surely somebody has a suggestion on where to start. I have several Icons on my KDE screen, but the only one that runs is the EMC_Sim, which appears to have to interaction with the Real World interface, so surely there is a way to run the program in a way that allows it to interface with my Xylotex Board..

I can't even figure out what directory contains the INI files, since I don't know the command to search for files and/or what WildCards are legal in Linux.

Anybody got any suggestions? I have a controller sitting there wasting away and waiting for me to figure it out :)

Eddie

Love to help you pal, but I can't even install the rtlinux extensions on my ubuntu system yet.

I was planning to try EMC2.

EDIT you'll find that in linux, you won't have .ini files. in fact mostly linux doesn't have the same file extensions as windows/dos except for things like .jpeg or .bmp that are just information, not programs.

Linux is a very different beast until you get to understand it. then it's second nature (I hope. I'm not there yet).

Well, if you download the BDI (BraiNDead Install) it is already configured with a RealTime basis. I did have several days of difficulty in getting it to install, but finally discovered that my Video Card was the problem. i install an AGP video Card with 64MB of memory, and it installed perfectly.

I am considering installing the Debian version of the EMC BDI, and seeing if that one will run....

Eddie

OK.. finally got it to TRY to run.. seems you have to execute as ROOT user.

But now I am getting shell errors about excessive PRINT errors or something like that.. is this a configuration issue? is there a configuration file available anywhere for the XYLOTEX controller?

I *AM* making progress through trial & error, but any users who could assist me in getting it actually working, i would be greatly appreciative...

Eddie

AFAIK if you are using EMC (not EMC2) then xylotex needs a non-standard pinout on the printer cable to work.

I'm pretty certain the info would be on the xylotex web site.

Or email jeff (at xylotex) he has always been helpful when people email him with questions.

That was why I was going to try EMC2, as then you can just load a xylotex config file and it should work with the standard cable.

I have a LIVE version of EMC2, do you know where I can locate the config file for the Xylotex cable?

*IF* I can ever get my USB wireless network adapter working, i would be willing to recompile EMC for the required Pinout, *IF* I can locate basic instructions on how to do it. I have looked, but as yet hae not located any instructions that seem to explain it simply.. OBVIOUSLY not meant to be done by newbies, but i may anyways..

I have already re-formatted and re-instaled my BDI instalation 8 times this week trying to get it runnign.. what is once more ??

Eddie

p.s.. Still can't figure out why it won't run, unless it is the wiring of the cable causing the error ???




AFAIK if you are using EMC (not EMC2) then xylotex needs a non-standard pinout on the printer cable to work.

I'm pretty certain the info would be on the xylotex web site.

Or email jeff (at xylotex) he has always been helpful when people email him with questions.

That was why I was going to try EMC2, as then you can just load a xylotex config file and it should work with the standard cable.

well a miss-wire cable on the printer port (parallel port) could give you that sort of error I suppose?

I havn't got anything to run @ all yet, so I don't even know where to begin to look for config files.

where did you get a live version of EMC2?

I know the BDI has a live version, but afaik that is emc, not emc2.

either way, i'm not gonna give up yet. I'm starting back at TAFE next week, and I'm doing an introductory course on linux, so I'll be asking all the hard questions there.

cheers,
Brad

EDIT:
a little more light googling and reading later.....

it seems to use the rtai extensions it will require a new kernel compile and so forth.

no wonder the BDI was made up for this sort of thing.

btw, if u are having trouble getting emc to work with xylotex using the BDI, you might just put a post in one of the general forums asking for someone who has it working to help you out?

where did you get a live version of EMC2?


here is the link to download it:

http://dsplabs.utt.ro/~juve/emc/get.php?file=ctx10b.iso


the description is as follows:


An emc2 Live version - not BDI (2005 - Oct.)
This is a small linux live version (based on Puppy linux), with emc2 on it.
So simply burn a CD with the ctx10b.iso (40 MB only), and you should be able to try it out.
For support please e-mail : cncuser@hinternet.at.
Warning!!! It's only a beta-version, please report any problems with it.
There is also a newer version available, yet several people reported problems with it. Use at own risk puppysit.iso.

http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl/emcinfo.pl?XylotexBoard
http://www.linuxcnc.org/

Thanks Jan!

Now I really need to learn to burn .iso's

(you would think that someone who's first computer was an apple ][ (when they were brand new!) would be able to do something as simple as burn and .iso, but noooooo. ah well, live and learn).

esmiller

I have just recently got EMC to run my system. I love it and it has lots of bang for the buck(its free). I found this guy on ebay. He will install BDI or any linux distro you want and send you a 450 Mhz computer pre loaded. This way I had a some assurance it would work when I got it. The computer was a woping 25 bucks plus shipping. You might want to check with him.

http://www.extantgroup.com/

I used debian BDI. I have included an attachment that contains all of the setting for the Xylotex controller except the input scale factor. You have to set that based on the number of thread per inch your ball screws or acme threads are. You must copy the file here /user/local/emc and overwrite the one provided with the system. I cut my parrel cable and took a multimeter and found every pin that corresponds with each wire. I then swithched wires 2 and 3 wires 4 and 5 wires 6 and 7. If its wrong it still works. Please feel free to email me if you need help.

WOW! Thats great, thanks! Will check on this shortly.. I finally gave up on getting it running myself, re-partitioned and re-formatted my drive, and installed one partition with MS-DOS 6.2, and a partition with Windows98SE, so i can access the internet via my wireless connection.

If he can get me running on EMC though, I may well go back to it..

How do you like it so far ??

Eddie

EDIT: Forgot to mention that i set up the MS-DOS 6.2 partition as a CLEAN install to run TurboCNC under to see if it will run faster with a "PROPERLY" configured computer operating system. When I get a chance to test it, I will let you know about my results...



esmiller

I have just recently got EMC to run my system. I love it and it has lots of bang for the buck(its free). I found this guy on ebay. He will install BDI or any linux distro you want and send you a 450 Mhz computer pre loaded. This way I had a some assurance it would work when I got it. The computer was a woping 25 bucks plus shipping. You might want to check with him.

http://www.extantgroup.com/

I used debian BDI. I have included an attachment that contains all of the setting for the Xylotex controller except the input scale factor. You have to set that based on the number of thread per inch your ball screws or acme threads are. You must copy the file here /user/local/emc and overwrite the one provided with the system. I cut my parrel cable and took a multimeter and found every pin that corresponds with each wire. I then swithched wires 2 and 3 wires 4 and 5 wires 6 and 7. If its wrong it still works. Please feel free to email me if you need help.

OK, I've been working with the Debian BDI version for a while now and have recently switched to the bridgeportio set of drivers to allow additional IO to control spindle motor and dust extract, if anybody is interested I'll post a copy of my config file.

esmiller

I won the computer on an auction. You may want email him and see if he plans on auctioning any more on Ebay. He seems like a real good guy to deal with and he was willing to work with me. One thing I like about EMC is it flexibility. EMC has several interfaces to choose from. Almost everything is customizable. I was like you I went through two different computers then I was going to give up and I found this guy on Ebay. Linux is intimidating at first but you will get the hang of it. I notice you live in Tennessee. How far do you live from Knoxville?

I e-mailed him yestersay, but no reply.. do you remember his username on ebay, or the auction #, by chance?

esmiller

I won the computer on an auction. You may want email him and see if he plans on auctioning any more on Ebay. He seems like a real good guy to deal with and he was willing to work with me. One thing I like about EMC is it flexibility. EMC has several interfaces to choose from. Almost everything is customizable. I was like you I went through two different computers then I was going to give up and I found this guy on Ebay. Linux is intimidating at first but you will get the hang of it. I notice you live in Tennessee. How far do you live from Knoxville?

After reading this thread I descided to download EMC2 and see if it had progressed much from the first version.

What I Liked.
I liked the fact it was a 40meg download instead of the original 500meg BDI version.
I liked the fact that you could boot from a USB storage device onto almost any computer you want. ( Good for portability )
I liked that it was free.
I liked the fact that since you load a fresh version of linux each time you know for sure that you are not running any spyware or virus, unlike in windows. You also know you are running a fully optimised computer.

What I didnt like
I didnt like the way you had no idea if the code was loaded or not, and you could not see any toolpath display.
I did not like the fact that you had to boot in Linux while all your other CAD / CAM programs were back in windows, not to mention all your cutting codes too.
I didnt like the fact that I had been spioled by an alternative windows program that made me realise the incredible amount of features I was missing out on and the ease of use it offered.

I must admit I am bias now in my opinion of EMC. I have been way too spoiled by Mach3 that it would seem like living in a tin hut if I had to use EMC2

That been said, I TRUELLY appreciate those who have taken thier time to write a free program like EMC for the benifit of others.

esmiller

I emailed him yesterday and he said he had a bad batch of computers and he was looking for another supplier. Until then he wouldn’t have any for sale.

Thanks for the help with this. Aleast I have an answer to this now. I am thinking hat if we get our bonus at work, maybe I will go ahead and buy Mach3, since it is what i truly desire. If we don't get it, I guess it is Turbocnc for me, since it is all i will be able to afford, and i have been unable to get EMC working properly... well, unless I want to completely start over, and try it all again.. not sure I am up for spending another whole week trying to get just one program working though. would rather spend $160 and save my time...


Eddie



esmiller

I emailed him yesterday and he said he had a bad batch of computers and he was looking for another supplier. Until then he wouldn’t have any for sale.

If anybody in the UK needs help with getting EMC up and running they can contact me. I have lots of experiance with Linux and already use EMC, I'm based in West Yorkshire.