Updating EMC2

[MrWild]

Is it better to update 6.06 based EMC2 2.23 on a dedicated machine computer, or is it better to reinstall the entire thing with a 8.0~ based EMC2 2.41 and a BDI CD?

The machine in question is a stepper powered JGRO. Works ok, but I'm getting real tired of a warning that "somewhere near line three is a bad character" when there are no characters showing. Heck, I've deleted lines 2, 3, amd 4, yet still get it mwith some programs. Gcode was saved using the Linux text editor as a plan text file.

I'd like to hear comments about both issues please.

[jmelson]

Originally Posted by MrWild Is it better to update 6.06 based EMC2 2.23 on a dedicated machine computer, or is it better to reinstall the entire thing with a 8.0~ based EMC2 2.41 and a BDI CD? The machine in question is a stepper powered JGRO. Works ok, but I'm getting real tired of a warning that "somewhere near line three is a bad character" when there are no characters showing. Heck, I've deleted lines 2, 3, amd 4, yet still get it mwith some programs. Gcode was saved using the Linux text editor as a plan text file. I'd like to hear comments about both issues please.

I haven't run into that particular message, but I guess it depends on the G-code you run.
I vaguely remember something like that related to having the "%" character in the G-code file.
This was used in ANCIENT Allen-Bradley and other controls so that they could handle paper tapes in both EIA and ASCII code formats, but there should be no need for % to be used with EMC.

As for the OS, From the EMC wiki,
"If you are doing a new installation, do not choose Ubuntu 6.06. Use Ubuntu 8.04 instead. Starting with emc 2.4.x, emc2 updates will not be available for Ubuntu 6.06."

So, this is the right time to move up to the 8.04 OS version, as we are now right at the 2.4 release.

You have to take care to save all your files, though. There should be an update option on the install CD, but it might be best to check with the EMC gurus first on how to preserve your files during the update. You certainly need to make sure it doesn't reformat the hard drive partitions.

Jon

[cyclestart]

The EMC live CD will be moving to Ubuntu 10 LTS but I don't know when that's scheduled to happen. If your luck is anything like mine it will be 2 hours after installing 8.0.4. Just tossing an extra herring into the mix.

EMC reads ahead so it's hard to know exactly which line contains the error. A comma instead of a decimal point or something like that ?