Any users?

[kong]

I've often thought about it, but the extended config puts me off a bit as I don't know a great deal about CNC controllers yet. Is it worth the config? i am using TurboCNC at the moment, and although the software is good for my present use, I would be looking to upgrade in the future.

[cbcnc]

Hi Kong,

Have you looked at the EMC site?
http://www.linuxcnc.org/
From what I have read (I am not a user) it is the Real Time Linux install that is the hard part. Though that has been made easier through the "Brain Dead Install" disks that are available.
I'm interested also but am going to hold off until I get my CNC machine running on DOS first.

Chris

[samco]

I have downloaded the bdi from a link on linuxcnc.org and installed it. It only took 4 differant hardware changes to get it installed. Ended up with 450mhz pentium w/s3 video card. It installs a realtime linux install with the emc software. The interface is a windows like gui.

I am not a unix person so I am stumbling around. How the heck do I change the screen resolution? The emc simutator seems to work but I can not get any of the premade ini files to work. The splash screen comes up then quits. neither the ini file running stepmod.o or freqmod.o work. More reading.

I am using turbocnc too(awsome program). I wanted to try this to see how it performs. I think it has constant velocity conturing. It is the main reason that I want to play with it.

sam

[lsfoils]

Hi Samco,
I don't mean to change the subject here but what is "Constant velocity contouring"? Maybe you could post an explanation in http://www.cnczone.com/articles.php?...ewcat&catid=12 ?
Thanks

[kong]

Samco, I would appreciate it if you could do a bit of a review when you get the hang of it. As for the resolution, not sure on the "real time linux" distro, but I have some experience of Mandrake Linux, which used the X-Windows system for screen management. In Mandrake, yoiu could edit the file
/etc/X11/XFree86.conf to set it up for your grafx card, resolution, mouse resolution, keyboard, etc. You will then need to re-start the x-windows to take effect. Some distro's have their own screen managers however, so you may want to check on google - you need any more Linux help, give me a shout.

[samco]

Time is the problem. It looks like it is some form of x-windows. I spent some of yesterday looking though config files to get familiar with it. Still can't change the resolution. Still looking. Also still only works using emc simulator icon.


This was taken from an ad on cncmotion.com. Don't think I can say it any better.
"LOOK AHEAD CONSTANT VELOCITY CONTOURING ON ALL AXIS ALLOWS TOOLPATHS TO BE CREATED MORE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY BY ANALYZING THE TRAJECTORY OF THE NEXT LINE AND ADJUSTING THE TRANSITION SPEED INSTEAD OF RAMPING UP AND DOWN FOR EVERY LINE IN THE CAD PROGRAM"


Turbocnc is suposed to have it in its next version. I can't wait.

sam

[kong]

Ok samco, I feel this would be easier with two of us working on it, so I will download and install it tonight. i checked the BrainDead linux webby and it says it includes XFree86 x-windows in the updates directory on the CD. So, in theory you will need to edit the XFree86.conf file as I posted earlier. Your current user may not have priveledges to view this folder, so at the command line, type "su" to change to root user, which has all priveledges, and will allow you to cd into the /etc/X11/ directory. Alternatively, there may be some info on the CD.

edit - just curious, which version of the BDI did you get? Looks like the smaller ones are gonna be for machines just running the EMC, whereas the RedHat distro will be a full version of Linux and all it's goodies. I'm gonna try the smallest one first (rc14) then upgrade that to RedHat once I have it figured out, simply for the networking support and security.
re-edit - scrap that, I found the older Redhat 6.2 on penguincnc.org and I am presently downloading it - 550MB.

[samco]

I downloaded the bdi 2.20b iso from Penguin CNC. It was about 500 and some megs. It BDI-Live_rc14 sounds like it boots emc from a cd(no hardrive required unless you want to store files. Didn't look at that.

sam

[kong]

I downloaded that bdi 2.2b last night, and have spent about 4 hours trying to install it today. It's just not having it, I think it's due to my on-board grafx as it mentions that could cause problems on their webby. Anyhow, I am determined to get this software running now, so i am currently installing an old red-hat 7, and I will then attempt to patch the kernel into real-mode. i have a long night ahead of me! How you getting on Samco?

[samco]

I haven't made it back to the project yet. Hopefully this weekend I will get some time to work on it again. I have some stepper motors hooked to some parker drives that I can hook up to play with once I get the EMC working.

You know the install is going well if the install is a gui interface and not text. That means it Recognized your video card.

sam

Edit - Chip sweeper? my god I have been machining sense before highschool.

[balsaman]

Keep posting, you will be a master machinist in no time...

Eric

Originally posted by samco I haven't made it back to the project yet. Hopefully this weekend I will get some time to work on it again. I have some stepper motors hooked to some parker drives that I can hook up to play with once I get the EMC working. You know the install is going well if the install is a gui interface and not text. That means it Recognized your video card. sam Edit - Chip sweeper? my god I have been machining sense before highschool.

[kong]

Partial success! I have spent 3 days now on it, and have just got everything installed. I have a full Redhat 7.0 installation with real-time kernel, and have just got emc itself installed and almost running. Now I need to edit the ini file to set it up for my machine and I should be off. However, this is the part i was dreading TBH, so I'll report back in a couple of days once I get some well earned sleep!