PathPilot 2.x and PathPilot Simulator

[Fenichel]

That doesn't work for me. When I get to Settings/USB, the Enable USB controller box is checked, but whichever of the radio buttons I select, nothing appears in the USB Device Filters listbox. I can right-click on the listbox to get a choice of Add Empty Filter/AddFilter from Device, but the first gives me an empty filter that seems to do nothing, and the second shows a grayed-out <no devices available> box. This behavior does not vary when my USB flash drive is inserted before I start the sequence or at some time during it. What am I missing?

I'd be happy to use a shared folder instead of trying to talk to a USB drive, but I am missing something there too. I went to Settings/Shared Folders and selected a Windows folder, declaring it automount & permanent. I thought this might make it show up in the hosted PP as a USB drive (where else could it show up?), but it doesn't.

[Steve303]

Check to see if you can see your shared folder in Ubuntu's file manager. I could see the shared folder in the file manager as a drive but could not access it because I was lacking permission. See rdsi's post #23. Linux is very different than windows isn't it.

Pull up terminal in ubuntu desktop and execute the following:


$ sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf operator


You'll have to reboot after that command for things to take effect.

Basically, it a permission thing whereas you being the predefined username "operator" need "vboxsf" group permissions.

[Fenichel]

I get

How do I define a group?

[Fenichel]

@rdsl
Thanks for your persistent help, but I had set up a shared folder, to no avail. Here it is in the VBox parent

Here in the inactive PathPilot entity

and here seen after PP is being simulated

Now when I Ctrl-Alt-X to get the Ubuntu command line and enter the

$ sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf operator

line, I get the same group vboxsf does not exist response.

I've looked a little further. In PP, going in to Devices/Shared folders/Shared folder settings gets me

OK, I followed those instructions. Now VBOXADDITIONS_5.1.28_117968 appears in the USB list in PP's File tab, I can copy it to the PP main file list, and for that matter I notice that it is in that list already within the USB folder, but now what? Opening the VBOXADDITIONS_5.1.28_117968 folder, I see that it contains various Windows (and other) executables. Notwithstanding the instructions in the screenshot just above, should one or more of these be run in Windows?

[Fenichel]

@rdsl

In the PP window there is a menu bar containing “File, Machine. View, Input, Devices, Help”. In the “Device” drop down menu select “Insert Guest Additions CD Image...”, then “OK” for “Open Autorun Prompt”. This should install them. Reboot the machine then apply:

$ sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf operator


Again, you need reboot the machine.

I've selected Insert Guest Additions CD Image in the Devices menu (several times now), but I've never seen Open AutoRun Prompt. Should it have appeared as soon as I selected Insert Guest Additions CD Image?

[Fenichel]

@rdsi
The only Ubuntu desktop I know how to get to is the one I get by Ctl-Alt-Xing out of PathPilot. That one's menu bar is just File/Edit/View/Terminal/Help. (no Places) I suspect there is a key combo that I should be holding down during the PathPilot boot to get me to a true-Ubuntu desktop as opposed to the Ubuntu-within-PP interface, but my suspicion doesn't get me anywhere.

[Steve303]

Fenichel, I had a similar problem with the top menu not showing. I had to

1. Open a terminal window by typing "Ctrl" + "Home" in the Ubuntu Desktop after closing PathPilot
2. Then type "/usr/bin/gnome-panel" the menu bar across the top should appear. Then look under Places for the Guest Additions Disk.




Also do not forget to turn the auto start of PathPilot by going to the System Preferences Startup Applications and unchecking PathPilot.

[Fenichel]

@Steve303
I followed your instructions, but now things are worse. When I start PathPilot now, it gets past the splash screen, but it never gets to the PP desktop. Instead, it stops at

and holding left-Alt/left-shift during this boot has no effect, so I can't get back to the Applications/Places/System menu. Ctrl/Alt/X gets me to the File/Edit/View/Terminal/Help menu, but I have no idea of what I might do there to move forward.

[Steve303]

My mistake it should be "Ctrl" + "Home" to bring up the Ubuntu menu. See post #9.

[Fenichel]

@Steve303
I can't find an opportunity to use Ctl/Home now. The candidate times are

• before the appearance of the Tormach splash screen (Ctl/Home --> freeze with splash screen),
• after the appearance (and stasis) of the ghostly explosion drawing (Ctl/Home --> no effect)
• after Crl/Alt/X --> the File/Edit/View/Terminal/Help menu (Ctl/Home --> no effect).

I don't know what it might do if I tried it from the PP desktop, because I can't get there any more.

[Fenichel]

Good for you. Thanks in advance.

[RTP_Burnsville]

Members, I have been putting together a document to help explain how to do this. Kind of a how-to-for-dummies. Not that any of us are really dummies but this is a forum about CNC machines – not software.

Tormach has done a pretty good job of insulating us from the software aspect of it, but some of us just want more. So if there’s enough interest in this I’ll try & finish it up & make it available.

I for one would be interested....... I have messed with Vituralbox and others a few years back but Linux is fairly new to me.

Thanks,
Robert

[GLCarlson]

Wow! RDSI, many thanks for the pointer to Virtual Box.

I know I'll be the weird one here...but has anyone tried this with the Mac OS (VB says it runs there) and PP? Sounds as if it should work, just set up the virtual Linux machine and off you go.

[GLCarlson]

I for one would be interested....... I have messed with Vituralbox and others a few years back but Linux is fairly new to me.

Thanks,
Robert

Second that!

[Steve303]

@Steve303
I can't find an opportunity to use Ctl/Home now. The candidate times are

• before the appearance of the Tormach splash screen (Ctl/Home --> freeze with splash screen),
• after the appearance (and stasis) of the ghostly explosion drawing (Ctl/Home --> no effect)
• after Crl/Alt/X --> the File/Edit/View/Terminal/Help menu (Ctl/Home --> no effect).

I don't know what it might do if I tried it from the PP desktop, because I can't get there any more.

Remember, breaking this install will not damage anything. Worst case a simple reinstall and start from scratch. I had to do this twice before I got it working. It is worth it in the end!

I am looking forward to rdsi's documented install. It will certainly clear the steps needed for everyone.

Steve

[TurboStep]

Wow! RDSI, many thanks for the pointer to Virtual Box.

I know I'll be the weird one here...but has anyone tried this with the Mac OS (VB says it runs there) and PP? Sounds as if it should work, just set up the virtual Linux machine and off you go.

Yes, PP on VB works on OSX.
Step


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[draper-ballou]

I agree, thanks RDSI!!!

I do have this up and running on MAC OSX, but am using Parallels instead of Virtual Box. I had to create a "keyboard shortcut" in order to send Alt+LeftShift during the boot sequence. Works great, I was able to test out my subroutines / subprograms without spending a bunch of time standing in front of the machine.

[sharmstr]

THIS IS AWESOME. Its exactly 95 steps from my desk to my machine. Sometimes its too loud in the factory for me to think. I've been hacking PP so this will definitely save me some time. Thank you!

[Fenichel]

Members, I have been putting together a document to help explain how to do this. Kind of a how-to-for-dummies. Not that any of us are really dummies but this is a forum about CNC machines – not software.

Tormach has done a pretty good job of insulating us from the software aspect of it, but some of us just want more. So if there’s enough interest in this I’ll try & finish it up & make it available.

How are you doing with your document? As noted earlier in this thread, I had no trouble getting PathPilot running within VirtualBox, but I couldn't establish a shared directory between PathPilot & my Windows host, despite trying various magical hotkeys as suggested by you & others.

Having the PP working effectively (that is, with a shared directory) would nicely complement other tools that I am now making available, as described on my Web site here.

[sharmstr]

In VirtualBox Manager, select your client in the left, then click on the settings gear in the upper menu. Go to shared folders and click the folder with the plus sign. For folder path, select "other" and browse to the folder you want to share with the client. Name it and select auto mount. Its important to note that you can share folders on the host, not on the client. Chapter