[Bdi4emc-help] Software status questions

Fri Aug 3 17:50:38 CEST 2007

Hi Wolfgang

On Thursday 02 August 2007 14:51, Wolfgang Köbler wrote:
> 1. What software updates do you plan ?
> bdi4emc currently has EMC2 V2.0.4, whereas current version is V2.1.7.
> Are you planing to create and update and if so, when ?

Haven't made a final deccision as to whether to make another release with 
emc2. There are issues with the code which some of the developers would 
rather dismiss as FUD, or bury their head in the sand and hope it will go 
away (more on that below).

> Current Debian is Etch, bdi4emc is still Sarge.
> Are you planing to create and update and if so, when ?

An Etch build is on the cards - One important (all be it, minor) library is 
missing from the Xorg packages, without it, the installer will not build. I 
need to look to see if there are any updates or perhaps look at Lenny/Sid for 
a replacement (don't really want to have to rebuild Xorg just for one small 
library).

> 2. What is the current (and/or planned) support for MOTENC-Lite ?
> How hard is it to get a MOTENC-Lite up and running with bdi4emc ?
> Can I just copy the the config files from the sample-configs directory
> to the right places, do minor adjustments and it works ? Are these
> configs tested or just lying around for a while and noone knows if
> they still work ? Or do I need to recompile driver stuff, etc. ?

The driver and configs are intended for the eight axis card - Looking at the 
manuals, the register maps are the same except for digital IO and encoders. 
Writing to non-existant encoder/IO registers may cause the PCI bus to hang. 
Unfortunately, I only have a MOTENC-100 card available for testing.. If you 
are willing to be a guinea pig, I can provide modified sources and/or access 
to a test repository.

> 3. Has the Issue from the Mail
>
> > Subject: [Bdi4emc-help] BDI - Motenc-Lite Issue?
> > Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 14:10:41 -0800
>
> been fixed in bdi4emc by now ?

The issue was with vsitest.c from Vital Systems - A fresh download shows the 
same bug exists. This is something I can't do anything about beyond informing 
Abdul of the error. However, there is a chance I can include a revised 
version with the next build (subject to Abdul's approval).

---

 Currently running a 2.6.20 kernel with a recent RTAI patch on a Debian Etch 
box, this will probably be upgraded to a 2.6.22 before too long. In the 
process of migrating to Etch, I found a couple of small problems with the 
hooks that the kernel package uses when installing it's self - This needs to 
be addressed before building a new CD so that anyone upgrading doesn't land 
in trouble. (It's a silly little problem with the grub menu not being 
updated).
 If I use a 2.6.20 or later kernel, the emc2 sources need some small bug fixes 
that would otherwise send the build tits up. Other emc2 issues include the 
inability to build and run for multiple kernels, a requirement for parallel 
port modules to be unloaded (if running stepper motors) - The developers 
would have you break printer support so they don't have to address the issue.
There is also a problem with common library & file names which throw up 
package conflicts when installing both emc2 and EMC along with any supporting 
packages (python-axis springs to mind). Perhaps once they have had 
their "board" elections, some dialogue can take place to resolve the worst of 
these issues.

Side note: Did manage to get emc2-2.1.6 to compile, but found it used around 
20% more CPU resources for a simple stepper driven Sherline - Made for a very 
sluggish computer...

Regards, Paul.