Install notes.

[Charles Brauer <cbrauer-at-pop.voyager.net>]

Well I still am confused about installing.  First I HAVE NEVER
found the so called release9J.tgz patch( or the beta11) on the EMC webspace.

On rtlinux & related ftps there are rtl: v1.2, v1.3, v2.0, v3.0 plus 2
prepatched ones containing the necessary kernel. The newest one has the
kernel_patch "cleverly hidden" in rtl/main/i386.
 

I have had success building kernels and installing and running examples.
One problem I had with v2.0 was the old v1.3 examples wouldn't run... until
I edited a line in rtl/include/rtl_conf.h. This caused me a lot of problems
trying to install emc.  EMC is written for the old rtlinux and won't
install with rlt2.0(unless the rtl_conf.h is modified). I asked Fred about
this in round about way but got no reply( I asked him why I was getting
RLTask emcmot syntax error at line 277 or so of emcmot.c ... that was
because I was using rtlv2.0 which I thought must be the so called beta11
version)

I know this is all old news to all the programming garus out there, but for
some of the lesser folk it makes life difficult.

My feelings about the CAD/CAM thing is yes someone(the gov via grants)
should see that a free CAD/CAM package is out there.  I have worked with
Surfcam and I know there is no way I could began to build gcode over
complex surfaces with out such a package.  I tried using CGAL to write a
program that would extract the closed polygons from a dxf file, break them
into triangular meshes and then use something like RAPID to follow the 3D
edges.  It was too much for me I tell you.

Now I just got the new install guide from the link in the emc drop box at
http://www.linuxcnc.org  and see I have some changes I can make as  
I have 96M and no $888 Servo-to-go board.

charly