Re: EMC on a 386 and a remote TkEMC under Win98?

[shackle <shackle-at-cme.nist.gov>]

On Tue, 8 Aug 2000 14:16:59 -0400 (EDT), Scott Stephens said:

> 
>  Can I and how do I:
>  
>  Run TkEMC, and a backplotter, under Win98?
>  I suppose the Tcl backplotter would need significant modification.

I doubt the actual tcl code needs much modification. (Perhaps Ray will answer
that part more definitely.) 

I think you need to.

1. Get tcl/tk setup on your win98.

2. Get a copy of emcsh.exe

4. Setup EMC on the remote linux platform, a network connection between them
and copy over the .ini and .nml files.

3. Run the backplotter with a command something like this:

	emcsh.exe tkbackplot.tcl -- -ini something.ini
>  
>  Use an old 386/486 to run EMCMOT, EMCIO, and EMCTASK?
>  Will Red Hat Linux 5.2  (kernal) 2.0.36 and RT patch release9J.tgz  bear it?

I have never run on a 386 but I am not aware of a requirement that would rule
it out either.


>  Will speed be improved with a remote TkEMC?

Possibly. You end up adding network delays but the GUI doesn't have to fight
for processor time with the real-time code etc.


>  
>  Can I transfer small executables from the build to a tiny 100MB disk on the
>  386 or 486?
>  What linux components can I discard if I just want a motion controller?
>  
>  Where do I get the Windows TkEmc.exe?
>  The link at http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/projects/emc/wintkemc.html is broke,
>  but may be working soon.

I don't think the link is broken. I tried it just a second ago and it appeared
to work.
Under Netscape, I needed to hold the shift key down when I clicked  to prevent
the browser from trying to interpret the .exe as html. I am not sure if there
is a similiar problem/work around for internet explorer.



>  
>  I tried Brian Pitt's  ZipSlack Install procedure, which worked after I
>  figured out the disks linux partition name, but it crashed during the
>  real-time Linux patch, and Windows Scandisk  'fixed' the problem by deleting
>  linux file names! That's what I get for trying to avoid rebooting.
>  
>  Since I'm interested in NC drilling, a well-damped system that doesn't need
>  coordinated motion, and there is Windows software available, I'm not sure
>  its worth more trouble unless I can use my scrap 386 and keep my main PC
>  away from plasma and burning metal. And I can EDM/ECM turbojets for RC
>  planes. Anyone doing that?
>  
>  Regards,
>  
>  Scott Stephens
>  
>  
>  

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------
William Penn Shackleford III			shackle-at-nist.gov
National Institute of Standards & Technology	Tel:	(301) 975-4286
100 Bureau Drive Stop 8230			FAX:	(301) 990-9688
Gaithersburg MD  20899	USA
http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/personnel/shackleford/
Office Location: Bldg. 220 Rm A253