EMC2 for Sherline?

Have been in the process of setting up PC for CNC Sherline Mill. - Sherline came with the latest BDI 4.51 EMC2 DVD. Ubuntu 6.06 is available with EMC2 DVD.

This is my first attempt & setup using EMC2. Its a bit fuzzy, but what I'd like to know if the BDI 4.51 EMC2 & Ubuntu EMC2 are equally capable/same?

If I understand correctly the BDI 4.51 EMC2 is in the final stages of development and may soon be dropped? That causes me to be a little concerned!

Would like to hear from other Sherline or EMC2 users and get your opinions on this. Your input would be appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to post.

pepperwood

I'm not sure on the knew 4.51 version. But I am using EMC2 with my Taig CNC and it really is amazing. The system is freaking Free and you can run your cnc system, are you kidding me??? I love EMC2, it's so easy setting everything up, specifying what you have and so on. I just love everything about EMC2 and being a user, I can tell you that you should Mill with EMC2. It's very user friendly and just love all it features. I love that it shows your piece being cut and all the depths that it will cut and everything.

I can't get over how great it is.


-Jason

I found EMC to be pretty easy to set up. Everything happens in a couple of configuration files, and the documentation does a decent job of explaining the basics. If you just do basic XYZ axis motion then it shouldn't take too long--homing etc. takes a bit more work.

I wouldn't worry about waiting for the upgrade to get going. Chances are that you will be able to update your install without too much trouble.

At one time BDI was a part of the main emc project. It stands for "Brain Dead Install" btw. There was some disagreement on the direction of future development, so now there are 2 projects.

BDI4emc is now essentially a one man project run by Paul Corner. If you download the complete disk from this project, emc will be installed on a Debian Sarge operating system. By linux standards Sarge is ancient and official support is about to end. It lacks many of the refinements that have been added to emc2. Apparently it's possible to run emc2 on this system, but why bother?

Emc2 is the main project. If you download the complete disk from linuxcnc.org, emc2 will be installed on an Ubuntu Dapper Drake operating system. Dapper isn't exactly cutting edge linux, but it still has some life left. Development of emc2 is has really shifted into high gear in the last couple of years. Imho it's one of the best open source projects anywhere.

Afaik Sherline still supplies BDI with their machines. Not sure why. Resistance to change possibly?

[QUOTE=cyclestart;418593]At one time BDI was a part of the main emc project. It stands for "Brain Dead Install" btw. There was some disagreement on the direction of future development, so now there are 2 projects.

BDI4emc is now essentially a one man project run by Paul Corner. If you download the complete disk from this project, emc will be installed on a Debian Sarge operating system. By linux standards Sarge is ancient and official support is about to end. It lacks many of the refinements that have been added to emc2. Apparently it's possible to run emc2 on this system, but why bother?
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Cyclestart - Thank you very much for you note. I'm not sure if I got this right, but I'd like to know if the BDI 4.51 EMC2 & Ubuntu 6.06 EMC2 the same EMC2 just a different distro/os/??. I'm finding out the same thing. We got Sarge, Redhat, Ubuntu, Dapper Dan, etc. It would seem that Ubuntu is a complete linux OS with EMC2. BDI 4.51 appears to also function as a complete OS with EMC2, but I may be only half-right?

Planning on installing probably either BDI or Ubuntu EMC2 to use with the Sherline Mill. Leaning toward the Ubuntu EMC2.

Kindest regards,
Peppermark

Yes, the BDI is a complete Linux distro.

I really haven't been following what Paul has been doing. He's very capable, but only one person. The EMC2 developers are very energetic and do a lot of good work. I'm going with EMC2, and I think it's the most reasonable approach if you need support.

I'm not privy to exactly what has taken place between the developers so some of what follows was gathered by reading between the lines. I do have BDI 4.51 installed on a spare partition, mostly out of curiousity

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Originally Posted by pepperwood

but I'd like to know if the BDI 4.51 EMC2 & Ubuntu 6.06 EMC2 the same EMC2 just a different distro/os/??

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BDI was built to run emc not emc2. However emc2 can be run on BDI. Can't remember if emc2 was included on the disk or I downloaded it. I'm also not sure if it's possible to run the very latest emc2 releases.

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We got Sarge, Redhat, Ubuntu, Dapper Dan, etc. It would seem that Ubuntu is a complete linux OS with EMC2. BDI 4.51 appears to also function as a complete OS with EMC2, but I may be only half-right?

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unterhaus said it more correctly. BDI is it's own OS (distro). It is however heavily based on on Debian Sarge and uses those software repositories. Whether or not to maintain a seperate OS seemed to be a point of disagreement between the developers. Or at least one of the developers.

The linuxcnc.org team decided to package emc2 with a modified (kernel) Ubuntu LTS (long term support) OS. This means you get the same general OS as any other Ubuntu Dapper user, for better or worse.

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Planning on installing probably either BDI or Ubuntu EMC2 to use with the Sherline Mill. Leaning toward the Ubuntu EMC2.

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Running that Sherline with Ubuntu/emc2 should be no problem. I'm curious if Sherline has provided you with a special BDI that includes some specific configuration files. Any other Sherline owners reading this?

I'll boot into my BDI now to see what Sherline info is there.

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Originally Posted by unterhaus

Yes, the BDI is a complete Linux distro.

I really haven't been following what Paul has been doing. He's very capable, but only one person. The EMC2 developers are very energetic and do a lot of good work. I'm going with EMC2, and I think it's the most reasonable approach if you need support.

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Thanks for posting! You helped out a lot. I got things mixed up as I thought that BDI & Ubuntu EMC2 were both EMC2. As cyclestart pointed out it appears that BDI 4.51 EMC1 was developed for Sherline with Sherline equipment in mind. That is the latest one that Sherline supplies.

I can get one or the other EMC to install. They both appear to be capable. and as well as a complete Linux distro. That helps from time to time. Appreciate your note & suggestions.

pepperwood - Danville, Pa.

BDI was built to run emc not emc2. However emc2 can be run on BDI. Can't remember if emc2 was included on the disk or I downloaded it. I'm also not sure if it's possible to run the very latest emc2 releases.


Running that Sherline with Ubuntu/emc2 should be no problem. I'm curious if Sherline has provided you with a special BDI that includes some specific configuration files. Any other Sherline owners reading this?

I'll boot into my BDI now to see what Sherline info is there.[/QUOTE]
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I think you've covered all the bases on your posting quite well. All I have to remember that the BDI4 EMC is not Ubuntu 6.06 EMC2 although like you pointed out they both will work.

I'm inclined to agree with you. Sherline had been keeping up with the BDI4EMC1, debian based. Not sure when the latest came out but version is 4.51. Not sure what other Sherline users may have come up with?

Perhaps a bit later I may install one or the other EMC with Xandros OS that I have on the HDD. Dual Boot sort of.

Appreciate your input & suggestions.

Cordially,
peppermark

For the creation of what is a dedicated and essentially embedded system, does it really matter much to have the newest most capable flavor of OS? Even if the OS flavor is entirely extinct, even if it was somehow incompatible with the rest of the world for that matter, if it is compatible, small, stable, and not resource intensive it seems to be just as good an answer as anything else. It is essentially invisible anyway, and it's not like you need to worry about updates and the like. Compatibility with the newest standards, video hardware, or neat desktop widgets don't seem to be a relevant issue for a single-purpose dedicated controller box running only one app.
I only mention it as I unfortunately tried to update an old Fedora-based controller box, for no real apparent reason or benefit now that I look at it in retrospect, only to find out the new and significantly increased overhead from the current OS version would have required upgraded hardware as well. The question was, why? I just reinstalled the old stuff.

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Originally Posted by Stepper Monkey

For the creation of what is a dedicated and essentially embedded system, does it really matter much to have the newest most capable flavor of OS?

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In this case it depends on whether you want to run the latest version of the control software. For me this means the latest version of emc2.
Spotted on the emc-user-lists;
http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux....909/focus=5913
That's not to say the emc provided with BDI is not fully capable.

I've got the EMC2.2 release installed waiting my completion of my X3 CNC conversion. I had downloaded the BDI a few years ago and I can say the new release seems more stable and cleaner. With the included Stepconf program you can very easily set up any configuration without having to dig into the configuration files. I like 2.2 and Ubuntu - it's making that old P3 I grabbed off the curb one Saturday afternoon a very worthwhile addition to my 'collection' (aka junk closet). The homing doesn't seem to be working correctly but that might be a parallel port/BoB issue, haven't trouble shot it yet.

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Originally Posted by cadmonkey

I've got the EMC2.2 release installed .......... With the included Stepconf program ........ The homing doesn't seem to be working correctly

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Have you updated to 2.2.3? There were, and may still be, a few bugs in Stepconf. Just a thought. The release notes can be found here; http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Released
Hint: if the version number does not show up in the title bar of Axis, you are running 2,2,2 or earlier.

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Originally Posted by cyclestart

Have you updated to 2.2.3? There were, and may still be, a few bugs in Stepconf. Just a thought. The release notes can be found here; http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Released
Hint: if the version number does not show up in the title bar of Axis, you are running 2,2,2 or earlier.

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Thanks - Been working on the motor/ballscrew mounts and screw machining for the past month and a half and haven't really checked on everything from the electronics side. Will look into that tonight and probably upgrade. It installs so quick and is all so straightforward so I might as well make sure it's current. I've been meaning to switch from the questionable drive to a known reliable WD in that box anyway. :)

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Originally Posted by Stepper Monkey

I only mention it as I unfortunately tried to update an old Fedora-based controller box, for no real apparent reason or benefit now that I look at it in retrospect, only to find out the new and significantly increased overhead from the current OS version would have required upgraded hardware as well. The question was, why? I just reinstalled the old stuff.

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Just got around to installing the Ubuntu 6.06 EMC2 using CD, as per input it appears to be a complete OS. Everything was detected an installed accordingly. That helps!

Surprising to note that, approx 117 upgrades were also downloaded after it was installed to PC. Will try to incorporate the EMC2 with the Sherline. Have BDI 4.51 EMC as a back up as a compliment or vise versa?

Not able to get the EMC2 to shut the PC off. It powers down but doesn't shut off the PC like you'd expect? Have to use switch off power strip. Not a big deal but I may not have it right somewhere????

Pepper

The realtime kernel shuts off a lot of stuff.. One being the auto-shutoff. You need to push the button to shut ubuntu down. The 117 updates sounds about right :). I myself would stick with 2.2.3 (until the next update) I played with emc1 a few years ago. Yeck. Emc2 has come a long way. (I love the axis gui) http://www.electronicsam.com/images/gcode1.png

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Originally Posted by pepperwood

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Just got around to installing the Ubuntu 6.06 EMC2 using CD, as per input it appears to be a complete OS. Everything was detected an installed accordingly. That helps!

Surprising to note that, approx 117 upgrades were also downloaded after it was installed to PC. Will try to incorporate the EMC2 with the Sherline. Have BDI 4.51 EMC as a back up as a compliment or vise versa?

Not able to get the EMC2 to shut the PC off. It powers down but doesn't shut off the PC like you'd expect? Have to use switch off power strip. Not a big deal but I may not have it right somewhere????

Pepper

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as samco said, the power management messes with the real time kernel, so the kernel support for power isn't loaded. If you ever have problems with real-time, you may want to go into the bios and disable the power management. Also, legacy USB or USB keyboard should be shut off.