calling subroutines

foam wrote:

so I entered FOAM=1 next to display, and next to coordinates I entered XYUV, but Foamcutter now does not open. It just has a long list of errors

So what other steps do I have to do to change it over.

More importantly, I don;t understand what will change, as in, what will get better or worse.

Mainly, XY UV makes far more sense for a 4-axis foam cutter than XYZA does, as A is generally a rotary axis. 

But, in the (old) version of LinuxCNC that you are using you would need to have [TRAJ]AXES set to 8, COORDINATES = XYUV and have dummy entries for [AXIS_2] through to [AXIS_5] and move your current Z and A to [AXIS_6] and [AXIS_7]

Then you would also need to make some HAL changes, swapping axis.2.motor-pos-cmd to axis.6.motor-pos-cmd and so on. 
 

andypugh wrote:

But, in the (old) version of LinuxCNC that you are using you would need to have [TRAJ]AXES set to 8, COORDINATES = XYUV and have dummy entries for [AXIS_2] through to [AXIS_5] and move your current Z and A to [AXIS_6] and [AXIS_7]

Then you would also need to make some HAL changes, swapping axis.2.motor-pos-cmd to axis.6.motor-pos-cmd and so on. 

I have eaxctly this on a 2x1x1 meter foam cutter i built ages ago, it is still on Ubuntu 10.04.1, and also have another config with only X and Y, where the other two axis are mirrored for when the parts have the same size on both sides.
Also has a removable rotating table set as B.

Yes it does cut 3d shapes, and i have no idea what the owner uses for CAM, been quite some time since i spoke or had coffee with him as he has type 2 diabetis and lately has health problems.
I can ask if i do get in contact with him.

I can not see anything offending to anyone.
As for Linux team, most Linux distros have teams, some have a single person trying to do everything, but usually those are just repackaged versions of bigger distros.
LinuxCNC has users that help, few developers that do a lot of work in the background and some that are also active here, it also has an IRC chanel with plenty of active users, so you might get faster replies there granted you bump into someone with experience in your field.
We definitely need more help with everything, most of us here are busy all the time, still we try to use every free time to help others here.
The how to section or documentation?
Github is one way of contributing, or if you are willing to help, one of the admins can also help with publishing.
Need coffee, badly, still groggy...