PNCConf, Mesa 7I96S: "You are using a simulated-realtime version of LinuxCNC..."

Hi,

Please help with the following problem. On PNCConf when I click the button Test/Tune Axis to test my X-axis, the following message appears:

[
You are using a simulated-realtime version of LinuxCNC, so testing/tuning of hardware is unavailable.
]

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, PLEASE?

My environment is as follow:

Mesa 7I96S, power supply is MEAN-WELL MDR-10-5 ( 5V, 2A ).
7I96S IP is addres is 10.10.10.10, I can ping it. And PNCConf has been able to discover the card.

Computer: Raspberry PI 4B

Operating system: Debian Bookworm 12,
Kernel: "Linux picnc 6.6.59-rt45-v8-behai-rt-build+ #1 SMP PREEMPT_RT Sat Nov  2 10:20:46 AEDT 2024 aarch64 GNU/Linux"

PNCConf: BETA Version 1
LinuxCNC: 2.9.3

ONLY ONE closed-loop Nema23 driver CL57T: Which I configure to be the X-axis.

The wiring of CL57T to 7I96S is as below. This has been suggested by Mr. PCW.

[
7I96S       CL57T
+5V          PUL+
STEP0-    PUL-
+5V         DIR+
DIR0-      DIR-

CL57T's SW3 Set for 5V mode.
]

Even though I have only one motor and one driver, I still have to configure Y, tandem Y2 and Z axes as per the screenshot below:



On the X Motor page, clicking on the Test/Tune Axis button, the above mentioned message appears:



Please note: I built the kernel myself. I have also built LinuxCNC from the source myself back in November, 2024.

What have I done wrong, and how to fix it, please?

Thank you and best regards,

...behai.
 

I guess you didn't use the sysfs patch, this is required for Linuxcnc to recogonise that the environment is a real time one.

Easiest option will be to download the latest RPi4 image on the downloads page, has a 6.12.11 kernel (with the required sys_fs patch), Linuxcnc version 2.9.4. Might pay to backup your home directory.

As usual
user: cnc
pwd: cnc

linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...25-01-27-0404.img.xz
linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...7-0404.img.xz.sha256

unknown wrote:

I guess you didn't use the sysfs patch, this is required for Linuxcnc to recogonise that the environment is a real time one.

Easiest option will be to download the latest RPi4 image on the downloads page, has a 6.12.11 kernel (with the required sys_fs patch), Linuxcnc version 2.9.4. Might pay to backup your home directory.

As usual
user: cnc
pwd: cnc

linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...25-01-27-0404.img.xz
linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...7-0404.img.xz.sha256
 

Hi unknown,

Thank you for your suggestion. I have burnt that image, and I am able to ping my 7i96s on 10.10.10.10.

1. I am not able to go very far with PNCConf -- I have locale problem, using menu-config, I have set my default locale to en AU.UTF_8, still no go. There are existing posts on this problem, I will try it again.

2. This image does not come with WIFI preconfigured. I am using the Pi Imager to burnt it, and WIFI setting did not take effect.

Thank you and best regards,

....behai.





 

The images are not Raspbian based, so any pre imaging before writing to SD card will not work. This is mentioned in the sticky regarding the RPI images:

forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...the-rpasberry-pi-4-5

Yeah I haven't really been happy with the way locales are setup. I would really like to come up with a solid solution and add that to the sticky mentioned above.

Regarding wireless:
wiki.debian.org/WiFi/HowToUse#Using_ifupdown_and_wireless-tools

I'm thinking network-manager and gnome network tools would make setting up networks somewhat easier.

Actually I've just had another thought, what version of RPi imager are you using and what particular OS ?
I'm not a windows user and some people have had issues with RPi imager ?
Do you uncompress the downloaded file or just point RPi imager to the compressed file ?

Cheers
Rob

unknown wrote:

Actually I've just had another thought, what version of RPi imager are you using and what particular OS ?
I'm not a windows user and some people have had issues with RPi imager ?
Do you uncompress the downloaded file or just point RPi imager to the compressed file ?

Cheers
Rob
 

Hi Rob,

Thank you for your help and new information: I have missed the two links you posted on the previous reply.

I am using Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Wombat and Raspberry Pi Imager V1.8.5 to write image.

I downloaded the linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...25-01-27-0404.img.xz and use it as is.

I did check the kernel with uname -a, and the output is Linux raspberrypi 6.12.11 #1 SMP PREEMPT_RT Mon Jan 27 02:47:25 AEDT 2025 aarch64 GNU/Linux.

AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET PNCCONF's Test/Tune Axis to test the X-axis motor: thank you again Rob.

-- For PNCCONF to work, we need to use menu-config to set Locale to en US.UTF8, after setting the locale, I had to restart the machine, otherwise the locale does not seem to take effect immediately.

To verify the machine locale, on a terminal window, run the locale.

Best regards,

...behai.


 

Hi,

As a LinuxCNC learner, I find this PNCConf video very informative and complete:



It is a few years old, but it did help me.

Behai,

Much appreciated, you've been a great help, that's great to know about RPi imager, I'm using the latest Mint which is based on Noble and using the same version of Rpi Imager and having no issues.

If you want to add a note in the thread below, regarding locales and your experience with PNCConf that would be great.
forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...the-rpasberry-pi-4-5

Once again thanks.....oh if there's anything you feel that maybe missing in the thread I mentioned feel free to add to it. It'd be great if, as a community, we could try and assemble a lot of info in the one place.

Cheers
Rob

unknown wrote:

Behai,

Much appreciated, you've been a great help,
...
Once again thanks.....oh if there's anything you feel that maybe missing in the thread I mentioned feel free to add to it. It'd be great if, as a community, we could try and assemble a lot of info in the one place.

Cheers
Rob
 

Hi Rob,

Thank you to you, too. Without your help, I would not be able to get through this so quicky. I apologise for my late reply. I got caught up in some Fusion 360 stuff

I think this is what you meant: forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...-4-5?start=10#320959 ?

Thank you and best regards, Rob.

...behai.



 

Hi,

Still in regard to the image linuxcnc.org/iso/rpi-4-debian-bookworm-6...25-01-27-0404.img.xz, I have found the following information useful:

1. The desktop is XFCE, we can find out using the command echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP.

2. In regard to enabling Wifi.

This image comes with no network manager tool, nmcli is not available.

ChatGPT suggests the following steps. And I have carried them out successfully.

Please note, I had to switch to superuser to run the below commands.

To switch to superuser, use sudo su -.

a. Connect Using wpa_supplicant (If No NetworkManager).

b. Generate a configuration file:

[
wpa_passphrase "<WIFI_NETWORK_NAME>" "<WIFI_PASSWORD>" | sudo tee /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
]

c. Start wpa_supplicant:

[
wpa_supplicant -B -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
]

Please note wlan0. I think this is called network device name. We can find it out using the command ip link show, there are several output entries, I just guessed which on is the Wifi one, and lucky it was correct

d. Obtain an IP address via DHCP:

[
dhclient wlan0
]

e. Persist WiFi Connection (For Boot Time). Ensure it's enabled at boot:

[
systemctl enable wpa_supplicant
systemctl start wpa_supplicant
]

f. Test connectivity:

[
ping -c 4 8.8.8.8
]

It should give successful responses.

g. I restarted the machine. And still have Wifi, but there is no Wifi icon. I have not been able to get it to display.

3. In regard to Remote Desktop Connection.

I followed this article phoenixnap.com/kb/debian-remote-desktop and get it to work successfully.

Connecting from my Windows 10, the desktop just displays rubbish. It is not usuable.

4. In regard to directory sharing.

Samba works successfully, just like in Ubuntu and Raspbian. The setting up process is pretty much the same.

Thank you and best regards,

...behai.