Embedding ngcgui in EMC 2.4.x

This is a short step by step to install Dewey Garretts ngcgui into Axis assuming you have EMC2 2.4 installed on Ubuntu 8.04 and not a RIP.

Open up a terminal and type the following commands
cd emc2
mkdir ngcgui
cd ngcgui
wget gnipsel.com/shop/emc2/ngcgui/ngcgui.tgz
or
wget www.panix.com/~dgarrett/ngcgui/ngcgui.tgz
tar zxf ngcgui.tgz
sudo apt-get install libtk-img

Now you have the files located in ~emc2/ngcgui/t\ngcgui_tst directory and can close the terminal window.

Using the file browser copy the following files to your config directory (the same directory as your ini file)
tkapp.py (2.4 only)
ngcgui_app.tcl
ngcgui.tcl
ngcgui_ttt.tcl

Now copy the following files from the testsuite directory to the emc2/nc_files directory.
gosper.ngc
gosper.png
hw.ngc
ihex.ngc
in_std.ngc
iquad.ngc
iquad.png
line.ngc
move.ngc
simp.ngc
simp.png
spin.ngc
slot.ngc
slot.png
xyz.ngc
xyz.png

Now open your ini file and add the following to the [DISPLAY] section.
Make sure you replace username with your username.

USER_COMMAND_FILE = tkapp.py
TKAPP = ngcgui_app.tcl
NGCGUI = ngcgui.tcl
NGCGUI_FONT = Courier -10 normal
NGCGUI_PREAMBLE = /home/username/emc2/nc_files/in_std.ngc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = /home/username/emc2/nc_files/slot.ngc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = /home/username/emc2/nc_files/simp.ngc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = /home/username/emc2/nc_files/iquad.ngc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = /home/username/emc2/nc_files/gosper.ngc
NGCGUI_OPTIONS = nonew noremove nonew

This should get you up and going with embedded ngcgui.

Thanks Dewey!

Enjoy
John

To use ngcgui go to a tab and fill in the blanks with the proper values. Click on Create Feature then click on Finalize. The ngcgui program will build the file by adding the preamble, the subroutine and then tack a M2 on the end to finish off the g code.

The real power comes when you have more than one step you need to do. Just go to each tab and fill in the blanks and click on Create Feature but don't click on Finalize until you have all the features built. You can change the order of the features before clicking on Finalize.

John

My guess is it is this line from the error

Starting EMC2 DISPLAY program: ./tkapp.py
Shutting down and cleaning up EMC2...

if tkapp.py is in the same directory as your config remove the ./ from it and it should work.

John

Attach your ini file so I can look at it.

John

Your DISPLAY needs to remain unchanged and point to AXIS.

DISPLAY = axis

John

Cool!

What kind of lathe do you have?

There are a bunch of lathe subroutines here to try out.

If you have any questions just start a new topic on it here.

John