Need help, new HDD, installing old LCNC software

Hi folks,

I lost my hard drive recently and thought I would replace it for the time being and upgrade my PC after I have the machine running again.

I have been running 8.04 for a number of years now with distro 2.5.4 (if I remember correctly).

I loaded the OS and started LCNC, right away I found myself trying to remember how I set this thing up all those years ago. (It's all a blank).

I have a 3 axis gantry style router, with DC steppers, what config should I use?

I have all my previous config files ini, hal, var, the works, on a USB, what's the smart way to get these into LCNC so they work?

Lets start there and see what I can screw-up next.

Thanks

Well here is what I would do.

Start LinuxCNC with one of the sample configurations. Be sure to have it create a desktop icon for you. Exit out of the program once it starts.

This should have created the linuxcnc/configs/ folder on your new hard drive.

Now create a new folder for your configuration under the linuxcnc/configs/ folder. Something like linuxcnc/configs/myconfig

Copy all of your configuration files from your USB flash drive into this new configuration folder.

Now edit the desktop icon that was created for the sample config and point it to the .ini file in your configuration folder.

Try to start LinuxCNC with the desktop icon. It should work if you have all of the files present in you configuration folder.

I can do this!

Just two more questions, (I don't want to assume anything).

How do I "edit the desktop icon"?
And, how do I "point it to the .ini file?

Thank you for your help

To edit the desktop Icon, right click on it. It will bring up a pop up menu. Click on the option "Edit Launcher". This will bring up a dialog box. There will be a text box that is titled "Command:" Look at the text string that is in the text box. The last portion of the text string is a path to the .ini file that the launcher is directed to when starting LinuxCNC. Edit that path so that it resembles "somestuff/linuxcnc/configs/myconfig/myini.ini" where myconfig is the config folder you created and myini.ini is the name of your .ini file. Once you have done that click the save button in the dialog box. That should have your desktop icon pointing to the correct configuration.

I do this same thing every time I go to make changes to a working configuration. I make a copy of the configuration in a new config folder. Make a new launcher icon that points to the new config and .ini file then I make changes there. That way if I royally screw things up in my new config I can always go back to my old working config.

I am quoting procedures for Debian Wheezy. If you are still using an older OS the steps might be slightly different.

Almost there.

Yup, 8.04 is a bit different.
Right click the short cut and open "Properties" and go to the "Launcher" tab, the command line is there.

I am up against a file path error (I think), Error= "Failed to execute child process (No such file or directory)".

I think I have the /linuxcnc/configs/myconfig/myini.ini part, it's the "somestuff" that looks a bit odd.

What should a file path look like in Harty Heron?
It shows user/bin/allen/emc/configs/muconfig/myini.ini, (I changed the emc to linuxcnc through out already).

Is it a typo?

you have muconfig instead of myconfig in your previous post. I don't know for sure how you have the directories named. Also keep in mind that linux is case sensitive and that could cause a (No such file or directory) error.

I've checked for syntax errors and it all looks good, I do have upper case letters but they all match.

I went to the home folder and turned on the "text based location bar" and I have a clear path delineated and I copied it to the command line, I'm just not sure what the file path should be prior to /home/ or if it should have anything at all, I may have to dig out the old Unix book and read up on file paths, it's been a long while.

Thanks again for your help, I like the idea of just writing a new command line to point to a new config folder, a very worth while idea.

I think it should start with /home/

I did just notice that the path to the .ini file is enclosed in single quotes so it should be something like '/home/allen/linuxcnc/configs/myconfig/myini.ini' might make sure the single quotes are there.

I am out for the night. Good luck troubleshooting!

Got the file path squared away.

Now I get the "EMC2 terminated with an error" screen, I can't print all this as I have no printer on the machine, I can't copy and paste either.

Any ideas how I can get this data to you folks?

I'm giving up for the night as well, I'll check back in the AM.

Thanks