LinuxCNC on Raspberry Pi 5

The images provided are not generic Debian images, as generic Debian didn't support overlays.
The images we build are custom images based on Debian repo but with kernel sources from the RPi-Linux github.

The output I gave was showing that the hal_gpio driver does indeed work, the first line is loading the driver with the GPIO config as per the man page for the driver. Yes it was the current image, with the 6.12 series kernel & Linuxcnc 2.9.4.

hal_gpio uses a newer method that is meant to support other ARM hardware, not just the PI. Code changes at the kernel never stops!

There is a commit pending with etherlab or the 6.11 kernel and up which also should let ethercat on 6.12 work for us.
Bjarne at etherlab is chasing it up for us internally. He has been so helpful for us along the way.

jairobbo wrote:

Hello everyone,

I started to work with linuxcnc only a few weeks ago, when I decided to upgrade my 3d printer with A and B axis.
Because my pi4 was starting to jitter I acquired a pi5. As one does..

I etched the image 2.94 for pi5 to an SD card. Running this image, GPIO is not working.

halcmd loadrt hal_gpio help
Note: Using POSIX realtime
Invalid parameter `help'
<commandline>:0: waitpid failed /usr/bin/rtapi_app hal_gpio
<commandline>:0: /usr/bin/rtapi_app exited without becoming ready
<commandline>:0: insmod for hal_gpio failed, returned -1
cnc@raspberrypi:~$

I dont have the knowledge to troubleshoot this. Unfortunately. Maybe somebody here know how to solve this.

kind regards,
JAiro
 

halcmd loadrt hal_gpio help
Invalid parameter `help' <<<<< this is the error from the above, Linux is pretty verbose in telling you what is wrong.

But you really need to read the man page
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/drivers/hal_gpio.html

 

rodw wrote:

There is a commit pending with etherlab or the 6.11 kernel and up which also should let ethercat on 6.12 work for us.
Bjarne at etherlab is chasing it up for us internally. He has been so helpful for us along the way.
 

I had a look at the ethercat DKMS package (extracted the package in a temporary directory, no need to do an install), and what I saw is that the source of the modules have ending with 5.14 & 6.1 before the .c .h extension (I'm guessing these are the supported kernels). I'd get confirmation that the commit for 6.11 will work for 6.12.

unknown wrote:

rodw wrote:

. I'd get confirmation that the commit for 6.11 will work for 6.12.

It seems to be confirmed because the notes say it fixes issue #160 which is the issue I raised. 
gitlab.com/etherlab.org/ethercat/-/merge_requests/151

I wonder about the drivers in the gnet folder for the RPi. Whether the drivers from 6.12.x kernel source need to be patched with the ethercat stuff and moved into the gnet folder.

Don't overthink it.
The drivers in Ethercat refer to optimised RT Ethernet NIC drivers. There is a generic driver we use and then some hardware specific ones for install and broadcom, I assumed there would be generic driver support.

regarding EtherCAT driver for rpi5 ethernet:

gitlab.com/etherlab.org/ethercat/-/issues/104

RPi 5 uses the

macb

driver (Cadence GEM) and not

genet

. So I guess you have to use a Raspberry Pi 4 if you want a native driver.

I'll have to leave this to Rod & others. It's not something I could really test other than the installation bit.