running BBB + Machinekit newbie questions

Hi,
I have a BBB plugged into a BeBoPr+. I downloaded Machinekit and followed instructions. I have the BBB connected via a cat5 cable to my router NOT connected to a pc via a usb lead.

Using my development pc (Ubuntu 13.04) on which I run linuxcnc sim (I run the real thing on another pc in my workshop/shed which is 12.04 with a mesa 5i25 ) I can SSH onto the BBB and login using the linuxcnc username and password the BBB address is 192.168.1.21

However when I try to run linuxcnc on the BBB I get an error message no display name and no $DISPLAY environment variable. It ran startx & before linuxcnc but it made no difference. I recompiled linuxcnc on the BBB but it made no difference, So what is the problem here I obviously have an xdisplay problem but do not know how to solve it? I connected my monitor to the BBB using a micro-hdmi - vga connector but the monitor reprted no signal. How can I tell if I mistakenly used the version that does not support hdmi or how can I swithch hdmi on if that is the problem?

As I intend to run the BBB connected to my cnc equipment without a pc connection but with a keyboard / mouse / wireless connection via a usb port + monitor. I cannot progress until this is sorted. So any help would be appreciated.

Alan

It's been a couple weeks since you had this issue, but I'm curious if you solved it. I found this doc that seems fairly straight forward: www.seas.upenn.edu/cets/answers/x11-forwarding.htmlI'll try it out on my Mac later this afternoon and report back.

As far as Windows goes, here's how I have my BBB set up and working.

Starting with a clean install of MachineKit using the following directions: bb-lcnc.blogspot.com/p/machinekit_16.html
Install Xming: sourceforge.net/projects/xming/files/latest/download
Start Xming
Open PuTTY
Expand the 'SSH' tab from the 'Category' list
Choose 'X11' from 'SSH' list
Check 'Enable X11 Forwarding'
Make sure you have the device's IP address typed in and then Open the connection

Once you have logged in, it should be as easy as typing in "linuxcnc"
Xming and PuTTY will handle everything else for you.

Quick tip, you do not need to have the HDMI cape enabled. So that frees up a good 24 GPIO pins.
i.imgur.com/dgsB7Cn.png

For clarity sake, you do not have to do anything special to the BBB or MachineKit to forward X11 via SSH.

Due to a cartload of errors and stupidity on my part (plus bricking one BBB ) . I can now connect to my BBB + BeBoPr+ using ssh from a linux machine. I will also try your windows suggestion. Two things, firstly I guess I wasn't reading the documentation carefully enough and secondly you do need to ensure that cape-bebopr-brdg is added to capemgr.disable_partno in uEnv.txt

Glad to read you're up and running; and sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better, at only $45 I'm a bit more wreckless with the BBB, too, than I am with any of my other boards.

As far as the capes go, I can't offer much advice. I'm running capeless. I'm trying to get LCNC working with only a handful of L298 drivers. I've had a lot of luck turning the motors with a python script I wrote, but I have yet to dive into LCNC's HAL.

Thanks for your help, Andy. You've given me a head start, but your second command throws an error for me.
Checking dmesg doesn't seem to reveal anything of consequence - that I can tell. pastie.org/8420026

Any ideas?

Thanks again, Andy.

It seems I need to set up a channel first, before running stepgen. pastie.org/8421759

Can I assume "axis" is synonymous with "channel"?

I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but reading the stepgen man was enlightening. It seems (for my set up) I should use step_type 7 and 8 (considering the L298N is an H bridge and my steppers are bipolar). Is there a difference between type7 and type8? Or am I misunderstanding how that works?