Step By Step Help Needed . EL8 Leadshine to PI 5

Hi all,For context: I'm currently building the control system for a Samurai 120 CNC machine (please see the attached photo).Machine electronic hardware configuration:

• 3 × Leadshine EL8 EtherCAT servo drives
• 2 × 400W Leadshine motors with optical encoders and battery backup
• 1 × 400W Leadshine motor with motor brake, also with optical encoder and battery backup
• 1 × Beckhoff EK1100 EtherCAT coupler
• 1 × Raspberry Pi 5 for control

Current progress:

1. Successfully installed LinuxCNC on the Raspberry Pi 5
2. Updated to the latest version
3. Installed CIA402 using Rodw’s guide
4. Configured the Pi as an EtherCAT master

Where I need help: I'm struggling to understand how to configure LinuxCNC to communicate with the servo drives in a basic setup.From what I understand, LinuxCNC relies on three main configuration files:

1. .ini

   – Loads the user interface and references the

   .hal

   file

2. .hal

   – The Hardware Abstraction Layer, which defines machine characteristics and connects components

3. .xml

   – Extracts and defines information from the servo drives

I found Marco Reps’ GitHub repository, which uses a similar configuration. I downloaded all the files and attempted to launch LinuxCNC using the "el8" configuration, but it failed to load.
 Could someone please provide a step-by-step  on how to configure Linux CNC for my current setup? Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

I intend on eventually using the probe basic user interface as I an touchscreen this would work well with. https://samuraimachinetools.com/cdn/shop/files/IMG_9964.jpg?v=1722652171&width=1445
 

Hello Will,I am also new to the world of LinuxCNC and servos. It can be a lot to take in. I have been working on a Marco Reps clone box as well and have a thorough walkthrough for the process so far. I'm stuck on getting gantry mode working but it looks like you won't have that problem. I have also provided two config files. The modello config is setup as a gantry mode, but I have tried a probe basic config with 3 axis in trying to master/slave the gantry servos via RS 485 cable rather than in LinuxCNC. That should work for your system. You will still need to comment out various bits in the files regarding the LS510 VFD and the xhc-whb04b handheld controller if you are not using this hardware. I am leaving for vacation today but let me know how you get on.