Testers Needed for New RTAI Packages

Bari wrote: That is entirely up to the dev that builds the next LCNC ISO's.

I expect that there will be both preempt-rt and RTAI ISO images made, probably based on Debian Buster.

(This is only a guess, but I would also guess that it will be me who makes them, so it's a good guess)

twoflowers wrote: @RPi & RTAI: Ok, I had an old RPi 2 some years back with a RTAI kernel (3.something). Latency was good, ~ 1/10 of the latest RT-PREEMPT kernel, so I was wonndering if anybody did get taht working on newer kernels, too.l Anyway, I have now a stock of 9 perfectly working PCs with i3, so no need to go the RPi road any more. In hindsight, I would not go the RPi road any more.

github.com/NTULINUX/RTAI is x86 only.

Do you recall where you got RTAI for a Rpi2? The source at rtai.org is usually broken.

andypugh wrote:

Bari wrote: That is entirely up to the dev that builds the next LCNC ISO's.

I expect that there will be both preempt-rt and RTAI ISO images made, probably based on Debian Buster.

(This is only a guess, but I would also guess that it will be me who makes them, so it's a good guess)

Great! Thanks for the Info!

andypugh wrote:

Bari wrote: That is entirely up to the dev that builds the next LCNC ISO's.

I expect that there will be both preempt-rt and RTAI ISO images made, probably based on Debian Buster.

(This is only a guess, but I would also guess that it will be me who makes them, so it's a good guess)

Andy, how impractical would it be to create a single ISO that would have the capability of installing either RTAI or Preempt-RT? Would that end up being too large or just too diffucult?

Todd Zuercher wrote: Andy, how impractical would it be to create a single ISO that would have the capability of installing either RTAI or Preempt-RT? Would that end up being too large or just too diffucult?

I think that multiple kernels is fairly easy, but multiple LinuxCNCs would be harder.

I anticipate everyone being pointed initially to the preempt-rt, with a suggestion to use the RTAI one if that proves too slow.

Though I am open to counterarguments.

Hi Andy,

First of all, a BIG thank you for all your efforts. I really appreciate what you do!! And without Linuxcnc I would have to use some windows thing that I really don't want to use...

Regarding realtime, I have a slightly different view.

I did use the rtai version because the latencies are so much better.

For hobbyists like me the rtai version is the route to go. It is cheap, I can run my machine at the speed recommended by the manufacturer (3200 microsteps, 10mm/turn, 6m/s) and I don't have to mess with additional hardware.

I have to admit that I don't know how any hobbyists like me do use Linuxcnc, but for this use case rtai is perfect!!

For anything near professional the mesa cards may be better suited. But that is not yet something I (and maybe other hobbyists will dig into)...

That's my two cents.

Cheers and thanks again!

Domca

Parallel with stepconf it's also easier to setup for beginners, where with mesa card you might need some additional time and effort.
But at the end you always learn something new and useful.

I recently freshly reinstalled my 9 years old setup to Debian 9, and stepconf was just click here and there and it was ready to run.

Then 4 days ago decided I would like to upgrade the computer and ordered Mesa 7i92.
Received it yesterday, and first thoughts were "Oh boy", No click and play
But have managed to re-do the hal and ini file and now everything is 100% working.

So

For 7i92 you can always use pncconf wizard and make a config for 5i25, then edit the hal file by replacing hm2_pci with hm2_eth and everything containing hm2_5i25.0. with hm2_7i92.0.
That takes about 2 minutes with the "search and replace" feature in all text editors.

Yes, have done it that way on spare 5i25 config, and than copied 1 pin per time into 7i92 config so I could run LinuxCNC after each change and when error showed up I know where i made the changes so i could relook and fix.

But for someone that has always been using stepconf without needing to touch .hal files or to one new to LinuxCNC such thing on first look could see like a nightmare.

But just on first look. Once you start copying and you made succesful first pin conversion the joy comes back and rest is than quickly done.

There should be some dedicated page, where users can share their configs, so one can look at it and maybe get some pin configs out of it if using same hardware.

Like I now have completly clean 7i92 + Benezan BOB config which only needs minor changes to work on other machines and all changes commented in .hal and .ini.
So one can make it's own 7i92 config with pncconf, just selecting step generators and motors/table specs. and taking the rest from already working config.

toplakd wrote: There should be some dedicated page, where users can share their configs, so one can look at it and maybe get some pin configs out of it if using same hardware.

That is what the wiki is for. Feel free to add a page of configs.

wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl
Maybe under "User Configurations:"