Getting QTPYVCP to work - so many challenges

Hi All
Trying to get myself setup for a new lathe build. Was planning to use pathpilot as I've used that on other lathes before and the conversational programming is fantastic. Unfortunately i need to do some customisation that is hampered by the maount of python there is sitting behind the GUI.

So i thought i would look at other options. Probe basic lathe is limited to a 17" screen and I have a 15" touchscreen so thouht i would make my own in QTPYVCP but just getting QTPYVCP setup is proving a problem.

As i understand you can't use the normal ISO install even if you upgrade it to linuxcnc 2.9 as Buster doesn't have some of the PY and QT dependency versions required. That means you need using an alternative like MXlinux. But for that you have to use the dev install and I'd like to have access to the software in the applications menu without having to go digging around in terminal every time.

Any one got any advice on a simple why forward?

Thanks

Dave

Perhaps I lack ambition but my solution was to retreat to gmocappy lathe while the PB Lathe implementation is developed. To compound matters, it sounds as if recent changes to Python have left QTPYCVP in need of some serious surgery - of the sort I would be completely unable to comprehend. Similar-ish problem trying to implement Andy Pugh's lathe macros, from what I can understand (not possible in PBL lathe yet and I was unable to get it installed in either gmoccapy or Axis in v2.8).

Apologies to those involved if I have misunderstood or misrepresented (if so, no offence was intended) but unless you are a power user, you may be best to make do with an alternative GUI for now. 

www.qtpyvcp.com/install/bullseye.html

Check out above recipe for getting a clean Debian-11 install to a working linuxcnc and qtpyvcp

 

davidimurray wrote:

 Probe basic lathe is limited to a 17" screen and I have a 15" touchscreen so thouht i would make my own in QTPYVCP but just getting QTPYVCP setup is proving a problem.


 

NOTE - This doesn't address your actual problem - that of the difficulty and confusion setting up qtpyvcp/probe basic; I feel your pain as I just updated my mostly-working install and broke it.  But the below maybe still useful, FWIW.

I don't think PB is limited by screen size.  The limitation is the resolution - must be 1920x1080 or greater.  You could, theoretically, get a 5" rpi screen with the correct resolution and use it... but not without a magnifying glass.

There are buckets of 15.6 and 22-24" touch monitors on amazon & ebay.  Not many 17" widescreen monitors, and zero 19" that I can find.  I think a 15.6 would be about the smallest screen to comfortably use, and that one is likely too small to see all the info on the PB screen from any distance.

If you want to roll your own, many recent laptops came with 15.6" & 17.3" FHD (1920x1080) touchscreens.  Might be able to pick up a nice used laptop screen assembly, add a universal controller, and fit it to an operator panel.  I may be attempting this soon.

For comparison sake, my 23" screen is perfectly fine and I can read the DRO's from far enough away to be useful in the shop.  But in horizontal mode it takes up a silly amount of space - I'm hoping to switch to PB vertical. as there is much more vertical real estate on a mill in the traditional operator station location.
 

Joco wrote:

www.qtpyvcp.com/install/bullseye.html

Check out above recipe for getting a clean Debian-11 install to a working linuxcnc and qtpyvcp


 

That page still appears to be a development version, requiring a RIP LCNC installation.  Is the 'standard' Pypi installation sorted out yet (i.e. python3 & 2.9 with no RIP needed)?

 

No - not until linuxcnc moves its supported/stable release to 2.9. Maybe if build-bot supports Debian Bullseye.

The page covers building and installing the deb files so you end up with the nice menu items. But at this point due to python2 being end of life and the ongoing transition to python3 we are all operating in a bit of a “no mans land” while things “catchup”.

Hell, if someone has an easier way I am all ears!  

Joco wrote:

we are all operating in a bit of a “no mans land” while things “catchup”.


 

Seems like I picked a bad time to stop sniffing glue

In my view, the cleanest way to get Master branch working without any traces of Python2 is to install Debian 11 (Bullseye) and the package PREEMPT_RT kernel included in Bullseye. I can't tell you how many attempts I had with other methods while it was all in a state of change.

Joco has done a really good job documenting the process here and it does not take long to do. Plus he's included instructions on how to install via debs to install in the menus.

Even if you are not installing QTpyvcp, this is my goto source from here on.

 

Joco - thanks very much for the guide. Having followed the steps I can report it has appears to have worked perfectly - with Linuxcnc installed in the applications menu and I can also run QTPYVCP - exactly what I was after.

Thanks
Dave

I'm sure once Debian is installed it's a great guide - as David attests.

My problem is that I can't install Debian - 10 or 11.  It doesn't play well with either of my USB wifi sticks, I don't have wired internet in the shop, and it also doesn't have drivers for the realtek NIC.

MXLinux is the only distribution - I've been trying everything mentioned on this forum since last April - that installs without some sort of fatal error on either of the computers I've got available for testing.