Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Indexer LPT and granularity

"Fitch R. Williams" wrote:

> On Fri, 25 Jan 2002 22:39:07 -0500, "Art Fenerty"
> <fenerty@...> wrote:
>
> >Its all a matter of how sympathetic the Windows OS is to being
> >manipulated in this way. In my experience its like pulling teeth, but I can
> >see where its possible.
>
> OK, I gotta ask a question here. Forgive me if it is a dumb question
> born of ignorance, but I can't resist.
>
> Is the following possible:
>
> The controller package, like the one from NIST is running on the
> computer in Linux with all the real time benefits that bestows on it.
> On the same machine (say a 1.5GHz machine (or at least one powerful
> enough that computer capacity isn't an issue) is simultaneously running
> in windows the operator interface with all the nice graphics that makes
> available - the interface is of course running in a virtual machine
> created by a SW environment that allows running some form of windows on
> top of Linux.
>
> Can the operator interface running in the windows environment
> communicate with the NIST package running native Linux in a way that
> would make it possible to get the best of both worlds?
>
> It seems like sort of a clugy concept to me, but I couldn't resist
> asking the question.
>
> Probably better if the machine controller is a dedicated Linux machine
> on a network with the windows machines for file transfer.

To the best of my knowledge, it is not known whether RT-Linux and
VMWare are even compatible, and if so, whether VMWare adversely
affects the real time performance of RT tasks. If there is no problem
in these areas, then you could do what you suggest above. BUT,
I can't for the life of me understand WHY! The latest Linux windowing
software, under Mandrake 8.1 is actually BETTER than Windows 2000,
bya substantial margin. Not only that, but it is configurable, so you can
turn on (or off) features you like (or don't)!

I do understand the desire to have a Windows CAD package running
on the same machine that is doing the CNC control. That makes sense,
as the Linux CAD software is still behind what's available for Windows.
But, there's NOTHING wrong with the Linux screen, mouse functions,
etc.

I will also tell you, right up front, that if you are not a systems guru, you
don't want to try configuring a dual-OS system with VMWare. VMWare
is fine, and VERY easy to install, but getting a machine configured right
to keep TWO operating systems happy simultaneously is no picnic.
I spent 2 months getting my system working right, and got a lot of grey
hair out of it. It now works like a DREAM, I must say, but it took a lot of
time to find out the implications of each possible choice.

Jon