NAME

linuxcnc - LinuxCNC (The Enhanced Machine Controller)

SYNOPSIS

linuxcnc [-h] [-v] [-d] [-r] [-l] [-k] [-t <tpmodulename> [parameters]] [-m <homemodulename> [parameters]] [-H <dirname>] [INI file]

DESCRIPTION

linuxcnc is used to start LinuxCNC (The Enhanced Machine Controller). It starts the realtime system and then initializes a number of LinuxCNC components (IO, Motion, GUI, HAL, etc). The most important parameter is INI file, which specifies the configuration name you would like to run. If INI file is not specified, the linuxcnc script presents a graphical wizard to let you choose one.

OPTIONS

-h

Shows the help

-v

Be a little bit verbose. This causes the script to print information as it works.

-d

Print lots of debug information. All executed commands are echoed to the screen. This mode is useful when something is not working as it should.

-r

Disable redirection of stdout and stderr to ~/linuxcnc_print.txt and ~/linuxcnc_debug.txt when stdin is not a tty. Used when running linuxcnc tests non-interactively.

-l

Use the last-used INI file without prompting. This is often a good choice for a shortcut command or startup item.

-k

Continue in the presence of errors in HAL files

-t <tpmodulename> [parameters]

Specify custom trajectory_planning_module overrides optional INI setting [TRAJ]TPMOD

-m <homemodulename> [parameters]

Specify custom homing_module overrides optional INI setting [EMCMOT]HOMEMOD

-H <dirname>

Search dirname for HAL files before searching INI directory and system library: $HALLIB_DIR

<INIFILE>

The INI file is the main piece of a LinuxCNC configuration. It is not the entire configuration; there are various other files that go with it (NML files, HAL files, TBL files, VAR files). It is, however, the most important one, because it is the file that holds the configuration together. It can adjust a lot of parameters itself, but it also tells linuxcnc which other files to load and use.

There are several ways to specify which config to use:

Specify the absolute path to an INI, e.g.,
linuxcnc /usr/local/linuxcnc/configs/sim/sim.ini

Specify a relative path from the current directory, e.g.
linuxcnc configs/sim/sim.ini

Otherwise, in the case where the INIFILE is not specified, the behavior will depend on whether you configured LinuxCNC with --enable-run-in-place. If so, the LinuxCNC config chooser will search only the configs directory in your source tree. If not (or if you are using a packaged version of LinuxCNC), it may search several directories. The config chooser is currently set to search the path:

~/linuxcnc/configs:/usr/local/etc/linuxcnc/configs:/usr/share/doc/linuxcnc/examples/sample-configs
    

EXAMPLES

linuxcnc

linuxcnc configs/sim/sim.ini

linuxcnc /etc/linuxcnc/sample-configs/stepper/stepper_mm.ini

SEE ALSO

halcmd(1)

Much more information about LinuxCNC and HAL is available in the LinuxCNC and HAL User Manuals, found at /usr/share/doc/linuxcnc/.

BUGS

None known at this time.

AUTHOR

This man page written by Alex Joni, as part of the LinuxCNC Enhanced Machine Controller project.

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to alex_joni AT users DOT sourceforge DOT net

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2006 Alex Joni.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.