LinuxCNC Pure Simulator

Installing a precompiled simulator package

The simulator mode is useful for playing with gcode onscreen and exploring/developing user-space software, but not for measuring jitter or driving actual machinery.

In the following instructions, remember that releases of LinuxCNC prior to version 2.5 were called EMC2.

Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin)

There is no precompiled package for this release, but the simulator can be installed manually by following [these steps]

Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot)

There is no precompiled package for this release, but the simulator can be installed manually by following [these steps]

Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal)

LinuxCNC 2.5 and its predecessor EMC2 2.4 are not supporting Ubuntu 11.04, but the simulator for EMC2 2.4 can be installed on 64-bit hardware with following package:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/45105575/emc2_2.4_SIM_for_U11.04.deb
This is a static made package with no planned release, use as is.

Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx)

It's very easy.

Note: if wget is not already installed, "sudo apt-get install wget"

On a 32-bit machine (where "uname -m" gives i386 or i486 or i586 or i686):

-For 2.5 (e.g. LinuxCNC)

  wget http://www.linuxcnc.org/lucid/dists/lucid/linuxcnc2.5-sim/binary-i386/linuxcnc-sim_2.5.1_i386.deb
  sudo dpkg -i linuxcnc-sim*.deb
  sudo apt-get -f install 

-For 2.4 (e.g., EMC2)

  wget http://www.linuxcnc.org/lucid/dists/lucid/emc2.4-sim/binary-i386/emc2-sim_2.4.7_i386.deb
  sudo dpkg -i emc2-sim*.deb
  sudo apt-get -f install

On a 64-bit machine (where "uname -m" gives x86_64):

-For 2.5 (e.g., LinuxCNC)

  wget http://www.linuxcnc.org/lucid/dists/lucid/linuxcnc2.5-sim/binary-amd64/linuxcnc-sim_2.5.1_amd64.deb
  sudo dpkg -i linuxcnc-sim*.deb
  sudo apt-get -f install

-For 2.4 (e.g., EMC2)

  wget http://www.linuxcnc.org/lucid/dists/lucid/emc2.4-sim/binary-amd64/emc2-sim_2.4.7_amd64.deb
  sudo dpkg -i emc2-sim*.deb
  sudo apt-get -f install

These instructions install version 2.5.1 or 2.4.7. Versions 2.5.0 and version 2.4.6 is also available, just make the appropriate change in version number in the basename of the appropriate deb file. Version 2.4.5 has a spurious dependency on fglrx.

When the install is done, just run "linucnc" if you installed LinuxCNC 2.5 or "emc" if you installed EMC2 2.4. You've got to pick a "sim" configuration from the Configuration Selector, otherwise HAL whines about a missing library in "probe_parport: dlopen".

Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron)

For 2.3.1 add the following 2 lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list :

     deb http://www.linuxcnc.org/hardy hardy base emc2.3-sim
     deb-src http://www.linuxcnc.org/hardy hardy base emc2.3-sim

Then run the following commands:

     gpg --keyserver pgpkeys.mit.edu --recv-key 8F374FEF
     gpg -a --export 8F374FEF | sudo apt-key add -
     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install emc2-sim
     sudo apt-get install emc2-dev

and you should be set.

Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake)

add the following 2 lines to your /etc/apt/sources.list :

     deb http://www.linuxcnc.org/emc2 dapper emc2.3-sim
     deb-src http://www.linuxcnc.org/emc2 dapper emc2.3-sim

Then run the following commands:

     gpg --keyserver pgpkeys.mit.edu --recv-key BC92B87F
     gpg --keyserver pgpkeys.mit.edu --recv-key 96935D7D
     gpg -a --export BC92B87F | sudo apt-key add -
     gpg -a --export 96935D7D | sudo apt-key add - 
     sudo apt-get update
     sudo apt-get install emc2-sim
     sudo apt-get install emc2-dev

and you should be set.

Compiling

Depending on the release of interest, see Installing LinuxCNC or Installing EMC2