Epics Port to Linux

[jpq@casbah.acns.nwu.edu]

People,
     Based on comments from Mark Rivers, I finally downloaded the 
R3.12.0Beta8 release to my 486 PC type box running Linux.  While
I had problems with the Beta6 release, most of the endian issues seem
to have been worked out in Beta8.  I now have my 486 acting as an OPI 
to my VME crate with the OPI being a 486DX under Linux.  (I still have to 
start caRepeater manually, but this is a minor point)  Currently, I 
have built Ben-chin Cha's TCL/TK extensions (this also means ezca, caget/put)) 
as well as probe, and I even have medm compiled although I have not had 
the chance to actually design interfaces (thanks to Tony Cox for 
providing the XrtGraph stubs).   In the next week, I will see how far 
I get with the other extensions.  

I'd like to reiterate Mark's kudos to the EPICS developers.  The
current 3.12 distribution is very easy to work with on different 
Unix platforms.  Once I obtained the proper release, EPICS seems to 
be quite happy under Linux with minor tweaking.  

For those who don't know, Linux is a public domain Unix system for
Intel 386-586 type computers.  With this port of Channel Access, you can
make that old 386+ PC be an OPI without Windoze (although, you can
always boot DOS and Windows if you choose, Linux knows how to mount
DOS partitions so you can store data so that DOS/Windows applications
can deal with it after the fact).   X comes with 
the public domain distribution and the latest version of Motif is 
commercially available for about $200.  There are some hardware 
constraints, but they are not excessive.     

- John

---
John Quintana                            Internet email: jpq@nwu.edu
DND-CAT Synchrotron Research Center      Voice Phone: (708) 252-0223
APS/ANL Sector 5, Bldg 400               FAX Phone: (708) 252-0226
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