Installing the Fab Modules (Ubuntu)

Note: you must press the <ENTER> key after every line of code you type.

Install the Dependencies

Remove the line break in the command - paste into terminal in one line. Type:

sudo apt-get install python python-wxgtk2.8 python-dev python-pip gcc g++ 
libpng12-dev make bash okular libboost-thread-dev libboost-system-dev cmake

To Download and Install the Fab Modules

Open your terminal and type:

cd ~/Desktop         

Type:

mkdir fabmodules         

Type:

cd fabmodules       

Type:

wget http://kokompe.cba.mit.edu/fab_src.zip     

Modules will download. Type:

unzip fab_src.zip       

Type:

make fab    

Type:

make install    

To Use the Fab Modules

Type:

fab       

How to Set Up the Fab Modules for Use with Serial Devices

By default the fab modules are set up to send rml files over a USB connection (/dev/ttyUSB0). If you are using a serial cable (DB9) to connect to the Modela, you need to specify the correct path to the serial port in the fab modules.

To update the Fab Modules - repeat step 1 "To Download and Install the Fab Modules" and stop before "Install the Dependencies". The dependencies will already be installed.

To find out the correct serial port path:

Go to the terminal and type:

setserial -g /dev/ttyS[0123]

You will get a listing of serial ports with the port / path displayed first: the correct path should have a number listed ( at our lab it was: /dev/ttyS0 ).

For example:

fab@laser-cpu:~/Desktop/fabmodules$ setserial -g /dev/ttyS[0123]
/dev/ttyS0, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x03f8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS1, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02f8, IRQ: 3
/dev/ttyS2, UART: unknown, Port: 0x03e8, IRQ: 4
/dev/ttyS3, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02e8, IRQ: 3
  

Change the Path for Serial Connections:

sudo nano /usr/local/bin/fab_send

In Nano
--> the file will open - edit all of the lines that say port="/dev/ttyUSB0"
--> change each "/dev/ttyUSB0" to your serial port (I changed mine to /dev/ttyS0)
- press [control]+O to save the file
- press [control]+X to exit the editor

Then you should be in business. Relaunch the fab modules and try to send a file to the machine.

To Open the Fab Modules - type:

fab