!!!! This file describes a very old version !!!!
!!!! of CRRCSim, not the current one. But it !!!!
!!!! provides some information about the !!!!
!!!! rctran transmitter interface. !!!!
Here is the info I have written so far on how to get CRRCSim up and
running on your computer!
1: I have only tested this using a 2.2 series Linux kernel. I don't
think the rc transmitter interface will work using a 2.0 series kernel.
You can always use the mouse input to test fly the simulator before
worrying about the RC Transmitter interface. This should work on any
kernel.
If you need too, download and install the latest 2.2 series kernel from
ftp.kernel.org. This can be tricky, so if you haven't compiled a new
kernel for a linux machine before, make sure you read all the "howto"
files out there on the web, and make sure you select the right options.
The rc transmitter interface will only work on intel based processors.
2: Get OpenGL hardware acceleration working on the Linux box. You
can run in software OpenGL mode, but it is slow and you will have to
turn off the nice textures and smooth shading.
3: Install the GLUT package. I used version 3.7 beta. Search
www.freshmeat.net for GLUT, and you will find a link to the this tar.gz
file.
4: Install the gle package. This handles drawing extruded OpenGL
objects. http://linas.org/gle/
5. Install SDL, it handles joystick, mouse, keyboard and video.
version 1.2 works great.
http://www.libsdl.org/
5: Download and install the "mbuff" package. Only if you need the
RCtransmitter interface. If you are using a mouse for initial
testing, you can skip this step and go to step 9.
http://crds.chemie.unibas.ch/PCI-MIO-E/mbuff-0.7.1.tar.gz
This provides the shared memory between the rc transmitter kernel module
and the flight simulator.
Install as described in the documents that come with the mbuff package.
Don't forget to do the step where you change the makefile after initial
testing so that the mbuff is no longer implementing the "demo mode"
Make sure you have the permissions on the /dev/mbuff file set correctly
for the user that will be running the simulation, or create a group to
handle all mbuff users.
6. Build a cable that connects the ground of the transmitter trainer port
5 pin din to the ground of the parallel port, and connects the trainer
cord output on the 5 pin DIN to the ACK, or interrupt input of the
parallel port. Be sure you don't have an interrupt conflict of the
parallel port with some other hardware in your machine. Make sure that
the parallel port is enabled in the bios. Some brands of transmitter,
like the Hitec also allow you to wire together two pins on the DIN
connector to disable the RF output on the transmitter. Make sure you check
this with a scope first so that you don't fry your parallel port.
Some types of transmitters output more than 5 Volts! Other parallel
ports require a buffer to prevent from trying to draw more current
than the transmitter can source. Use a curcuit with two TTL inverters
in series powered off the parallel port to prevent this type of problem.
7. Edit the crrcsim/rctran.c file and change the value of TWO_MS to
accurately represent the number of processor cycles that elapse during a
three millisecond interval. It is currently set to the value I used
for a 458MHz machihe. (In fact, I recently found that it is better to
set this value to the number of ticks that elapse during a three
millisecond interval, so that's why the variable name doesn't make sense)
8. Edit the crrcsim.cfg file. You will see commands like:
cpu_speed 456.507890 CPU speed in MHz needed by RCTRAN on Linux
Note: this value can now be found in crrcsim.xml, it is
inputMethod.rctran.cpu_speed
Change the 456.507890 to whatever your processor speed is, as reported
by more /proc/cpuinfo.
9. Edit crrcsim.xml, change inputMethod.method to MOUSE if you aren't
planning on using the RC Transmitter interface otherwise leave it as
RCTRAN.
10. Compile crrcsim, the simulator executable, and rctran, the transmitter
interface kernel module, by issuing a make command in the crrcsim
directory. Make sure that the mbuff.h file in the crrcsim directory is of
the same vintage as the particular mbuff package that you installed.
Hopefully it will compile successfully. You can ignore any
rctran/mbuff issues if you are using the mouse as input.
11. Become root, if using RCTRAN interface, otherwise skip to step 16.
12. from the mbuff package directory /sbin/insmod mbuff
more /proc/modules and see if mbuff is loaded (should be unused at this
point) You should check the /var/log/messages file to see if it
loaded properly. Use the command "tail -20 /var/log/messages"
13. from the crrcsim directory /sbin/insmod rctran Again, use the
"tail -20 /var/log/messages" command to see if the rctran module
loaded properly.
more /proc/modules and see if rctran is loaded (mbuff should show as being
used by rctran)
more /proc/interrupts should show the parallel port interrupt as being
used by rctran
14. logout from root
15. turn on your transmitter with the cable connected.
16. start the simulator by typing ./crrcsim
17. You may need to do some servo reversing to have the plane behave
properly.
I'm sure I forgot some details, so email me with any questions/problems.
-Jan
