-Installation Instructions
-*************************
-
-Copyright (C) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 Free
-Software Foundation, Inc.
-
-This file is free documentation; the Free Software Foundation gives
-unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify it.
-
-Basic Installation
-==================
-
-These are generic installation instructions.
-
- The `configure' shell script attempts to guess correct values for
-various system-dependent variables used during compilation. It uses
-those values to create a `Makefile' in each directory of the package.
-It may also create one or more `.h' files containing system-dependent
-definitions. Finally, it creates a shell script `config.status' that
-you can run in the future to recreate the current configuration, and a
-file `config.log' containing compiler output (useful mainly for
-debugging `configure').
-
- It can also use an optional file (typically called `config.cache'
-and enabled with `--cache-file=config.cache' or simply `-C') that saves
-the results of its tests to speed up reconfiguring. (Caching is
-disabled by default to prevent problems with accidental use of stale
-cache files.)
-
- If you need to do unusual things to compile the package, please try
-to figure out how `configure' could check whether to do them, and mail
-diffs or instructions to the address given in the `README' so they can
-be considered for the next release. If you are using the cache, and at
-some point `config.cache' contains results you don't want to keep, you
-may remove or edit it.
-
- The file `configure.ac' (or `configure.in') is used to create
-`configure' by a program called `autoconf'. You only need
-`configure.ac' if you want to change it or regenerate `configure' using
-a newer version of `autoconf'.
-
-The simplest way to compile this package is:
-
- 1. `cd' to the directory containing the package's source code and type
- `./configure' to configure the package for your system. If you're
- using `csh' on an old version of System V, you might need to type
- `sh ./configure' instead to prevent `csh' from trying to execute
- `configure' itself.
-
- Running `configure' takes awhile. While running, it prints some
- messages telling which features it is checking for.
-
- 2. Type `make' to compile the package.
-
- 3. Optionally, type `make check' to run any self-tests that come with
- the package.
-
- 4. Type `make install' to install the programs and any data files and
- documentation.
-
- 5. You can remove the program binaries and object files from the
- source code directory by typing `make clean'. To also remove the
- files that `configure' created (so you can compile the package for
- a different kind of computer), type `make distclean'. There is
- also a `make maintainer-clean' target, but that is intended mainly
- for the package's developers. If you use it, you may have to get
- all sorts of other programs in order to regenerate files that came
- with the distribution.
-
-Compilers and Options
-=====================
-
-Some systems require unusual options for compilation or linking that the
-`configure' script does not know about. Run `./configure --help' for
-details on some of the pertinent environment variables.
-
- You can give `configure' initial values for configuration parameters
-by setting variables in the command line or in the environment. Here
-is an example:
-
- ./configure CC=c89 CFLAGS=-O2 LIBS=-lposix
-
- *Note Defining Variables::, for more details.
-
-Compiling For Multiple Architectures
-====================================
-
-You can compile the package for more than one kind of computer at the
-same time, by placing the object files for each architecture in their
-own directory. To do this, you must use a version of `make' that
-supports the `VPATH' variable, such as GNU `make'. `cd' to the
-directory where you want the object files and executables to go and run
-the `configure' script. `configure' automatically checks for the
-source code in the directory that `configure' is in and in `..'.
-
- If you have to use a `make' that does not support the `VPATH'
-variable, you have to compile the package for one architecture at a
-time in the source code directory. After you have installed the
-package for one architecture, use `make distclean' before reconfiguring
-for another architecture.
-
-Installation Names
-==================
-
-By default, `make install' will install the package's files in
-`/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/man', etc. You can specify an
-installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving `configure' the
-option `--prefix=PREFIX'.
-
- You can specify separate installation prefixes for
-architecture-specific files and architecture-independent files. If you
-give `configure' the option `--exec-prefix=PREFIX', the package will
-use PREFIX as the prefix for installing programs and libraries.
-Documentation and other data files will still use the regular prefix.
-
- In addition, if you use an unusual directory layout you can give
-options like `--bindir=DIR' to specify different values for particular
-kinds of files. Run `configure --help' for a list of the directories
-you can set and what kinds of files go in them.
-
- If the package supports it, you can cause programs to be installed
-with an extra prefix or suffix on their names by giving `configure' the
-option `--program-prefix=PREFIX' or `--program-suffix=SUFFIX'.
-
-Optional Features
-=================
-
-Some packages pay attention to `--enable-FEATURE' options to
-`configure', where FEATURE indicates an optional part of the package.
-They may also pay attention to `--with-PACKAGE' options, where PACKAGE
-is something like `gnu-as' or `x' (for the X Window System). The
-`README' should mention any `--enable-' and `--with-' options that the
-package recognizes.
-
- For packages that use the X Window System, `configure' can usually
-find the X include and library files automatically, but if it doesn't,
-you can use the `configure' options `--x-includes=DIR' and
-`--x-libraries=DIR' to specify their locations.
-
-Specifying the System Type
-==========================
-
-There may be some features `configure' cannot figure out automatically,
-but needs to determine by the type of machine the package will run on.
-Usually, assuming the package is built to be run on the _same_
-architectures, `configure' can figure that out, but if it prints a
-message saying it cannot guess the machine type, give it the
-`--build=TYPE' option. TYPE can either be a short name for the system
-type, such as `sun4', or a canonical name which has the form:
-
- CPU-COMPANY-SYSTEM
-
-where SYSTEM can have one of these forms:
-
- OS KERNEL-OS
-
- See the file `config.sub' for the possible values of each field. If
-`config.sub' isn't included in this package, then this package doesn't
-need to know the machine type.
-
- If you are _building_ compiler tools for cross-compiling, you should
-use the `--target=TYPE' option to select the type of system they will
-produce code for.
-
- If you want to _use_ a cross compiler, that generates code for a
-platform different from the build platform, you should specify the
-"host" platform (i.e., that on which the generated programs will
-eventually be run) with `--host=TYPE'.
-Sharing Defaults
-================
-
-If you want to set default values for `configure' scripts to share, you
-can create a site shell script called `config.site' that gives default
-values for variables like `CC', `cache_file', and `prefix'.
-`configure' looks for `PREFIX/share/config.site' if it exists, then
-`PREFIX/etc/config.site' if it exists. Or, you can set the
-`CONFIG_SITE' environment variable to the location of the site script.
-A warning: not all `configure' scripts look for a site script.
-
-Defining Variables
-==================
-
-Variables not defined in a site shell script can be set in the
-environment passed to `configure'. However, some packages may run
-configure again during the build, and the customized values of these
-variables may be lost. In order to avoid this problem, you should set
-them in the `configure' command line, using `VAR=value'. For example:
-
- ./configure CC=/usr/local2/bin/gcc
-
-causes the specified `gcc' to be used as the C compiler (unless it is
-overridden in the site shell script). Here is a another example:
-
- /bin/bash ./configure CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash
-
-Here the `CONFIG_SHELL=/bin/bash' operand causes subsequent
-configuration-related scripts to be executed by `/bin/bash'.
-
-`configure' Invocation
-======================
-
-`configure' recognizes the following options to control how it operates.
-
-`--help'
-`-h'
- Print a summary of the options to `configure', and exit.
-
-`--version'
-`-V'
- Print the version of Autoconf used to generate the `configure'
- script, and exit.
+* Linux source:
+
+In order to compile the Comedi modules, you will need to have
+a correctly configured Linux kernel source tree. The best
+way to get one is to download a tarball from kernel.org and
+compile your own kernel. Comedi should work with most 2.2,
+2.4, and 2.6 Linux kernels. 2.6.x kernels older than 2.6.6 are
+not supported. Support for 2.0.3x is not actively maintained,
+but it should work and bugs will be fixed as they are reported.
+
+You can also prepare a kernel source tree that matches
+the kernel you are currently running if you have its config file (in
+the Debian distibution the config files for the kernel-image packages
+are installed into the /boot directory). The following steps will
+(almost) set up your kernel sources correctly. You will also need
+write permission to the kernel source directory the first time you
+run comedi's configure script, so you might want to unpack the kernel
+source into a directory you own.
+
+1) Get a copy of the kernel source that matches the kernel you are
+ running. Unpack it and copy your kernel config file to '.config'
+ in the top directory of your kernel source.
+2) You might need to edit the file 'Makefile' in the kernel source.
+ At the top of the Makefile, the variable EXTRAVERSION is defined.
+ If necessary, change it to match your kernel (for example, if the command
+ 'uname -r' produces "2.4.16-386" then your EXTRAVERSION should be
+ set as 'EXTRAVERSION=-386'.
+3) Run 'make oldconfig' in your kernel source directory.
+4) Run 'make dep' (for 2.6 kernels, do a 'make modules_prepare' instead
+ or even better a full 'make') in the kernel source directory and
+ you are done.
+
+Red Hat users note: Kernel sources that are distributed with Red
+Hat Linux are not supported, because they are too heavily
+modified. However, there is some information in
+Documentation/comedi/redhat-notes on how to use Red Hat kernels.
+
+* RTAI support:
+
+If you want to use the real-time capabilities of Comedi with
+RTAI, you need to compile and install RTAI first. If you
+don't install the rtai kernel modules, you may get unresolved
+symbols when installing the comedi kernel modules.
+
+* RTLinux support:
+
+If you want to use the real-time capabilities of Comedi with
+RTLinux, you need to compile RTLinux (both the kernel and the
+modules) first. Known working versions are 2.x and 3.0.
+
+* Configuration:
+
+Configure with './configure'. './configure --help' will give the
+configuration options. If the configure script does not exist
+(if you checked comedi out from cvs for example), it can
+be generated by running './autogen.sh'. The autoconf, automake,
+autoheader, etc. tools are required to generate the configure
+script (automake version >= 1.7 recommended). The --with-linuxdir
+option is particularly useful, as it allows you to specify
+the location of your Linux kernel source directory. If
+you are using an RT-patched kernel, the --with-rtaidir or
+--with-rtlinuxdir options allow you to specify
+the location of your RTAI or RTLinux source directory.
+
+* Compiling:
+
+Compile using 'make'. If this fails for some reason, send the
+_entire_ build log to the mailing list. Without the build
+log, it is impossible to find problems.
+
+* Installation:
+
+Install using 'make install' as root. This installs the files:
+
+ /lib/modules/<<kernel version>>/comedi/comedi.o
+ /lib/modules/<<kernel version>>/comedi/kcomedilib.o
+ /lib/modules/<<kernel version>>/comedi/<<driver files>>.o
+
+You need to create device files to access the hardware from a
+user process. These can be created using 'make dev'. The following
+special files will be created:
+
+ /dev/comedi0
+ /dev/comedi1
+ /dev/comedi2
+ ...
+ /dev/comedi15
+
+* Comedilib:
+
+Now would be a good time to compile and install Comedilib. Comedi
+and Comedilib are completely independent, so it doesn't matter
+which is installed first.
+
+* Running Comedi:
+
+To use comedi, the driver module and the core Comedi modules must
+be loaded into the kernel. This is done by a command similar to
+
+ /sbin/modprobe <<driver>>
+
+If your module dependencies are set up correctly, this will load
+both comedi.o and your driver. If you get unresolved symbols, check
+the FAQ or the mailing list archives. Also look at the man pages
+for modprobe and insmod.
+
+In order to configure a driver module to use a particular device
+file (/dev/comediN) and a particular device, you need to use the
+command 'comedi_config', which is part of the comedilib
+distribution. Comedi_config is invoked using
+
+ comedi_config /dev/comedi0 <device name> <option list>
+
+The device name may or may not be the same as the module name. In
+general, if the device type can be autoprobed (as with ISA PnP or
+PCI devices), the device name will be the same as the module name.
+Otherwise, you will need to check Documentation/comedi/drivers.txt
+for information about what device name is appropriate for your
+hardware. The option list is to supply additional information,
+such as I/O address, IRQ, DMA channels, and other jumper settings.
+Information about option lists appropriate for a driver is in
+drivers.txt. The following commands are examples:
+
+ comedi_config /dev/comedi0 dt2821 0x240,3
+ comedi_config /dev/comedi1 ni_atmio 0x260,4
+ comedi_config /dev/comedi2 dt2817 0x228
+ comedi_config /dev/comedi3 ni_pcimio
-`--cache-file=FILE'
- Enable the cache: use and save the results of the tests in FILE,
- traditionally `config.cache'. FILE defaults to `/dev/null' to
- disable caching.
+Try a 'man comedi_config' for information on how to use
+this utility. Scripts have been written for a few of the drivers
+with very complicated option lists -- these are found in the etc
+directory.
-`--config-cache'
-`-C'
- Alias for `--cache-file=config.cache'.
+* Module Autoloading:
-`--quiet'
-`--silent'
-`-q'
- Do not print messages saying which checks are being made. To
- suppress all normal output, redirect it to `/dev/null' (any error
- messages will still be shown).
+If you like to autoload your modules, put the following lines
+into /etc/modules.conf (this does not apply for PCMCIA cards):
-`--srcdir=DIR'
- Look for the package's source code in directory DIR. Usually
- `configure' can determine that directory automatically.
+ alias char-major-98 comedi
+ alias char-major-98-0 your_driver
+ post-install your_driver PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/sbin:$PATH;comedi_config /dev/comedi0 board_name <<options>>
-`configure' also accepts some other, not widely useful, options. Run
-`configure --help' for more details.
+Alternatively, for complicated option lists, the scripts in etc
+are designed to be copied into /etc, so that you could put the
+following lines into /etc/conf.modules:
+
+ alias char-major-98-0 dt282x
+ post-install dt282x /etc/dt282x.conf
+
+If your board has self-calibration capabilities,
+will want to run comedi_calibrate, an autocalibration tool that is part
+of comedilib, in a bootup script.
+
+* PCMCIA:
+
+Linux-2.4 kernels are recommended for PCMCIA drivers, since 2.2
+kernel require the separate PCMCIA package. It is possible to
+use 2.2 kernels with PCMCIA, although it is necessary to modify
+the top level Makefile.
+
+Comedi works with several PCMCIA cards, and the driver modules can
+be loaded and unloaded upon insertion and removal of the card.
+The necessary configuration files are in the Comedilib source
+package. Copy the files in etc/pcmcia/ to /etc/pcmcia and restart
+card services. The pcmcia script provided is very simple -- it only
+uses /dev/comedi0 for devices, which is a limitation if you have
+other Comedi devices in your system.
+
+* Upgrading:
+
+From versions prior to 0.6.0, you will need to edit and recompile
+all programs that use comedi or comedilib, since the names of
+functions and ioctls have changed.
+
+From versions prior to 0.5.0, you will need to recompile all programs
+that use comedi or comedilib, since the interface to both of these has
+changed. No changes should need to be made to the source of the
+programs. The format for parameters of comedi_config has changed.
+
+From versions prior to 0.4.0, you will need to run 'make dev' again
+to recreate /dev/comedi*, since the major number has changed.
projects / comedi.git / commitdiff