Pronterface on Ubuntu 64

I am trying to replace the current Windows based 3D printer control PC with a laptop running Ubuntu. Printer is an i2 Prusa, quite happy,

Have read through a few threads on this and tried everything...

... Has anyone got 64 bit version of Ubuntu (12.04) working with Pronterface?

Reason I think it's an issue with 64 bit versions is, after sending;-

sudo apt-get install python-serial python-wxgtk2.8 python-pyglet python-tornado python-setuptools python-libxml2 python-gobject avahi-daemon libavahi-compat-libdnssd1

through the terminal, and then;-

pip install -r requirements_prontserve.txt

Which returns an error message saying no such file or directory, and then;-

$ sudo usermod -a -G dialout $(whoami)

To get usb port access, and then copying pronsolerc,default to pronsolerc in the Printrun directory, I get the following error message;-

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/wx-2.8-gtk2-unicode/wx/_core.py", line 14665, in
lambda event: event.callable(*event.args, **event.kw) )
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/wx-2.8-gtk2-unicode/wx/_controls.py", line 1850, in AppendText
return _controls_.TextCtrl_AppendText(*args, **kwargs)
File "/usr/lib/python2.7/encodings/utf_8.py", line 16, in decode
return codecs.utf_8_decode(input, errors, True)
UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf8' codec can't decode byte 0xf1 in position 2: invalid continuation byte

Now, if a byte is being read in position 2... is that down to an incompatibility with a 64 bit operating system?

Or put it another way - Has anyone ever got pronterface to run on a 64 bit Ubuntu install? No problem if not, can put the 32 bit version on.

I run Pronterface in Ubuntu 13.04 64 bit. I believe all you have to do is install all the dependencies, add yourself to the dialout group (can be done through the users and groups gui) and then mark pronterface.py file as executable (right click and select properties and select allow executing as program). Then when you click pronterface.py it should ask you if you want to view it or execute it as a program.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Thanks for response. That's one thing it isnt then,

As the printer firmware is set to 250,000 baud and Cura (64bit) can't find it either, I figure I need to patch pyserial to get Ubuntu to operate at the right speed,

Wish me luck, I'm very new to Linux and Reprap machines. But enjoying them still.

Just change the speed in Marlin. Also you will want to add an LCD and SDcard to the machine right away because printing over USB is not ideal and the LCD an SD is so cheap now. You can do it for about $9 total using [dx.com] and [dx.com] and two trim pots [www.ebay.ca] plus wires. If you do a little searching even less. Those were the first I found. Even pre-made fancy reprap oriented kits for LCD, encoder and SD are cheap on eBay.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Yep, modded the pyserial, Ubu64 machine now talking to RepRap.

Can't modify Marlin as don't have Arduino tools - anyway, it ain't the Reprap that's broke, it was the Ubuntu python serial driver.

Scuse me, it would appear somebody has been dicking around with the extruder... missing a nut holding the thing on. Lot of issues like that.

BUT at least I now have a machine to test with, without resorting to Bill Gates malware Windoze. Thanks for the advice.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2014 09:35PM by Pat McD.