upgrading python on raspbian

[Gene Heskett]

On Monday 14 October 2019 12:00:42 Michael Torrie wrote:

> On 10/14/19 8:52 AM, Gene Heskett wrote:
> > I think thats the obvious path forward. Once ported, we don't have
> > to worry about that legacy stuff for two or 3 generations of linux.
>
> A worthy goal and I'm sure the LinuxCNC folk would be grateful for
> contributions.  Be aware that porting the python code is only half the
> problem, though. In order to make it work with Python 3, you'll have
> to also address the embedding issue. Python is interconnected with
> LinuxCNC through some generated bindings to C and also C++ code.  I'm
> not sure what they used for the C++ bindings, maybe boost?

I saw some of that go by in the latest builds. So I'm aware there is 
that, and some c++ being used here and there, but not how its all 
interconnected.

> There was 
> some discussion of this on the bug tracker and it looks like a fairly
> major undertaking.  See this year-old discussion:
> https://github.com/LinuxCNC/linuxcnc/issues/403
>
> Whatever you do, you probably will want to discuss it on the github
> issue tracker to make sure efforts aren't duplicated.

True too. But so far, I get the feeling progress has slowed because folks 
are busier than in years past. But I'm not the new blood they need, 
mines already 85 years old, but I currently have a machine dead in the 
water until I at least make it work for me.  I used a pi3 two years ago 
to run the machine, which it does that quite well but the video is best 
described as glacial. Now with buster we have 40x faster video, and I'm 
trying to upgrade to a pi4b in hopes of haveing something resembling 
realtime video. 1.7 fps from the pi3's framebuffer, just isn't "it".

At the instant, it appears our ability to control the spi drivers com 
speeds, has been lost in adding 2 or more new cards that Mesa has since 
developed at the same time its being adapted to run on either a pi3 or a 
pi4.  But that driver developer is a busy college prof 1/3rd of the way 
around this damp rock, so we're out of synch in our coms. Plus I'm also 
the care-giver for an injured and dying of COPD wife.  Not looking for 
sympathy, just saying.

Avoid getting old if you can, Michael, its not all its cracked up to be.

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
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