Andy Williams

Compiling XTrkCad from source on Mac OSX

andy@andywilliams.me (Andrew Williams) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:25:52 +0000

Well it's railway time and I'm finding that my plans are far more elaborate than ever before so I need a way of planning the layout so I can test various turnouts and track combinations before I have to start cutting track etc. No bother when there is great software out there to help you and XTrkCad is just such a great (and open source) piece of software - but why would I ever need to build it from scratch?

My problems seem to be related to 1) Apple OSX Lion changed a lot of the underlying libraries and it breaks XTrkCad and 2) I want to tweak the software and generally fix it up on Mac. So, if you are interested in this too please follow along!

If you do not already have it install darwin ports to help manage various unix packages on Mac - head to http://www.macports.org/install.php and follow their instructions
Ensure that you have X11 installed on your Mac (comes with the install DVD but may not be installed by default)

Install some required software using ports:

sudo port install mercurial gtk2 webkit-gtk

Get the XTrkCad source code

hg clone http://xtrkcad-fork.hg.sourceforge.net:8000/hgroot/xtrkcad-fork/xtrkcad

Now we want to compile...
```
cd xtrkcad
cmake
make
sudo make install
```

You can now run the program by executing /usr/local/bin/xtrkcad on the command line. If you would like to create a more familiar looking .app bundle then you should:

make package
sudo cp -r ./_CPack_Packages/Darwin/Bundle/xtrkcad-setup-4.2.0beta1-i386/XTrackCAD.app /Applications/

Now you have the latest XTrkCad on your machine you can have a little fun. If this does not work out give me a shout and I will update my docs. I hope to get the app build updated on the website soon so this is not necessary by all users of XTrkCad in OSX Lion.

A shiny new live steam engine

andy@andywilliams.me (Andrew Williams) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 21:13:34 +0000

Being a member of the OO Live Steam Club was bound to rub off eventually and it seems that it has, manifesting itself in a brand new "Silver Link" A4 Live Steam engine. This really is a magnificent beast and is a fine addition to my collection.

I steamed it up for the first time today and was surprised at how well it ran. The A4s give a much more pleasing pilar of steam from the chimney than the A3 line of models and the safety valves seems somehow more realistic.

Whilst the controls were a bit sticky at first they did improve once the oil had made it's way round. The moving off was smooth from the outset which was a pleasant surprise and the top speed increased as the session progressed.

The only strange thing appears to be that it moves faster in regverse than forward but this is, I think, A timing issue and only a problem on a rolling road - on real track I could probably invert the action by pushing the engine in the direction I wish it to move off in.

Overall a great model which I encourage anyone interested in OO gauge trains or live steam to buy. Now to tidy off the oil spatter and put it back in the box until next time...

Ubuntu 11.10 and OSX Lion dual boot on MacBook Pro 8,2 even with FileVault2!

andy@andywilliams.me (Andrew Williams) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:28:45 +0000

Hi there guys - so I heard that the latest OSX / MacBook Pro was causing issues for people wanting to dual boot with the latest Ubuntu release so I decided to have a go. OK so I'm not going to pretend it was easy but you should be able to get it running if you just follow this simple set of steps. I have included notes about what you will have to do differently if you are using FileVault2 also - the encryption of the main partition makes booting a tad trickier!

Download the latest Ubuntu, 64bit ISO from ubuntu.com
I recommend the 64bit build as I do for all software running on the MacBook Pros. Once you have downloaded the file you need to burn a CDR using Disky Utility's "Burn" feature.
Prepare a partition to install Ubuntu
Using Boot Camp Assistant or Disk Utility you should create 1 new partition at the end of the disk at least 50GB in size. We will be using only 1 partition to get round complexities with the partition syncing required with complex partition schemes. This means a swap file should be used but that is performing well enough for me.
Download and install rEFIt
Using the automatic installer should be enough for most people but if you are using FileVault2's full disk encryption you will need to perform the following steps in a terminal once installation has completed:
```
sudo -s
cd /tmp
mkdir efi
mount -t msdos /dev/disk0s1 efi
cp -r /efi/refit efi/EFI/
bless --mount /tmp/efi --setBoot --file /tmp/efi/EFI/refit/refit.efi --labelfile /tmp/efi/EFI/refit/refit.vollabel
```
That code will copy the rEFIt booter to the hidden system boot partition so it can be read at boot time.
Boot the Ubuntu CD and run a standard installation into the partition you created
The installation should proceed as normal but be sure to allow the "closed" software to be installed (this helps with media playback etc) and choose a "custom" installation type when prompted. This will take you to the partition management section. Here you must:
- Choose the new partition to use the mount point "/" and format it in ext4
- Tell the bootloader to install to /dev/sda (yes, I know the MBR is not what is recommended in older OSX dual boots but due to some new restrictions with the booting it is the only way to go)
Other than that pick your preferences etc - the install should take less than an hour unless you chose to download lots of updates and you have a slow internet connection!
Reboot into OSX and re-enable rEFIt
If rEFIt disappeared during the installation (which is more likely if you are using FileVault2) you need to execute the following in a terminal for a normal installtion:
```
cd /efi/refit
sudo ./enable.sh
```
or for a FileVault2 setup use the following terminal commands:
```
sudo -s
cd /tmp
mkdir efi
mount -t msdos /dev/disk0s1 efi
bless --mount /tmp/efi --setBoot --file /tmp/efi/EFI/refit/refit.efi --labelfile /tmp/efi/EFI/refit/refit.vollabel
```
That should get the boot process back in order.
Restart and choose "Linux" from the boot options - hooray!
At this point you should see tux sitting on a grey screen for around 5 seconds before linux starts booting. if you see anything else then you probably messed up the partition options in the ubuntu installer - read my doc above and try again...
Set up a swap file to make up for the missing swap partition

As we have no swap partition we will need to set up a swap file instead. Remember that the file should be about twice the size of your installed RAM and enter the following commands into a root terminal:
```
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/8GB.swap bs=1024 count=524288
sudo chmod 600 /mnt/8GB.swap
sudo mkswap /mnt/8GB.swap
sudo swapon /mnt/8GB.swap
```
Then you need to edit the file /etc/fstab and add the following line at the end:
```
/mnt/8GB.swap  none  swap  sw  0 0
```
There is no need to reboot at this point - there is more to do
Whilst connected to an ethernet cable install the wireless and video drivers
I will document this more at a later date but you will, after a short while, see a notification icon about "proprietory drivers" here you want to install the graphics and wireless drivers to acheive full compatibility.

I think that covers everything. Please get in touch if you have any problems following this HowTo.

Portal 2 amazes!

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:11:06 +0000

OK this might be a spoiler so put your fingers in your ears if you have not completed Portal 1 yet!

Following from the fantastic first game which, whilst short, was perfectly formed and one of the best thought out games of it's year we are taken on a new journey with GlaDoS.

You remember her right? The manic AI which hated you, tricked you and tried to kill you on an hourly basis? Well, it seems that killing her was not quite enough... Yes I know, having the game update with an altered ending did not exactly hide this part but what they did keep well hidden was how much time and thought had gone into the sequel!

Portal 2 contains all of the puzzles, humour and creativity of the original but on a grand new scale. You will be encouraged and taunted by a selection of celebrity voices whilst you undergo testing on a whole new level. No longer clear who is the good guy, who is the bad guy or what to beleive you tumble through an ever expanding world of test chambers, back alleys and condemned caverns that keep getting grander and trickier.

Unlike the first game the second rapidly becomes about figuring out where the exit might be nevermind how to get there! One of my person favourite sections is when you are dropped down a seemingly unending pit to end up in the old foundations of Aperture science which seems to have been formed over 25 years ago. Attention to details and textures show how the company has clearly come a long way since the initial days of simple tests for the advancement of science.

With unending wit, beautify levels that defy logic physics or even the capacity of your graphics card Portal 2 is sure to keep you hooked and have you straining your brain right to the final chapter!

Oleby Airing that for you…

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Sun, 17 July 2011 18:00:00 +0100

I decided that I wanted to create a simple set of shelves to air my clothes in the boiler cupboard. Suitably polished wood of the right size size is surprisingly expensive so I decided to take the IKEA Hacker route and bash a flatpack into my designs. Here’s how:

1) Purchase 1 Oleby pack for each shelf you wish to create
2) Open 1 pack at a time

3) cut through the support dowels 2 bars from one end, remove these bars and down portions – these will be used as the shelf supports
4) Place the two shelf portions wide edge together and glue the two removed bars at 90 degrees to secure the shelf together
5) turn the legs upside down and trim the base to achieve the desired height
6) slide the legs onto the shelf and place in the desired position

7) repeat steps 3 – 6 for each shelf, gluing the legs in position above the previous ones

Note that due to poor tolerances and large difference in the position of each bar it may be necessary to enlarge the gap in the legs to better position a straight upright.

Flying Scotsman all steamed up!

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Sun, 29 May 2011 15:00:00 +0100

So I unpacked the boxes and assembled the equipment to steam up my new Flying Scotsman for the first time. Oil and water added, switched on and the steam began to build. So many funny noises that we all stood back at first. Once it was up to pressure a reassuringly familiar steam valve sounded and the room started to fill with the nostalgic aroma of afternoon runs on a steam railway :)

Unfortunately it was not entirely straight forward from here – there were a few adjustments to be made as the regulator would not open when commanded to from the controls. A few brain storms later and a peek under the lid found the problem – a loose circuit board – which was easily fixed.

Once back together a new head of steam was built and the resulting video shows how realistic the model is. I will need to run it a few more times to get the hang of the controls and “run it in” before it gets near a real track.

I am looking forward to my attic filling with the reassuring smell of a seam locomotive!

Hornby Live Steam

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Sat, 28 May 2011 22:00:00 +0100

The next step in model railways – Live Steam! Yes, a real steam powered engine in OO gauge – incredible engineering from Hornby. Unfortunately the line has been discontinued and the stock was all sold a little while ago. However the great guys at 2ktechnologies received a little extra stock that was found in the factory and offered a great price on these last chance packages and I snapped one up.

I am hoping to get it steamed up this weekend and if I manage I will post a video to show how these models work. Until then check out these shots of the set – a real collectors item!

Conquering custom SQLite on Android

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:00:00 +0100

Wow, what a week – puzzles abound and an office move too!
After fitting everyone into the new office space the greater puzzle was left – how can we compile custom functions into sqlite within an Android app?

Well we finally pieced it together and I was able to hook in my custom functions! If anyone is wondering how to go about this a) avoid it b) read lots c) don’t give up – shipping native C code in your Java Android apps is indeed possible but not straight forward. I hope to post here soon on the details but may not have the time for a while.

Celebrations due tomorrow I think…

International iPad Launch

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Thu, 27 May 2010 23:21:36 +0100

Well it's that time - the iPad is about to be launched in 9 countries outside the USA and the question on everyones lips is "should I care?". Whether or not you have an opinion you can be sure that it will be coming up in many conversations.

Though I have followed the announcements with interest and have played with the devices in person my opinion has not changed. This opinion is as follows: "There is no doubt that the iPad will be a huge hit but I am still not going to buy one. I know I want one but can't figure what I would use it for or how I can justify the cost." Fact of the matter is that the device is just a very pretty, high resolution iPhone (without the phone part). Yes that is simplistic and does not convey the "magic" of using the device but there is basically no feature that justifies owning yet another gadget.

My netbook which is more powerful, has a full keyboard and boots faster than the iPad (or iPhone for that matter) can perform for more tasks than the iPad will ever be able to and runs a selection of operating systems. Add to that the fact that it was under half the price and it's hard to see how owning an iPad is justifiable.

Like I have said to many people - this will be a hit gadget but I don't quite know why. Who knows, maybe I am just jealous of those lucky enough to own one.

Happy New Decade!

andy@handyande.org (Andrew Williams) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 11:32:59 +0000

OK so not exactly newsworthy but for those that had not noticed it is a whole new year and (for those who celebrated the new millenium at 01/01/00) a new decade also.

I'm not really one for new year resolutions but I do think it is a good chance to start new projects and to start afresh on old ones that have dropped by the wayside. Stay tuned for some cool new things later this year, I hope to have some cool stuff ready soon!

Best of luck for all your endeavours this year...