root/trunk/tools/LinuxConnection/LinuxReadme.txt @ 444

This archive contains some useful scripts to get the
RWTH - Mindstorms NXT Toolbox for MATLAB running under Linux.


Scripts in this archive:

* btconnect
Syntax of this script is: btconnect <NXTsMACorName>
The expression <NXTsMACorName> can either be the MAC address (i.e. 00:16:.....)
or the Name (i.e.: "My NXT") of the NXT brick that you want to connect to.
After a successful connection, the terminal will be blocked until hung up.
The toolbox is now ready to use!

* 45-legonxt.rules
* legonxt.sh
Those scripts are used to make an NXT device ready to be used with USB.
See below in the USB section for further explanations.



*** BLUETOOTH ***

To get Bluetooth up and running with the NXT and our toolbox, the bluez bluetooth
stack must be installed. In order to do so, you should use your packet manager
(e.g. Debian's apt-get) to retrieve the following packets:
 - bluetooth
 - bluez-utils  (should be included in bluetooth anyway)
 - dbns
 - dbns-x11     (includes the bluetooth-applet)

Once properly installed, you should execute the following command in
a terminal window:
 bluetooth-applet --singleton

Once the applet is running, a Bluetooth icon should appear in your system tray.
This is important: You are ready to use the script btconnect now, but when using
it the first time, the Bluetooth icon in the systray will flash and wait for
user input. Enter the authorization key that was set on the NXT before (usually 1234).
Now the script btconnect should create a device called /dev/rfcomm0, which is
the virtual serial port the MATLAB toolbox uses. It might be a good idea to add the
bluetooth-applet to your autostart.



*** USB ***

First you have to make sure that the open-source library libusb is properly installed.
You can either retrieve it from the project's homepage
http://libusb.wiki.sourceforge.net/ or download it using your packet manager
(e.g. Debian's apt-get). If the package "libusb" does not work, please try
installing "libusb0", the latest version "libusb-0.xx", or "libusb-dev".

This was just one step. The second thing to do is making connected NXT devices appear
inside the /dev/ folder. That is what the two other files are needed for
(root rights are required):

1. Copy the file 45-legonxt.rules to /etc/udev/rules.d ,
   e.g by executing the following:
cp 45-legonxt.rules /etc/udev/rules.d

2. Now copy the file legonxt.sh to /etc/udev ,
   e.g. by executing:
cp legonxt.sh /etc/udev

3. Make sure the script is executable. You can do so
   by typing:
chmod a+x /etc/udev/legonxt.sh

4. Once successful, you might need to restart the udev-service. If unsure,
   reboot your system. When connecting an NXT device to a USB port, a new
   device /dev/legonxt-x-y should appear
   (with x and y depending on your kernel and USB bus and port).


This manual and the USB scripts are partly taken from:
http://forums.nxtasy.org/index.php?showtopic=2143&view=findpost&p=16723

Please note that our solution does not require a group "legonxt" on your system,
as we slightly modified the scripts.

If you need more resources, these links are recommended for further reading:

http://jan.kollhof.net/wiki/projects/Lego/linux
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~nisse/lego-nxt-dev/
http://nxt.ivorycity.com/index.php?/categories/3-Linux-USB