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Version: 1.0.14

Getting Started

This guide shows how to install LXMASTER and build a minimal C++ application against the public API.

note

Package names and commands reflect the standard Debian/Ubuntu install from the Lynx apt repository. Adjust the interface name and ENI file to match your setup.

Prerequisites​

  • A Linux machine (a PREEMPT_RT kernel is recommended for real-time use).
  • A dedicated network interface (NIC) wired to your EtherCAT network.
  • A C++17 toolchain and CMake >= 3.18.

Installation​

Add the Lynx apt repository, then install:

curl -fsSL https://apt.lynxtechs.com/lxmaster.gpg | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/lxmaster.gpg >/dev/null
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/lxmaster.gpg] https://apt.lynxtechs.com stable main" \
  | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/lxmaster.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install lxmaster

This installs the shared library (liblxmaster.so), the public headers, the lxmaster CLI, and the CMake package config.

Host setup​

Before running any application, configure the Linux host for real-time EtherCAT operation. This is a one-time step per machine:

sudo lxmaster host setup

The interactive wizard picks a real-time profile, configures CPU isolation, applies IRQ affinity, and runs a timing benchmark to qualify the machine for DC-sync. Re-run after any reboot it requests until setup completes. Settings are written to /etc/profile.d/lxmaster-config.sh and picked up automatically by the library at runtime.

See the CLI Reference — host setup for all flags, profiles, and non-interactive options.

Hello, EtherCAT (C++)​

The entire library is consumed through a single umbrella header and the lxmaster namespace:

#include <lxmaster/lxmaster.hpp>

#include <iostream>

int main() {
  // Build a configuration and bring the network up on your NIC.
  lxmaster::NetworkConfig cfg = lxmaster::NetworkConfig::defaults();

  lxmaster::EcNetwork net(cfg);
  net.start();

  std::cout << "EtherCAT network is running\n";

  // ... drive Axis / IoModule / Encoder handles in your cyclic loop ...

  net.stop();
  return 0;
}

Building with CMake​

LXMASTER ships a CMake package, so consumers link against a single imported target:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)
project(lxmaster_hello CXX)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

find_package(lxmaster CONFIG REQUIRED)

add_executable(hello main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(hello PRIVATE lxmaster::lxmaster)

Build and run:

cmake -S . -B build
cmake --build build
sudo ./build/hello   # raw Ethernet access typically needs root

Running a bundled example​

LXMASTER installs runnable examples that the CLI can launch directly:

sudo lxmaster run test_servo --eni network.eni.xml

Next steps​