How to install Arduino on an Asus Eee PC (running Xandros in Simple mode)

(YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocsh_zBtMd8)

0. Get to a command-line terminal:

  Press Ctrl + Alt + T

1. Temporarily replace your /etc/apt/sources.list file with a file listing the needed Debian repository for the build tools:

  sudo mv /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.backup
  sudo echo "deb http://www.uk.debian.org/debian stable main contrib non-free" > /etc/apt/sources.list

2. Update the apt-get indexes:

  sudo apt-get update

3. Get a working build environment and the AVR versions of tools:

  sudo apt-get install build-essential avr-libc gcc-avr

(Note: if you have trouble installing the above packages due to previous software loads / corruption you can reset the eee pc to factory defaults by rebooting the eee pc and pressing F9 (I had to press F2 and load default settings before this worked)- Warning this will wipe the internal flash drive so backup any files you want to keep.)

4. Put your original sources.list file back and refresh the apps db to see the change:

  sudo mv /etc/apt/sources.list.backup /etc/apt/sources.list
  sudo apt-get update

5. Install the Arduino files in your home directory:

point your browser to http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software and download the latest version labeled "Linux (32 bit)"

from the terminal window:

  cd <directory where you downloaded the arduino tarball above>
  tar -xvzf <name of arduino tarball. something like arduino-00xx-linux.tgz>

6. Try it out: (need to open command terminal - Press Ctrl + Alt + T)

  attach arduino
  cd <arduino directory. Something like arduino-00xx>
  ./arduino 

7. Adjust the screen size. You will probably notice that the arduino IDE screen is too big for the small EEE pc screen and you can't get access to the maximise icons to adjust the size. To resolve this issue you need to close down the Arduino IDE and

a) Open Command terminal (CTRL + alt + T)

b) cd 'to where your arduino software has been installed'

e.g. cd /home/user/arduino-0017

c) cd .. <enter>

d) cd .arduino <enter>

e) pwd <enter>

Should get something like /home/user/.arduino

f) vi preferences.txt <enter>

g) Type /default.window.height <enter>

h) move cursor to the number after =(right arrow)

i) press x to delete each number. (x =delete in vi) i.e. xxx

j) press a (a= append in vi)

k) type 500

l) press ESC key

m) type :w (write file)

n) type :q (quit out of vi)

Hopefully you have just changed the preference size line to 500 and the arduino ide can be maximised when it is next run.

Known bugs or minor problems

Java uses the wrong runtime-library (solved)

At least one user reported some strange error-messages when he starts the Arduino IDE for the first time and is prompted for the desired location for sketches. The error messages goes something like this.

java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: 
com.sun.java.swing.plaf.gtk.GTKLookAndFeel not found in  gnu.gcj.runtime.SystemClassLoader
{urls=[file:lib/,
file:lib/build/,file:lib/pde.jar,file:lib/antlr.jar,
file:lib/oro.jar,file:lib/registry.jar,
file:lib/mrj.jar,file:lib/RXTXcomm.jar], parent=gnu.gcj.runtime.ExtensionClassLoader{
urls=[], parent=null}} 
    at java.net.URLClassLoader.findClass(libgcj.so.70) 
    at gnu.gcj.runtime.SystemClassLoader.findClass(libgcj.so.70) 
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(libgcj.so.70) 
    at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(libgcj.so.70) 
    at java.lang.Class.forName(libgcj.so.70) 
    at javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(libgcj.so.70) 
    at processing.app.Base.<init>(Base.java:131) 
    at processing.app.Base.main(Base.java:104) 

The reason for this error is yet unknown.

Solution

We can force the Operating System of the EeePC to use the Java-1.5.0 runtime library from Sun. All you have to do is open a commandline-terminal (hitting the Ctrl-Alt-t keys at the same time will do this) and run the command

The update of the Java Runtime will be permanent, you only have to do this once.

./arduino: line 16: 4398 Segmentation fault java processing.app.Base

You forgot to reboot your system and remove the old libs from memory after installing the new ones.

Locking assertion failure from java.

To fix:

  sudo sed -i 's/XINERAMA/FAKEEXTN/g'  /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-sun/jre/lib/i386/xawt/libmawt.so