All,
To avoid any misunderstanding, I certainly don't want to reopen last week's discussion about Windows & Linux.
This thread is about running Kstars / Ekos / Indi under Windows WSL, the virtual solution that Microsoft has built into Windows. After installation, Kstars / Ekos / Indi appear to be running
literally in Windows, including the icons in the taskbar.
You don't even see Linux is running virtually in the background.
This solution should remove any barrier for Windows users to switch to Kstars / Ekos / Indi. I had no significant problems getting everything working, including assigning USB devices. The latter involved some research, but it was not exciting.
Wanna try, please follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Installation WSL:
Installation Ubuntu components:
- WSL command prompt > sudo loadkeys xx
Sets the keyboard language layout for non Qwerty keyboards
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt upgrade
Upgrades all installed packages
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt autoremove
Removes all obsolete packages
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt install nemo
Installs a file explorer GUI needed for Kstars
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt remove texlive-base
Get rid of TeX Live menu items
- WSL command prompt > sudo snap remove ubuntu-desktop-installer
Get rid of left over Release menu intems
Installation Kstars:
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mutlaqja/ppa
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt-get update
- WSL command prompt > sudo apt-get install indi-full gsc kstars-bleeding
Connecting USB devices:
- Ensure the WSL command prompt is open
This keeps the VM active
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd list
Check available USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd bind --busid xx
Share selected USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd list
Check shared USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd attach --wsl --busid xx
Attach selected USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd list
Check attached USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd unbind --busid xx
Unshare selected USB devices
- Windows administrator command prompt > usbipd detach --busid xx
Detach selected USB devices
It seems like a lot of steps, but you really don't have to do more than enter the commands.
Good luck!