Linux UBUNTU (& Linux MINT ) instructions to install cwcom

How to install & run CWCOM on Linux.

This instructable was written for Linux Mint 19 , however, it should also work on other distro`s of Linux, the main problem is getting WINE installed on your version of Linux.

A new way to install Windows .exe files  as from Linux Mint 21 ( Sept 2022) 

LINUX MINT 21 and some other Linux versions.

( check Google search for “how to install WINE on LINUX MINT 21” ) or whatever version you have, because the install procedure varies according to the version of Linux you are running.

Once installed.

REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER 

(this enables the WINE icon on the Menu listing)

There seems to have been some changes in the way that windows .exe files are executed on WINE.

If your version of CWCOM, or any other Windows .exe file does not install and start in the usual way.

 Go to Menu > Wine > Uninstall Wine Software

In the top part of the grey window, (Add/Remove Programs)

Applications ….. there is a button “Install”... click on that, and you will get a window with

Files of Type: Installation Programs... click on the down arrow at the end of that box, and you will get Programs (*.exe) and All files (*.*) If you want you can use All files.

Click on your Downloads folder and locate your windows program.... and select it... then click on the “Open” button.

This should start the “Normal” windows install procedure for the program.

There are several different ways to install WINE on Linux.

You can use the “Software Manager” or you can use the Package Manager,

but I have found, through trying those two,

that the best way is to “Google”

 < How to install Wine on Linux XXX >

Where XXX is the distro version of which Linux you are using.

The actual install instructions DO VARY from version to version of the same distro, Hence my recommendation to Google the question.

Currently (DEC 2023) the latest version of WINE is 8.0.2 .. however,... CWCOM was written for Windows 95, and can be run on earlier versions of WINE.

Once you have installed WINE.

To check which version of wine you have installed run 

 wine -–version 

  in the terminal,...

It is a good idea to restart your computer before trying to use WINE. This will ensure that you get the correct “install with..... wine program loader” instruction with Windows .exe type files.

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The next step is to download CWCOM ( if not already done so )... and then go through the install procedure for CWCOM. 

 

 ….. read on, …..

The best place to find a good copy of CWCOM is

https://archive.org/details/cwcom

Scroll down the page a little, and you will see two versions listed

CWcom version 1.5

Cwcom version 1.47

Version 1.5 is the last, and latest version ..

( there is only a minor internal difference between both versions which does not affect the user) .

 

Installing CWCOM on WINE..... (prior to SEPT 2022 and MINT 21 )

Once downloaded..... go to your Downloads folder/directory > open it.... Right click on the cwcom_inst.exe ( or maybe cwcom.exe ) file. Then “Open With....” Wine Program loader.”

You will get a small message window

         Wine is updating... 

 

followed by another one, 

            Wine Mono Installer, 

            needs to add new software... 

( click “install” ) .

then another update message windows Wine Gecko …. again … click “Install”

Allow all installs for updating Wine during this operation..

On completion, the windows will disappear, and CWCOM ( may ) start the normal “install” procedure. Again... allow all instructions to run.

If CWCOM fails to self install, then go to your Downloads directory, and double click the CWCOM.EXE file, to start the install.(But see the first paragraph at the top of this page, regarding "new way of installing .exe files if installing on later versions of UBUNTU and MINT 21)

On completion of the install... it will be located on Drive C: under the folder/directory MRX Software.

 

 

But... there is still a couple of things that need to be actioned, before, CWCOM is fully operational....

The first is to get the “COMport” recognised, 

if you are going to use any kind of external morse key... ( straight or paddle) .

Setting up the COMPORT number.... you need to run wine regedit.

 

Open a Terminal and enter

wine regedit

When the editor window appears on screen... open the nodes and go to.

  
When the editor appears, open the nodes and go to 

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE 
    Software 
        Wine 
            Ports

Right Click on "Ports" folder ..... 


                      context menu . > New

 
mouse pointer on "new"  >  
                     pop out menu >

 String value

 where ‘New Value`     is. ( in the right hand pane ) ...

. replace that with COM4     and press enter

 

Right click  or  double click on it    

Pop out menu  click "Modify"....and enter the value 


 


    /dev/ttyUSB0  

                             in the pop out box  "Value Data"

 

                                           then click OK 

Close the Regeditor..... (click X top right) 
then do the finalising part....... ------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANT....

To Finalize....

Having added the new key to the registry,..... go back to the terminal, where you started editing... regedit... and enter

 wineserver -k   

 

  There is a space after wineserver    before the -k

close the registry window with the X in top right corner,

Wait for a few seconds  and  then close the Terminal 

**********************************************************************

You now need to give CWCOM access to the outside world... in the way of DIAL OUT permission..

in the terminal window type

sudo usermod -a -G dialout zxywv    

 ( zxywv your user name )   (no brackets, just your username).

   then press  Enter key…

 may be requested. 

    
most important.......

 REBOOT YOUR COMPUTER FOR THIS CHANGE TO TAKE EFFECT..... 

 ***********************************************************

****************************************************************

NOW IS THE TIME ! ! ! ....

 

Right click on the CWCOM icon ( this may be a "document" type icon) 

on the desktop....(Once opened it becomes a proper icon) .

You may get a message saying it could be "unsafe"... 

but click ok anyway...  click  Open... 

CWCOM screen appears.....

click on the configurations icon  (Between the A and the speaker icon)

 If you have already managed to get an external key, 

straight or paddle connected

 select the comport number  (in the window showing 1 )

by the up/down arrow to 4 

select the COM port  by clicking on the "hole" 

and a black dot should appear....

If you have no key connected.. you can use the down arrow as a straight key,

make sure you have "Keyboard" selected with a black dot! 

Follow the instructions on Page 4 "how to connect an external morse key"

 Then, You can now use your external key connected to your computer.

 .

 IMPORTANT...

.
See page 4 on this blog, for all the settings and configurations 
well worth doing. as it improves the user feelgood factor ! ! ! ..

ENJOY...

 Any problems... contact me G3MS on channel 1000 OR......

 use the contact me email address on the blog header.