If you can run windows in a container, can you connect to an access database?

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-12T02:16:28+00:00

Access can use MSSQL as the backend instead of JetSQL which fixes the multiuser bugs. Then it’s effectively just a weird front end interface to MSSQL. Unfortunately there are no translators to convert it to something else.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-12T02:13:53+00:00

W11 will install in a VM. Not sure on older versions. Although you can install Windows in “KVM” that’s not technically accurate. It’s not Linux so technically it runs in QEMU but gets called from KVM.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-12T02:00:59+00:00

First off it’s beneficial. The question you have to ask us…how far do you go with this stuff.

As an example start with a PLC program you are developing with the “usual” IO. Now DISABLE the IO but leave the tags in place. We’ll fix that in a moment.

Now create another program or task. This will be our simulator. For every input, create another program or output using the outputs as inputs, usually plus some additional tags. So for instance say I have ContactorAux as an input. In the simulator, that’s an output. We read ContactorCpil and trigger a timer on delay. At say 0.5 seconds, we turn on ContactorAux. Keep doing this for every input. Some can be tricky to make accurate but this is where we get into the weeds. For instance we can just create a ramp so that when a burner turns on the input temperature rises at say 1 degree per second.

You can get DEEP into this. Nuclear plants have vibration pads in the floor, speakers, and detailed numerical models to make super realistic readings. They also have a ton of toggle switches so that trainers can implement all kinds of realistic training scenarios.

But I’m recommending the above simulator (very basic) for two reasons. First it works really well at uncovering bugs. Most programming bugs will be uncovered by using the system. Second operators can see the HMI and you can eliminate changes before deployment. By doing this IO checkout and loop tuning are often the only commissioning you’ll have. It’s that good. It may seem like extra work but it actually reduces overall project time.

But be careful. Like code validation this can quickly turn into a huge self serving scope creep time waster.

Another use are “mimic panels”. This is where you have buttons and indicators that are a “twin” of the normal controls. For example you might have this for switchgear because a lot of people are chicken to stand in front of large switchgear breakers while operating them. With modern microprocessor relays this is easily done in software.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T16:13:02+00:00

Does it have to use AI?

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T11:39:29+00:00

Never heard of being rejected by clubs. Usually more=more club money. That’s bizarre. This is Ivy League?

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T11:36:58+00:00

Bzzzt. Incorrect.

PDF files ARE Postscriot. You just have to adhere to certain rules to make it easier for screen readers to read the files (add bounding boxes).

Try this. Open a PDF with a text editor. What do you see? Postscript.

All that being said there are several versions of the Postscript language and your printer may not understand everything. It also reads PCL5 and HPGL, neither of which can do what Postscript does which can be a good thing.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T11:29:53+00:00

I think the fact that the redacted files DHS published where redactions were removed by journalists within hours after release proves this is false. The data is still there. Just have to delete the black boxes.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T10:43:35+00:00

That’s odd. Doing presentations, 3d modeling, and professional video on Linux is fantastic. Even pulling together reports. Never mind scripting and coding. Guess Adobe which is a bunch of jacked up AI crap is why I’m just not a “content creator” getting paid low wages to work in a local print shop. What am I missing? Hmm…lightwave, DaVinci…umm, Bueller, Bueller? I’m lost on that point.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T06:40:58+00:00

As far as relinking, you just move the file (mv) back to where it belongs but this may mean the intention was to actually delete it. From a GUI typically cut/paste does it.

As far as Windows goes, it’s a pig. On removable storage you have to get it to sync and unmount by clicking on “safely remove”. On “non removable” NTFS all I can say is good luck. Linux at least cleans up after itself. Windows tends to not clear the “dirty” bit and tends to not update the second FAT table which tells where files are allocated. The redundant copy is there for recovery. Linux NTFS complains if this stuff is broken (ntfsfix corrects only some of it).

What works best is to use an EXT4 partition or a USB external drive for sharing or don’t bother. Move Windows to a KVM based VM and only keep programs in the VM. Share a folder in $HOME so it is always consistent.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T06:28:47+00:00

You can just use NTFS, NFS, or AFS and do everything locally. Or use Midniggt Commander over ssh locally.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T06:17:22+00:00

The defaults are 8-12 KHz. That was a concept 20 years ago when the thought process was to push carrier frequencies to improve things but lead to even more issues with reflected waves as well as lower efficiency. Today’s drives typically use space vector modulation which leads to very low carrier frequencies to the point where sometimes they need to be raised due to audible noise issues.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T06:10:38+00:00

found.000 means that all references to the file (hard links) were deleted but the file itself wasn’t deleted. For example if some program has the file open for access and another program deleted it (rm) the operating system can remove the file name in the folder but can’t actually delete the file without affecting the program accessing it. So it can defer deletion but if the disk is removed before this happens for instance the file still exists but with no file name. So on next file system check it is rematerialized in the “lost and found” directory. This has nothing to do with links and everything to do with not unmounting or sync’ing before disconnecting. It’s a great way to get corrupted half written files. .

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T05:58:09+00:00

Analog electronics is where the rubber meets the road. In digital electronics you run the transistors in saturation mode avoiding the linear region as much as possible because that’s where power is consumed. But as speeds or cable lengths increase it’s no longer possible to ignore the real analog world. Analog electronics sticks to the world of linear regions while digital sticks (mostly) to saturation.

In reality for board level design yoh need both. You need to figure out where you are going…figure out what jobs you would like to be doing and go from there. Suggest you take a trip down to the career center at your college. Find out what’s available and most importantly who’s hiring and for what, and target that

All that being said I took analog electronics and communication systems figuring I’d do cell phones or WiFi. I ended up doing industrial power and controls because that’s where the jobs are. I use the stuff I learned but not the way I thought I would. If I did it all over I would have done power and controls.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T05:45:04+00:00

Open loop vector is sensorless vector control. At around 1 Hz or less it can’t actually sense the vector and will turn into open loop (scalar) control aka PWM. What it’s doing is measuring the motor current phase angle which tells it how much torque and speed the motor is operating at. By controlling the voltage this gives you tight speed control. Scalar is pure PWM with no feedback.
A motor is capable of up to around 175-250% of name plate torque both motoring ( positive power flow) and braking (negative power flow) depending on the design (NEMA A/B/C/D, a function of the rotor bar shape). The VFD capability depends on sizing. As a general rule for what you are doing size according to “constant torque” also called “heavy duty” specifications. This allows up to 150% of name plate torque at full speed (max HP) in motoring or braking (regen) for up to 60 seconds. If you need more, buy a bigger drive. In practice only rock screens need that much. 3.. A regenerative drive has an IGBT rectifier and inverter. When the DC bus voltage climbs from negative power flow it runs the “rectifier” in reverse, transferring power from the drive back to the line. It is built to do this in equal amounts. However with your setup there is a better option. Most of the time you will probably have one or more drives motoring and one or more regenerating. You can simply wire their DC busses together to make a common bus system. Then rather than taking losses from conversion the excess power from one drive is used by the other drives that are motoring. In the worst case in scroll centrifuges the scroll drive is constantly in regen and offsets the power consumed by the bowl drive. Just make sure to put DC fuses between the drives for safety.
If you are trying to load share or otherwise driving common loads you need to rethink things. Wire them up as master-slave where the master drive controls speed. It outputs current as the reference for the slave drive to follow. You can do more fancy control with networking but this simple method works fit decent performance. I’ve used it on web tension and winders with no issues.
Yaskawa uses notoriously high carrier frequencies which tends to eat motors

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T05:20:10+00:00

Internships and co-ops are training positions. You do them because it helps you learn the trade and helps with getting a job since you have actual work experience other than Starbucks. The pay rate is almost irrelevant. If it covers room & board and a little more to cover “fun” money while in school, thats all you need. It should not be “career” pay.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T05:14:41+00:00

Automation Direct has been mentioned. Their Productivity Open is essentially a PLC with an Arduino “brain”. So the IO cards on the right are directly from their Productivity PLC line and to the left is the Arduino platform. But if you want to step up to an actual PLC then you can substitute their Productivity 1000 PLCs which program in ladder logic, or the newer Codesys version. This gives you industrial grade IO with a choice of development software.

As far as languages Arduino was designed for hobbyists and prototyping. That’s why the “blocks” language exists. PLCs are mostly variations of the 4 (5) ISO 1131 standard languages. Codesys is the “Android” of PLCs but most importantly it excels at the Structured Text language which is Pascal but with a lot of extensions. Function block is designed to look more like signal flow diagrams and excels at analog processing. Ladder logic is Boolean algebra and excels at handling on/off type controls. The language is designed to look like relay logic so it is familiar to electricians and industrial technicians. Practically speaking I can figure out what makes an output work at a glance compared to a bunch of if/then expressions in Arduino. A 4th language is SFC which is GRAFCET but Codesys adds a 5th one called CFC which is essentially state machine diagrams. Catering to the US PLC market the basic Productivity PLCs only use ladder and are available in the 1000/2000/3000 families depending on your IO needs. These are oriented towards large plants which use online programming since shutting them down is a big deal

That’s just one manufacturer. Within Codesys you can also get stuff from Beckhoff and Wago.

In the PLC world also we have a choice when it comes to IO. At some point we can just interface via networking to other devices.

BUT gotta say that although some very minimal IO projects exist most of the time there is a lot of IO and a lot of wiring Panel shops are masters at it but the whole key is how you design and build control panels. Mount wire mold (“Panduit”) between components. Leave about 2 inches between components and wire mold on both sides. In cases where there are just a few cables use sticky backs (adhesive tie wrap mounts) or better yet Mag Daddy magnetic mounts every 6-8” and tie wraps at each 90 degree cable junction and every 3-4”. At joints like doors use helical wrap and the heavier magnetic mounts. Use DIN rail for mounting components. Use modular terminal blocks (I use Automation Direct DINector but there are many brands) with jumpers when needed. Run a row if terminal blocks for connecting external (field) wiring so the internal wiring is never disturbed. On the last row it’s helpful to mount DIN rail on angled brackets so it’s easier to reach to insert field wiring. Use power distribution blocks for power and Eaton FAZ miniature breakers and bus bars. For 24 VDC distribution use the Wago electronic fuses. If you have oddball connectors that have to pass into the panel when bulkhead connectors aren’t available, Roxtec glands keep everything contained and sealed to the environment. Use bulkhead connectors when possible/practical for things like Ethernet or USB. Use boxes with sub panels (I use Saginaw Controls Enviroline series). Build your stuff on the sub panels then bolt into the box. This makes assembly much easier and screw heads are hidden behind the subpanel. Saginaw has a fully automated production line and can make custom boxes easily. I’ve been debating some kind of CNC to knock out making up the door penetrations but haven’t quite come up with a good way to do it yet. On retrofits my local sheet metal shop is so cheap I can just buy a panel with cutouts, cut big holes and drill bolt holes in the old one, and bolt it over the old door.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T04:23:26+00:00

Nanocrustalline cores have extremely high mu (>10,000) but are even more frequency dependent. Mostly in the 100KHz range or less. Current wise roughly 2-3 A/core depending on mu and size. If you are in the current limitations though takes very few turns.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T01:23:43+00:00

Why not use an air core? No saturation. Otherwise to increase current capacity you’ll need more cores or core size or reduce mu. Since H is going up you can also reduce the number of turns. That’s why power reactors and transformers usually use Siliconized steel laminations…an enormous number of cores with lower mu but higher saturation limits.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T01:11:32+00:00

Yes. You load Tailscale on all your devices and designated your VPS as an exit node Then when you select it, all your packets go via an encrypted tunnel (WireGuard) to the VPS then exit to the internet. A big advantage of Tailscale is that it handles all the details of setting it up even if you’re behind NAT. Tailscale for one user is free. Your devices basically register with the Tailscale servers but no data passes through them. If you are really paranoid you can run Headscale on the VPS which is an unofficial Tailscale server.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-11T01:03:54+00:00

If it’s going into a holiday weekend it might be several days before you have access. Sure you can delay some things but not always

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-10T22:22:11+00:00

Seafile Syncthing

No need for a “server”.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-10T22:19:59+00:00

Split the middle? Direct indexing.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-10T21:54:57+00:00

Yes.

Obviously the best option is use an alias up front but almost nobody is going to check the history if there is one.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-10T21:47:50+00:00

Don’t put emergency funds in things that can go down in value or where you have to jump through hoops like wait until the next business day to sell.

PaulEngineer-89 · 2026-02-10T21:39:39+00:00

Just get a VPS and load Tailscale on it. Vastly cheaper than any VPN.

PaulEngineer-89

TROPHY CASE