void init( const std::string& hostname )
{
    // Initialize the actors
  
    // Connect
    std::cout << "Connecting... ";
    com.setAddress( hostname.c_str() );
  
    com.connectToServer( true );
  
    if( false == com.isConnected() )
    {
        std::cout << std::endl << "Could not connect to " << com.address() << std::endl;
  
  	rec::robotino::api2::shutdown();
  	exit( 1 );
  }
  
  else
  {
       // if everything goes alright we say success and ask the user the size of the rectangle to trace
       std::cout << "success" << std::endl;
          
       std::cout << "enter rectange x in mm:" << std::endl;    
          
       std::cin >> _rect[0];     // just use std:cin to take in the size of the rectangle.
          
       std::cout << "enter rectange y in mm:" << std::endl;
          
       std::cin >> _rect[1];
          
  }
}