A non-invasive method for setting up a robotic surgical system in preparation for robotic surgery, the method comprising: entering a port clutching mode, a mode allowing a remote center or port location to be repositioned, by releasing a set-up joint linkage (78,80) and allowing a first manipulator to be manually repositioned, the first manipulator being supported from an orienting platform by the set-up joint linkage (78,80); in response to detecting a set-up joint operation: entering a platform movement mode from the port clutching mode; sensing an input displacement of a first link of the first manipulator from an initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform to a displaced positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the input displacement resulting from a manual articulation of the set-up joint linkage (78,80) supporting the first manipulator so that the first link moves toward a desired position with a surgical site; calculating a movement of a set-up structure linkage in response to the input displacement so that the first link of the first manipulator returns toward the initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the set-up structure linkage supporting the orienting platform; driving the set-up structure linkage per the calculated movement to set-up the robotic surgical system prior to robotic surgery. entering a port clutching mode, a mode allowing a remote center or port location to be repositioned, by releasing a set-up joint linkage (78,80) and allowing a first manipulator to be manually repositioned, the first manipulator being supported from an orienting platform by the set-up joint linkage (78,80); in response to detecting a set-up joint operation: entering a platform movement mode from the port clutching mode; sensing an input displacement of a first link of the first manipulator from an initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform to a displaced positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the input displacement resulting from a manual articulation of the set-up joint linkage (78,80) supporting the first manipulator so that the first link moves toward a desired position with a surgical site; calculating a movement of a set-up structure linkage in response to the input displacement so that the first link of the first manipulator returns toward the initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the set-up structure linkage supporting the orienting platform; driving the set-up structure linkage per the calculated movement to set-up the robotic surgical system prior to robotic surgery. entering a platform movement mode from the port clutching mode; sensing an input displacement of a first link of the first manipulator from an initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform to a displaced positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the input displacement resulting from a manual articulation of the set-up joint linkage (78,80) supporting the first manipulator so that the first link moves toward a desired position with a surgical site; calculating a movement of a set-up structure linkage in response to the input displacement so that the first link of the first manipulator returns toward the initial positional relationship relative to the orienting platform, the set-up structure linkage supporting the orienting platform; driving the set-up structure linkage per the calculated movement to set-up the robotic surgical system prior to robotic surgery.