Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 04:38:56 PM

Author Topic: MachStdMill release announcements  (Read 23239 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

MachStdMill release announcements
« on: July 21, 2010, 07:07:24 PM »
Hi,

This thread is where we'll be putting MachStdMill release announcements.
If you want to be notified of MSM releases, turn notification on for this thread.

Dave
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill v0.1.0 Beta 1
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2010, 07:09:03 PM »
Beta 1 was the first MachStdMill beta release and was posted on 7-17-2010

Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill v0.1.1 Beta 2
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2010, 07:16:18 PM »
Hi,

It’s just about a week since MachStdMill started beta, and I’m happy to say that only minor bugs have been reported so far. (I hope that statement is not see as taunting by the gods of software…)

We’ve corrected all the bugs reported and then created an updated release. MachStdMill Beta 2 is now available for DL from machsupport.com. 

This is a quick summary of the changes:
User manual:
•   Updated MSM manual screen shots to show sliders full width now that this bug is fixed in mach.
•   Added foot note 12 to page 38.
•   Added WC zero setting example pictures and dial indicator touch tool sections to MSM manual. Section 4.3.1 revised. Section 5.2.3.1.1 added.

MSM changes:
•   Probing page DAO X+ button spots were invoking X+ arrow (non- Down And Over action) probing instead of DAOX+ Arrow.

•   Updated Probing Lib to 0.63
        o   Reworded some error messages that are displayed when ESC is used to abort a probing operation
        o   Changed slow probe back off distance to be clearance distance for the axis (it was MinProbe distance, which was incorrect. MinProbe distance was too small a distance to un-trigger some probes between the fast probe and slow probe operation.
 
•   Changed GotoZero button action. It was not doing same call as 1024 (OEM function 1017) and so it was not paying attention to safe Z.

•   Last Page tracking was not getting initialized correctly on MSM load. This could cause return page for M6 sequence to be off if M6 was done immediately after MSM load before a page had been accessed.

•   Added #expand to index in programmers manual.

•   Made Fly Out background in 12x9 resolution 1024 high. This removes the blank gray area that was below the FO panel area.

The above info is also in the updated release notes installed with beta 2.

Updating MSM Beta 1:
If you’ve already installed MSM beta 1, just run the Beta 2 installer and install on top of Beta 1. There is no need to recreate a profile etc – you can use your existing profile. Therefore, at the last page of the installer, you can just uncheck the “run mach3.exe” box and then click finish.  The update process is now part of the readme file.
 
New MSM installs:
If you are just installing MSM for the 1st time, follow the first time installation instructions in the readme file.

Dave

Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill v0.2.1 Beta 3
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2010, 09:52:10 PM »
Hi,

I have sent to Scott the MSM Beta 3 release files for posting on the Machsupport download page.  Due to the fact he and I are 3 time zones apart, the files may not be available for download until tomorrow sometime. I’ve also asked that the release notes be avail from the download page so that people can read about the changes before installing the package.

•   This release has implemented a  major feature: Support for user customization of MachStdMill.
Good news: The feature is now implemented.

Bad News: Implementing the user customization support required massive changes to the entire MachStdMill package. Literally every script file was changed, as well as all the .set files.

This level of change tends to create a decrease in stability. I’m hoping that is not the case for beta 3 – but only you folks will be able to tell me that.

Fortunately, the numerous edits were mostly to change the paths for #Expand statements – so a editing error tends to just not compile, rather than cause subtle runtime differences. I did run thru all the buttons and have been using this change for about a week, so things look OK, but there could be something that was not caught.

A new chapter to the user manual has been added which describes the MSM support for user customizations.

I feel obligated to emphasize this: Customizations are possible – but are entirely your responsibility. CVI will not be supporting user modifications as part of it’s  volunteer MSM support effort.
(Blatant commercial: You can always contact me to inquire about the consulting side of Calypso Ventures, Inc. <grin>)

•   Beta 3 will require that you uninstall beta 1 and/or beta 2. You do not need to recreate profiles etc. The uninstall is necessary to clean out beta 1-2 files that have moved to new locations in Beta 3.

•   All verified Beta bug reports (that can be fixed in MSM) have been fixed – see release notes for details.

•   Tightened up tests for use of machine coordinate operations on unreferenced machines.
While this might annoy some users, it was considered as a safety issue and the run time warnings are considered a reasonable trade off.  To avoid the warnings, either don’t use these features when unreferenced, or invest in home switches and reference the machine when you start it.

•   Programmer’s manual got some corrections, and a new section that has the best list I know for Mach3 V3 “magic numbers”.  The list was compiled by people working to assist in creating the revised numbering scheme for V4. The V3 list in the manual is what I’ve used for MSM V3 development and includes updates from as recently as 2 weeks ago.  

•   MSM Macropump background task:
I’m 95% certain that the cause of the background task stopping has been identified. In beta 3 two things were done re this topic:
1)   a watch dog will notice if the MSM Macropump has stopped and alert you.
Good news: you will know if it stopped running.
Bad news: The watch dog will notify you it is not running every 30 seconds.

2)   Some changes were made internal to MSM to reduce the probability of the MSM Macropump getting stopped.  However, a proper technical fix will require a change inside Mach. So we’ll need a new dev rev to put this one to bed.

•   Mach bugs:
Several Mach 3.43.x bugs have been identified and reported to Brian.
Due to the nature of some of the bugs, I am recommending that you stick to 3.43.10 for now and not use 3.43.12 with MSM.  

Dave

[Addition 8-2-2010 midnight]
The Programmer ref manual in beta 3 is v0.21 and it had a format issue... the new tables of Button/DRO/LED numbers had the actual numbers off the edge of the page. That made the tables a bit less useful than anticipated.  :(
v0.22 of the manual, with this corrected, can be downloaded form the machsupport documentation page. ]

« Last Edit: August 03, 2010, 03:16:41 AM by DaveCVI »
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill v0.3.1 (Beta 4) Released
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2010, 05:18:31 PM »
Hi,
MachStdMill Beta 4 has been released.
Should be posted shortly after this announcement.

This release is essentially all errata fixes. All MSM bugs known as of this release are fixed.

Please see the release notes for more info re the changes.

Mach 3.43.10 is still the recommended mach rev for MSM use.
Brian is working on the Mach bugs which impact MSM usage.
I've tested fixes from him for a couple of the bugs, the others are in process.

The Release Notes have also been updated with descriptions of the Mach3 bugs that impact MSM.

Dave




Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
Re: MachStdMill release announcements
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2010, 03:38:53 PM »
MachStdMill Beta 5 has been released.

The two changes from Beta 4 are:
1) MSM beta 5 now requires Mach 3.43.16 as the minimum mach version.
2) The MSM installer has support for installing optional (yet to come) MSM components (e.g the bitmap source files).

Mach3.43.16 has fixes for the following Mach bugs that were impacting MSM:
   MDI command no longer causes loaded Gcode to start execution.
   PeriodicScript execution time > script period no longer causes the script to hang.
   Back to Back StartPeriodicScript calls no longer cause syntax errors from scripts being started.
   Spindle pulley reverse direction repaired.

Mach 3.43.16 is now the recommended version for use with MSM.

Please see the release notes for more info.

The release notes also contain updated info re still existing mach bugs as well as update to probing functionality with Smooth Steppers and multiplexing BoBs.

Dave




« Last Edit: August 11, 2010, 03:42:45 PM by DaveCVI »
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
Beta 6 Released
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2010, 04:04:23 PM »
MachStdMill Beta 6 has been released.

The major changes since beta 5 are:

1) beta 6 now requires mach 3.43.19
        This mach dev rev fixes several bugs that were problems for MSM, including:
                Probing with SmoothSteppers
                Cycle Start vs tool changes
                Mach3 XML save vs Current directory

        This dev release also changed some script APIs - so MSM was updated to match the changes.

2) Several small MSM bugs related to probing have been fixed

3) An experimental new feature has been included in MSM - see releases notes.

See the release notes (available separately from the download page) for details of what has been changed.

Dave
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill Beta 7 released
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2010, 06:04:49 PM »
Hi,
What can I say?
Would you believe we are practicing"just in time Beta delivery" as way to control the # bits we have inventoried?  :-[

Beta 7 fixes a bug in Beta 6:
Mach 3.43.19 StartPeriodicScript returns error if script is already running.
Old semantics (3.43.16) did not return an error in this case.
In Beta 6 this caused a error if loading MSM from MSM (as the background scripts are already running).
Changed MSM logic to test script state before (re)starting a script.

Dave



« Last Edit: August 23, 2010, 06:08:46 PM by DaveCVI »
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill Beta 8 released
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2010, 10:40:35 PM »
I've released MSM 0.3.7 (Beta 8).

I missed converting a RunScript call in the M6 sequence - the call was using the old RS semantics not the new ones in 3.43.19.
This caused the RunScript call to invoke the M6ATC hook to fail. If that fails, the code aborts the tool change - as it's considered poor form to do an ATC routine without the user supplied ATC script...

Beta 8 has this fixed.

Dave





Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com
MachStdMill Beta 9 released
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2010, 01:40:17 PM »
Hi,
I've released MSM Beta 9 (MSM v0.3.8).

This fixes the bug where the G-Blk/TP height was not being used in calculating Z-Zero when using "Probe Z-" to probe to a mobile TP to set Z zero.

Section 7.4.1.2 was updated in the user manual.

Dave
Author of the MachStdMill Extensions for Mach3
www.CalypsoVentures.com