Grex & MPG's

[wcarrothers]

Hello..

Well Glad I ran through the list a few serches as the first question
was how to reverse the axis direction.. Answer: Motor Home/Soft
limits Reversed check box.. Darn.. Could not find that. Was stuck
in the G100 config screen trying to reverse it..

On that subject anyone know what the different Mode0, mode2, reverse
options in the dropdown of axis config for grex actually change?
That is where I was trying to reverse the axis direction last night
anyway. Guessing most of that is for config of stepper feedback
now.. So since I don't need any of it can it be cleared? Does not
seem it is able to be cleared.


Ok on to the real question.. *******************
I got my home and limit inputs comming in through pins 15, 12 and 13
of the gecko digital inputs. They corispond to the setting for
parallel port 1, pins 15,12,13 so I used those ones so I would not
have to change any of my personal setup docs..

Now I have pendant I made with 3 incoders. one of them interfaced
through 2 open pins for port 1 and 4 other pins from my second
parallel port. I connected them now to the digital inputs 2,3 & 4,5
& 6,7 of the Grex. I get check boxes blinking and blinking lights
from the test screen under the grex config.

But when setting the MPG's under ports and pins/ Encoder MPG's to
point to A-port 1 Pin 2 B port - 1 pin 3 I don't get any responce
that Mach is reading the inputs, Tried reversing ping 2 and 3 incase
they were crossed or something and still nothing.. Wondering what
I'm doing wrong.

Also tried to hook the A and B of my Pendand encoders's to the different axis inputs rather then to the digital inputs.  This didn't seem to result in any movement although the Grex test screen did detect the movement (putting up numbers and such) when I spun the pendant incoders.. 

Other then that I think it should all be working. Would be nice to
have some drawup of how to connect things up..

Setup:
-Mach3 v2 with the grex plugin
-Grex loaded with the software per their docs communicating through
ethernet
-320 geckos to servos..

b/.

[wcarrothers]

Ok got my Grex all up and working seems like..

But still have no idea why I can't jog with my pendant/optical incoders inputing signals to mach through the digital inputs.

Think I have them configured right through ports and pins/MPG's but don't get any signals except for led's on g100 blinking and in the diagnostic screen of the g100 config.  Does Mach not yet support this input?  or is there some other way I'm missing.

Please help!!!..

[Brian Barker]

They are changing the firmware and we have stopped working on it till they are finished. Once they have finished we can get them working (it is not you)

Thanks
Brian

[wcarrothers]

Actually I got 1 mpg to input through axis b I think that some one else suggested..

Although now that I got all sorted with my P4 I"m back to using the parallel port interfaces for things as I really can't live with out all 3 of my mpg's on sepate inputs (toggeling between 1 for each axis is no fun)

I'd be curious hearing a precentage of complete far as the development of the G100 is just to get an idea of how long it will take up space in my controller not being used.

Currently the G100 sits in the waisted money category of stuff I got for my machine

b.

[Graham Waterworth]

Do you want to sell the Grex?

Graham.

[wcarrothers]

I'd consider selling it since I will probalby not be using it in the near future.  Least I can't see it would be much better then my parallel port stuff now that I have it back running with the P4.  Really got it as the answer for the P4 running bad..  And that is cured..

Only other reason would be so I could run the mill from my laptop rather then from the desktop and that isn't probably going to happen much either..   Has Gecko stoped selling them or anything?  they said they had a waiting period of some sort going when I tried to get mine then all of a sudden it came.

b.

[Brian Barker]

There should be some new firmware at the start of the year...  that is just the word on the street... (I hope it is true)

[wcarrothers]

Hope it's true.  I'd like to start using the thing again especially with the P4 in place and working parallel well now.  Have the Grex in my case and can switch back and forth easy enough with dip switches but hopefully will see 3 mpg's capiable soon with it..

are there some unforseen advantages over all to doing grex over parallel if parallel is working?  Perhaps i'm missing something.  Things like limit switches seemed to act a little weird (ie not responding with grex if the menus were accidentaly clicked) which is a scarry prospect to me and one reason I stopped using the G once I got my parallel port on the p4 working again...

Also acceleration didn't seem to be always consistant with the G depending on some sequences of opening and applying the different setup screens...

But anyway maybe quantum will satisfy all if it uses grex...  Looking forward money in hand to that soloution.

b.