Messages

6071

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach 4 with ESS locks up on Cycle Start

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:51:26 PM »

Hi,
not quite sure what you mean. When I started with Mach4 and the ESS I started with a blank page. The ESS has very well developed set up features, Warp9
maintain extensive instructions and videos plus the forum. I used all to create my own profile, I won't say no trouble because there were a few stumbling blocks,
as there always is with computers.

Is there something special about the MB2 that requires a special profile? Its just a BoB and doesn't require a profile at all AFAIK.

Craig

6072

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: USB video display

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:43:03 PM »

Hi,
I think it very possible. It would require that you code a panel in your screen set and populate that panel with the video feed from the microscope.
I've never done either so I wont be of much help but I could try.

I think the simplest way to proceed would be to make a new Tab within your screen set and have the video window on that. At a later date you could make
that window/panel visible on other Tabs/pages within the screen set.

Craig

6073

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Update error

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:37:16 PM »

Hi RT,
once you get sorted make a copy of wxLathe and rename it. Any and all screen tweaks you have made have been lost  when you upgraded to the new Mach4 build.
All those windows asking permission to overwrite was Mach overwriting all your wxLathe backups.

Exactly the same thing happened to me. My profile is ESSMill and my screen set is ESSMill.set. The screenset is essentially  a copy of wx4,set plus whatever tweaks
and edits I've added over the last year or so. Now when I upgrade to the latest Mach4 build nothing untoward happens to my profile or screen set.

Craig

6074

General Mach Discussion / Re: Feed Rate All Over the Board Question

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:21:45 PM »

Hi Billy,
I have been watching your progress as observed by your posts and over a few weeks there has been a steep learning curve and a certain amount of angst
as you come to terms with your machine, Mach3 and F-engrave.

!...We are actually starting to use this for nameplates and signs....

Now that you're making real progress how would you estimate the value of Mach3, the hardware and F-engrave?

Craig

6075

General Mach Discussion / Re: Depth Not Changing in Mach3

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:11:31 PM »

Hi Billy,
I make circuit boards which require extremely fine depth control even with PCB blanks that have modest bow/warps. I use:
https://www.autoleveller.co.uk/
and would be of value to anyone doing engraving.

Craig

6076

Mach3 under Vista / Re: another issue with possibly with Win7

« on: November 03, 2017, 10:51:26 AM »

Hi,
if your environment is hard on your PCs get yourself an ESS (Ethernet SmoothStepper) and  a little single board computer, they don't have a fan to blow
carbon fibre dust every where.

https://www.udoo.org/udoo-x86/

Craig

6077

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Need help turning on coolant when my spindle starts

« on: November 03, 2017, 10:40:15 AM »

Hi Ewalk02,
I notice that you have a few active posts and all concerning Mach4.
Posting on the Mach4 board will result in more people seeing it and responding.

As you probably know m3 is the macro which turns the spindle on CW, m4 turns it on CCW and m5 turns it off. Mach4 has these macros but they are internally
coded and you can't inspect or modify them. However if you write your own m3. m4 and m5 in your current profile Mach will use those instead. Note that
any behaviour in the original m3 will have to be duplicated in your m3 plus whatever extra behaviour you want.

http://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Mach4%20Scripting%20Manual.pdf
page 9 describes the idea. Note this Scripting Manual is bundled with Mach4...when Mach4 is enabled <Help Docs ?> in the File Ops Tab.

In the screen load script there are two functions to turn the spindle on:

Code: [Select]

---------------------------------------------------------------
-- Spin CW function.
---------------------------------------------------------------
function SpinCW()
    local sigh = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_SPINDLEON);
    local sigState = mc.mcSignalGetState(sigh);
   
    if (sigState == 1) then
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst, 0);
    else
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst, 1);
    end
end

---------------------------------------------------------------
-- Spin CCW function.
---------------------------------------------------------------
function SpinCCW()
    local sigh = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_SPINDLEON);
    local sigState = mc.mcSignalGetState(sigh);
   
    if (sigState == 1) then
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst, 0);
    else
        mc.mcSpindleSetDirection(inst, -1);
    end
end

The simplest expedient would be to add a line to turn your coolant on in each function.
There is a similar function to turn the spindle off:

Code: [Select]

---------------------------------------------------------------
--  Spindle Shutdown
---------------------------------------------------------------
function Shutdown();
    local inst=mc.mcGetInstance();
    mc.mcScriptExecute(inst,"m5.mcs",0);
end;which could include a line to shut the coolant off.

If you wish for more complete control and customised behaviour the writing your own m3, m4 and m5 scripts is the way to go.

Craig

6078

General Mach Discussion / Re: coming back from an "out of limits" state

« on: November 03, 2017, 09:51:51 AM »

Hi,
<Limit Overide> will allow you to jog away from that situation. The bigger question is how you got into that state?

http://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mach3Mill_Install_Config.pdf
http://www.machsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Mach3Mill_1.84.pdf

Craig

6079

General Mach Discussion / Re: Lua Basics Tutorial

« on: November 03, 2017, 09:46:23 AM »

Hi,
I find this very helpful:
https://www.lua.org/pil/contents.html
Lua itself is pretty easy however when you add the many hundreds of Mach API calls, wxWidget calls and Machs modular structure it becomes complex.

Craig

6080

General Mach Discussion / Re: Backlash on X axis changes to A axis

« on: November 03, 2017, 02:25:51 AM »

Hi Marcal,
kool, glad you've got it sorted.

Craig