Messages

381

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: PMDX-416 USB Can't Connect

« on: January 06, 2023, 03:34:38 PM »

Hi,

A GRBL board is also an option for using with Mach4.

No, GRBL is not in any way compatible with Mach4.

Craig

382

General Mach Discussion / Re: Thinking of AXBB-E ethernet motion controller

« on: January 06, 2023, 03:31:29 PM »

Hi,
the ESS has both a Mach3 plugin and a Mach4 plugin and has supported Mach exclusively since the company's formation some fifteen years ago.
CNCDrive, the manufacturer of the UC100, UC400, UC300 and the AXBB-E is more of a 'Johnny Come Lately' by comparison
and CNCDrive's Mach4 plugins for their controllers have shortcomings relative to the Warp9TD plugin, single point lathe threading, THC, laser ops for
example.

The AXBB-E has two ports worth of IO, ie 34 inputs and outputs whereas the ESS has three ports worth, ie 51 inputs and outputs.

Is there a reason that you would not consider a more capable motion controller?

Craig

383

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: January 03, 2023, 06:40:52 PM »

Hi,
I can only guess. In the ScreenUnload script there is just the one conditional with:

Code: [Select]

if (Tframe ~= nil) then

Tframe:Close()
    Tframe:Destroy()
end
being the last code. My guess is that if you appended your own code it would run AFTER the Mach4 save, which, again only my guess, is triggered by Tframe:Close().
If your code were pre-pended then I would expect it to run prior to the Mach4 save.

Craig

384

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: January 03, 2023, 02:43:02 PM »

Hi,
well I cant find any pound variables to match. I wrote this macro:

Code: [Select]

function m500()
local inst=mc.mcGetInstance()
local varNum=0;
local dataValue=0;
for varNum=0, 19999,1 do
dataValue=mc.mcCntlGetPoundVar(inst,varNum)
if(dataValue>=178.5 and dataValue<=178.6)then
wx.wxMessageBox(tostring(varNum))
end
end
end
if (mc.mcInEditor()==1)then
m500()
end

It purpose is to scan through all the pound variables up to #19999 and give a message should a variable have a numeric match for:

Code: [Select]

[Stats]
TotalHours=746.538345
SpindleHours=0.005496
DistanceX=234.864638
DistanceY=178.509416
DistanceZ=16.935888
DistanceA=0.000000
DistanceB=0.000000
DistanceC=0.000000
M3=1
M4=0
M6=37
which was excerpted from the .ini file (on my regular PC, not the machine PC)
I have tested the macro and am reasonably confident that it works and would find a numeric match if there is one....but nothing???

Craig

385

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: January 03, 2023, 12:58:43 AM »

Hi,
we should be able to write a script to find them.

Craig

386

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: January 02, 2023, 10:45:04 PM »

Hi,

Code: [Select]

mcCntlSetStats
C/C++ Syntax:
int mcCntlSetStats(
MINSTANCE mInst,
mstats_t *stats);

LUA Syntax:
N/A

Description:
Set/reset the machine statistics.

Mach4Hobby/Doc/Mach4CoreAPI.hm is the API I'm familiar with. Note that all the entries have both a C syntax, for those writing in C, say a plugin
developer, and a Lua syntax, which is more appropriate for us users writing scripts. This particular API has no Lua syntax, ie it's implemented in C only.
Given that's the case then I would suggest that as a 'Hardware Guy' that means that you can't do anything about it.

I keep coming back to finding the pound variables that hold the data....that's something you can do.

Craig

387

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: January 02, 2023, 09:16:46 PM »

Hi,
well, that describes a data structure in C....but I'm not sure how we can use it.

We have Lua compiler but not a C compiler. I'm not sure how to go about accessing a C structure using the tools we have in Mach4.

I'd still guess that the individual data values that make up the structure are still in pound variable form....but how to work out which ones?.
My first guess  to search for the values would be to write a Lua script which searches through all the pound variables one by one until
you hit a match. For instance, if you know the current state of the accumulated X axis is 1234.56789 then search through all the variable until
you find a match. It would be a fair guess that the variable which has a numeric match is the right one.

Craig

388

Mach4 Toolbox / Re: How to access "stats" variables

« on: December 29, 2022, 03:44:54 PM »

Hi,
I would guess that this data is stored in pound variables. I'm not familiar with which variables they are, but a email to NFS should get you the info you need.
If you do so would you be kind enough to post the results of your search here:

https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=40051.0

So others can replicate your results down the track.

Craig

389

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: wxLathe screen weird problem

« on: December 25, 2022, 12:43:32 AM »

Hi,
the easiest way around that is to rename the earlier version on the screen set that you like with a unique name. Then when you update
the uniquely named .set file will survive the update and can now be selected for use with the updated build.

Craig

390

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: wxLathe screen weird problem

« on: December 24, 2022, 07:38:00 PM »

Hi,
I should add just in case that you don't know, when you make a new screenset say by editing an existing or supplied screenset like wx4.set,
make a copy with a unique name. Then when you update Mach some months down the track your modified wx4.set does not get over written,
it's a PITA to have to redo all that work!

Craig