Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => PoKeys => Topic started by: biggles on December 30, 2008, 10:34:19 AM
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Hi, I have a Pokeys board working fine (eventualy) but am having difficulty instaslling the Plug in .M3p file into Mach3. I downloaded it and copied the file into the Mach 3 folder as advised but when I click on it Windows tells me it cannot read the file. What am I doing wrong ?.
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Afraid I have never had that problem, I have attached the dll, unzip to your plugins folder and see if you can then enable it via the Plugins Config in Mach.
Hood
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Thanks for the reply.I did a fresh install of Mach3 and this cured the problem,I now have plugin available.I just need to learn how to control Mach3 with the Pokeys.Has anyone written a step by step example on how to do this ?.I find the instructions supplied with Pokeys confusing.
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Firt you need to enable the plugin from the Config menu then Config Plugins. You will then need to restart Mach, after you have done that you will see the diagnostics page for the PoKeys from the Operator menu.
To set up a function you just do as you would normally with the parallel port except for the Port number you use 10, the pin number is whichever one you are using on the PoKeys.
To set up the PoKeys you need to asign the different pins you are wanting to use in the software that comes with the PoKeys, for example if you want to use Pin 18 of the PoKeys for an input then you asign it in the PoKeys software and then send to device to save it. You can then set up that input in Mach.
Hood
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Thanks Hood, I have actually asigned a switch from Pokeys emulating the right cursor key so I can drive the X axis with it.What I need to know is how do I get it to replace say the start key in Mach 3.
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You would either have to use a Brain to look at that input or the easiest way would be to set it up as an OEM trigger in ports and Pins then from the Config menu choose System Hotkeys and put the OEM number in the box of the trigger you have chosen. There is a list of OEM codes in a thread at the top of the forum, for Start it is 1000.
Hood
Edit
meant to say the list is in a sticky at the top of the General forum. http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,6657.0.html
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Hi ,I am sorry if I appear thick.In Pokeys I have set a digital input(in this case 15)Do I have to assign any mapping to this?.In Mach3 I have set in ports and pins OEM 1 input to port 10 pin 15,active low.Do I have to set the hot key on this page (it won't let me write a number in).In system hotkeys/external buttons I have written 100(start button)do I need to do anything else?
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This is how you set it up, I think you have it right except it should be 1000 for Start rather than the 100 you have. You can check in the Pokeys Diagnostic screen that the PoKeys is sending the signal to Mach when you press the button, you will see the state change.
Hood
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I have done this and I am getting no response from the Pokeys diagnostics in Mach.I can assign a keyboard key to Pokeys so I know that is working. By assigning a digital input to pin 15 on the Pokeys (is this all I have to do to get it talking to the outside world ?) I am getting a high to low transition when pressing the switch in the Pokeys I/O check.I have set up Mach3 as you say.This is a new instalation of mach3 so it should be OK.I must have something fundamentaly wrong but have no idea where to start looking.Just checked, yes the plug in is turned on.
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Can you attach your xml and I will look and see if there is a problem in your setup. You will have to copy it to the desktop and then rename it to biggles.xml for the forum to accept.
Hood
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Hi, Reinstalled Pokeys and Lo and behold it works.Thanks very much for your help.it's good to know there are guys like you out there who give up there time to help thicko's like me.Once again many thanks.Now to hook up the encoders !(here we go again).
Biggles
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No probs, just glad to help. From one thicko to another :)
Hood