Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: sml on April 08, 2010, 10:47:23 AM
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Hi
Can i transfer a DXF file by RS232 cable from computer to another computer that has mach3 software ?
Thank you
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Mach will not do it but you can probably get windows to do it.
Hood
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Simple answer is yes you can transfer any data provided both computers are equipped with serial ports and you use a crossover data cable.
However, from experience, I have found it a whole lot easier to use a USB dongle/memory stick to transfer files from one computer to another.
Tweakie.
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Update.
As Hood has said you cannot transfer the data straight into Mach. It has to be transferred as a file then loaded into Mach.
Tweakie.
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Ok
Thank you
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Second update.
There is an old saying "ensure brain is engaged before operating mouth" this I can never remember to do so why make one posting when three will do. ;D
Whilst there is not an inbuilt function within Mach to read files via serial data links it is not, I think an impossible task. In the VB and development of wizards section and also in other sections various contributors have shown that it is possible to open a dialog box and read in files within a macro. It is only another step (large step perhaps) to read the file from another computer on the same network. I don't have the spare time to look into this further but if you are curious enough to do the research you may just find a way to achieve this.
Tweakie.
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If I recall correctly t is not recommended to load a file directly into Mach over a network, whether its ethernet or serial. I seem to remember Brian saying to transfer the file to the machines hard drive and load from there.
Hood
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Hi Hood,
I'm sure you are absolutely right, far safer to load from the current machine's hard drive.
However, a lot of new ideas have come out of someone finding a reliable way of doing something that is perhaps not good practice to do.
My problem here is that I had first said it is not possible to do but after further thought realize that I was perhaps wrong so am trying to squirm my way out of a tight corner. ;D ;D
Tweakie.
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Just wondering why you would want to use RS232, when there are much easier ways to transfer a file... (maybe the PC is an old DOS system??).
cheers
Derek