Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: cdewen on January 13, 2011, 02:35:00 PM
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I had been using my Mach3, WINXP, Zylotex, Sherline 5400 mill setup for some time when, just after Christmas, I started having harddrive problems. I've switched to another HD, but can't get the setup working again, apparently because of LPT problems. I recall I had problems there initially, too.
I'm using a Rosewill PCI board with 2 additional PPs.
Checking Device Manager, I see LPT3 as being at 0xDD00, and set Mach3 Port1 equal to that value (enabled). Incidentally, when I change the port address in Ports and Pins, I have to force the Apply button to become active. Subsequent checking confirms the new address.
Motor Outputs are enabled for X, Y and Z. With the cable connected, I get DRO values to change, but no motor movement.
Checking with a multimeter, I see unchanging +4.90v on pins 2 through 7, which are the assigned Dir and Step pins.
I've run DriverTest, and get Excelllent results.
What else shall I try?
Charley
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You say you have a board with 2 additional ports, could you be connected to one of them and entering the address of the other?
Hood
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Well, a search on this forum turned up a Rosewill reference which stated that the connector on the board (the other connector is on a cable) is assigned LPT3. This was the address I used first (dd00 Hex).
Never believing anything I read on the Internet, I've tried all addresses shown through Device Manager (dc00, de00, df00). No go on any of them.
Charley
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BTW, I can't remember if I ever got this setup to work with LPT1, the PP on the motherboard. I tried again this time, with no success. The BIOS choices for the port are: SPP and EPP1.9+SPP. Should either of those work?
Charley
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Afraid its been a while since I messed with the PP but think EPP is the one to use.
If you attach your xml I can have a look at your config to see if there are any problems there.
Hood
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My bad. Shoulda done that already.
Charley
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Ok Config, Ports and Pins then Motor Setup, you need to enter the port number for each axis Step and Dir.
Hood
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Oh actually you dont have any pins set either, maybe that is the wrong xml you sent or have you just forgotten to do that as well?
Hood
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I appreciate your patience. My confusion is an indication of the number of repetitions I've gone through. I had half a dozen xml files. I've deleted them all, and reconfigured using Mach3Mill.xml.
The Diagnostics Tab, BTW, now shows some lit LEDs, but I'm not sure what that indicates. On the top row, the first 3 are dim, the next 5 are green, the last 4 are dim. I tried changing the Port values to 2 and 3, but still get changing DROs with no motor movement.
I'm trying to attach Mach3Mill.xml, but the forum software isn't cooperating, saying that there's already an attachment by that name. I'll try changing its name and attaching.
Charley
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The port number for the step and dir for each axis should be 1, have youu tried that?
Hood
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Yes. I just went through all combinations: Port=1, 2 then 3; Address= 0xdd00, 0xdc00, 0xde00, 0xdf00. No go on any.
Charley
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Think what I would do is remove the cable from the port and check with a voltmeter on each Dir pin and jog the axis back and forward and see if you get the voltage changing from 0 to 5v.
Just to clarify, the port number will never be 3 for the parallel port as Mach only supports 2 ports. As you have the address set for Port 1 then that is what should be set for the port numbers.
Hood
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Tried that, as I mentioned in my first post. That was the point at which I gave up trying on my own and asked for help.
I don't understand what the port number in Ports & Pins refers to. How does it relate to LPT1, LPT2, LPT3?
BTW, yes, I did try downloading & installing another version of Mach3, but maybe I've got to start from scratch once again.
Charley
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Mach3 can use two ports. Mach3 calls them Port 1 and Port 2. You can use any available LPT for either port 1 or port 2
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Port 1 or 2 in Mach has no relation to LPT1, 2 3 etc in Windows other than the address you assign. All Mach is concerned with is that the address you set is the one you have your cable connected to. For example if you had the standard onboard port with 0738 address you could set that as Port 1 in Mach and you would set all ports and pins config to look at port 1. Similarly you could set that address as Port 2 and enable port 2 and you would set 2 as the value of the port in your ports and pins configs.
Hood
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Oh and forgot to say, yes you tried the voltmeter earlier but if you had the wrong port set up for the numbers in Motor Setup then you wouldnt get anything.
Hood
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I'm getting called for dinner, so I'll have to break this off and return later with a fresh outlook. I'm not sure what else to try (my original condition). The problem seems to be logical, i.e., some sort of misalignment between Mach3 and the port.
I went to Rosewill's site to check for a newer driver, only to find their downloadable version is an earlier one than I have installed. Just an added bit of confusion. Too bad I don't have any other parallel port devices, e.g., a printer, to try.
Many thanks for your help.
Charley
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Ha! Couldn't resist one more try. I had discovered earlier that I did not have Windows Interrupts enabled for LPT2 and LPT3 (the PCI ports). I changed that, and connected the output cable to the 2nd port on the PCI card. Now, I get movement on the X and Z axes, but not the Y. I'll figure that out later.
Charley