Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Jackal on October 18, 2011, 09:14:01 PM
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During my mission to get Mach to recognize the #2 parallel port, Windows XP went crazy. >:D
It kept saying "new hardware device found" every 10 seconds, and doing other wild stuff.
My .xml file was saved/backed-up, so I just reformatted my computer.
Now,I have loaded Mach 3 and the .xml with all of my tuning.
For some strange reason when I go into the "Config" tab, it shows the motor tuning, but the motor tuning page won't open.
It is something I hit by mistake. :-[
Thanks a lot,
JAckal
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Do you have the driver installed?
Hood
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Hood,
I didn't go through the basic steps for a first time installation. It was re-booted like you are supposed to do.
Would it still jog the servos if the driver wasn't installed?
My thinking was that the driver test, and other stuff was to see if the computer was compatible with Mach. :-[
Today, I'll remove & reinstall the driver.
Thanks,
JAckal
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No if the axis jog the driver is installed correctly. Hopefully the reinstall will fix you up.
Hood
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Everything is set back up. Windows XP, Mach 3 with my last good working .XML file, etc.
The motors jog ok,and the motor tuning page opened up, too.
Now it wont, after I added the CNC4pc brains, and the 2nd parallel port.
It seems to me, like it is the port drivers, or the CNC4pc brains.
Stay tuned, after I remove those extras and check it.
JAckal ;)
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After removing the drivers for the parallel port, and the pendant brains from CNC4pc, the motor tuning will open now.
I guess my machine will only work with the PMDX 145 board for a pendant
JAckal :(
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Do you have to remove both?
Hood
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Hood,
It works ok with the P-port driver installed, when you add the brains for the pendant & CNC4PC C-22 card, the "Config Motors" goes away.
You have to remove the P-port driver & brains, then re-install Mach & sometimes re-install Windows, to get the motor adjustment back.
I do have the 2nd parallel port working now. ;D
JAckal
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Sounds like the Brains for the pendant are screwed up, maybe email Arturo and see if he has any advice.
Hood
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Steve @ PMDX told me that if I can get the 2nd port to work, we can configure it with his #145 board that just came out.
I have seen a lot of problems with the CNC4pc c22 board.
One guy said that he had to find some ( Pull-up resistors ???) on the board and bypass them to get it to work.
I have searched and there are a lot of people having trouble getting it running.
I'll see what Steve says about it now.
Stay tuned,
JAckal :)
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Yes, have also seen a lot of issues with these boards I am afraid to say. Thats why I like PMDX stuff, never seem to hear of issues.
Hood
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Hood,
Everything is back up and running. Mach is feeding through the 2nd parallel port.
The motor tuning won't open up at all.
This morning, I set Y and Z to the exact acceleration & velocity of my X axis.
Now they will still jog, but at a real low speed ( because I can't open the tuning to speed them up.) ???
I keep using this same .xml, since it has the settings for the 2nd Port, and took forever to set-up. ;)
Could there be a setting clicked in my .xml doing this?
I'm not familiar enough with Mach to know.
Thanks,
JAckal
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Cant think of anything that would stop the motor tuning appearing but if you attach your xml I will see if I can find something wrong.
Hood
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Hood, I had that same thing happen a year or two ago, i.e. everything was normal except the inability to open the config> motor tuning. That was on my office PC which has megs of crap loaded and therefore I didn’t suspect/blame Mach. I wasn’t able to fix it till I downloaded the next version of Mach.
FWIW just another data point.
Al
Cant think of anything that would stop the motor tuning appearing but if you attach your xml I will see if I can find something wrong.
Hood
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Alenz,
Thanks for the info. I have been using a Mach version from about a year ago.( Don't know which version).
This one giving me trouble was downloaded about a week ago.
If I can find my old version, that's the one I'll install if this needs another re-work.
Right now, it's working good and I figured out what it seems to be.
Using the the factory MACH .XML, and changing the settings to those in the PMDX.xml, works great.
For some reason if I try to load an .XML with any other name than the "Machmill.XML", it removes the option of tuning the motors.
I have re-installed Mach a dozen times , and Windows XP about 9 or 10.
You can't put anything in the .XML name or it will screw up. Such as: 2mach3.xml, mymach3.xml, hurcomach3.xml, etc.
When it does mess up, you can go back and install the factory xml, and the motor tuning still won't open.
At least now, when things go crazy, you only have to re-install Mach, but you can't uninstall Mach through Windows????
You have to search for all Mach folders and delete, then do a fresh install and re-boot Windows.
I am going to try again with the brains to see if it messes up. At least it can be set back to where it is now, if something happens.
Also, you can change the address and cable between the (2) parallel ports, and Mach will function fine for either port.
Since it recognizes both ports, it should allow a pendant. < ( For most people it would. Maybe not for me) >:D ::)
Hope this helps some else with similar problems. This is strange and may only apply to my computer, machine, and components.
If it will stay the same, I can make notes of the glitches and remember what to do.
Usually, I run into problems that no one has ever had before, and it's for me only.
Jackal ;D
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Now everything works, except the pendant..
Mach functions great, the "Motor Config" opens every time.
Brains, .xml with different names can be installed/removed. No problems.
The enable button on the pendant works, and toggles the jog button on screen.
Something must be wrong with:
The pendant, or (wiring pin-out is wrong inside the one I have)
C-22 board is bad
The brains for c-22 are bad.
Mach will run on either port with a simple address change, and swap the cable to the different port.
JAckal
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Got it all working ( most of it)
The pendant will jog now. ;D
Thanks for all of the help and listening to my "Lunatic Ramblings." ;D
JAckal :)
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Update!
It's working now. I took out the C-22 board and disabled the brains.
Configured Mach through the port pins and got 5+volts from the USB port.
Hope this helps someone.
Thanks for all of the help and suggestions
JAckal ;D