Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: ysymidi on February 08, 2018, 03:10:06 AM

Title: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 08, 2018, 03:10:06 AM
Hello Dear members~ ;)

I recently bought a P2-S USB MPG pendant from VistaCNC to use with Mach4.

I updated its firmware to work with Mach4.
(I downloaded the file from the official website of VistaCNC. Maybe the latest version.)

I copied 2 plugin files into Mach Plugin folder.

I thought it worked at first.

But I got problems....


I use Mach4 Hobby(Installed last Month), ESS (Plugin 216)+ MB2(Ver 2.0) in Windows 10 64bit.


1> F1(Ref Home)/F2(Zero All) runs with "Single" click. => These should be done with double click, right?

2> F3(Goto Zero) don't work. When I "Single" click at F3, Mach4 says "Axis 4 commanded while disabled"

3> In step mode, Can't I save the configuration? I don't use 1mm step... I usually use 0.01mm step. But when I restart Mach4, it turns to 1.00mm step that I don't use...

4> Can I edit F1/F2/F3/F4 functons? I want to allot a function to F4 too.

5> This is the crucial problem I have now... P2-S often becomes a brick... to use it I have to restart Mach4... I can't restart during machining work....


Anyone experienced the similar problems?
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: joeaverage on February 08, 2018, 03:19:15 AM
Hi,
I use a VistaCNC P1A and it works fine, it doesn't have those extra functions.

Fortunately it doesn't turn into a brick either.

Craig
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on February 08, 2018, 08:55:18 AM
Huh, I have the same problem with a P2-S. The Mach3 plugin worked great and had lots of settings. The Mach4 plugin is just supposed to work, nothing in settings to change/configure. I don't think the Mach4 plugins are "finished."

I've not tried the F1/F2/F3 functions so can't answer to that.

The pendant doesn't follow your Mach4 jogging increments, it follows it's own!!! You can change increment by holding the side button and rotating the hand wheel while in incremental jog, but it follows IT"S increments, not Mach4's. I'm in INCH and I don't need it to go inadvertently to 1" increment!!! In Mach4 increment I just have .0001, .001, and .01, no 1.0!!! But the pendant doesn't follow Mach4's increments!!!

And I just learned last night, I'm fairly new to Mach4 after years with Mach3, that while running gcode the pendant drops back to the screen reading VistaCNC iMach4 and is dead until a Mach4 restart. I guess this is what you meant by "brick!" THAT one is NOT COOL!

Lee Neuman is the guy at VistaCNC, but he's spread pretty thin, it seems to me. Email him, support@vistacnc.com, and point him here, maybe he'll respond. I'll do the same because Lee and I had a dialog going because of another issue with his EE box and a P2-SE pendant not working, too. Hitting the eStop would "brick" the pendant until a Mach4 restart. Haven't resolved THAT one either.

Also, there is a forum here for VistaCNC, but no traffic down there!

These pendants are very nice, and in Mach3, no problem, but Mach4 not so good so far.
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: joeaverage on February 08, 2018, 01:03:37 PM
Hi,

Quote
that while running gcode the pendant drops back to the screen reading VistaCNC iMach4 and is dead until a Mach4 restart

Surely it has to work that way. If Mach has planned and calculated a coordinated move and while that move is progressing you try to do a little jog
when the move completes the controlled point will not be where its supposed to be but displaced by the jog amount. Either way Mach has no knowledge
of where it is now and its still planning moves 20 or more instructions ahead. A disaster is about to strike.

A pendant (or jog or MDI or screen script) can only move the machine if Gcode is NOT running ie the control state is Idle. <Feed Hold> does not put the control state
to Idle, <Feed Hold> followed by <Stop> do.

Craig
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on February 08, 2018, 01:39:46 PM
if it worked that way and came back when gcode stopped, great, but that ain't what happens!! NORMALLY, even with gcode running, the P2-S pendant doesn't jog, but the position of the select axis display's on the little LCD screen. Very nice. It's the "bricking" and not coming back, at any time, without a Mach3 restart that's the issue.

I don't think anyone is fool enough to assume you should be able to jog while gcode is running the machine!!

Tom
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: Mauri on February 08, 2018, 03:21:51 PM
joeaverage,
I have two VistaCNC Pendant's one will not allow conversion to Mach4 P5 and the other P1A is still running on Mach3.
I want to convert it over when I move to Mach4 on our Router Table and am happy that you have no issues with the unit after you converted the Firmware fo Mach4.
Is there anything that it cannot do or I that I have to be warry of?
Regards,
Mauri.
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: joeaverage on February 08, 2018, 04:28:51 PM
Hi,
bloody thing won't make me a cup of coffee or peel me some grapes!

Craig
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: joeaverage on February 08, 2018, 08:02:57 PM
Hi,

Quote
even with gcode running, the P2-S pendant doesn't jog

No it wont, its not supposed to, if it did it would break all your coordinated moves.

Craig
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 09, 2018, 01:15:44 AM
Hi,

Quote
that while running gcode the pendant drops back to the screen reading VistaCNC iMach4 and is dead until a Mach4 restart

Surely it has to work that way. If Mach has planned and calculated a coordinated move and while that move is progressing you try to do a little jog
when the move completes the controlled point will not be where its supposed to be but displaced by the jog amount. Either way Mach has no knowledge
of where it is now and its still planning moves 20 or more instructions ahead. A disaster is about to strike.

A pendant (or jog or MDI or screen script) can only move the machine if Gcode is NOT running ie the control state is Idle. <Feed Hold> does not put the control state
to Idle, <Feed Hold> followed by <Stop> do.

Craig


You would have understood what Tom said if you had had a VistaCNC Jog with screen.
"VistaCNC iMach4" on the screen... that means it became a brick. ;) No operation available until restarting Mach4

Sawyer
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 09, 2018, 01:21:04 AM
I think I found what the problem was....
(Only for "Being a Brick")

The problem is not because of VistaCNC MPG but because of MACH4.

Mach4 does not properly unload unused plugins. It loads them in a hidden way.... ;(

I think keyboard plugin makes a conflict with VistaCNC pendant.

After I unloaded unused plugins with unplugin_plugin that DAZ posted in this forum, I could not find being brick for more than 3 hours.

Before doing so, I had to find myself holding a brick in every 5~20 mins...

Try unplugin_plugin by DAZ. This could help you too. ;)



Praise DAZ!!!!!


Sawyer
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 09, 2018, 02:33:59 AM
Hm.....

Removing unused plugins do help, but it seems not enough...

My P2-S became a brick again now....
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on February 09, 2018, 08:47:24 AM
Have you tried just removing the keyboard plugin from the plugins folder, or is that what you meant by unplug_plugin? Maybe it IS the keyboard plugin conflicting? I'll have to try that, I don't much like jogging with the keyboard anyhow, but I DO LIKE jogging with the P2-S, if/when it works. ;D
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 09, 2018, 09:22:36 AM
Have you tried just removing the keyboard plugin from the plugins folder, or is that what you meant by unplug_plugin? Maybe it IS the keyboard plugin conflicting? I'll have to try that, I don't much like jogging with the keyboard anyhow, but I DO LIKE jogging with the P2-S, if/when it works. ;D

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,32603.0.html

This is the link where you can find the plugin and video manual from DAZ the developer. ;)

I unplugged all the plugins that I don't use. But I think keyboard plugin made the conflict.

I'm not sure 100% yet, but it seems works, I only experienced a BRICK only once today. ;)
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on February 12, 2018, 08:01:32 AM
I removed the keyboard plugin from the plugins directory completely, restarted Mach4, and the P2-S still bricks at some point, seemingly, or usually, while running gcode!! So it isn't the keyboard plugin, I guess.

An interesting aside, even with the keyboard plugin NOT in the plugins directory, the little keyboard shows in the tray briefly before disappearing.
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on February 12, 2018, 11:12:05 AM
I removed the keyboard plugin from the plugins directory completely, restarted Mach4, and the P2-S still bricks at some point, seemingly, or usually, while running gcode!! So it isn't the keyboard plugin, I guess.

An interesting aside, even with the keyboard plugin NOT in the plugins directory, the little keyboard shows in the tray briefly before disappearing.


That might be Mach loads keyboard plugin at starting...
Try unpkugin_plugin by DAZ.
This will make Mach4 not even try to load the plugins.

In my case, Mach4 loaded duplicate keyboad plugins... so I had many icon in the tray... and when I move cursor on them they disappeared....
Mach4 seems to have some problem managing the plugins....

I haven't seen bricking for 3 days so far...
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on March 01, 2018, 04:07:36 AM
I thought my problem solved... but not...

I do want to know if there's anybody who doesn't suffer this trouble with P1-S, P2-S or P4-S etc... which has "Screen" on it.

This is very annoying...

I don't turn off the machine and the computer, but I have to... only because REVIVE VistaCNC hand wheel.....
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on March 01, 2018, 04:20:04 AM
I use Dell i5-2400S PC with Legit Windows 10 Pro.

I only installed Windows 10, Mach 4 and Notepad++.

Plugged the AC cord to Earthed AC outlet.

I even reinforced Vcc and GND of the VistaCNC MPG handweel.
Its cable has 6 wires but uses only 4. So I soldered non-used 2 wires to VCC and GND each, so that it can have more electric conductivity.


I don't understand why this happens....
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on March 01, 2018, 07:51:54 AM
I used Daz's Unplugin Plugin to remove the keyboard plugin and it seems better, but I can't really be certain!!

I contacted Lee Neuman of VistaCNC and told him to come here and Warp9 where this has been mentioned, but nothing. I emailed him a week or so ago and he said he's still "working on it."

Someone said they're ordering a P4-S in hopes that will work, but I'm just guessing if the P2-S plugin doesn't work, the P4-S won't either.

Tom
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: ysymidi on March 01, 2018, 07:54:05 AM
I used Daz's Unplugin Plugin to remove the keyboard plugin and it seems better, but I can't really be certain!!

I contacted Lee Neuman of VistaCNC and told him to come here and Warp9 where this has been mentioned, but nothing. I emailed him a week or so ago and he said he's still "working on it."

Someone said they're ordering a P4-S in hopes that will work, but I'm just guessing if the P2-S plugin doesn't work, the P4-S won't either.

Tom



So, now Lee knows that his MPG malfunctions with Mach4?
And he's working on it?
Title: Re: VistaCNC P2-S malfunctioning with Mach4
Post by: thosj on March 01, 2018, 08:14:29 AM
That's what he told me!! Been a while, 'tho!! I'll email him again and point him here again. This ain't doing much for his business!