Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: adamheavens on September 07, 2019, 08:07:43 AM
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Hi,
We have Mach4 running with a UC300-ETH motion controller and every time I restart the Mach4 application I have to setup the Port/PIN mapping again as it does not get saved. Any ideas where to look to resolve the issue as it is driving me mad!
Thanks
Adam
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Hi,
I'm not familiar with the UC300 but rather I have an ESS, but I imagine they are broadly similar.
With the ESS the ports an pins are assigned in the ESS plugin, not Machs Control plugin at all.
My guess then there is a fault with the UC300 plugin not saving its values when shutting down. It may
be you need to pose the question on the CNCDrive forum.
Craig
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Yes there are outputs defined in the UC plugin which is fine and all works ok. However I need to map the input pins in Mach4 for limit/homing etc. All works as it should but is not saved when I exit the Mach4 application. Just need to know how to make my changes persistent across application restarts.
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Hi,
ports and pins are assigned in the UC300 plugin. The assigned pins are then attached to Machs input and output signals.
With the ESS plugin, lets say I assign a new pin, say port 3 pin 3 as an output and call it VacPump, as the ESS plugin
allows for aliases. Then also within the ESS plugin I will attach that pin to OSIG_OUTPUT20 say. With the ESS plugin when
you assign one of machs signals like this the plugin will ALSO AUTOMATICALLY update Machs Control plugin so the
two remain consistent.
From your description you can assign a pew port and pin. Then you attach it to a Mach signal. But are you also making the
same assignment in the Control plugin? While the ESS plugin does so automatically the UC300 plugin, to my knowledge,
does not.
Note that at shutdown ALL of Machs variables are flushed to the profile .ini file to be available for the next restart.
Craig
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I can only assign Outputs in the control plugin there is no mapping for inputs. The plugin changes are persistent but it seems like the pin mapping in Mach4 is not being flushed to the ini file in that case. I have check none of the are ready only, so not sure what else to do?
Thanks
Adam
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Hi,
I'm sorry but I find your reply hopelessly confusing.
I can only assign Outputs in the control plugin there is no mapping for inputs
Does this refer to Machs Control plugin or the UC300 plugin?
The plugin changes are persistent but it seems like the pin mapping in Mach4 is not being flushed to the ini file in that case
Pin mapping is a function of the UC300 plugin.
The attaching of any given pin to a Mach signal is a shared responsibility of both the Control and UC300 plugins.
Can you post a few secreenshots of the UC300 plugin and maybe a shot of the pin assignment page, the signal assignment
pages?
Craig
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Sorry for the confusion, I am mapping pins in the UC300 plugin as per the attached screenshot. These are persistent and do not change.
The control configuration under inputs I am mapping the input as per the second screenshot but these are settings that are blank on restarting the application. Only the user description is kept.
Thanks
Adam
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Hi Adam,
thanks for that clarification. Its difficult enough trying to describe technical matters in words without any extra confusion
about terminology!
Firstly the UC300 plugin differs from the ESS plugin. In the ESS plugin there is one tab for assigning ports and pins, another
tab to attach Machs input signals to the define pins, and yet another tab to attach Machs output signals to defined pins.
As I noted previously Machs Control plugin is constrained to match the settings of the ESS plugin.
The UC300/Mach4 seem to operate differently. You set the port and pin definitions in the UC300 plugin but attach Machs signals
in the Control plugin. I would expect that when you shut down any change you made in the control plugin you made during the
session would be flushed to the .ini file.
The only suggestion I have to make is that are you correctly reading the right .ini file? That is lets say any alterations you make
in the Control plugin are getting flushed to profileA.ini but when you start up you read profileB.ini.
Craig
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i dont know about UC300
i can tell you about pokeys
if you turn of the hardware before you turn of mach ,that can be happened ,because plug in not fiind the hardware and cant save the parameter
be sure you first turn of mach only then turn off the UC300
good luck
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Thank you, will try both suggestions when back in the workshop tomorrow.
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Unfortunately it does not seem to make difference in which order the table or computer is turned off, I have checked we only have the single profile installed and even re-installed Mach4 today and still getting the same behaviour any ideas?
Thanks
Adam
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i think bater ask the UC300-ETH suport
when i had problems with pokeys i asked them i got very good service
so i think if they cant support you for such main problem ,maybe batter consider change hardware
its not expensive and if it save you head ace its worth the money i think(i not part of pokeys not get from them 1 dollar
but i get good service so i real like share this point with this forum)