Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: boydage on September 06, 2020, 03:35:15 AM
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Ive been using Mach 3 for years! But only just now am I using the G55 (onwards) offsets and only just now am I controlling my spindle with the software. Its all very nice.
But now I find that during a button press for example going to the probing screen, or hitting the "ref all" button, Mach 3 will just disappear. Not just that, today I was saving an offset, boom, Mach 3 is gone. Unable to reopen it. Have to restart to get anything going again. This is getting normal.
Before I dig into my own troubleshooting anyone have any thoughts or had this prior?
Running a genuine version of XP Pro. Cant remember the specs of my PC, but its not small or ancient. The PC itself just keeps running ok.
One thing though, I decided to backup my settings. I did this by copying the whole Mach 3 folder. But when I went to paste the folder to a USB stick, it errored saying the "probe (something)" was in use and unable to be copied. That makes me think there is something wrong with the probe file that must still have been running in the background?
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Mach3 likes to be installed - as you have discovered, copy and pasting the Mach3 folder does have it's problems. Could you perhaps restore to an earlier save (from your .xml backups folder) ?
Tweakie.
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Sorry, I did not explain myself. The only reason I copied my Mach 3 folder, was to get a backup of the files I will need if I end up reinstalling. It was when I was pasting them into a USB stick I got the "copy" error because some of the files were still in use somewhere in the background of my computer.
The version I am using I installed it correctly, and have been using it for quite some time. I would like to try sorting the problem before I just reinstall.
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If the file is ProbeDiag.txt, you don't need it.
It's a file that Mach3 opens every time it starts, and probably didn't close properly when Mach3 crashed.
If Mach3 is crashing, I doubt that there is anything you can do to fix it other than a complete uninstall and reinstall.
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Ay yep. Ok. I thought that would be the case - I need to put a new PSU into my box anyway. Thanks for that.
Hey I have an idea for a new button. A "tool change position zero button". Not sure about you lot but my table is large. I am often changing the tool change position to suit. Actually I am also changing the position of my not so fixed plate. Just to position the spindle in an area and be able to zero that with a press would be awesome.
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Press the Goto Toolchange button, then the axis zero buttons.
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Gerry so do you mean position where I want to change my tool. Hit the Goto Toolchange button, and whilst its moving to the original toolchange position it will zero? Sorry I didnt get that.
Also. This is something I cant work out. If I am in the 2010 probing screen. I have been trying to zero out my G55. G56. So if I am in the probing screen. I bring the machine into say G55. Probe my edges. If I "Return to Mach 3" button. Mach 3 just disappears. I cant find it by "Alt Tab". It shows in the processes screen. But its pretty much gone, unuseable. Only way to sort is to actually force the computer to shut down. I have reinstalled and still happens. This is only in anything above G54.
Seen that before?
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No, what I meant was to press the Goto Toolchange, then press the zero all axis button to zero the axis at the toolchange position.
It sounds like Mach3 is crashing when exiting the wizard. No, I haven't seen that.
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When I go to the probing screen, if I dont even probe anything. Select G55, if I try to return to the main screen. I lose Mach 3. The last time, I thought I would backup. Being lazy I just copy the whole Mach 3 folder in my C drive. It wouldnt copy because it said "probe diag" is still in use. I installed a Fusion probing extension to the post processor a while ago perhaps its that.
I can probe and set G54. But anything to do with G55 is a problem.
I was also wondering if its because I have set the steps per 5mm to 400.2632 because of my Chinese screws that are not accurate? But in the end, I can probe out some edges on G54, zero them, and then select G55 on the main screen to zero that.
But its all weird.
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Hey guys I cant seem to fix this one. If I go to the probe screen, and select ANY of the G code fixtures, 54, 55, 56, it doesnt matter. Trying to return to the main screen Mach 3 dissappears.
I have actually reinstalled the software - perhaps I need to look at coimpletely deleting the profile and rebuilding that?
So when it all happens I got a dialog error box that would pop up for about 0.25 seconds which I filmed. It says " Error Found . Art Code 9988. Attempt recovery?" but then boom - its all gone. Although I do know Mach 3 is still running in the background.
Oh and I reset my steps per rev to 400 just incase that was the fault. Hmmm. What to do..... what to do....
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Ok. So no need to reply here. I just read another forum about this. And it appears to be a bug in Mach 3 with the MDI function. I did what the other bloke did and escape out of the MDI function and it doesnt lock up.
I am torn though, I only paid a small amount for Mach 3. It would be cool to see this bug fixed but I have had a WHOLE lot of use out of it already. I done know how anyone else feels about paying for Mach 3. There is a software that I use for home theatre. Everytime they release a new version they offer it out at twenty bucks.
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Are you aware that Mach3 development ceased 6 years ago?
No bug fixes anymore. No ANY improvements anymore.
You have to learn to live with its quirks and workarounds, or change the machine controlling software.
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Hi boydage,
Mach4 is a total new software program, I doubt there is any code in Mach4 that could be uplifted from Mach3.
That's why you are expected to buy Mach4 as a new product. If as you suggest NFS did a twenty buck upgrade
then they would not have resources to do any of the things that they have with Mach4, and they have done lots of kool
things and have a vastly more stable product than Mach3.
I just paid $192USD for a whole bunch of carbide tools for my mill, and that's not the first and certainly won't be the last
order for carbide tools. In fact over the six years I've been using Mach4 I've spent something like $1500 on carbide tools alone.
What I'm getting at is that $200 for Mach4 is actually one of the smallest expenses/investments I've made in my mill.
I'm building a new mill, this time I'm getting the beds cast in iron (115kg each) and the frame in SG cast iron (300kg), and just the castings
alone will cost $7000NZD, or about $4000USD and compared to that Mach4Hobby at $200USD is a steal!
Craig
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Unfortunately, I've never heard of this happening, and I can't reproduce it.
I'd try creating a new profile, and setting it up from scratch.