Messages

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 auto tool zero digging into zero plate

« on: January 21, 2022, 11:04:08 PM »

No doubt there are other, possibly better, ways to do this now in Mach3 but I thought I'd share something I posted on a Build Your Own CNC forum back in 2010 that describes how to implement an Auto Tool Zero macro which uses the grounded touch plate method.
 
I converted it to a PDF document for convenience.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 08, 2022, 05:54:21 PM »

Well guys, after a week of clicking and pecking......and a little, more like a LOT of cussing I think I finally got this puppy whipped. I'll know for sure once I get it back to the shop and connected to the table.

I think my whole problem was when I installed the program on to the win 10 computer, if I had just copied it to my desktop and then sending it to the USB stick I would have been done a week ago. When I clicked on the file it downloaded the program on to the win 10 computer and once it did that the file was no longer an exe file but rather just Mach3 and when clicked on all it would do is open the program.

This morning at about 3 AM when my eyes were crossed and dripping with blood all of a sudden the stars lined up and I had that what if moment. I went back to the mach3 download page and downloaded the program to my desktop and copied it to the USB stick then went down to the control computer backed up the old version already on the computer, stuck the USB stick in and went over to where the stick was on the computer and opened the files on the stick. Then found the Mach3.exe file there and copied it to my desktop, removed the USB stick, then went to the new mach3 icon that was now on the desktop and clicked it and bam it downloaded and I then had the .062 version safely onto the control computer. I verified that it was fact the .062 version and in a grand total of 14 min I had done what I spent a whole week tying to do.

Thank to all you guys that took the time and patients to put up with me and thanks ZASto for bringing it to my attention that I needed to make an eye exam appointment.

dude, I recommend that you make the following change to the way your Win10 File Manager displays your files so that it displays the file extensions ( .exe and others).

With File Manager open, hopefully you are showing the command bar with "View", click View and make sure the box on the far right in the Show/Hide section is checked that says "File Name Extensions".

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 07, 2022, 08:48:28 PM »

    I probably need a little tune up but I can see a little. I asked that because that is what I put on my win 10 machine then put it on a usb stick and from what I see the program is on the control computer but when I click it all it does is open the mach3 folder and nothing else happens. I know it's something I'm not doing right so I'll wait for you to get back. Thanks.....

Actually, there is nothing wrong with simply installing the .062 version of Mach3 and let it install over the existing .066 version already there.
That said, however, it is always an excellent idea to make a backup copy of the C:\Mach3 folder by simply navigating to the root of the C: drive, right clicking on the Mach3 folder, click "Copy", then navigate to your My Documents folder and click "Paste".  Then if anything goes wrong with the "revert to .062 version installation" you have copies of the critical config files that Za Sto refers to.

You don't mention what kind of CNC machine your Win7 control PC is controlling.  Is it a plasma cutting CNC?

With my fully functional Mach3 app (version 3.043.066) on my Win7 Pro PC:
1. I will make a copy of the C:\Mach3 folder and paste it in My Documents folder, then I will rename the Mach3 folder I just copied into the My Documents folder to "Mach3BU" to denote it as a BackUp copy.  Once the Mach3Version3.043.exe installation has completed successfully and all is working fine I will delete this backup copy.
2. With my USB thumb drive that has the Mach3Version3.043.exe installation file saved on it
3. And my Win7 PC booted
4. I will insert the USB thumb drive into an empty USB port and use File Manager to simply copy this .exe file to my Win7's Downloads folder (just because it is a handy place)
6. Then I will use File Manager to open the Download folder (if it is not already open) and double-click on the Mach3Version3.043.exe file to launch the installation.
7. Follow the installation prompts that follow:
   a. Be sure to first close all running programs if any are running
   b. click "I agree to the terms of the license...etc."
   c. click OK to accept C:\Mach3 as the default Mach3 application folder
   d. click Next for the Default Packages (all are checked except Lazy Cam, if you use it, check it as well)
   e. select the Profile for the type of CNC machine you use (Mill, Lathe, Plasma) then click Next
   f. name your machine's profile name then click Next, click Next again on the Select Profile screen
   g. from the Ready to Install screen click Next (or OK, I forget which)
   h. Installing Parallel Port Driver, click Next  (Note: If you use the Mach3 USB or Ethernet controller plugin see those instructions)
   i. Installation Successful screen, click Finish

You will be returned to the Windows 7 Desktop with the new Mach3 shortcut icon with the name you specified in step f.

This concludes the installation that should change the Mach3 version from 3.043.066 to 3.043.062.

When you launch Mach3 use the shortcut icon that you always used before, it may you to accept liability for the use of Mach3, check "Please do not ask again, I will always agree", then click "I agree to the terms of this agreement" button.  Mach3 will then open.

Done.

I doubled clicked my old Mach3 shortcut icons and everything worked as it should. 

With Mach3 open and running, I click "HELP" > "About Mach3" and I see I'm now running 3.043.062.

Check out the operation of your machine.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 07, 2022, 04:21:31 PM »

"Was I supposed to put the whole Mach3 folder on the disk or just the installation .exe file?"
You just need the Mach3 installation .exe file which you downloaded from here:  https://www.machsupport.com/downloads-updates/mach3-downloads/
The resulting downloaded filename will be "Mach3Version3.043.exe".  Copy this to a USB memory stick.

My CNC control computer is also running Win7 (Pro) and I am also converting from 3.043.066 to 3.043.062, same as you.  Let me see if I can provide you a step-by-step procedure for doing so.  Give me today to do that.

In the meantime, all you need from your Win10 machine that has Internet connection is to download installation file I just mentioned to a USB memory stick.  Everything else you need (the Mach3 License file and the .XML Config file for doing this "roll-back" is already on the Win7 PC.

Sound like a plan?

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 07, 2022, 02:39:33 PM »

What operating system is your control computer running?  XP, Windows 7, Windows 8?  Can you provide screenshots of the dialog windows you get?

First, I would focus on getting the Mach3 installation .exe file onto your control computer.  I suggest creating a folder on the control computer in your My Documents folder, name the folder "Mach3-Setup" then copy/paste the Mach3 V3.043.exe file there.  This .exe is only used to install Mach3 and in doing so will create the default application folder named at C:\Mach3 .  Run the .exe setup file.

How about we then focus on moving the Windows 10 Mach3 license and settings files over to the control computer afterwards?

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 06, 2022, 11:58:08 PM »

The file that you downloaded from the Machsupport site is Mach3Version3.043.062.exe or maybe it just says Mach3Version3.043.exe.  That single file is the file you want to copy to the USB drive that has Internet access.  Then move the USB drive to the other computer and copy it to the 'Downloads' folder.  Once this file has been copied to the downloads folder of the other computer, double-click it to "install" it on this computer.  It will normally install and create the C:\Mach3 folder with files and sub-folders within.  The C:\Mach3 folder contains the program file and config files to run and control the CNC machine once all the program settings are defined for your CNC controller, stepper motors and router.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 06, 2022, 03:43:28 PM »

Man this thing is going to drive me nuts. I downloaded the new mach3 program on to a disk but I can't seem to be able to figure out how to get it off and on to the computer. I would download it right off the download page if I could get the Mach3 site to open on that computer. I have both firefox and Google on that computer but neither will load the mach3 sites. I get a message we cannot connect to the server at www.Machsupport.com. I know it's on line because I can open comcast and get my e-mail and a couple other sites.

When you downloaded the Mach3 program it would have prompted you to choose where you want to save that file. 
Use a USB thumb drive (USB memory stick) in the computer you successfully downloaded the Mach3 install program and copy that file to the memory stick.
Move the memory stick to the other computer, let it open to view the files on it.  Copy and past the Mach3 install program on this 2nd computer.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 06, 2022, 02:54:23 PM »

@ZaSto: Thanks for confirming that.  I did get the .062 version by going to the Mach3 download archive and getting it there, where by the way .066 is still available.

For the record, and for future reference, I believe I downloaded and installed .066 in 2018 having noticed a new release.  Although I never ran into any 2D milling issues with .066 I did find that about a half a dozen new .XML config files that I made with it were very screwy and caused initialization problems when I attempted to use any of them.  Only when I used my earlier .XML config files did Mach3 load and run normally. 

Maybe this was one of the bugs.

I know plan to revert back to .062 when convenient.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach 3 auto tool zero digging into zero plate

« on: January 05, 2022, 06:29:49 PM »

We just got a new machine not too long ago and have been refining every inch of the machine to be the best it can be. The machine uses a xhc mk4-et Ethernet motion controller.
The machine was set up in millimeters and we switched everything over to inches now. Everything works perfectly the xyz all move correctly and accurately (down to 5-10 thousandths of a inch), yet when we auto tool zero with a script our old machine used the bit digs into the plate before stopping which would damage the bit, we've tried slowing the federate but the federate doesn't seem to adjust correctly. At 1 in per min the machine actually travels faster than 5 in per minute, and at 10 the machine is even faster. Any values that are under 5 either are the same speed or faster, we are quite stumped on this and have spent the entire day trying different scripts and solutions.
Bellow is the script mentioned used

Explaining the difference between your old and new machine would be helpful, e.g. are they using the same stepper or servo motors, same stepper or servo drivers and if so what are their specs.  How are ports and pins, general config, motor profile, etc settings different?

What Windows version are you using with Mach3?  More info is better when seeking assistance.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: computer shuts down when I try to load Mach 3

« on: January 05, 2022, 05:57:15 PM »

The only download site is this one that hosts this forum

https://www.machsupport.com/downloads-updates/mach3-downloads/

From your current installation, from c:\mach3 folder copy all .xml files to the USB stick, as well as all *.set files.
Then copy c:\mach3\brains folder to the stick if you have some brains used in your system.
Next, copy c:\mach3\bitmaps folder to the stick if you use some screenset different from derfault one.
And do not forget to copy c:\mach3\mach1lic.dat file to the stick, that is your license file.

Reinstall official version of Mach3 and copy back the files from the stick to the appropriate folders.

Hi, I haven't been on this forum in a few years and found this post when researching some XML config file oddities produced by my 3.043.066 version from a few years ago.

ZaSto, are you saying the current Mach3 download is version 3.043.062, even though the filename ends with just 3.043? 

My last Mach3 Mill downloads were 3.043.022 in March 2018 and 3.043.066 in April 2018.

That you mentioned 3.043.066 was buggy interested me as this is what I've used since 2018 and I've noticed some very weird irregularities with saved XML Config files.