Topics

1

Mach4 General Discussion / Shuttlepro looses button assignments

« on: January 20, 2020, 02:52:36 PM »

I added a shuttlepro and configured it. It works fine for a while and then at some point, perhaps after Mach4 reboots or me  making screen edits, I can't nail down when it happens, the settings are lost and they are all set to jog a single axis. Set them up again and it works fine again.
Any idea why this might happen?

2

Mach4 General Discussion / Learning to use variables in my code

« on: January 18, 2020, 09:44:53 PM »

Using Mach4 with ESS and I am trying to get familiar with Gcode before I start using CAM to create it. Just making a back and forth pass incrementing Y each time to surface the spoilboard for my wood router and I wanted to make it more flexible to work for surfacing anything. And now I am stuck. Where am I going wrong with the use variables?
BTW Can I use text for variables or must they be numbers? What are the rules for that?


The lines in parenthesis are what I used originally and it worked. Left there show show what my intention was.

Code: [Select]

#1001 = 46.5 (Width)
#1002 = 36 (Depth)
#1003 = 17 (Cycles of Loop)
#1004 = 1 (Tool Diameter)
#1005 = [#1004 - .1] (Step over)
#1006 = -0.050 (Depth of Cut)
G0 G90 G54 G17 G40 G49 G80
(G0 X3.0 Y1.2 Z1.0 ;home, inside previous cut)
G0 X0 Y0 Z.2 ;home, inside previous cut
(G1 Z-0.050 F10 ; letting me know its cutting)
G1 Z#1006 F10 ; letting me know its cutting
M03 S18000; start spindle
G04 P3000 ;Pause 3 seconds for VFD comes to speed
M0 ;confirm the start
( M98 P1000 L17 ;Call Sub O1000, loop enough times to reach back side )
M98 P1000 L#1003 ;Call Sub O1000, loop enough times to reach back side
M04 ;stop spindle
G0 G90 G54 G17 G40 G49 G80
G0 Z5.0
(G0 X1.5 Y1.95 )
G0 X0.0 Y0.0
G28 M30 ;exit routine
O1000 ;Beginning of loop
G91 ;incremental
(G01 Y0.95 F100.)
G01 Y#1005 F100.
G90 ;absolute
( X46.5 ;go to end)
X#1001 ;go to end
G91 ;incremental
(Y0.95 ;by this much)
Y#1005 ;by this much
G90 ;absolute
(G1 X3.0 ;back to beginning)
G1 X0 ;back to beginning
M99 ;End of loop


3

Mach4 General Discussion / Make a button toggle an output

« on: January 12, 2020, 05:19:19 PM »

How close am I on this attempt to toggle output0 with a button? First time I clicked the button it crashed Mach 4 so I know I messed up something.

Code: [Select]

[mc.OSIG_ENABLE0] = function (state)-- Motor enable scripting -mac 1/2020
    if( state == 1) then
       scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Label', 'Motors Enabled');
       scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Bg Color', '#C0C0C0');--Light Grey
       scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Fg Color', '#808080');--Dark Grey
   else
      scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Label', 'Motors Disabled');
       scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Bg Color', '#C0C0C0');--Light Grey
       scr.SetProperty('btnMotorEnable', 'Fg Color', '#808080');--Dark Grey
    end
end,


function ServoMotorEnable() -- enable servo motors with button -mac 1/2020
local osig = mc.mcSignalGetHandle(inst, mc.OSIG_OUTPUT0)
local stat=mc.mcSignalGetState(inst,mc.OSIG_OUTPUT0)
   if stat==0 then
      mc.mcSignalSetState(osig, 1)
   else
      mc.mcSignalSetState(osig, 0)
   end
end

4

Mach4 General Discussion / CP motor, PMDX126, ESS...Limit Switch ++ tripped when touchplate gets grounded

« on: January 11, 2020, 09:18:22 PM »

Running Clearpath motors which have a fault signal they can output. I put that input int the ESS at "Motor 0 ++ Limit" because I couldn't think of a better place. And it works. When they stall that signal makes it into the ESS fine.


But with that signal enabled in ESS, touching the touchplate active side input to the grounded spindle housing will trigger all 4 motor Limit switch ++ inputs. Or possibly, something else occurs that faults all 4 CP steppers together, but I can't see how that would be possible because of the following: 


If I disable the motor fault signals in the ESS the touch plate will not cause any problem or log entry. The touchplate itself works properly in both cases.


Where else can I put the motor fault signals and why would the touchplate cause this behavior? I assume the limit ++ would behave like an E-Stop so putting the motor fault signal there made sense. Am I wrong?


Appreciate your thoughts on this.

5

Mach4 General Discussion / 2 separate displays with independent screens, is it possible?

« on: January 02, 2020, 01:35:27 PM »

I may be using the term "screen" incorrectly in the mach4 context,I[size=78%]s it possible to use 2 displays with independent screens with Mach4? [/size]
[/size]
I have a bunch of small touchscreens that would be perfect for a local control panel while leaving the larger amount of content, i.e. DRO, file functions, etc on another screen.


I suppose if I extended the desktop onto 2 screens I could make it look that way, but that is fraught with fragility because of different screen resolutions. I'm hoping for a supported solution?


Thoughts?


P.S. I've no idea where the markups [/size][size=78%] etc are coming from in the post editor[/size][/size]

6

Mach4 General Discussion / Editing startup Scripts - or any scripts

« on: January 01, 2020, 01:22:39 PM »

I haven't used Mach4 for over a year and getting back into it. I wasn't fluent then and I'm still new so I make dumb mistakes which you may feel free to point out. This well might be one.


I am simply trying to edit the startup script - which I have done before - but this time when I open the screen, select the Screen Load Script, the file that opens  one that opens is in the windows temp folder with a temp name  (C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Temp\le267B.mcs) and when I save it, that's right where it puts it. But when I reopen the same Screen Load Script, my changes aren't there.
 
I have seen several example vids and they don't have this problem. They save and it just works. I did update to the latest version recently (4322 ?)

What am I doing wrong?

7

Mach Screens / Cant save edited macro

« on: December 31, 2019, 08:36:26 PM »

Trying to edit a macro to turn on soft limits. I have been in this file more than a year ago and dont recall having any problem like this, but this time I can't save the changes. I can save the changes as a new filename in a different folder, but the initial opening filename is random and the location is a temp folder.  Where should I save this file? I'm poking around looking for the answer but in case anyone is looking at this time I could use the help to move past this.

8

Mach4 General Discussion / Clearpath motors coasting beyond limit switch and crashing into bumpers ?

« on: December 30, 2019, 12:31:41 PM »

I am using Clearpath motors on my DIY router.  Mach 4 on a win10 current model PC and a PMDX-126 BOB and ESS. I have been fighting the limit switches. It seems that the motor coasts past the point where the limit switch makes contact. This makes it crash into the bumper and fault the Clearpath motor.


I wish I could make the CP motor stop faulting but it seems that is not an option.


I know the CP motors don't actually coast and this happens on every axis so I expect teh motor is ramping down to zero. So where would there be a setpoint to shorten the delay between the limit switch activation and the motor stopping?


What is a reasonable distance (or time) between the limit switch activation and the motor stopping moving? I only have about a 1/8 of an inch travel between them.


I know people use prox sensors and their range is not huge so certainly I have something set wrong or more people would be discussing this issue.

9

Mach4 General Discussion / engrave wizard

« on: April 05, 2019, 02:21:21 PM »

I am right on the edge of making my first cut. I'm using the engrave wizard just to give me some gcode. When I run it, it seems to run the z axis backwards. When I jog minus is down, plus is up so jog controls work that way so I though I had eliminated everything else, but it looks like the engrave is cutting air after driving down hard once.
I'm sure I'm doing something dumb which is why I used the wizard -- to eliminate me as an error source. I attached the screenshot, please point out my error.

10

Mach4 General Discussion / How do I make the Extents mode visible

« on: March 30, 2019, 05:25:37 PM »

New user warning...

How can I make the extents on the tool path dialog of the screenset more visible? I have adjusted the settings and the line thickness never seems to enlarge. I'm trying to ensure the file is within the borders of the table.