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General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3, MPG, Brains...wait...is this minus a plus ?

« on: August 09, 2010, 07:53:52 AM »

That's riiiight poppabear ! You've made me realize I can use a workaround here !! Thanks ! 

By making the output of my first lobe an absolute value... then adding a lobe which will make a boolean value the sign of the original MPG's count, I can turn on/off the "Reverse run" button with its OEM command code !

Lemme see ... it would be like : (attachment #1)



Problem is...this only applies while using the MPG's "Shuttle Mode"... I fear the brain shown up here may activate the Reverse Run output even in "Jog" mode. So, by simplifying the "Reverse Run" lobe and adding a boolean AND operator with LED #106 ("Shuttle Mode in use"), I can deduce this : (attachment #2)



Moreover, I'd say I SHOULD take care of the distinct MPG Jog modes (Continuous, Step, MPG) in this brain graph... This would allow me to Jog back and forth in Continuous or Step Jog Mode (the previous brain graph only applies to "MPG" Jog, with Shuttle Mode active).

But this will lead me to a horrible brain graph, with a tremendous input entropy, calculating the VERY SAME values multiple times, forcing me to use local variables in a asynchronous manner...
Darn ! I don't even KNOW if Mach3 brains are executed sequentially !!! Inputs and Outputs could be totally out-of-synch ! This could jam my machine's gantry and lead to total mayhem ! It already hear the sound of drill bits shattering !

*sob*
I wish I had a complete doc about .brn files (brain files). I need to write them by hand, I'd wanna create a brand new "Brain IDE" for Mach3 ! Mach3Lobe.exe sucks a bit... *sob*
But I don't think I can find anything in Mach3's SDK about it.

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General Mach Discussion / Mach3, MPG, Brains...wait...is this minus a plus ?

« on: August 06, 2010, 06:27:18 PM »

Hi there.

I'm in a little predicament here. Let me be as narrative as concise :

My Mach3 demo runs fine...loading, some G-code, turning the 3-axis motors drive offline to do some tests...
I have this homemade Modbus-RTC  m.p.g plugged in, calibrated, activated, and a dedicated brain in Mach3 running... Let's look at it in realtime...(attachment #1/3)



Rotating the knob clockwise : (attachment #2/3)


Then counterclockwise : (attachment #3/3)



Great ! The MPG1 Count internal variable is reflecting my mpg's clicks...

BUT : why does the tool/program combo always moves FORWARD while in Shuttle Mode ? Shouldn't I be able to trace back on the toolpath when I turn the MPG knob backwards (and MPG1 Count is obviously decrementing)

What setting did I miss for my "MPG1 Count" deltas are always being seen as positive ?


Help ? Someone ? Anybody ? Pretty please ?

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Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: August 06, 2010, 05:51:21 PM »

Hi there. I'm Jean-Louis ARNAL, from Burie, France, an eastern Charente-Maritime tiny city counting only 2000 townfolks.
My main hobby is entertainment robotics, from the PCB engraving & µController/CPU programming, to all the metal casting needed to create sturdy, rugged and nice cosmetics casings for all the little devices my sorry brain can hatch.

Recently, I've been looking to the work of a acquaintance of mine, who's introducing me to professional CNC. Machine tools could really make my days, as I'm tired of filing, grinding and pocketing metal by hand. I known the Ads says one can do wonders with a Proxxon or a Dewalt power tool, but I'm not this proficient with my tobacco-defiled smoker's fingers.

So here I am, hacking an old Iwatsu 2.5D pen plotter, rigging it to a 3 DOF stepper controller card bought on eBay, trying (and succeeding) to drive it with an old Pentium 4 server running Mach3 demo.