Messages

51

General Mach Discussion / Abnormal Condition LED

« on: September 15, 2012, 02:48:57 AM »

I have tried searching for information on the Abnormal Condition LED  within the forum but can only find two posts, one of which is mine, and ther is nothing in the index of the Mach3 manual. I can see from using Screen4 that  Abnormal Condition LED is triggered by OEM condition 166 but where in Mach3 is/are these codes embedded? I ask this as i am getting the Abnormal Condition LED after adding to the code of the Reference All Home button. I'm not changing that code just adding SendSerial("D44") to initiate the datum procedure of my ATC.

...Sweep

52

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 14, 2012, 04:01:02 PM »

Using the scope I can see the string of code being sent in Hyperterminal so have tried to replicate the same string in Mach.
I have managed to run the ATC from Mach even though the string wasn't identical; I think this is to do with the intercharacter delay.
The problem is that Mach seems to be pretty unreliable though!
I have used operator/edit button script to add code to the Ref All Home (RAH) button but when i add code SendSerial("D44") the whole of Mach 3 locks up and the "normal Condition" LED changes to "Abnormal Condition"?
I press RAH but nothing happens
If i then enter a tab menu, say "about Mach3" and then exit that menu all the dorment commands, e.g. RAH, are executed in series. So if iv'e pressed RAH three times it exwcutes it three times.

very strange ...Sweep

53

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 13, 2012, 03:00:05 PM »

Will do.
A strange thing happened when I edited the vbscript in Mach was that Mach3 needed a restart as everything froze. Very strange.
Managed to borrow a digital oscilloscope from work so will try and capture what is being sent.
Thanks for your help so far TP.

...Sweep

54

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 13, 2012, 03:28:31 AM »

Just checked the Hyperterminal settings and I have a 1200 baud rate, 7 data bits, parity = none, stop bits =1, flow control = none, and a 10 millisecond character delay and it controls the ATC perfectly every time. Unfortunately since capturing the data my oscilloscope has packed in working otherwise I would see if I am getting any serial output when Sendserial from Mach3

...Sweep

55

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 12, 2012, 06:08:26 PM »

I already have full control via Hyperterminal which works great. All the datums and tool changes are ok.
Before I stripped out the old Denford motherboard I captured all the data flow on my oscilloscope. I adjusted the baud rate but, because of the age of the machine, I had to introduce an inttercharacter delay of a few milliseconds to allow the ATC time to digest the data.
Does the code look ok?

56

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 12, 2012, 05:36:33 PM »

Ok, having now spent 10 minutes glancing through the Holy Grail that is The programmer's Reference Guide I am now an expert
...well not really as nothing happened.
Using the "Edit Button Script" command in Mach3's Operator tab menu I highlighted the REF ALL HOME button and added the following code:
SendSerial("B0000133E167R25") in a feeble attempt to send B0000133E167R25 to the serial port. Of course, nothing happened when I cycled through the code.
I have changed the baud rate in General Logic Configurations and ticked Event Friven Serial Control in Engine Configuration, though I am unsure what that does.

REF ALL HOME script now looks like this:

DoButton( 24 )
DoButton( 23 )
DoButton( 22 )
DoButton( 25 )

SendSerial("B0000133E167R25")

DoOEMButton(133)
DoOEMButton(134)
DoOEMButton(135)

So what am I doing wrong?

...Sweep
 

57

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 11, 2012, 05:12:48 PM »

Thanks for that TP,
I had the VB script command reference guide but had completely missed the Programmer's reference !

...Sweep

58

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Where to start?

« on: September 11, 2012, 03:39:44 PM »

Hi Ger21,

I have run the video a couple of times and it seems to relate more to the layout of the screen than to the operation of the functions.
My first experiment was to modify the REF ALL HOME (RAH) button on the standatd screenset to add a stream of text sent to the ATC to start the ATC dtaum function after the axis had found home.
Using Screen4 when i click on the RAH button the input box that appears notes that the "VB script function is edited within Mach3" but how do i do that?
i.e. how do i edit within Mach3 and how do I instruct the code to go to the, say, serial port as opposed to the parallel port etc?

...Sweep

Ok. Found the "edit button script" button within Mach3 which allows me to add to the existing code. Now to figure out what DoButton and DoOEMButton means

59

VB and the development of wizards / Where to start?

« on: September 10, 2012, 03:03:11 PM »

I have absolutley no understanding or experience of programming of any kind.
I have downloaded the VB script command document and have installed Screen 4 but I am at a loss as how to start.
My mammoth task of converting my Denford Triac to Mach3 has been ongoing for around 5 years and the end is in sight but I now have to tackle programming the ATC. I have posted a topic on the main forum but, whilst I appreciate the replies, I am not really following what's being said!
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,22055.0.html

In hope ...Sweep

60

General Mach Discussion / Re: More toolholders than space in the ATC carousel

« on: September 10, 2012, 02:51:43 PM »

Back from more holidays and the distraction of having to fit a new door before the onset of winter ...or before summer gets any more miserable

I can see this part of the rebuild is going to be a nightmare for me as I have zero understanding of computer language.
The Denford ATC self contained panel is intact and I can send strings of text from Hyperterminal and the ATC does exactly as requested, e.g by sending B0000133E:?7R25 down the serial port from the PC the ATC will replace whatever tool is installed with Tool 2 etc.
I suppose my first few questions are:
1. How do i send this string of text (B0000133E:?7R25) down the serial port? If I can establish that this can be done and watch the tool change it will give me confidence to continue.
2. How do I edit the home axis button to include the sending of ATC axis code down the serial port. When you press the Home All Axis button I want it first to send B0000133E167R25 to the ATC which ensures that there is an air supply present, home z, x, and y, and then, once they are home, send D44 to the ATC which homes the carousel to Tool 1 position.
I wont ask anymore at present as too many answers will only overwelm me!

thanks ...Sweep