Messages

431

General Mach Discussion / Re: Move relative to machine coordinates rather than project coordinates?

« on: July 06, 2010, 03:03:37 PM »

Be aware the G53 is NOT modal.
The use of machine coordinates via G53 only pertains to the block with the G53 in it.
To illustrate the point:
N1 G54               (this will set the WC system to G54)
N2 G40               (most Gcode references tell you to cancel cutter comp before doing G53 moves - see Smid's book for example)
N3 G53 X10 Y10  (this will move to 10,10 in machine coordinates)
N4 X10 Y10        (this will most likely result in additional movement as it will move to 10,10 in G54 WC!)

Dave

G53G0X600Y600 will move to 600 X and Y in machine coords.

Hood

432

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / MachStdMill: Introductory information

« on: July 05, 2010, 04:09:07 PM »

Hi,
This is a little introductory information for those that may not have heard of MachStdMill before the start of the beta release of the package.

MachStdMill is a new screen set package developed by Calypso Ventures, Inc. The package was originally developed as a new user interface (UI), designed to support new features of the next version of Mach3 (V4).  

During the course of the project, we decided that we would create a version of the software for use with Mach3 V3.
The V3 version of the software has all the functionality which can be supported by Mach3 V3 and the package is available here:

MachStdMill Download

At that page you can download:

1) the MachStdMill Readme file.
2) the MachStdMill installer package
3) the User Maunal
4) the latest Release Notes

The software has been in development for about a year and has been in Alpha testing for the last few months, so we're reasonably confident in stability of the Beta release. However, the user should be aware that this is beta level software - which means it is probably not bug free.

MachStdMill makes use of enhancements and new interfaces which were added in recent versions of Mach3. Therefore MachStdMill requires a use of Mach3 3.43.xx. The package will refuse to run with earlier versions of Mach3.

In addition to supporting the functionality of the venerable 1024 screen set, MachStdMill provides support for significant additional new functionality.

The following are some of the enhancements included in the MachStdMill package:
    Updated User Interface (UI)
        New visual appearance.
            (See screen shots)
        Graphic controls consistency.
        Work flow driven functionality grouping.

    Integrated probing support for work coordinate offsets setting.

    Tool handling extensions
        RH (repeatable length tool) holders & NRH (non-repeatable length tool) holders
        Support for mixed usage of RH & NRH holders

    WCO (work coordinate offset) and TT (Tool table) handling extensions.
        WCO and TT can be saved to named disk files and reloaded.
        Reports of WCO & TT contents.
        MachStdMill WCO and TT tables will transfer to Mach3 v4.

    Enhanced support for optional hardware
        Monitors: both 10x7 (1024x768) & 12x9 (1280x1024) monitor resolutions are supported.
        Touch Plates: both “mobile” and TCP (tool change position) touch plates supported.
        Integrated support for 3D probes.

    Master tool mode
        MachStdMill now supports the use of a master tool TLO model.
        Master Too Mode includes support (with a TCP TP) for auto measurement of TLOs during a tool change.

    Full doc package included
        A full set of Mach3 manuals are installed with the package and are accessible from the reference page of the screen set.

        The MachStdMill package includes a new “Using Mach3” manual which covers MachStdMill use with Mach3 v3.

    User extensible
        Source package to be available (post beta).
        Including graphics source files – so you can easily modify the screen set.

MachStdMill is licensed software (it is not freeware) and you will need to agree to the license terms prior to installing and using the software.

Dave

433

CVI MachStdMill (MSM) / Welcome to the MachStdMill forum

« on: July 05, 2010, 03:39:54 PM »

Hi,

Support and discussion for MachStdMill has moved to another forum as part of the transition of MachStdMill into product release.

Please go here: MachStdMill User Group to find the MachStdMill user group.

Please feel free to post questions, comments & discussions of MachStdMill in the uer group forum.

The author of the MachStdMill package watches the user group forum and will try to assist with any issue that you may have.

Dave

434

General Mach Discussion / Re: What does "Allow Wave Files" do?

« on: July 04, 2010, 11:06:22 AM »

Terry,
These are all VB things.
API = "Application Programming Interface" - sorry, after 40 years of messing with computers, I forget that the jargon is not really common English.

Essentially, I removed any line of script I had that was "Code M*********" and replaced it with "RunScript filename" - much nicer.


Dave

DAVE is that just for VB or does that include Gcode calls???

AND I will be the first to ask WHAT IS an API???

435

General Mach Discussion / Re: What does "Allow Wave Files" do?

« on: July 04, 2010, 11:04:14 AM »

I put the info about named scripts in the VB board section.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,15272.0.html

Dave

436

VB and the development of wizards / Named script and #expand examples with Mach 3.43.6

« on: July 04, 2010, 10:57:00 AM »

Hi,
This topic came up in another thread and I thought I'd start a new thread to draw people's attention to new abilities added to the basic APIs with mach 3.43.6.

Named macros are supported on v3 as of 3.43.6 - I'm making a lot of use of them for the new screen set.
You no longer have to put scripts in M codes. A script can be a disk file and it can be called from another script via the use of the RunScript API.

A significant number of new APIs were added to 3.43.6 many of which utilize or support the use of named scripts.
To quickly find the new APIs, get the latest v3 programmer's manual and search for "3.43" - that will find all the new ones (New calls are marked in the manual to tell what level of mach first implemented the API).


Here is a summary of new calls that are available as of mach 3.43.6:

Finding key files
    GetActiveProfileDir
    GetActiveProfileName

    GetActiveScreenSetName

    GetLoadedGCodeDir
    GetLoadedGCodeFileName

Named script execution
    RunScript

Windows interface
    GetMyWindowsHandle

Macro Pumps
    StartPeriodicScript
    StopPeriodicScript
    IsPeriodicScriptRunning

Mach configuration info
    GetSetupUnits
    IncludeTLOinZFromG31
    ProgramSafetyLockout

Touch Screen data entry
    NumberPad

People will also want to look at the section of the manual that describes pre-processing and #expand
A typical use of this is to keep source code in on place ( in a disk file) and include it in multiple scripts.
Fix a bug in the master file and it is now fixed in all scripts that include the file.

For the MachStdMill implementation, essentially no script code lives inside the .set file - instead all buttons simply use #expand to reference an external named script disk file.

Just so folks can see what can be done with the new facilities, here is the contents of the MSM history button:
    #expand <Scripts\All-History>

And this is the contents of All-History.m1s:

Option Explicit
'********DO NOT remove or change the expand line or the included file contents******************
'  MachStdMIll license terms REQUIRE that the copyright and License terms remain a part of this source file
#expand <Headers\CopyRightAndLicenseNotice>   
'**************************************************************************************

' code to open mach error history file
'
' we use the non-GCode editor for the history file.
' this leaves the user specified editor available for G-code editing
' we do this becuase many gcode editors reject plain text as invalid gcode syntax
'
#expand <Headers\MSMConstants>
#expand <Headers\MSMConfigFunctionNumbers>

Dim CmdString As String
Const FileName = "C:\Mach3\LastErrors.txt"

' set the menu bar state to the stored user preference
Call MSMRunScript("MSMCOnfig", MSMGetNGCEditorInfo)

' config info reloaded from file, FQFN in UserLabel
CmdString = """" & GetUserLabel(MSMNonGCodeEditorUserLabel) & """" & " " & """" & FileName & """"
'MsgBox "CS = " & cmdstring
Shell(CmdString)  
Exit sub   ' return from button Call

#Expand <Scripts\Common\MSMRunScript>

MSMRunScript is a wrapper I use for RunScript that adds simple parameter passing on top of run script. Here is it's contents:

'********DO NOT remove or change the expand line or the included file contents******************
'  MachStdMIll license terms REQUIRE that the copyright and License terms remain a part of this source file
#expand <Headers\CopyRightAndLicenseNotice>   
'**************************************************************************************

Sub MSMRunScript(ByVal MSMScriptName As String, ByVal P1 As Double)
   
   ' This is a wrapper that will allow one to replace the functionality of "Call M*********x Px".
   ' In fact this it is a bit more capable as the param is implemented as an Global MSM userspace DRO,
   ' so the script could actually put a value back in the param DRO if needed.
   ' This could also be expanded to more params, but MSM only was used one param to M********* macros.
   ' param type choices  where double DRO or LEDs - used DROs as the more flexible approach,
   ' LED parameters will be encoded within MSM as 0/1 value in the DRO.
   '
   
   Dim QFN As String
   
   SetUserDRO(MSMRunScriptParam1, P1)   ' stash the param value in the allocated Global DRO
   QFN = "ScreenSetMacros\" & GetActiveScreenSetName() & "\Scripts\Common\" & MSMScriptName
   
   'MsgBox "Script to run: " & Chr(13) & "    " & QFN & Chr(13) & "Param value = " & P1
   
   RunScript(QFN)   
   
End Sub

And to keep things legal, here is the copyright/license header file included in every MSM script file:
' This Source file is part of the MachStdMill screen set package for Mach3
'
' Copyright © 2010 Calypso Ventures, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
' The author of the MachStdMill screen Set is Calypso Ventures, Inc.
'
' Redistribution And use In source And binary forms, With Or without modification, are permitted
' provided that the following conditions are met:'
'
' 1. Redistributions of the Screen Set And supporting Macro source code must retain the above copyright
' notice, this list of conditions And the following disclaimer.
'
' 2. Redistributions In binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions And the
' following disclaimer In the documentation And/Or other materials provided With the distribution.
'
' 3. The Name of the author may Not be used To endorse Or promote products derived from this software
' without specific prior written permission.
'
' THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY CALYPSO VENTURES, INC. "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
' INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
' PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
' INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
' NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR
' BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
' STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF
' THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
'
'

Finally, the script editor in 3.43.6 was enhanced to support #expand etc - the E+ and E- buttons will expand / unexpand the #expand lines while you are in the editor.

And last, (but NOT least!) the editor also now has find and replace.

Anyhow, you can see that scripts can now get to looking rather different than prior to 3.43.6 <grin>
While the added tools are simple compared to most modern programming languages, they add a lot of functionality to mach's programing interfaces.

Dave

437

General Mach Discussion / Re: What does "Allow Wave Files" do?

« on: July 04, 2010, 10:31:31 AM »

Hi,
Named macros are supported on v3 as of 3.43.6 - I'm making a lot of use of them for the new screen set.
A significant number of new APIs were added to 3.43.6 many of which utilize or support the use of named scripts.

I'll start another thread with a summary of the new APIs that are available as this is probably of general interest and I suspect that few have yet to dive into the new abilities in mach.

Dave

I think I read that version 4 will allow named macros? Can anyone confirm this?

438

Mach3 under Vista / Re: No Driver Sensed Installed. OS-Windows 7

« on: July 03, 2010, 02:51:09 AM »

FYI - a little known attribute of the W7 XP emulation mode is that it requires hdw support in the CPU - and not all CPUs (not even all Intel CPUs) have the feature.
Even if the CPU and version of W7 have the needed pieces, I suspect the PP driver may not run in XP emulation as it needs to manipulate real registers of real hardware, not an emulation.
Dave

I believe every version of Win7 has the XP emulation mode. You still can't run the Mach three driver with it though.

439

General Mach Discussion / Re: What does "Allow Wave Files" do?

« on: July 03, 2010, 02:46:02 AM »

FYI - an updated version of that manual is available direct from the documentation page of the mach site:
http://machsupport.com/docs/Mach3_V3.x_Macro_Prog_Ref.pdf
Dave

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12740.0.html

Speak and PlayWave

440

General Mach Discussion / Re: Announcement: MachStdMill screen set - release target

« on: June 29, 2010, 10:18:25 PM »

Hi,
We demonstrated the MachStdMill package at the CNC workshop last week and the reactions were very positive.
The router that ArtSoft had at the show ran MachStdMill all week.

In addition to the equipment in the ArtSoft booth, two sessions at the workshop showed the software. It was part of Brian's "futures of Mach3 talk" and I gave a 2 hr talk on using the features in MachStdMill (which the audience stretched to 3 1/2 hours)  ;-)
 
During the week a couple of things did crop up & they have been fixed.
Yet, there are still a couple of known issues that we want to sort out before the general beta release.
Additionally, there is also a fellow doing another detailed proof read of the manual - and I'd like to get those edits into the doc before release (it takes a while to proof read 160+ pages of technical info).

We had hoped to release the package this week, but my crystal ball says that with the combination of July 4th weekend, my time to get the open issues written up and sent to Brian, and then Brian needing some time to look into them, well, I honestly suspect the beta release it will slide into the week after the holiday weekend.

Stay tuned - we're close!

Dave