Messages

71

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: November 14, 2014, 11:27:59 AM »

Bezalel,

You can manage your licenses including getting a new one by logging into your account on the website.  If you don't have an account yet, just set one up.

Peter

72

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Screen Set Ideas

« on: November 13, 2014, 08:36:33 PM »

Yes, because I can't do it with the latest versions (1.2075).   

What's the difference between seeing an encoder input and an MPG input?

Peter

73

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Screen Set Ideas

« on: November 13, 2014, 08:08:27 PM »

Ya-Nvr-No,

Thank you, that explains a lot.  It also says Mach 4 does not support MPGs to control jogging.

Peter

74

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Screen Set Ideas

« on: November 13, 2014, 07:32:50 PM »

Ya-Nvr-No,

I'm not sure if your last post was in reply to my question.  If so, we are not on the same page and I'd like to push the reset and start again.

In Mach 3, on the setting tab, there is a group of 3 DROs in the section called 'Encoder position".  These DROs show the counts from encoders and reflect the position of the axes.  They are not driven by Mach 3.  I use these in the manual mode (no pulses from Mach 3, drivers disabled) as my DROs for manual operation.  I want to duplicate them in Mach 4.  Darwin has configuration screens for encoders but I don't see where the pulses are passed to Mach 4.  I fully understand there would only be counts and it would be up to me or the designer of the DROs to turn this into meaningful positions according to the counts per unit.

The first question is how do I capture the counts being sent to Mach 4?  Do the encoder outputs need to be mapped as input signals in Darwin as well as encoders?

Thanks

Peter

75

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Screen Set Ideas

« on: November 12, 2014, 10:15:55 PM »

Is there a way I can read encoder outputs from Darwin, do the count to position translation based on metric/imperial, and display the results on DROs like M3 settings tab?  I can't find how to get at the encoder outputs from Darwin.

76

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: November 01, 2014, 07:45:26 PM »

Well, that was embarrassing!   

I missed setting the home switch numbers for the motors.  You'd think after having reentered all the setup data over the course of reinstalling several versions of software I'd have the routine down by now but ....  Is there a config file I can save for future re-installations so I don't embarrass myself this way again?

I have all three axes homing as expected again.  Thank you for your patience.

In terms of modifying home so that the axes move off the switch then zero the DROs, is that a function I will need to program myself?

When I first enable M4 and try to jog, the DROs change but the motors don't move.  If I then disable then re enable M4, I can jog the motors.  Also, going into config plugins/Darwin, then going back to 'normal' mode will require me to go through the same routine again to establish motion.  It's as if there's a housekeeping action missing somewhere.  Any ideas?

Thanks

Peter

77

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: November 01, 2014, 05:51:04 PM »

Art,

By turning on debug I assume you mean check the print messages box.  When I do so, I get the following messages for a ref all command:

Axis 2 Estop capability disabled for homing
Axis Homing begins on Axis 2
Axis 2  Homed with 0 steps decel after switch
Homing Complete on slave motor 0
Homing Complete on Axis 2
All Homing Complete
Axis 0 Estop capability re-enabled after homing
Axis 0 Estop capability disabled for homing
Axis Homing begins on Axis 0
Axis Homing begins on Axis 1
Axis 0  Homed with 2177 steps decel after switch
Homing Complete on slave motor 0
Homing Complete on Axis 0
Axis 1  Homed with 0 steps decel after switch
Homing Complete on slave motor 0
Homing Complete on Axis 1
All Homing Complete
Axis 0 Estop capability re-enabled after homing

None of the axes move, none of the DROs change, the DRO status lights change to green.  The home switch and limit functions show up properly in both Darwin pinout and M4 diagnostic screens.

Since I don't have a slave axis and I do have separate home switches for each axis separate from the limit switches and they are not set up to trip estop, I'm thinking this is an M4 problem, not Darwin.

BTW, after checking the print box in Darwin diagnostics, the previous problem with the encoders returned.  I have disabled them until the feature is useable.

Hope you had a great Halloween.

Peter

78

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: October 31, 2014, 10:53:13 PM »

Kudos to you Dave!  That worked here as well.

Art, that problem with the encoder inputs somehow interfering with things has gone away with the latest versions.

I still get that minor problem where I have to disable then re-enable to get the motors to turn.  This happens when in Darwin configuration or in Mach4 operation.  It stays okay once the motors are enabled.

Homing doesn't work for me.  It just sets the axis lights to green.  I have seen reference to Darwin doing a homing operation but I cannot find where that would be.  Where would it be?

Thanks

Peter

79

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: October 10, 2014, 02:02:09 PM »

Says Darwin license failed.  I stopped there.

80

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: October 10, 2014, 01:48:46 PM »

The encoder counters were not changing unless I moved the axes.

I will try the new plugin later just in case.

Thanks

Peter