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Messages - sittinduck

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1
General Mach Discussion / Mach3 and TrueCrypt full disk encryption
« on: August 13, 2013, 04:11:22 PM »
Is there any known bugs with TrueCrypt system encryption interfering with the Mach3?  Sometimes my computer freezes up when task switching between Mach3 and Windows explorer.  I think it could be a conflict between the TrueCrypt disk encryption driver and the Mach3 driver.  Does anyone else run this way and have no computer freeze ups?  I'm still trying to figure out why the Mach3 freezes up my computer.

2
General Mach Discussion / Re: Save DROs to text file
« on: July 31, 2013, 08:49:17 AM »
I use the PC parallel port.  Is there a breakout board for this?  Maybe it will fix the Mach3 freeze issue.

3
I noticed those fixture offsets before, but didn't know the purpose.  Now I'm guessing that the appropriate use of fixture offsets would make my Gcode programs less parametric and improve readability? 

However it probably won't fix the Mach3 inability to feed hold inside of a subroutine.  If I can't feed hold a machining operation, then it must be restarted and the day gets longer.  My Gcode parser flattens out both local and file subroutines so the Mach3 feed hold can be used.

4
General Mach Discussion / Re: Save DROs to text file
« on: July 30, 2013, 08:35:27 AM »
The Mach3 computer uses Ethernet wire connection.  However, it is connected to a wireless bridge to access the network file server.

5
General Mach Discussion / Re: Save DROs to text file
« on: July 30, 2013, 08:24:59 AM »
Whenever Mach3 freezes the computer, it's not running a machining operation, it is idle.  I suppose you could argue it needs to keep the stepper motors energized and locked in position... so it's never really idle.  However, I need to use Windows Explorer to copy the Gcode files from the network to the Mach3 computer.

I will try saving the DROs to a text file every 60 seconds using the macro pump.

6
OK..   So what I've done might be useful and have some value.  I have been working on a Mach3 macro that does pre-processing or post-processing of a Gcode file that is loaded in Mach3.  I use it for gang tooling in Mach3 Mill.
1. A Gcode tool finder program locates the tools and my post-processor generates a Gcode subroutine file containing the tool positions.
2. Then my pre-processor transforms a parametric Gcode program into a flattened Gcode program of machining operations for the gang tooling setup.
3.  The advantages are that I can now feed hold the machining operation for the gang tooling setup.  And if the tool positions change I can quickly run the tool finder program and update the Gcode that does the machining operations.

Do you know if the Gcode function for ArcTan is standard or Mach3-specific?  It is a very crazy Gcode parser.
i.e.  
#varnum = ATAN[lexpr]/[rexpr]



7
Any open source programs available to parse Gcode or plot a toolpath?  My Gcode programs is complicated with parameters and lots of subroutine files.  I want to see what it does without loading into the Mach3.




8
General Mach Discussion / Save DROs to text file
« on: July 29, 2013, 01:27:58 PM »
What's the best way to save DROs to a text file, in case of Mach3 freeze up.  Macro pump, every 60 seconds?  I need a way to get back the DROs if the machine crashes.

Sometimes when I task switch to Windows Explorer and try to do something, it causes the Mach3 to freeze the entire computer and this requires a reboot.  This still happens even though I've disabled all non-essential Windows services and start-up programs.

9
General Mach Discussion / Re: Flatten my G-code
« on: July 29, 2013, 01:17:58 PM »
I recommend using VBScript if your program makes recursive function calls.  You access the VBScript engine from Cypress BASIC with:
Set sc = CreateObject("MSScriptControl.ScriptControl")
And load your VBScript from a text file into the MS Script Control and run it.

And you can enable JIT Debugging to use the Visual Studio to debug your VBScripts.

In Cypress BASIC I found that the recursion hack/fix only works for numeric types, not Strings and Objects. 

10
General Mach Discussion / Re: Flatten my G-code
« on: July 11, 2013, 12:47:04 PM »
Attached is a code sample that you can paste into the Mach3 script editor to see the bug.  The "Now you see it... Now you don't" is explanation enough as to what's going on.  I adapted this sample code from "Ready-to-Run Visual Basic Algorithms" to do the G-code expression evaluatior.  Then wrote a complete VBA that work like a giant calculator on the G-codes to transform and make easier to read... even though it could end up generating thousands more G-codes, I think the flattened G-code much easier to read.


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