Messages

31

General Mach Discussion / Tool Description

« on: March 13, 2016, 02:49:21 PM »

Many of you probably already know this, but I couldn't find any posts so this might help out a newbie (like me!)

I have a custom screen set and I wanted to show not just the tool number, but the description...I spent a lot of time typing these into Mach so they correlate with the tools in V-Carve...wouldn't I feel foolish if I were to put the WRONG tool in!

Anyhow, Thanks Art for making such a personalizable (not a word!) and extendable program...

First, create a user label on your screen using your favorite screen designer, you have to name it correctly (actually the text that it contains), "UserLabel" + some integer from 1 to 255...I named mine UserLabel50

Now, the last line of my M6Start macro is SetUserLabel(50, GetToolDesc(GetCurrentToo()))...now when Mach is waiting for me to change the tool, the correct size AND description is there for me to see!

Leslie

PS...one thing after another....now I am fighting with Win7 virtual store...I now know why people SHOULD NOT put Mach in the Windoze program directory! Anyhow, another story for another day.

32

VB and the development of wizards / Re: User Label

« on: March 13, 2016, 02:06:03 PM »

Old post, but I learned the answer, maybe will help someone out....
When you create your label, the text should be "UserLabel" + some integer from 1 to 255...for example "UserLabel50"
Now your code and Mach3 have access to read and write, just like a DRO...

To write to it, simply call SetUserLabel(50, "some such text"), read it if someone entered into it, use GetUserLabel...

Leslie

33

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z axis acting up

« on: March 13, 2016, 11:39:17 AM »

Thanks! I guess that was in the Vbasic wiki! Forgot to look in there!

34

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z axis acting up

« on: March 13, 2016, 10:46:07 AM »

Thanks for the input...while you are "on the phone", I searched the DRO and wiki...Is there a way to show the tool description? I see all of the DRO's for tool number, diameter, etc, unless I overlooked it, I cannot find a way to show the description...

Thanks as always!

35

General Mach Discussion / Re: Z axis acting up

« on: March 13, 2016, 09:40:09 AM »

Another "self inflicted wound"! I could write a manual on such things!!!

I thought this morning I would type in the Gcode line by line and try and figure out WTF (why!) the Z axis was too high wrong direction and cutting air) after a tool change...hmmmm...what's this?!? G43H4?!? What does this do? I am not familiar with G43? Tool length compensation?!? I have not matched my vcarve tool table with Mach3 yet, BUT, the tool it was choosing had a 1" length, the one I was coming from had a .25" length?!? Could it be this simple?!? YES IT CAN! Could not find in the configs where to turn compensation off, but I set all tool lengths to zero and VIOLA!! Everything is peachy again!

Hope this helps soemone!

36

General Mach Discussion / Z axis acting up

« on: March 12, 2016, 10:09:48 PM »

My first full day with the Gecko540 and Mach3...things were great until I loaded a file with a tool change...the Z touch macro works fine UNTIL the second tool change (not the first one at the beginning of the file)...after the second plate touch off on the Z, the Z axis moves up (away from the work) and cuts air...at this point I stop the cut and try and re touch off the Z, it runs up and crashes at the top...does it every time, it is repeatable, I cannot figure out what is wrong...I made a small file with a single line, then tool change, another single line, it screws up all of the time on the second tool change (and Z touch off)...I jacked with it for several hours, cannot find anything wrong...

I have attached my xml, the macro for touch off, and a simple file that screws up on the second tool change...

I hope someone can help!

37

General Mach Discussion / Re: Steps per inch

« on: March 12, 2016, 09:26:22 PM »

Hi,
that's great, its a lot of fun when it starts coming together but don't worry there is still plenty of time
for things to stuff up...lol

Craig

Look at my latest post...I think I am officially "stuffed up"!

38

General Mach Discussion / Re: Limits - Am i being too smart ;)

« on: March 12, 2016, 09:23:12 PM »

Try 2000 and if it helps work down until it stops working then bump up a bit.
Hood

I have good quality mechanical swtiches that homing wont back off from, read about debounce, tried 4 (I thought it was 4 time 40ms?!?), no change...will put 2000 in tomorrow and see if it fixes it!

39

VB and the development of wizards / Re: Getting machine coord for Z

« on: March 12, 2016, 08:34:37 PM »

thanks! is the g53 persistant or for the current line only?

40

VB and the development of wizards / Getting machine coord for Z

« on: March 12, 2016, 11:45:10 AM »

I have a "park" function which gets the router out of the way quickly to check out or remove a part...the macro is quite simple, g0 z-1 followed by g0x12y12...

works great IF I have touched off and the new zero is at the top of the workpeice! You can guess what happens if I park with the Z at machine zero!!

So what I am asking is how can I make a Z move in machine coordinates? Eg...I would change my script to move to machine zero before the XY move, this should work in all cases (as long as the Z has been homed)

Thanks