Messages

21

Brains Development / How to activate output a few seconds after Mach starts?

« on: April 07, 2018, 11:52:39 AM »

How do I activate an output a few seconds after Mach starts, and then stay on for the duration of the session?  I prefer to use a brain, and know how to add the delay before driving the output, I just don't know what to use for the first box in the brain?

I don't want to waste and input.

Thanks,

22

PoKeys / Re: Can't get motion Control Hardware Plugin sensed dialog to appear

« on: January 08, 2018, 01:22:01 PM »

The support staff at Pokeys provided a solution, I'm posting below in case someone else runs into the same issue.

We are unable to replicate the issue you are reporting. We would suggest you the following:
- download the latest 4.3.6 PoKeys setup package (https://www.poscope.com/downloads/)
- update the firmware of the PoKeys device
- restore the PoKeys device to factory defaults by selecting Device > Clear settings in device
- configure the device with a valid IP address
- run 'Troubleshooting' in PoKeys application and check that all is ok (gateway is not needed, discard the warning regarding it)
- delete 'PoKeysMachConfig.xml' from AppData/Local folder
- start Mach3 and add the PoKeys57E device to the plugin configuration, restart Mach3
- start Mach3 and enable Pulse engine in the PoKeys57E device settings, click OK, restart Mach3
- at this point, Mach3 should ask you which motion control device to use

23

PoKeys / Can't get motion Control Hardware Plugin sensed dialog to appear

« on: January 02, 2018, 03:06:48 PM »

I recently added a Pokeys 57E to provide addition I/O capability to my Mach3 setup. I now want to try using the Pokeys stepper driver signals. Try as I might I can't get the Motion Control Hardware Plugin sensed" dialog to appear, so I can select the Pokeys motion control.

I have tried the following:

1) Selecting Function Cfgs|Reset Device selection....... this invokes a message box stating that "You will be asked on next startup what device to use...", however on subsequent startups, the dialog does not appear.
2) I tried deleting PoKeysmachConfig.xml.......same result
3) Completely uninstalled Mach3 as well as Pokeys, deleted all the registry entries and then reinstalled ..... same result
4) Tried using an older version of the Pokeys mach.dll.....same result

Anyone encounter this?

24

Brains Development / Re: Brain command to open jog tab?????????????????????????????????????????????

« on: December 10, 2017, 05:25:39 PM »

I'm not sure why you want the jog display to show up since OEM command will work even if the screen is not visible but to expand on what ger21 wrote, the "jog tab (display)" is in fact the screen #50.
You can then send an OEM Button 323 to toggle the visibility on the Jog screen

See there: http://www.machsupport.com/Mach3Wiki/index.php?title=OEM_Buttons

Also, IMHO the easiest way to send a "TAB" keystroke is certainly to use a Pokey...

323 works, thanks for that, I want the jog display up, because depending on my vantage point I might be looking at the control panel or I might be looking at the touchscreen, I want to make this as user friendly as possible.

Thanks again.

25

Brains Development / Brain command to open jog tab?????????????????????????????????????????????

« on: December 10, 2017, 01:19:11 PM »

I'm trying to configure my homebrew pendant to open the jog tab (display) when ever I hit a jog related key on the pendant. I don't have the ability to send a "Tab" key so I need to do this from within a brain. I did find button command 232 described as tab screen on/off, however this does not work, it just seems to blank the entire display until you toggle it again.

Surely there must be a way???

26

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 MPG - Alt-A Crashes mach every time.

« on: October 23, 2017, 02:01:33 PM »

Thanks,

I might make the switch. I only use 3-axis at this point and have a PoKeys 57E for additional I/O. I have not moved the stepper drive over to the 57E (yet)

I'm thrilled with the ease of use of PoBlocks to add logic, very easy to use and when used with shared data and Brains it provides considerable flexibility.

27

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 MPG - Alt-A Crashes mach every time.

« on: October 23, 2017, 01:38:50 PM »

If I were to switch from Mach3 to Mach4 is there a summary of the salient features missing (and bugs) in mach4?

28

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 MPG - Alt-A Crashes mach every time.

« on: October 23, 2017, 08:45:19 AM »

I figured it out.

I'm developing brains on a different machine than the one that actually controls my mill. On my development machine, the motor outputs were not defined.

Seems like mach3 needs some error checking with an appropriate error message instead of just crashing.

29

General Mach Discussion / Mach3 MPG - Alt-A Crashes mach every time.

« on: October 23, 2017, 07:24:25 AM »

Like the title says, after pulling up the jog mode display with TAB. If I click on the Jog mode button twice so MPG is selected (MPG is lit up with yellow background) and ('X' LED adjacent to MPG Axis is lit up with green background). If I then click on the Alt-A  button I expect the green X led to go off and the Y LED to turn on, however every time I click on the Alt-A button Mach crashes about 2-3 seconds after I press the button, for the first second or two nothing happens and then the mouse cursor changes to a spinning spiral as if mach is busy thinking and never recovers.

What am I doing wrong?

My assumption is that if I have one MPG connected, that I can route the MPG to whatever axis I want to move by pressing Alt-A.

30

PoKeys / Re: Pokeys57 shared data

« on: October 18, 2017, 04:56:27 PM »

If you enable the exchange of shared data in both ways in Pokeys plugin options, you can just write to the OEM DRO and data will be sent to PoBlocks. Note that there is a limited number of shared slots that can be used this way and this should be indicated in the settings.

I enabled data from mach to the 57E so now have data back and forth.

The 57E is a pretty slick BOB.  It definitly has some strong points:
 + I really like PoBlocks for ease of use compared to using Brains, it would be nice to be able to copy from one xml to another though.
 + Nice small board, fits almost anywhere
 + Easy to use
 + Competitively priced and affordable.