Messages

211

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach memory cache annoyance

« on: October 07, 2009, 03:21:42 PM »

Yes it seems to load the file fine and the tool path updates fully. I even tried regen again. Same thing.

I've never seen this before either. I tried to simulate by making two files, one a copy of the other except for one G-code difference.
I saved them in separate directories so they could have the same name.
I loaded one in Mach and looked at it. Then unloaded it. In explorer I copied the other one over the original.
I loaded the file again in Mach but it was fine and showed the changes.
Not sure if this is exactly what goes on with what I was doing. Could be the operations are handled differently by Windows.

I guess I'll forget it for now.

I'm getting good at shutting down and starting up Mach. anyway. Once I get the PCB-Gcode parameters figured out as to what they affect in the G-code hopefully I won't have to do it much.

Thanks for your help and quick response Hood.

Sage

212

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach memory cache annoyance

« on: October 07, 2009, 02:54:00 PM »

Ok.
Short of doing exactly what I'm doing I can't suggest any way of duplicating the issue.
I'll see if I can come up with something others can try.

Sage

213

General Mach Discussion / Mach memory cache annoyance

« on: October 07, 2009, 02:13:57 PM »

I've noticed a very annoying issue with Mach.
I've recently been using Mach as just a G-code viewer. I create G-code with a program (PCB-Gcode) then open Mach and load the file to observe the results. I then close the G-code file in Mach and modify the g-code. PCB-Gcode generates a new file but with the same name as the old one that overwrites the old file (confirmed).
 When I return to Mach and load the G-code file it displays the old information not the G-code from the new file.
I've tried erasing the file from the disk before regenerating it but Mach still displays the old information.
The only way I can stop this is to exit Mach and return and open the file. An obvious pain. It then picks up the new file information.

I believe this is someting that needs to be corrected by the Mach programmer. I think there is probably a flush memory buffer function that should be issued to force Mach to clear it's cach and actually load the file contents instead of from memory.

In the old DOS days you sometimes had this problem and you could do a CTRL-C to clear the disk cach and re-log the disk drive. I'm not sure of any such think exists in Windows.

Anyone have a work around for this?

Sage

214

General Mach Discussion / Re: CNC X and Y with manual Z?

« on: May 05, 2009, 06:48:06 PM »

You could edit your Gcode and comment out the Z moves and put an M0 or M1 in their place. Presssing start will continue.

COuld be a bit of work but it will do the job.


Sage

215

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parts are not correct size!

« on: April 08, 2009, 08:07:34 AM »

Sorry, I stand corrected. I missed that additional action of taking off the extra 0.5mm.

Sage

216

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parts are not correct size!

« on: April 07, 2009, 08:13:02 PM »

Well, all I can say is your examples have been confusing, such as this one from above (edited for brevity):

Using a 10mm cutter I manually drove the tool about to make a 40.5mm square
Finished part sizing from Mach3 (MDI & g-code)

MDI       - X40.02 Y39.95
Same three parts done under TurboCNC3
MDI       - X40.00 Y39.99

Looks to me like neither of these (including TurboCNC) is making the square to the propoer size of 40.5mm so I remain confused how you figure TurboCNC is doing any better than MACH3.

Sorry I can't help you more. I still recommend (as others) making a simple program to demonstrate the problem that others can use to help you out.


Sage

217

General Mach Discussion / Re: Parts are not correct size!

« on: April 07, 2009, 01:08:07 PM »

Well. You've managed to get me totally confused. Seems you had it fixed then you said it still wasn't right becasue you had it drawn wrong.
 You might save us all some frustration and upload the code - or a small representative piece that demonstrates the problem - so someone else can try it on their machine and report back. That will eliminate the hardware questions. I think Graham suggested you do that  a ways back.
 If he can't figure it out noboy will.

Sage

218

General Mach Discussion / Re: Machine protection

« on: April 07, 2009, 12:48:33 PM »

Simple:
Look at the mechanism at the end of the roller. You be able to figure out how to disable the latch. The same reason they don't work right half the time anyway 

Sage

219

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 4.0 Rev Update

« on: April 03, 2009, 08:41:18 PM »

Excellent. Sounds like a good one. Can't wait.
THANKS for all your work.

Sage

220

General Mach Discussion / Re: Mach3 4.0 Rev Update

« on: April 03, 2009, 02:27:21 PM »

I take it that's a fixed version from the one in the 3.043 beta ?
Since there are apparently still issues with that one.


Thanks again
Sage