Messages

31

Mach4 General Discussion / Shuttle Pro plugin - When?

« on: February 19, 2015, 08:13:46 AM »

I purchased Mach4 back in the early days of the pre-purchase program and I've been keeping up with the updates but I simply cannot use it (or Mach3) without my Shuttle Pro pendant.
When will the plugin be created for Mach4. Not having it is a show stopper for me so I continue to use Mach3.


Sage

32

Mach4 General Discussion / Mach 4 install config translator

« on: January 07, 2015, 08:05:11 AM »

I've been through the Mach4 setup several times without too much issue. I know there are a lot of people out there that struggle with the settings of Mach3 and I found Mach4 to be more confusing than Mach3.
I'm wondering if it would be beneficial to have a menu item in Mach4 (or a separate APP) to import a Mach3 XML file to Mach4 do most of the config for you? This may encourage more people to make the switch to Mach4 and make Mach4 more friendly "out of the box".

Sage

33

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: November 19, 2014, 03:37:58 PM »

Since you apparently have that fancy interface board :-) maybe you have an LED or something on the PP signal (pin 17 I think). If not I can get the scope out open up my controller and have a look. In any case no rush. I'm not using it anyway.


>> Edit <<
On second thought I guess checking it on the PP cable would be useless. That's after Darwin. I guess it's up to you.
No rush.

Thanks

Sage

34

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: November 19, 2014, 03:00:28 PM »

Hi Art:

I'm finally getting back to this. Everything installed and licensed fine for me. I have only one small problem.

I have the charge pump enabled on my PMDX132. When I first start M4 just as it starts up but before the control panel fully appears, the relays click on the PMDX which is an indication that the charge pump is activated but about 1 second later when the actual control panel appears the relays drop out. The DRO's change when you jog but no movement. I have to use the disable button and re-enable then the relays latch in again and jog is fine.
I guessing that the charge pump signal is not staying active. Do you think this is a Darwin issue or a M4 issue.
I'd have to get the scope out and trace the signal from the PC I guess. I haven't done that yet.

Sage

35

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 24, 2014, 08:00:10 PM »

Will do

Thanks

Sage

36

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 24, 2014, 07:00:17 PM »

I purchased the Mach4 pre-buy a week ago and got my license no problem.
I just now purchased the parallel port driver and went through almost the same process but the website automatically added Mach4 to the cart when I selected only the PP item so I removed it from the cart.
The system asked for the Machine ID again which I entered. 
The purchase went through for just the PP driver ($20) but I was sen another license file.
What's up with that and what do I do with it. I already have one.

Now what 

Sage

37

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 19, 2014, 10:24:21 PM »

Hi Peter:

We're probably being impatient.
Let's face it. It looks like the M4 version we're using was just supposed to be a show and tell running a do-nothing demo. They probably left a lot of stuff out of it and never expected Art to make it actually do something by issuing a PP driver to try. THey probably put in only what was required to run the demo.
At least I hope that's the case because if this is an actual indication of where they're at with the program then....
Heck M1 doesn't even work in the original 1914 (never tried 1936). That's a pretty basic thing you would expect to work.

It might be nice to see a more finished "beta" version. Many hands make light work when it comes to finding the bugs.
Look at the progress Art made in the last few days.

P.S.
Any comments on my questions about making another configuration from the one I have. (post 426)


Thanks Guys

Sage

38

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 19, 2014, 10:03:51 PM »

Wow !!

Excellent work Art. You're the man. I'm glad you found Peter's problem and solved mine. A true talent.

Peter:
Yes I realized that I was probably setting myself up for a disaster by configuring over the original MA4 mill file.

First a question:
I lost my desktop icon.  Which .exe file are we supposed to be running? wxMach4 or Mach4Gui ??  If you run either from the root directory they first ask what configuration you want to run or create. When I used to access M4 through my desktop icon it went right into the program.

So I have an idea how I can create a new configuration without losing anything. Would this do it?

Run one of the EXE programs (mentioned above) which asks if you want to create a new config.
Select the "create a new config from a backup" give it a new name and select the latest backup ini file from the backup list. They're all dated so one should be there from today when it all started working again.

Second question: The "create new config" process asks for a screen set to use. What's the answer?


Hopefully we can get involved in testing M4. Looks like it's going to need a lot  of work.
I'm keeping a list of some minor items already.


Thanks again Art and Peter

Sage

39

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 19, 2014, 07:18:44 PM »

Ok were back on track. I just remembered I never had a specially named config. I just config'ed over the default mach4 mill. I'm sure that will come back to haunt me later.

Anywayyyyy I'm back and everything is running fine. And yes your changes all seem to be working. K2 relay is quiet now.

Sorry I wasn't catching on to when I had to run Darwin test (or uninstall it and run the test) each time you changed a particular item. I thought it was just a cut and paste of the dll and m4pw files. I missed that somewhere.

I'm not clear now on which files are which.

I get that the plugin is the .m4pw file
What do you call the dll file (a driver??)
and now I see that you have sys file which apparently is not just a copy and paste operation. I assume that's the pulsing engine?

Sorry it's all Greek to me.

I guess I'm going to need a reminder when to run the Darwin test to install the new (engine??)

Sage

40

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions

« on: August 19, 2014, 06:55:44 PM »

Ok so there might be hope yet. I'll do the uninstall thing and get back to you but I have another problem.
I used to have a shortcut to M4 which I deleted. Which program should I be running wxMach4.exe or Mach4gui.exe
I'm not sure if I have a configuration any more either. Can I create a new one and choose one of my backup ini files in the "create a configuration from a backup" option.

Sage