Thanks Dave, I looked all over and couldn't find it.

Al. Just name your macros something like M345.m1s, and put them in the macro folder in the correct proflie (C:\Mach3\yourprofile\macros\) and you can call M345 in your g-code.

Actually IF you really wanted to do it (;-)

M98 (Namedfile)



AND make "SUB"   call the Macro you want.

************************
(sub)
NamedFile.txt
M777
M99

**********************
'M777
Speak" WELL, now you have done it"
end

Ger21, thanks for the response. I was hoping to use something more descriptive than integers, but I see (RTFM) that it isn’t allowed  .

BR529, I never would have thought of using a sub, but that does indeed do what I asked for.  Thank you. In fact I will probably use it for some macros that I’m sure I won’t remember six months from now, (CRS comes with age ). I agree tho (as I think you implied), it’s not a practicable substitute for a simple catalog.

BUT in the course of testing I ran into an apparent anomaly.

I found that a sub called from a separate file doesn’t respond (for me) the same as one called from within the same file. If the sub is in a separate file then the flow returns TWO lines after the M98 calling line. That is, it skips over the line following the M98. The fix is to stuff a comment or other filler after the M98 but that shouldn’t be required.

This is my test code:

(TestSub.tap)
G00 X0 Y0 Z0 F20
M98 (SpeakHello.txt)
G01 X.25 Y0 (Skips this line)
G01 X.25 Y.25
M98 P10
G01 X0 Y.25 (Reads this line)
G01 X0 Y0
M30

O10
M777
M99
%

(SpeakHello.txt)
M777
M99

(Macro M777)
Speak "Hello"
End

Any ideas? What am I overlooking? Can anyone else duplicate it?

Thanks, Al Lenz

P.S. I’m using .042.027
al

There was an udate version that cured the skipped line on sub return

I think I read that version 4 will allow named macros? Can anyone confirm this?

HIYA AL, Just retested here V.040 and it works fine.   Gerry As I understand it the named macros is for VB in Ver4 not Gcode

****Gcode File:

(TestSub.tap)
F20
G00 X0 Y0 Z0 F20
M98 (SpeakHello.txt)
G01 X5.000 Y5.000 (DOES NOT Skip this line)
G01 X0.000 Y0.000
M98 P10
G01 X3.000 Y3.000 (Reads this line)
G01 X0 Y0
M30

O10
M777
M99
%


********Named Sub goes into sub directory:

(Testspeak.txt)
M777
M99
%


********Macro goes into macro\profile directory:

'Macro M777
Speak "Now you have done it"
end

Hi,
Named macros are supported on v3 as of 3.43.6 - I'm making a lot of use of them for the new screen set.
A significant number of new APIs were added to 3.43.6 many of which utilize or support the use of named scripts.

I'll start another thread with a summary of the new APIs that are available as this is probably of general interest and I suspect that few have yet to dive into the new abilities in mach.

Dave

I think I read that version 4 will allow named macros? Can anyone confirm this?

DAVE is that just for VB or does that include Gcode calls???

AND I will be the first to ask WHAT IS an API???

I put the info about named scripts in the VB board section.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,15272.0.html

Dave

Terry,
These are all VB things.
API = "Application Programming Interface" - sorry, after 40 years of messing with computers, I forget that the jargon is not really common English.

Essentially, I removed any line of script I had that was "Code M*********" and replaced it with "RunScript filename" - much nicer.


Dave

DAVE is that just for VB or does that include Gcode calls???

AND I will be the first to ask WHAT IS an API???