hello dave,
              just installed mach3 r3.043.010 and new screen sets, but keep getting error

expand file not found at c:\mach3\screensetmacros\machstdmill-v3_10*7.set\scripts\all-refpage.m1s, but this file is at this location.


thanks mick.

Mick,

Oh my... well, let's figure this out.

When MSM loads, it uses a facility added to Mach 3.43.x which runs some initialization code when a screen set is loaded.
The message tells me that the ScreenSetLoad script is being run by mach, but that mach is not finding a script source file that is referenced by that macro.

Something is not configured correctly. The error message tells me that mach thinks your profile has loaded a screen set called "MachstdMill_10x7.set" - which is not what should be happening. The name of the MSM screen set file that should be loaded is always "MachStdMill.set" and is found in the mach3 install directory.

So, I suspect that the profile you are using has bad info in it. Therefore, I want to figure out why.

I would like to know:
a) Is mach installed in C:\mach3 or is it installed to a non-default directory location?

b) assuming mach is in c:\mach3, is the c:\mach3\ScreenSetMacros directory present?

c) within ScreenSetMacros, what sub dirs are present?
There should be a c:\mach3\ScreenSetMacros\MachStdMill.set - is this what you see?
Is there any other subdir in the ScreenSetMacros dir?

d) Did you follow the process to make a new profile to run MSM (as given in the readme file)?

e) If so, which approach did you choose?
Did you add the MSM options to an existing profile or add your hardware config to a new profile made form the MSM master profile?

Dave

b) Did you follow the process to make a new profile to run MSM (as given in the readme file)?
c) If so, which approach did you choose?
d) Did you add the MSM options to an existing profile or add your hardware config to a new profile made form the MSM master profile?
e) Does this happen every time you start mach with MSM (i.e. have you shut down mach and restarted to see if the error is reproducible? It should not happen at all, so I'm looking for possible patterns here).


Dave,
b )  yes i did follow the readme file.
c)   i cloned MSM to produce a new profile named mymachstdmill .
e)  yes every time, even after restarting mach.

another point when "mymachstdmill" loads the screen set is not there, i have to load it from c:\mach3\machstdmill\set files\

mick.

Mick,

OK, that explains the error message to me -

The MSM profile should be loading a screen set in the file "MachStdMill.set" . This file is supposed to be in the default mach install directory.  So with a default install location, you should have C:\mach3\MachStdMill.set

Is that file present?

I suspect the set file is missing - which would also explain why you do not get the MSM screen set loaded at start up by the profile.

I'll tell you how to fix this in a second - first I want to verify what I think probably happened...

I'd bet that to "fix" this, you looked around and found the MachStdMill\set files dir - which tempted you to use the mach menus to load what looked like a good choice: MachStdMill-v3-10x7 - is this a correct supposition on my part?

If my supposition is good, I have to say that what you did probably seems reasonable under the old simple way screen sets operated, but as the saying goes "this is not your father's Oldsmobile"...    

There is only one profile name that should be loaded to run MSM - and that is <mach install dir>\MachStdMill.set
For a default location install of mach and MSM this will actually be C:\mach3\MachStdMill.set

With MSM, one should never, ever, attempt to load a different screen set name manually via the mach menus.
(congratulations on being the first to do this - we knew it'd happen sooner or later. I'm sorry to tell you there is no prize for being first   )
The reason for this is that al MSM scripts/macros make use of the the new #expand facilities in mach (I'll not try to explain those in this thread). Mach looks for expand files locations that are keyed off the loaded screenset name. This means that changing a screen set name will change where mach looks for the #expand files that MSM uses.... Therefore the screeenset name for MSM had to be static and not be changing no matter what resolution screen set was dynamically loaded. The constant, static screen set name that MSM uses is MachStdMill.set

When necessary, behind the scenes, MSM looks at configured options, and copies some base set files as MachStdMill.set and then reloads the MachStdMill.set file - this avoids problems from changing screen set names (this is how the system dynamically changes between the 10x7 and 12x0 resolutions for example - a user should not need to know this).

In any case the rule is that the only set file to load with MSM is always c:\mach3\MachStdMill.set

I am not sure how the file became missing - I know that the install package puts it the Mach3 install dir - if it wasn't getting installed everyone would be seeing the problem you have experienced.

If you do not have that file present, that explains what happened. I am assuming this is the case in the instructions below -

So, back to the issue at hand - please do these steps:
1) close mach down so that none of the files we want to fix up are in use.
2) copy c:\mach3\MachStdMill\Set Files\machStdMill-v3_10x7.set  to c:\Mach3\MachStdMill.set
That will give you back the MSM set file for mach to find. (The alternative is to reinstall MSM over itself to get the missing file back; copying this single files seemed simpler to get you running).
3) things will still not work the next time you start mach/MSM - you will need to use the mach menus to point the profile back to the correct set file name:  using mach menus: view - load screens  and load c:\Mach3\MachStdMill.set
4) close mach (this will get the current settings saves into the profile XML)
5) restart mach with the profile - you should now come up running MSM

I've got my fingers crossed for you - let ms know if this fixes you up.

Dave

Dave
       yes your diagnosis was spot on, followed your instructions,and MSM loads the screen.

      however the expand error is still there. but is less annoying as the proud feeling of being 1st at something lingers.
thanks,
            mick. 

mick,
OK, this is good as we're making progress.  

I'm still concerned that you are still seeing an expand error. Assuming this is happening at load time, then it's coming from the initialization file - which means the screen set initialization code is not being running for you (the expand error is a script compile syntax error, so that means the script can't get executed).  That will cause down stream problems - so we should sort this out before you go further..

Could you send me a screen shot of the exact expand error message you are now seeing?

Also, now that the screens loads, it would help me to see what's in the history file at the time you see the error. So the next time you see the expand error, after capturing it, please click the history button at the top of the page - this will use notepad to open the mach history file - I'd like to see the history file contents to see if it has further clues in it.

Dave

Dave
      here are two sceen shots,as you can see i can't produce a history file as this also throws  an error..

mick.

Mick,
this tells me that the profile is still looking for the wrong set file.
Honestly, rather than attempt to correct things with hand editing etc, I recommend that we start over with the install for MSM.

Where are you located?

I'd be happy to arrange a time to get on the phone with you to assist in walking thru the MSM install with you to get you up and running. (consider it your prize for "being first"?  )

I'd like to figure out what happened for you, so I can prevent someone else from having the same issues.

PM me with direct contact info if you want to take me up on this offer.

Dave

Dave
       i just uninstalled MSM, re- down loaded and re-installed both mach3 r3.043.010 and MSM,
       the screen loads ok, but the #expand errors are still there.

   the install instructions were followed to the letter.

my location is NOTTINGHAM ,UK.

   Dave, this installation is not urgent ,as this computer does'nt run any machinerey it's used to test before i transfer to workshop.

mick.

hum,
I guess crossing my fingers did not help....

OK, I could arrange a morning time for me (in on US pacific time) which would be afternoon your time.
Please contact me via Pm so we can swap direct contact info and connect offline to make arrangements.

Dave