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crashing....
« on: July 23, 2012, 05:53:24 AM »
I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out w this: I've been running my machine, no problem for about a week. Right now I've been using vectric's demo version of photo v carve so I can dial everything in, just clamping a pencil to my z axis and fooling around w the available images in order to see what sorta precision, etc I can get after building my set up. I was curious to try another program geared towards engraving photographic images, so I downloaded the demo for "image to g-code", and that's about when my troubles started. First, I tried importing the g code that program had generated into mach, but I got nothing back: no motion, the code would start scrolling then stop, then I'd get an error stating mach had encountered problems and needed to close. After a few times w this, I tried switching back to the vectric software and the problem followed me. Now, I can't get the slightest motion outta my setup and mach kee[s freezing and/or and/then crashing. I've erased the imagetogcode program and run all the malware, etc utilities on the computer but so far nothing has restored what, til this event, was a perfectly operating little machine. This is driving me nuts, so I really (REALLY) hope someone might have some suggestion about what I could try in order to resolve this. Many thanks in advance

Offline Hood

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Re: crashing....
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2012, 06:27:41 AM »
If you are using XP or later try a system restore to before you had issues. Maybe downloading Mach and installing again will help but unless you save your xml you will lose all your settings. Using the old xml may however still give you problems but only one way to find out.
Hood
Re: crashing....
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2012, 06:28:29 AM »
Okay, realized I missed something: if I start from scratch, by turning off the computer, along w everything else, boot up mach, start my cnc setup back up, etc, I can then jog all three axes from the jog/tab popup window no problem. It's when I attempt to load any file and then have the machine accept/run code, that it all stops. The most I've gotten (twice outta maybe 50 times) is the z jogging up slightly. Then, invariably the code locks up, and the motors stop moving.  Also, alhough not in every instance, the yellow "dwell" LED by the reset LED will turn on and off a couple times. But again, not consistently. The code I've tried running has worked numerous times over this past week. Really, its only til I downloaded this other program that it all came tumbling down. Again, I would be extraordinarily grateful to anyone who could help me with this, since I'm just stumped, honestlty. Thank you so much in advance...
Re: crashing....
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2012, 06:34:17 AM »
God bless Scotland (my ma is somewhere smiling cus of your flag...). I'm running XP so I'll  try system restore; see where that gets me. Thankfully, as I mentioned, this setup has only really been up and running this week so I wouldn't be junking a huge inventory of offset info, etc, if I have to re-install Mach. Dumb question, but there's no issue w the license for a registered/purchased copy of the program if you have to erase it and then re-install? Thanks so much either way for the suggestions - much appreciated
I'll spare you my early morning attempt at reciting Robert Burns

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: crashing....
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2012, 06:59:09 AM »
Hi Banks,

If it's any help.......
I have just downloaded and installed the 'Image to G Code' program in an attempt to replicate your problem but it runs just fine here so I doubt that this software actually caused the issue you are having.

Tweakie.
PEACE

Offline Hood

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Re: crashing....
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2012, 07:19:51 AM »
If you have a licence for Mach you just need to make sure you keep it safe and then replace after you reinstall Mach if something goes wrong. It likely wont get lost in the reinstall but always safe to  keep a backup anyway.

Sounds more like it may be a config issue though from your second post.
If you attach the xml and the problem code I can have a look and see if it does thesame here.
Hood
Re: crashing....
« Reply #6 on: July 23, 2012, 08:32:54 AM »
Tried system restore, first using 2 days ago as my restore point (figured that'd cover whatever happened w the program I had installed, plus a little buffer). That didn't work, so I tried again setting my restore date from the 2nd of july, and now it's working fine (knock on wood). There still seems like a slight hesitation at the beginning of it's run, plus there's the brief "dwell" led flashing I mentioned but its entirely possible I really only took notice of that occurring when this problem began. Long story short: it seems your advice was exactly what was needed, so really: I can't thank you enough for taking the time to help me with this. It's an easy one to say, but it is genuinely appreciated. All my best,
Re: crashing....
« Reply #7 on: July 23, 2012, 08:37:01 AM »
And re; the frail "it's-the-program's-fault" line of (non)thinking I was on, that wasn't really a fair way to go about this just running into a problem and blaming someone else. Far as I know, it's a perfectly fine program, so I hope no one is googling for information about it or something and takes away the impression it's a dud. Thanks for the due diligence of checking that yourself - also very much appreciated.
Re: crashing....
« Reply #8 on: July 23, 2012, 08:45:53 AM »
Hi Tweakie,
I'm gonna download it again later, since I'm still curious about the program. If you end up getting an opportunity to try it yourself, I'd be curious to hear what you think. I'm trying to find any program that will give me the closest approximation of a tightly rendered pencil drawing, when it's output through mach/cnc/3 axis plotter sorta arrangement - something ideally more flexible than an engraving program where you can climb in and modify more than simply pencil-goes-down-pencil-goes-up(pencil-isn't-an-engraving-bit), if that makes any sense....

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: crashing....
« Reply #9 on: July 23, 2012, 09:12:23 AM »
Quote
If you end up getting an opportunity to try it yourself, I'd be curious to hear what you think.

Unfortunately, I have just un-installed it but I will load it again and report back.

Again, If it's any help....

The best results I have had with pencil drawings and the like is to convert them to one bit halftones (dithered image) then either use Art' excelent Engraving plugin  (some reading - http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,16446.0.html)

or using a GCode generation program such as DotG http://dotg.weebly.com/download.html   (some reading - http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,20490.0.html)

Both of which are free to use.

But there are many other choices and it is really just a matter of preference.

Tweakie.
PEACE