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New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« on: March 13, 2013, 07:34:20 PM »
Just installed Mach3 and new to it. Can't jog machine in any axis.

In stall I did not set up parallel port as I have a motion card in CNC Router;
I have ticked all axis in motor outputs config;
Motion card shows solid red and soild blue LED;
Daignostic screen in Mach3 shows NOTHING;
JOG is ON (Green) on MDI screen and set to CONT jog. When I hit say, +X or -X button on Virtual Pendant (TAB to invoke) the co-ords change on screen but no motion on machine. Same with Y and Z axis.

I am using Windows 8 and the latest locked down version of Mach3

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2013, 08:21:14 PM »
Quote
I have a motion card in CNC Router

What kind of motion card is in the router?

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!
Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2013, 07:43:32 AM »
Hi Brett,
No id on the card but I found out Its a smoothstepper. My Win 8 PC would not recognise it, so i decided to try an old XP PC and it picked up the hardware straight away (found new hardware "smoothstepper v1.2"). Red and Blue LEDs show on the card as before, but still jog buttons on the virtual pendant do not move the machine in any axis. I do not know how much of the Mach3 software config needs changing specific to the card but certainly defaults + what I have changed (e.g. motor outputs) are clearly not enough to bring it to life, so far.

Planning to use Vectric and maybe Artcam, so I am hoping to get the (newer) PC with Win 8 working with the Router. Though the Win 8 PC will not recognise the smoothstepper, I will try installing the driver that I have just got from a google search.

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2013, 09:13:44 AM »
Darryl, I just sent an email to you that should help you get the Smoothstepper working on your Windows 8 machine.  Let me know how it goes.

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!
Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2013, 10:59:00 AM »
Thanks Brett. I'll go through that procedure and report back
Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2013, 05:25:51 PM »
Brett,

Followed it to the letter but get:

windows found the software for your device but there were errors. The hash for the file is not present, etc

Offline Chaoticone

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Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2013, 06:03:47 PM »
Thanks, I will pass it on.

Brett
;D If you could see the things I have in my head, you would be laughing too. ;D

My guard dog is not what you need to worry about!
Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2013, 07:54:41 PM »
The new driver from FTDI has been published on their website, so I downloaded it and made changes to the INF files to make it work with the SS.  The latest plugin wouldn't run right away, so I figured out what was wrong (the FT_Purge function doesn't appear to be supported) and made a change to the plugin.  Please download the new driver and plugin from the Warp9td.com website.  Here are the links:

http://warp9td.com/files/SmoothStepperUSBDriver2.08.28.zip

http://warp9td.com/files/SmoothStepper_v17fc.zip

With the SmoothStepper connected to the Win8 computer, find the SS in the Device Manager.  Right-click on it and choose to update the driver.  You might need to follow the steps you did the first time in order to get Win8 to allow you to install the new driver.

I plan on getting the SS driver digitally signed so that Windows 8 will allow it to be installed without any trouble.  I certainly don't want to support the method you needed to follow...  Sorry for the hassle.

Greg


Re: New to Mach3 - can't jog machine
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2013, 04:04:33 PM »
This procedure worked for me...thanks All drives working fine.