Let me check this as well. I only have the one PP but I have a couple of relays on the BOB connected directly to output pins on the PP. Supposed to be for Aux control. One of them toggles with the charge pump activation. I'll have to check all the programming but so far I haven't seen anything programmed specifically to activate either of those pins. So they could be mirroring something else. I've just been ignoring them because I don't use them.

 I'll let you know.

Sage

Thanks guys.

I switched ports 1 and 2.  FYI port 1 was 378 and 2 was dcc8.  Switched all the signals as well and checked.
Everything is the same, ie.  what happened on port 2 before now happens on port 1 except the encoder DRO for encoder #0 now works as expected, it counts up and down like the other two axes.

I'd be glad to try any experiments you prescribe.

Regards

Peter

Peter:

   This is probably good news to find the bug then.. All ports should act the same, they all use the same code, they just loop through it 4 times
with a pointer to different port structures. Ive turned on pin2-9 as inputs on mine, and I can toggle the pins all day without seeing them mirror
on the upper pins. Im still a bit lost in finding this one, but Im still running tests. Peter, if the port#2 is unplugged from your computer, do the
ports2 pins still look mirrored in condition? I know you cant toggle them, but do they show a mirror of the pins as they just sit there unplugged?

Art

Peter:

 In between me and my machine, I have a PMDX-112 ( one of the best diags , it has 15 toggle switches for setting the states of pins.
Ive tested it thorougly today and all inputs seem to be exactly as they should with no mirroring...but... I did have a bit of trouble. Turns out I had motor 3 enabled and set to my port1 inputs. SO I was getting very strange results. The lesson was to make sure NO inputs or outputs or motors are tuned on and set to the pins 2-9
when their used as inputs unless they should be pointed there. Its easy when playing with darwins setup to turn on an output or motor and have it screw
up the data your looking at..

 Just a thought..
Art

Art,

With the system in the 'swapped' condition from last night (ports 1 and 2 switched), and the second port (dcc8) input to the computer unplugged, the port pins display shows all inputs false (red) except for pin 11, my probe, which shows true (green).

In addition, I have been noticing that the port selection for setting pins 2-9 as inputs was cleared.  I thought I had been seeing this before but wasn't certain.  It has happened with the 'second' port (dcc9) set as either port 1 or 2.  I'm pretty sure of this this morning.

I know what you mean by bad pin settings screwing up the results.  I've seen this so I'm being as careful as I can to be sure it's set right.

Regards

Peter

Hi Art:
Continue on the troubleshooting with Peter and consider this report anytime. But I have noticed an oddity here as well so I'll point it out in case it helps you with Peter's problem.
I only have one PP.
My Port 1 pin 14 activates a relay (High) whenever I enable M4 with the Disable/enable button.
I went through all the output settings and although I have the pin designated in Darwin to drive an auxiliary relay it is not enabled (it's un-checked) and yet it activates as described.
 The only way I found to stop it is to actually enable it and negate it. Then it does not toggle anymore with the Disable/enable button in M4.
If pin 14 is enabled then I can toggle the relay with the negate or toggle buttons in Darwin.
When the port monitor screen is open I can see that when I toggle it, the pin goes green when the relay is on. (BOB requires High to activate the relay).
If I go back to the original pin 14 disabled condition, as mentioned above, it turns on (high) when I enable M4 but if I go look in the port monitor the pin is red (which is ok) but it does not change when the relay turns on and off.
I also have Pin 1 configured the same way (i.e configured but not enabled) but it does not mis-behave remaining off at all times.
I ran Mach 3 and pin 14 behaves fine.
I don't see any other configurations set in Darwin or M4 either inputs or outputs or motors that are pointed at Port 1 Pin 14.

Sage

Hi Art ,
Just read your email thanks for pointing me to this thread.
Any ways I just downloaded the latest version of Darwin . Im excited to start testing . Im getting ready to bring M4 out in my garage and try er out.
I have a question though and this may seem stupid , or ignorant .
I was reading or seen on your yourtube page you said Darwin doesnt know its looking for a printer port when setting up the port address. I started to think.
Why cant we or cant you make it so that we can use a regular USB to DB25 connector you know the ones you see for a few bucks.  If it would work I would assume it could run my BOB faster and allow us lab top users a quick cheap connection.
I understand there are plenty other pricier options like smooth stepper but since you guys were building a new system thought I would speak up ..
Mark

>>Why cant we or cant you make it so that we can use a regular USB to DB25 connector you know the ones you see for a few bucks.  If it would work I would assume it could run my BOB faster and allow us lab top users a quick cheap connection.

  Its not possible, those arent real printer ports, you cant control them with time being a constant, their a serial device so very slow...

Art

Sage:

   The code in the driver wont allow M4 or Darwin to toggle any pin unless its enabled. BUT, you have to restart M4 after config of Darwin to ensure all changes are done, it CAN lead to confusion.

  Now if your system IS toggling a pin when you enable/disable darwin and you think it shouldnt because no pins are enabled, do me a
favour and send me a copy of the machine.ini in your profile folder. It shows whats truly enabled or not..

Art

Peter:

 >>In addition, I have been noticing that the port selection for setting pins 2-9 as inputs was cleared.  I thought I had been seeing this before but wasn't certain.  It has happened with the 'second' port (dcc9) set a

  Are you saying port 1 is 0xdcc8 and port 2 is oxdcc9?

  That shouldn't be possible.. or at least is very unusual... are you sure those are the address's?

Art