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Author Topic: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions  (Read 1243638 times)

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Offline ART

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Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #730 on: March 04, 2015, 09:10:25 PM »
Ron:

 Thx, let me know if B finds it. Since he can run debugger he will probably find whatever is hanging.. does sound like it hangs on first message.. which is kinda strange..

Art
Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #731 on: March 07, 2015, 10:41:15 AM »
Hi Art, everyone,

Just wondered if you could shed any light on what maybe causing this interference band on the Right hand side?

I've not much on this PC, in fact its pretty Raw other than, Windows 7 (32bit), Mach 4, Darwin Plug-in and Google Chrome.



Offline ART

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Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #732 on: March 07, 2015, 11:27:47 AM »
Its interesting its only on one side, god news is it probably wont bother you as its very much in sync with the main frequency.
It may be a DMA responce to something internally, or a 12us delay in every return to the system,.

Art
Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #733 on: March 07, 2015, 11:53:26 AM »
Hi Art,

Thanks for the quick reply,

Could you please confirm the following:

In Mach 4,   if I select the Configure menu / Plugins........ option         I'm presented with the Configure Plugins window.

In this window there are SEVEN different description files (one of which is Darwin PP), ALL of which are Enabled.

Should ALL of these be Enabled or should some be Disabled?

Many Thanks
John

Offline ART

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Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #734 on: March 07, 2015, 12:52:38 PM »
Hi John:

   I think it depends on your system. One may be ModBus or another Lua..

 The only one Id ensure was off is Sim.. isf its there.. Darwin replaces that as a motion device..

Art
Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #735 on: March 07, 2015, 01:13:53 PM »
Thanks again Art,

I thought perhaps one of these enabled descriptions may have been causing the Interference Spike.

Have a good day
John
Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #736 on: March 24, 2015, 02:35:14 PM »
Art,
First of thanks for all your years of input across many support forums it has helped me in several situations in the past. Now I am stuck and haven't found the solution.

Is there a simple method similar to the mach3 engraving.dll to raster out images in mach4 using the darwin plugin with out  the use of arduino? Basically I would just like to use your laser mode option but with a simple on/off trigger. I have everything working on the machine with mach4. I can raster engrave using gcode however the method built into the darwin plugin is much faster and would love to use this. Any recommendations?

Thank you!
Larry

Offline ART

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Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #737 on: March 24, 2015, 03:17:34 PM »
Hi Larry:

   I dont think there is a way as yet other than the GCode, or the arduino method. The problem is that GCode can provide triggers, but the arduino provides actual
power levels. Both the Mach's can handle binary laser control, but the arduino with Darwin is the only way to get instant power level switching and triggering only once per
step. This will eventually change when here is some agreed upon standard for a protocol, but in its absence I siimply went with what worked well. Im probably the only one
using it , but it does work well.  I know theres at least 1 or two others using it really, but I know too its not easy for people to make such things.
  Its probably be easier if there was just a protocol for a pwm power level which is specific to each trigger.. Im sure it'll come eventually, my arduino fix is just a holder till
M4 can handle a downstream pwm from image command. The arduino can change power on each pixel of the image, to do that in Gcode the code woudl be truly huge..
I mean 10's of millions of lines probably.. where the arduino equivalent is quite small, just a fast raster pass with power all taken care of.

Art
Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #738 on: March 30, 2015, 05:50:01 PM »
Art and all.

I am running Mach4 on an XP machine, with the latest downloads, and PP driver.  XP is up to date and has the required memory.  I am trying to get a router to work, and I found instructions for Mach 3, so I also loaded that to try.  I have motor movement with Mach3, but when I use the same settings in Darwin, I have no movement in Darwin or Mach4.  I also have the system hang, if you select the choice "select motion control device" after you have first selected it at install.  Seems like a bug, that you cant make a mistake in mouse clicks without hanging the system.  Interesting enough, when in Darwin, if I hit the estop on the controller box, which is on pin10, the pin indicator changes color.  An indication to me the computer and controller are at least seeing each other.

I have read and reread the install manuals, and watched the video's.

So where do I go next?
What is the next step in trouble shooting.
IS Mach3 interfering with Mach4 on the same machine.
I have a Mach4 and PP license for another machine. do I need these licensed just to do the testing?

Offline dude1

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Re: Mach4 Printer Port Discussions
« Reply #739 on: April 20, 2015, 06:34:49 PM »
you don't need license to test I have been testing for a long with no license.

the system hang thing is a bug I use to have it`s not there now.

the settings for M3 should be the same for M4 (just put in differently) they are for me.

put up Darwin screen shot`s of water fail, motor setup any motor will do.

a screen shot of axis mapping for M4, general and a screen shot of outputs and inputs you are using

also your machine configuration file or your profile folder