Ok until I figure out how to search all this stuff - WHAT ARE THEY??

XP Pro SP3 on an old IBM NetVista - Intel 486 1.8g - onboard  motherboard   ECP Print Port.

Really don’t know what you are after

Learning Mach 3 -

Loaded the software - seems to run fine but I can only get it to reset (and run) if I push the "Off line" button  - the write up said it was a common problem but did not suggest any fixes. 

I assume you have to be "online" to get any output to the parallel port.   

I've poked around the parallel port - think I freed it up from a previous printer installation shown in the "print server" dialogue - not sure what else could be tying it up.   Addresses look correct. 

Got to be something simple.  Stripped all the old apps off the computer - will be dedicated to the engraver/router 


Looks like some nice software - picked up a nice XY engraving table but had no controls - just got a BOB and Drivers for the steppers - but haven't made Mach3  hook up with the port.

Thanks for the reply -

Sorry mate still don’t understand. In any case Mach3 doesn’t have to be online to do the work, actually it’s much better if you are not online neither have any other software running at the same time as Mach3

Post what machine and other electronics you have to better understand your setup

Nic,

The term - "off line" has nothing to do with the internet and being "online"  in the classic sense --- per the Mach3 manual --  Section 6

 "" 6.2.15.4 Offline This toggle and warning LED "disconnects" all the output signals of Mach3.  This is intended for machine setup and testing. Its use during a part program will cause you all sorts of positioning problems. ""

The Button is directly below the "Ref All Home" button on the default "program run" screen.

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Now ..... having cleared that up (?)    ........  from the literature there seems to be a long standing issue with accessing the XP parallel port .....  I'm just so new to the whole Mach3 world and haven't used a parallel port for much of anything in the last 15 years   --  what is likely a very simple solution   ----  is just not on the top of my "tips & tricks" buffer!!

Thanks again for you interest

Got IT!

All else fails - READ the screen!!

On the line to the right of - and next to - the "Reset" button - the message  "External emergency Stop requested !!"    Duh?

With nothing attached ..... I certainly was not expecting that or looking for it - but sure enough --- when I checked "Pins & Ports"  down in the bowels of the pin set up - the Emergency Stop input was the only input assigned and active by default - to some arbitrary pin.   Deactivated and applied the new configuration and the problem went away.  We shall see if it comes back when configured for my externals.  It's probably based on a "normally closed"   -- "emergency stop"  loop and with nothing attached to the port - it's "open" and calling for emergency stop. Isn't that special!

"Greetings Professor Artimus, Would you like to play a game?"

What threw me ..... this didn't happen on another computer (a laptop) that I setup just for reading and browsing the Mach3 app while in my recliner!  

But .... when I installed it on the desk top PC I've designated as the CNC control machine with a real LTP - it did something a little different. Not sure why  - defaulting the emergency stop loop input to "ON" is probably not a bad thing   ... to avoid legal problems at best - prevent a few truncated digits at worst!


OK so now - tomorrow - if I can find a cable - we will connect this tired old PC to the new Chinese  BOB (Break Out Board - took me a while on that one too!) and see if we can make a few lights go blinky blink!!

I hate it when I start answering my own questions!

And did I say I found a really neat, kinda basic, g-code generator - F-Engrave (Windows)  --- gen'd up some quick and simple g-code files just to play with with on Mach3.  a FreeBee to boot.

Hang in there CNC'ers.  

This ole red neck is gonna get this puppy a goin .... finish up the rocket ship ---- and Desdemona and I are .... out a here!!  

ET--- were coming home o'buddy!

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The likely difference in the laptop and desktop is one profile is active low and the other is active high for the estop input.

Another note, the estop input cannot be disabled. If you go back and look it will be re-enabled. Assign it to pin 0 if your not using it (which I do not recommend).

when I checked "Pins & Ports"  down in the bowels of the pin set up

Lol, ports and pins are the very tip of the iceberg. Many will never need to go deeper but it is much, much deeper.

you can always go into ports and pins,  Estop and change the active state for the pin.  If no physical button is attached then changing the active state will make it think it has a normally open type of switch attached and will trigger an estop if the pin closes. 

Thanks guys & gals,

Very interesting!  I can see that Mach3 has far more capability than my little set up will ever need.   And clearly - your have to dig really deep into it -- to fully appreciate it.  

I did change the ESTOP pin assignment but haven't been back in to it to see if indeed Mach3 turned ESTOP back on.

Now that I have refreshed my Mandarin, I think I have this BOB figured out and will get serious about setting up a profile for my hardware.  Which will of course include a couple of ESTOP buttons and indicator lamps out on the table proper for safety sake!

Thanks again for the responses and your willingness to share info.   I'm really a green horn with regard to Mach3 - but have spent a career around servo systems (2000 hp DC and AC inverter paper mill & steel mill drives - hydraulic flight controls for S1B & S5 and others).  If you need to move something really big - precisely - drop me note!

Have a great weekend - CU at the "home" position!!  

A follow up - "Chaoticone"  was correct - Mach3 reset the "Estop" line to active when restarted - obviously a well thought out approach to safety.  I also went  back and reread the Estop section in the manual - there is a short reference to this issue (easy to over look).  

Lesson learned - read the book carefully with a yellow highlighter at hand.  

Nice software - I'm impressed!