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Author Topic: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3  (Read 6550 times)

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Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« on: March 19, 2017, 02:53:18 PM »
Hi, sorry to be asking such a stupid question but I just don't get it. I'm new to Mach3 but I'm very experienced in CNC machining. I'm running the trial version of Mach3 on Windows Vista. I've passed the Drivertest. I've turned on the jog  button in Mach3 page where it shows up but pushing the Alt button on the keyboard doesn't bring up the MPG pop up. Nothing happens so I can't try out the jog function. The keyboard arrow keys won't jog either. I know I'm totally clueless here but I'd appreciate any help at all. Thanks.
Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2017, 11:27:52 PM »
I have enabled the axes and gone through the configuration process as best I can. I got axis movement at the machine, using MDI. It was too fast and I got blinking lights and an Estop condition but the x axis did move. However, I still haven't seen hide nor hair of the MPG fly out.
Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2017, 12:25:31 AM »
Try the "TAB" instead.
Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2017, 01:56:02 AM »
 :D Thanks for the tip.  ::) I had to reconfigure my brain so that when I read the word "TAB", my brain won't see "ALT".  Now I have the  MPG fly out. Thank you. I knew It was something stupid. Okay, I did get axis movement but once again, I got blinking lights and an Estop condition. When I try to jog the x axis or any axis, I get Estop and 2 red leds blink on and off then one led on the right blinks on and off then the led on the left blinks on an off and then both led's blink on and off and the pattern repeats until I reset the controller. I haven't configured the encoders/mpg yet because I have no clue what the values should be. Anyway, I'll keep pounding away at it and hopefully I'll figure something out. Thanks for helping me deal with the MPG fly out. Oh and BTW, I'm trying to run a Townlabs CNC milling machine. TL518ER.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2017, 02:00:17 AM by Ray13 »
Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2017, 03:45:30 AM »
My background is in machining. I worked for 38 years as a machinist and then CNC programmer and shop manager. Mostly aerospace work but lots of other stuff. Anyway, I have a reasonable understanding of machining and CNC programming. I've used lots of different CNC controls over the years. Mostly Fanuc or Fanuc clones. I never worked on the controls other than change a board or a switch. So, a lot of this control stuff is alien to me.
Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2020, 07:51:18 AM »
Hey, sorry to drag up such an old thread.
I'm new to this CNC stuff. I have an old 2030 router I'm trying to get up and running, and I'm learning how to use this Mach3. In the process of setting up the motors and all that, the  video I'm watching says to hit the Tab key to get the jog control menu to pop up. Only that is not working for me. I've tried tab, shift, control, cnt-J, all sorts with no luck. Hitting the tab key just tabs through the boxes on screen...

Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2020, 08:03:03 AM »
Hey, sorry to drag up such an old thread.
I'm new to this CNC stuff. I have an old 2030 router I'm trying to get up and running, and I'm learning how to use this Mach3. In the process of setting up the motors and all that, the  video I'm watching says to hit the Tab key to get the jog control menu to pop up. Only that is not working for me. I've tried tab, shift, control, cnt-J, all sorts with no luck. Hitting the tab key just tabs through the boxes on screen...

Try downloading the latest available version of Mach3  https://www.machsupport.com/downloads-updates/main-programs/ and installing it over the top of your existing version. (Please make a back-up copy of your existing Mach3 folder first, just in case any settings are overwritten).

Tweakie.
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Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2020, 08:38:27 AM »
Ok, thanks for the information.
So that opens up a dilemma for me... I bought this old 2030 off eBay a few years ago and it came with a pc tower with widows xp. The pc has Mach3 with a licence under someone else's name.
Will I be able to update the software, or should I upgrade to Mach4?

Offline ZASto

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Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2020, 11:18:04 AM »
Just download the 'latest' version of Mach3, well, not exactly latest, but version 062: ftp://anonymous:guest@ftp.machsupport.com/Mach3/Mach3Version3.043.062.exe
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Re: Can't get the jog pop up in mach3
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2020, 04:45:23 PM »
Hi,

Quote
Will I be able to update the software, or should I upgrade to Mach4?

I am a Mach4 supporter fanatic compulsive....so beware my comments are biased.

As Zasto pointed out you should be able to update Mach3 despite the license not strictly speaking being your own.

Mach3 is still perfectly capable and maybe does some things that Mach4 doesn't, however there are things that Mach4
does which Mach3 cannot do, and many things it does are much more refined and sophisticated than Mach3.

When comes to making parts, at least on typical machines, there is little to pick and chose between Mach3 and Mach4.
They are both equally accurate, equally smooth, equally fast, in fact equal in most respects.

As you probably know all development of Mach3 ceased six years ago, so any bugs Mach3 has will stay that way and
no new features will be added. In more recent times Microsoft updates to Windows 7 and Windows 10 have threatened
to stop Mach3, fortunately a fix has been found for that. The point being is that Mach3 is now an old program and may
be increasingly affected by advances in Windows OS's.

Mach4 is by comparison right up to date with new features being added frequently.

The real advantage of Mach4 is it flexibility to be customized for different machines. This comes about because of
Mach4's modular structure, rich API and its Lua scripting language. Being able to customize is of great value to an OEM
but may have little appeal to you.

I have found, and have seen the same in other hobby users, that a great deal of satisfaction can be had in programming
Mach4 to behave in some specific way that you want. Having said that you don't actually have to do anything to it,
it works pretty much straight out of the box.

My suggestion is to stick with Mach3, if that's what you've got. In the meantime you can download Mach4 for free and 'have a play
with it'. Note that Mach4 all but requires you use an external motion controller like an ESS or UC300, so you would have
to consider the cost of the controller and BoB in addition to the Mach4 license fee if you wanted to to upgrade.

My personal sentiment with respect to Mach4 is 'go mad now and beat the rush!'.

Craig
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