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Offline dq828

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Rebuild Problem
« on: February 10, 2018, 10:45:54 PM »
HI

The computer running my DIY CNC died yesterday but I have managed to access the data on the C drive, and once that was done I thought it would be simple to get things going on a new (old really :) ) computer, but I was wrong!

I downloaded Mach4 and installed it on the new computer, I then downloaded the PMDX 424 plugin and installed it. I them retrieved my modified Profiles and installed them into the Profiles folder. I updated the PMDX firmware as well.

When I opened my "DQ Working" profile the screen that loaded was not my old screen, all of the changes I had made were gone. The machine configuration settings look ok. I could get the spindle to turn on but I could not get any of the axis's to move, the motors are not enabling when the Enable button is toggled, and it looks like the Limit switches are not working as well!!

I eventually retrieved the old wx4.set file and replaced the new wx4.set file with the old one, the correct screen layout loaded but when it loads I get the warnings shown in the attached. Just like with the new wx4.set file nothing but the Spindle works.

Does this mean I have to rebuild my old profiles (4 off) from scratch while using the latest wx4.set file?

Any thoughts as to why the loaded configuration doesn't work?
 
Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2018, 11:23:57 PM »
Hi,
on your old PC what screenset were you using in DQ Working profile?

Any changes like motor assignments and so on get stored in your profile.
Quote
The machine configuration settings look ok
It would appear therefore that your old profile has successfully transferred to your new PC.

But what about any alterations, edits or tweaks that you made to your original screenset? I suspect that you had nominated wx4.set as your screenset on your
old PC. All the tweaks and modifications that you made would be stored in that copy of wx4.set. Note all the screen tweaks are saved in your screenset NOT
your profile. When you changed PCs and you downloaded a new copy of Mach you also got a fresh copy of wx4.set. All your modifications have been overwritten.

Ask me how I know....because I did something very similar myself.

The correct thing to do is in the Screenset folder of Mach4 make a copy of wx4.set and rename it to something unique like MYwx4.set. Use that personalized
screenset in your profile and when you update Mach it will not be overwritten.

Unless you are lucky I think you'll find that the old screenset is now gone, you'll have to start afresh, I did. I might point out that I then re-read the instuctions and by virtue
of 'a burnt hand teaching best' followed them. I always have an personalized screenset now.

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline dq828

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Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2018, 03:44:46 AM »
Hi

"on your old PC what screenset were you using in DQ Working profile?" I was using wx4.set but an older version than one that can with the new download.

"Any changes like motor assignments and so on get stored in your profile." Everything appears in order but I will have to go through in detail to make doubly sure.

I originally thought the screen changes I made were stored in the Profile. I managed to retrieve the original wx4.set file from the old hard drive which still works fine. When I put the original wx4.set file in place of the new one thats when I got the error messages show in my first post.

"The correct thing to do is in the Screenset folder of Mach4 make a copy of wx4.set and rename it to something unique like MYwx4.set. Use that personalized
screenset in your profile and when you update Mach it will not be overwritten."
I will remember that but based on this experience it may not help.




Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2018, 04:34:20 AM »
Hi,

Quote
I originally thought the screen changes I made were stored in the Profile
This is incorrect, all screen scripts etc are saved in the screenset. Your screenset started out as an older version of wx4.set but progressively got modified
as you modified your screen.

Quote
I managed to retrieve the original wx4.set file from the old hard drive which still works fine.
This rather proves the point that the original wx4.set is now modified and the modified screenset works to your satisfaction.

Quote
. When I put the original wx4.set file in place of the new one thats when I got the error messages show in my first post.
Your modified screenset now has two script errors in it. There may be something in the later Mach build which demands a certain feature or format from a screenset
that is not met by your older version. If you can identify and correct those two errors the old screenset would probably work. Failing that you will have to use
a copy of the current wx4.set and regenerate the tweaks and edits that individualized your screenset. A PITA!

Craig
'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'
Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2018, 04:50:22 AM »
Hi,
I have encountered a couple of situations where I had edited the screen, a script in particular that produced an error such that Mach would not load.
If Mach doesn't load then I couldn't fix my mistake either. I had totally broken Mach.

Daz pointed out a way to get around it, I've only used it a couple of times since so I'm hazy on the details. I'm sure a PM to Daz would get you the gen.
The upshot is to use a command window to run Mach.exe\p, with the \p switch Mach opens straight into the edit screen where you can fix your mistake.

When the error screens appear does Mach continue to load? If it does then you can go to the edit screen and using the line numbers find the faults and fix
them. If Mach does not load, ie its totally screwed then you'll need to use the command line switch to start Mach.

If neither of those option appeal or you can't fix the script errors you'll have to start from scratch with a fresh and compliant copy of wx4.set. This time ensure
that you make a personalized copy.

Craig

'I enjoy sex at 73.....I live at 71 so its not too far to walk.'

Offline thosj

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Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2018, 08:37:18 AM »
Belt and suspenders............but what I do is on a D:\ drive in the computer or a NAS on my network, when Mach4 is ticking along nicely I copy the entire Mach4 directory to a directory on the other drive. I name it like 180211_Good for today's date and something to tell me what I was thinking. If I hose something the simple solution is rename the Mach dir on C:\ and copy the saved copy back. Worked for me MANY times!! If you look at Artsofts YouTube video on installing a new version, Jim (I THINK it was Jim!) does exactly that, and even names them back and forth right on C:\.

This can make using a new computer easy, too. Install Mach, license it however you need to, copy the dir over the top!! Done.
--
Tom

Offline dq828

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Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2018, 04:18:34 AM »
Thanks for the help gents, it seems my main problem stems from my controller board not Mach4. I have managed to retrieve all of the Profiles and the wx4.set file I was using but it's not helping because the controller board has updated their Plugin & firmware (which I installed before realising) and they say about their latest release.

"WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND UPDATING OLDER PLUGIN INSTALLS TO THIS VERSION AND RE-CREATE YOUR PROFILES STARTING FROM THE NEW COPIES OF SUPPLIED SAMPLES."

This in effect means you have to recreate the screen set as well, this time I have named it DQwx4.set so I will know for sure which one I'm using:).

Turns out I was more organised than I remembered and saved all of my config setting in a spreadsheet, they may not be the most upto date but close enough.

Thanks for the help.
Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2018, 07:45:18 AM »
I rebuild my PC fairly frequently (my day job is an IT professional so I end up testing all sorts of stuff on my poor PC)

I typically find that if you just copy the C:\Mach4Hobby folder across and run the c:\Mach4Hobby\Mach4GUI.exe executable then everything works just fine.

Offline dq828

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Re: Rebuild Problem
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2018, 05:25:51 AM »
Thanks, I'll remember that for the future, I've reconfigered eberything now just need to do a bit of testing.