I've moved this from my other thread since it's a separate topic...

The Feedrate and Spindle realtime DROs on the Mach4Mill screen both have the same issue. All the time the machine is moving and the spindle is running, both of these flicker all the time, mostly reading zero, but you can just make out that they're also flashing up the correct values from time to time.

The dro144 component has DRO Code set to Current Feed Rate, and the droTrueSpindle component has DRO Code set to Spindle True RPM


I've searched through the ScreenScript for the component name and also anything to do with the words DRO and feed and there's nothing in there that I can see that's overriding the value being seen.

So my guess is that this is another bug and the variable is repeatedly set back to zero for some reason.

I'm using an ESS, so maybe that's somehow involved.

I've looked in dignostic->Regfile to see if I can see a variable there that represents this value, but I don't see one or anything flicking.  Again, a lack of documentation about these variables makes it difficult to check something like that.
I can see the first #variables but I have no idea whether it's one of those or not.

Any ideas how to fix this?

I've used the ESS and the Integra.  I've never had this issue and we have multiple machines running Mach4.  I know from your previous posts that you have manipulated a fair bit of code. I would go back and check to be sure you didn't override these somewhere.  If you remember what Steve said in one post, most of the custom stuff people want can be handled by setting DROs and Buttons to do "actions"; that is what the Spindle Speed and Feedrate are doing, displaying exactly what they are told to display. 
Here is the thread that has a list of REG Vars, I did find the Feedrate and Spindle Speed settings #2032 #2034  these are the commanded Feedrate and Spindle Speed settings.  Unfortunately I couldn't find the variables that displayed the Current Settings (when overridden).

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,27396.0.html

Again, with the documentation, the developers would rather work on making Mach4 better instead of spending a lot of time doing documentation.  IMHO the documentation they have now is good enough because I would rather they spend time making Mach4 even more awesome.  I have noticed (since Mach4 is supposed to emulate a fanuc 21i) that I can find a lot of variables by searching them on google or finding them in books.  I did this when I made an OD Grinding Macro Program.

Roger

Just wondered if you have wired spindle feedback. I think that is used in determining true spindle rpm. If you look at the list of actions for the spindle speed dro you will find another entry (sorry, can't rememner its name)  that wil display the commanded rpm.

Allan

Hi Chad,
I haven't changed that much really, and nothing that involves the Jog and Spindle speed DRO. This is something that was wrong on the default screen set. I'll see if I can configure the original unmodified version to run on my machine to prove the point.

I take a different view about the development of Mach4. There's so much time wasted by people trying to figure out how things work and what all the variables do the hard way. This stuff is at the fingertips of the developer, and frankly I think it's just poor discipline not to document it.

Hi Allen,
No, there's no wired spindle feedback. Maybe it's expecting there to be a sensor? To be honest, I just need to see the RPM being output so I'll probably just change that. The same thing goes with the Feedrate, perhaps they are some sore of live value?

My feed rate dro does vary slightly when x and y are interpolating but on a single axis is remains steady it does not indicate the programmed feed tho eg programmed feed rate 100 dro 104 but never drops to 0 only when motion ceases

I have my speed dro set to display the commanded speed , and it will reflect the change of the slider

I use the hobby version ( as a pensioner and only use the workshop for personal use it is ok for me ) note I normally work to a 0.01 mm tolerance but it’s small stuff so as you know it’s got to be close to fit , I have extensily modded the screen moved stuff around toned the stark colour scheme a lot , implemted the h offset toggle to the fixed portion