I am planning to upgrade my Mill software from Mach 3 to Mach 4. I need to determine if I need the Hobby or Professional version.  Here are the 3 needs I have that I am not sure will be supported by the Hobby version.

1) I have custom z-height setting code with buttons that I added to the screen to run the custom button scripts I wrote.  Will I be able to add buttons to the screen and implement new code to do this?

2) I have encoders on both gantry motors so I can detect a motor stall and then issue an e-stop to prevent significant racking.  I wrote this as a brain in Mach 3. I realize Mach 4 does not have a brain, but will I be able to write code to read encoders and issue an e-stop command?

3) I have a custom wizard for cutting dovetails. Will I be able to write my own wizards?

Hi,
Mach4, either Hobby or Industrial can do all of those things in a lope.

Mach4 does not have 'Brains' like Mach3 but it does have PLC code that you can add to and/or edit and it has ladder logic
module called PMC which is very similar to Mach3 Brains......but so SO much faster.

Mach4 has certain standard screesets which you can edit and/or edit at will. You can add buttons, DROs and so much more.....and
you can do it live. No having to use a screen editor like you do with Mach3, all the screen editing code is built into the GUI.

Mach4 uses Lua which is way better than the VB variant of Mach3. It does have a learning curve, a steep one at that, but once mastered
you'll wonder why you stuck with VB for as long as you did. Wizards, Macros and Modules can be crafted for specialist operations like dovetails.

Craig

This might help you get started.
Use the one from the bottom of the thread.

https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=43260.msg279695#msg279695


Bill

Thanks guys! Those answers were exactly what I needed. Sounds like Hobby will work for me.

Kent