Has anyone had the issue of Mach4 freezing up while running g code? I have several machines that every couple of days or so will just stop moving, but behave in every other way as if they are still running a program. These machines are just running the same code over and over, so it's clearly not a problem with the g code. They also seem to freeze at random points regardless of whether they are running g code from within macro or not.
I am using Windows 10 with Mach 4470 and an ESS.
I will try moving everything to a newer version, but if anyone has any insight as to what might be happening I'd really appreciate it!

Hi,
one possibility, and just a guess, is that the ESS is running out of data.

Machs trajectory planner issues PVT (Position Velocity over Time) data packets and the ESS buffers them up, 180milli seconds
worth at the ESS default. If the ESS consumes all that data BEFORE Machs trajectory planner can replenish the buffer the the ESS will
run out of data and stop. Its usually fatal.

I would expect the ESS plugin to offer a fault description, but perhaps its missing doing that.

One suggestion would be to run a diagnostic log to see when it happens and why. Another possibility is to monitor the ESS diagnostic
as it shows the content of the buffer in real time.

Craig

question what ver of mach4 are you running

Thanks for your replies. I am using Mach4 4612

I was thinking the same thing about running out of data, but after checking the log report (pasted below) I get a message saying that the estop is active as soon as it freezes up. Since the estop is not active, and still works when I hit it, (Mach4 stops being frozen, goes into disabled state, stops the spindle etc.) I am confused as to what that means. My estop is only wired into an input on the ess and not hardwired to any power sources or anything else.

I am pasting kind of a big chunk of the log report just in case, but the estop message is at the end, and continues as long as Mach 4 remains "frozen".

2021-07-10 11:59:14.026 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. gcodeexec.cpp:168
2021-07-10 11:59:14.191 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. controlset.cpp:210
2021-07-10 11:59:14.191 - API: mcCntlGcodeExecuteWait(inst = 0, commands = 'g0 z0
') (unknown caller)
2021-07-10 11:59:14.310 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. gcodeexec.cpp:168
2021-07-10 11:59:14.464 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. controlset.cpp:210
2021-07-10 11:59:14.464 - API: mcCntlGcodeExecuteWait(inst = 0, commands = 'f2000
g1 x-3.8100 y-5.0500
g1 z-.84
') (unknown caller)
2021-07-10 11:59:14.581 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. gcodeexec.cpp:168
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Waiting on planner to drain before waiting on SetStill... runcanon.cpp:92
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Waiting on SetStill...
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Controller::RunCanonBuffer called AddStopReportRequest() runcanon.cpp:101
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for axis 0 motors.
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for motor 0.
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for axis 1 motors.
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for motor 1.
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for axis 2 motors.
2021-07-10 11:59:15.528 - Requesting a stopped report for motor 2.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - API: mcMotionSetStill(inst = 0, motor = 0) (Called by ESS)
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - SetStill(): Motor 0 last position reported = -7620.0000 controller.cpp:1400
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - Axis 1 reports that it is still moving! controller.cpp:1407
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - >>>--- ESS: Reporting Stopped: Motor 0 -7620.000000   #B
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - API: mcMotionSetStill(inst = 0, motor = 1) (Called by ESS)
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - SetStill(): Motor 1 last position reported = -10100.0000 controller.cpp:1400
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - Axis 2 reports that it is still moving! controller.cpp:1407
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - >>>--- ESS: Reporting Stopped: Motor 1 -10100.000000   #B
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - API: mcMotionSetStill(inst = 0, motor = 2) (Called by ESS)
2021-07-10 11:59:16.048 - SetStill(): Motor 2 last position reported = -1680.0000 controller.cpp:1400
2021-07-10 11:59:16.049 - All motors marked as still.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.049 - >>>--- ESS: Reporting Stopped: Motor 2 -1680.000000   #B
2021-07-10 11:59:16.049 - Waiting on SetStill is Done!
2021-07-10 11:59:16.100 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. controlset.cpp:210
2021-07-10 11:59:16.100 - Signal id 1058, (Output #8), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.101 -        ESS: Activating output Port1-Pin14 - puff
2021-07-10 11:59:16.401 - Signal id 1058, (Output #8), changed from HIGH to LOW.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.401 -        ESS: Deactivating output Port1-Pin14 - puff
2021-07-10 11:59:16.401 - Signal id 1051, (Output #1), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.402 -        ESS: Activating output Port2-Pin1 - p and p vert output
2021-07-10 11:59:16.402 - Signal id 1054, (Output #4), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.402 -        ESS: Activating output Port2-Pin17 - p and p vac output
2021-07-10 11:59:16.511 - Signal id 5, (Input #4), changed from HIGH to LOW.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.644 - Signal id 7, (Input #6), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.704 - Signal id 1051, (Output #1), changed from HIGH to LOW.
2021-07-10 11:59:16.704 -        ESS: Deactivating output Port2-Pin1 - p and p vert output
2021-07-10 11:59:16.910 - Signal id 5, (Input #4), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:17.005 - Signal id 1142, (Spindle Fwd), changed from LOW to HIGH.
2021-07-10 11:59:17.005 -        ESS: Activating output Port1-Pin17 - shaper spindle
2021-07-10 11:59:17.005 - API: mcCntlGcodeExecuteWait(inst = 0, commands = 'g0 z0
g0 x-.875 y-3.160
g0 z-1.51
') (unknown caller)
2021-07-10 11:59:17.124 - SoftSync()! Clearing planner. gcodeexec.cpp:168
2021-07-10 11:59:19.107 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:21.173 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:23.232 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:25.289 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:27.347 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:29.407 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:31.465 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!
2021-07-10 11:59:33.523 -    !!!!!! ESS: ESTOP signal is ACTIVE!

thanks I just wondered if you were using a dev version and that may have been the cause

I have no idea as to the cause of the active estop