What do I have to do to start Mach without loading the driver?  I want to use it for testing G-code on my laptop, so I don't want the driver to load (last time I tried with the driver, it locked up the machine....).

Regards,
Ray L.

Hi Ray,

I thought when installing Mach 3 it gives you the option to not load the driver?

Dave

Dave,

    That was simple enough!  Thanks!

Regards,
Ray L.

Dave, I don't think you will have much luck simulating Gcode. Mine allways ran extreamly slow if I didn't install the drivers.

Brett

My laptop didn't run code correctly without the driver, but it does with the driver. Running without the driver hasn't worked well since around version 2.4. Before that it always seemed to work fine.

Mine actually works exactly the same (verywell) with and without the drivers.

Very odd this PC schtuff-

Well, the problem I'm having is when trying to simulate known good code (I've cut real parts with it...), it executes a few lines, then dies with a crytpic error:

"Radius to end of arc differs from radius to startLine 18"

Here's the pertinent part of the G-code:

N0000 (Filename: Jag bracket2 Mill.nc)
N0010 (Post processor: My Mach2 2D.post.txt)
N0020 (Date: 8/24/2008)
N0030 G20 (Units: Inches)
N0040 G40 G90 (Cancel Cutter Diameter Compensation, Absolute Distance Mode)
N0050 F1
N0060 (Part: Jag bracket2)
N0070 M00 (Process: Outside offset Perimeter, Mill/Router, 0.5 in diameter, 0.125 inch Deep)
N0080 M00 (Insert Mill/Router, 0.5 in diameter)
N0090 T0 M06  G43 H0 (Change Tool, Set Tool Length Offset)
N0100 M03 S35 (Spindle CW)
N0110 M00 (Set Z to 1.0000)
N0120 G00
N0130 X-0.0175 Y5.1254
N0140 G01 F1
N0150 M00 (Set Z to -0.0625)
N0160 G03 X0.3483 Y5.3919 I0.0496 J0.3161 F2.25
N0170 G02 X0.5886 Y5.6187 I0.2667 J-0.0419
N0180 G03 X1.6176 Y5.8453 I-0.4349 J4.4249
N0190 G02 X4.7371 Y6.4722 I3.2187 J-7.9414
N0200 X4.7391 Y6.4722 I0.0031 J-0.2700


Regards,
Ray L.

Is your IJ mode set right?

Gerry,

    Interesting.....  I never changed the IJ setting when I installed Mach on my mill,, yet it's always been incremental.  On this install, it came up absolute.  So, it now runs through the entire program - very quickly.  Is the purpose of simulation just to see that Mach doesn't gag on the code?  Can I make it run slower so I can see what it's doing?

Regards,
Ray L.

Also, the simulated run time is WAY too short (indicated 6 minutes, when actual run time is close to an hour), and the timer keeps going after the run has ended.

Regards,
Ray L.