Just as an update, I got five minutes today to try running the mill with the same configuration as I did in stepconf, but using EMC proper and jogging the axes. I only have X and Y connected but the both jogged successfully, so when I get back from work travel I'm going to start looking at hooking up some limit switches, the Z axis, and doing some gentle testing.
Thanks for all who replied, especially Kirk! If I hadn't actually tried EMC proper, I would have been banging my head against stepconf for (probably) ever.. Cheers, KEv. On 29 April 2011 23:00, Kev James <rincewin...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hey Kirk, > > These last two posts have been extremely useful. Looks like stepconf is > great for very basic configuration and testing, but for my situation it's > not quite suitable. I have started reading some of the documentation and I'm > thinking I need to look at a number of things: HALmeter, modifying the .hal > files and doing the jog/run tests in HAL rather than in the stepconf GUI. > > I'm going to see if mirroring your configuration for my pins, but putting > them in custom.hal so that stepconf doesn't modify them, will work in > stepconf. It's a 2 minute job that could save me a bunch of time if it does > work. If not, I have a lot of reading to do... > > Cheers, > KEv. > > > On 29 April 2011 21:58, Kirk Wallace <kwall...@wallacecompany.com> wrote: > >> On Fri, 2011-04-29 at 13:23 -0700, Kirk Wallace wrote: >> ... snip >> > A signal name was created and called xenable >> > (line 27), so I do a search on xenable to find every occurrence, or >> > lines 27, 28, 35 and 48. Of all the parameters, only one is a master >> > "axis.0.amp-enable-out" and the rest are slaves "parport.0.pin-04-out" >> > "parport.0.pin-05-out" "parport.0.pin-17-out" and "stepgen.0.enable", so >> > everything looks good. The fault must be somewhere else? >> >> Oops, I forgot to mention the other stepgen.X.enables. It seems in your >> file yenable and zenable tie up these loose ends. On my mill I did it >> this way: >> " ... >> # connect enable signals for step generators >> net Xen axis.0.amp-enable-out => stepgen.0.enable parport.0.pin-01-out >> net Yen axis.1.amp-enable-out => stepgen.1.enable parport.0.pin-06-out >> net Zen axis.2.amp-enable-out => stepgen.2.enable parport.0.pin-16-out >> ... " >> >> By the way, "=>" and "<=" are just for the user to see data flow, they >> are optional and have no effect on EMC2. >> >> All this confusion is why I tend to not use these Plug-N-Play like >> wizards. I prefer to manually create the config files, starting with one >> or two features (such as one axis or a spindle), then add features as I >> get things sorted out. >> >> Another option is to use only one parallel port pin and jumper it to the >> two others on your motor driver board. You would need to have access to >> the board traces so that the other parallel port enable pins could be >> disconnected and the driver enable pins connected together. Unless you >> are proficient with hacking circuit boards or cables, this could be >> risky. >> >> -- >> Kirk Wallace >> http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ >> http://www.wallacecompany.com/E45/index.html >> California, USA >> >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software >> The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network >> management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial >> acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. >> http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd >> _______________________________________________ >> Emc-users mailing list >> Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WhatsUp Gold - Download Free Network Management Software The most intuitive, comprehensive, and cost-effective network management toolset available today. Delivers lowest initial acquisition cost and overall TCO of any competing solution. http://p.sf.net/sfu/whatsupgold-sd _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
