Several have opined that Pathpilot is just a pretty face and that is largely correct. It does provide some nice features -- conversational machining including drilling, thread milling, facing; probing; import of .DXF, editing of Gcode, interface to DropBox, etc. I realize that most if not all are available in other implementations.
But seriously, in my opinion a major impediment to the widescale adoption of LinuxCNC is the lack of an appealing and intuitive UI. -----Original Message----- From: Rob C <rclandro...@gmail.com> Sent: January 24, 2023 1:55 AM To: Enhanced Machine Controller (EMC) <emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net> Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Running PathPilot on non-Tormach Machines am I missing something, this is all documented on the forum, with a number of users using tormach with non tormach machines. https://forum.linuxcnc.org/pathpilot Mesa 7i92 will work just fine (I have had it running before) now I have seen the light, and just run linuxcnc with axis for mill, router and lathe, and qtplasmac for plasma. it just works. no it's not eye candy but life is about the taste of the coffee and not the shape or look of the mug / cup. I do use nativecam and also ngcgui.... again they just work. what benefit are you after using path pilot other than the gui appearance? a similar appearance can be done with using qtpyvcp and probe basic https://www.qtpyvcp.com/showcase/mill_vcps.html what do you think tormach is going to do better than linuxcnc? ..... other than the display interface? (I am genuinely curious what the benefit is) rob On Tue, 24 Jan 2023, 06:04 andrew beck, <andrewbeck0...@gmail.com> wrote: > Just a quick note. > > I think they run a standard mesa card. > > > > On Tue, 24 Jan 2023, 18:22 John Dammeyer, <jo...@autoartisans.com> wrote: > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Ron Ginger [mailto:rongin...@roadrunner.com] > > > > > > I would like to try to run PathPilot on my own mill. I now run > > > Mach4, but I would like to see how well PathPilot works. > > > > > > I see I can simply download a copy from the Tormach site. what > > > interface board do I need? > > > > > > What is Tormachs position on this? I know they have to release the > > > code because it is based on open source, but do they oppose its use? > > > > > > thanks > > > > > > ron ginger > > > > > > > Hi Ron, > > Long time. > > Have you asked Tormach what kind of interface board they use? I > > doubt it's a parallel port. > > > > My guess is if you use open source LCNC for your system. Spend the > > time/money to create a custom user interface for it but don't want > everyone > > using it you'd likely use a customized piece of hardware as the > > break out board. > > > > However, unlike MACH, the two important files in LCNC are the .INI > > and .HAL files. In the Tormach image those two will describe how > > they talk > to > > the machine hardware. > > > > For example I use a MESA 7i92H and for a while had dual boot for > > WIN-XP and LCNC to a PMDX-126 break out board. It's Ethernet to the > > MESA which emulates two parallel ports onto the PMDX. > > > > Here's how I documented (for my own needs) the first parallel port > > with the DB-25 pins cross referenced to the MESA pins. > > > > Looking forward to what you find out. > > John Dammeyer > > > > # external I/O signals > > # IO Connections for P2 MESA 7i92_PMDX126Ax2D.pin (modified from > > pin > file) > > # DBn.m_PMDX_Jn.m I/O Pri.func Sec. func Chan Pin func > > Pin Dir System usage > > > > # P1.1_J6.2 0 IOPort None > > (Out) machine-is-enabled (output) > > # P1.14_J6.3 1 IOPort PWM 0 PWM > > (Out) spindle-vel-cmd-rps PWM (output) > > # P1.2_J4.2 2 IOPort StepGen 0 Step/Table1 > > (Out) x axis step pulse (output) > > # P1.15_J12.9 3 IOPort None > > (In) max-x-y-min-z (input) > > # P1.3_J4.3 4 IOPort StepGen 0 Dir/Table2 > > (Out) x axis dir signal (output) > > # P1.16_J6.4 5 IOPort None > > (Out) spindle-ccw output (output) > > # P1.4_J3.2 6 IOPort StepGen 1 Step/Table1 > > (Out) y axis step pulse (output) > > # P1.17_J6.5 7 IOPort StepGen 4 Step/Table1 > > (Out) Charge Pump frequency (output) > > # P1.5_J3.3 8 IOPort StepGen 1 Dir/Table2 > > (Out) y axis dir signal (output) > > # P1.6_J2.2 9 IOPort StepGen 2 Step/Table1 > > (Out) z axis step pulse (output) > > # P1.7_J2.3 10 IOPort StepGen 2 Dir/Table2 > > (Out) z axis dir signal (output) > > # P1.8_J1.2 11 IOPort StepGen 3 Step/Table1 > > (Out) a axis step pulse (output) > > # P1.9_J1.2 12 IOPort StepGen 3 Dir/Table2 > > (Out) a axis dir signal (output) > > # P1.10_J13.4 13 IOPort None > > (In) estop-external-in (input) > > # P1.11_J12.3 14 IOPort QCount 0 Quad-A > > (In) min home-x (input) > > # P1.12_J12.5 15 IOPort QCount 0 Quad-B > > (In) min home-y (input) > > # P1.13_J12.7 16 IOPort QCount 0 Quad-IDX > > (in) max-home-z (input) > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Emc-users mailing list > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > > > _______________________________________________ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
