Re: [Emc-users] gcode local variables + other question
On Thu, Apr 02, 2009 at 08:13:42PM +0100, alan battersby wrote: > My question is, are variables #1 etc also global in the sense that if I > set #1= 99 before the call is its value pushed on some stack and > retrieved again after the call or is the value just overwritten by the > parameter value of zero? > So > #1 = 99 > O1000 call [0] ... > what is the value of #1 here after the sub 0 or 99 ? It is the old value. Otherwise, the flowsnake recursion example wouldn't work. This also gets specific mention in the documentation: http://linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/gcode_main.html#r3_1 > Also if I set the value of #1 before the call and then make the call > with no parameters will the subroutine see the value I set? > > #1 = 99 > O1000 call > ... > .. > O1000 (this is the sub) > is the value of #1 99 here or is it undefined? > O1000 endsub I would treat the value as undefined. I don't see that the documentation specifies one way or another. I looked at the implementation, and I see that local parameters that are not specified on O-call are set to zero. > So do gcode variables behave exactly like variables in a programming > language such as C# etc or is there some difference? I would be wary of drawing too many inferences about gcode parameters from the behavior of other programming languages. Jeff -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] SPI.comp
On Fri, 2009-03-27 at 22:32 +0100, Lars Andersson wrote: > Hi list, > Would "serial_dac.comp" be a good starting point for making a "SPI.comp" or > do you recommend anything else to start from? Maybe there is something > written already? > > If reasonable I would like to send more than one half bit per BASE thread > click. > I am talking to a PIC18F4520 so 8 bits at a time would be nice. > > Regards, > Lars Talking to a PIC at base period rates seems to be pretty fast to me. Is the communication to your PIC for motion control? Since the PIC can have allot of intelligence, it seems that the communication rate can be fairly slow, because the PIC will be handling the the high rate functions locally. I am not a proficient programmer, but I don't see much that can be done to get around having to convert bytes to bits and then clocking them out. Peter at mesanet.com may be able to get base rate SPI output from his Anything I/O cards. >From the 5i20 manual: " SUPPLIED CONFIGURATIONS HOSTMOT2 HOSTMOT2 is available in several configurations the vary the number of servo or step generator channels, plus miscellaneous I/O options including 32 bit buffered UARTs, SPI interfaces, SSI interfaces etc. " Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Re; Limit switches
John, I am impressed with your last name. :) Homing is trivial to set up. It will allow you to set soft limits. Soft limits will give you peace of mind. Homing and soft limits do not interfere with setting zero anywhere you need it on the table. Once you get used to homing the machine you will think running the machine without soft limits is archaic and dangerous. IMHO Stuart On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 3:36 PM, John Stevenson wrote: >>My experience with EMC2 is that you must select the limit override check >>box before you can move anything. With the soft limits set properly, you >>should never hit a hard (switch) limit. It may be that the developers >>thought that if a hard limit was activated, other problems may exist, >>which should be checked before continuing. Soft limits can be backed off >>of without an override. I have the full switch setup, so I don't know >>how EMC2 handles other setups, but with limits switches in series won't >>be able to tell if you hit a + or - limit or even which axis (joint), >>but again, it's less of an issue if the soft limits are setup. >>- >>Kirk >>http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ > > Thanks to Kirk again and Jon, sorry for replying to the digest as it > lost the original header. > > Between the two of you I now see how they work and other than having > to select the override that's how I'm used to working. > > Ahha doesn't have soft limits but Mach does, I don't use them as I > find my work co-ordinates are always moving about all over the table > depending on what the job is and you have to reset them every time, > forget and it will catch you out. > > Regards, > > John Stevenson > L Stevenson [ Engineers ] > > -- > ___ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > -- you can lead a person to knowledge but you cannot make him think -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] Re; Limit switches
>My experience with EMC2 is that you must select the limit override check >box before you can move anything. With the soft limits set properly, you >should never hit a hard (switch) limit. It may be that the developers >thought that if a hard limit was activated, other problems may exist, >which should be checked before continuing. Soft limits can be backed off >of without an override. I have the full switch setup, so I don't know >how EMC2 handles other setups, but with limits switches in series won't >be able to tell if you hit a + or - limit or even which axis (joint), >but again, it's less of an issue if the soft limits are setup. >- >Kirk >http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ Thanks to Kirk again and Jon, sorry for replying to the digest as it lost the original header. Between the two of you I now see how they work and other than having to select the override that's how I'm used to working. Ahha doesn't have soft limits but Mach does, I don't use them as I find my work co-ordinates are always moving about all over the table depending on what the job is and you have to reset them every time, forget and it will catch you out. Regards, John Stevenson L Stevenson [ Engineers ] -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Emc-users Digest, Vol 36, Issue 5
On Thu, Apr 02, 2009 at 07:28:58PM +0100, John Stevenson wrote: > If I use a card such as you have listed and used one input per switch > will it act the same as the AHHA in that jog is only valid in the > opposite direction ? Yes, if you have separate limit switches, it will only let you jog the correct direction when you're on one of them. -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] m5i20_pidtest.hal
On Apr 2, 2009, at 10:45 AM, Jon Elson wrote: > Dave Engvall wrote: >> >> >> Indeed that ( + and - ) would be the intuitive way to do it but it >> doesn't work. >> >> I tried changing the sign on INPUT SCALE and the sign on >> OUTPUT_SCALE >> independently but that doesn't work either. Axis moves on command and >> then >> faults on following error. >> So I have more work to do. >> >> > On a servo system, you have to swap the signs on both INPUT_ and > OUTPUT_SCALE, or the servo runs away. > > Jon Thanks Jon, I did it the hard way ... swapped servo output and tach inputs and then only needed the INPUT_SCALE negative. D > > -- > > ___ > 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
Re: [Emc-users] Emc-users Digest, Vol 36, Issue 5
On Thu, 2009-04-02 at 19:28 +0100, John Stevenson wrote: ... snip > If I use a card such as you have listed and used one input per switch > will it act the same as the AHHA in that jog is only valid in the > opposite direction ? > > I probably wasn't specific enough in my first post. > > Regards, > > John Stevenson > L Stevenson [ Engineers ] My experience with EMC2 is that you must select the limit override check box before you can move anything. With the soft limits set properly, you should never hit a hard (switch) limit. It may be that the developers thought that if a hard limit was activated, other problems may exist, which should be checked before continuing. Soft limits can be backed off of without an override. I have the full switch setup, so I don't know how EMC2 handles other setups, but with limits switches in series won't be able to tell if you hit a + or - limit or even which axis (joint), but again, it's less of an issue if the soft limits are setup. - Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] gcode local variables + other question
Hello, Could someone please clear up my confusion about how local variables are treated in emc2. I understand that variables say #1 - #10 are local to a sub routine so that to take an example from the wiki (#1=xc #2=yc #3=xr #4=yr #5=subdiv #6=depth #7=rapid ht) o1000 call [0] [0] [1] [2] [200] [-1] [2] would set #1=0, #2=0, #3=1, #4=2, #5=200, #6= -1, and #7=2 in the subroutine My question is, are variables #1 etc also global in the sense that if I set #1= 99 before the call is its value pushed on some stack and retrieved again after the call or is the value just overwritten by the parameter value of zero? So #1 = 99 O1000 call [0] ... what is the value of #1 here after the sub 0 or 99 ? Also if I set the value of #1 before the call and then make the call with no parameters will the subroutine see the value I set? #1 = 99 O1000 call ... .. O1000 (this is the sub) is the value of #1 99 here or is it undefined? O1000 endsub So do gcode variables behave exactly like variables in a programming language such as C# etc or is there some difference? Unfortunately the wiki notes are unclear on this point. Now you would probably say why dont I try it and see, but unfortunately I using opensuse 11 at present so have not got immediate access to emc2. So my final question, is it a big job to compile emc2 under opensuse,? If not I will download from svn and have a go or has someone already done it? Thanks, Alan -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Emc-users Digest, Vol 36, Issue 5
>From: Kirk Wallace >Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Limit switches >I personally, would try to install the inputs needed for a full >complement of limit and home switches. You can use cheap PCI dual >parallel port cards: >http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166007 >(for other applications, one caveat is this card may not be compatible >with Pluto cards) > >that will give you more than enough I/O. In my opinion, this will make >the machine much easier to use. Also consider using two "switches" for >the homes, one on the slide and another on the screw (or configure as >index on encoder setups). This will allow a much more accurate home, so >that you can conveniently reuse setups between power downs. > >If you could post a description and pictures of your setup, this would >help draw more opinions (if that is what you want ;). > >Kirk >http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ > Many thanks Kirk for the reply, I am used to the old AHHA system that also had plenty of I/O being on a 37 pin plug. In AHHA if you hit say X+ you couldn't move further onto X+, only X- which was a good system. If I use a card such as you have listed and used one input per switch will it act the same as the AHHA in that jog is only valid in the opposite direction ? I probably wasn't specific enough in my first post. Regards, John Stevenson L Stevenson [ Engineers ] -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Limit switches
John Stevenson wrote: > New beginner here just getting my head round the capabilities of EMC2 > and would like to ask a few question on the operation. > > Just taking the limit switches on one axis, say X for arguments sake, > we have two switched wired in series, done this way so as to only use > 3 inputs per machine. > If the table is traveling towards X+ switch and hits it - what ? > > [a] What does the screen / command line say.? > [b] Will it deny you the opportunity to jog further onto the limit > switch ? > It says roughly "+/- limit exceeded on axis 0". With only one input for both limits, it can't allow you to move one way and not the other. If you had 2 inputs so it could tell + limit from - limit, it could allow you to only move the right way. You have to hit a limit override button to allow you to back off the limit switch. Jon -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] m5i20_pidtest.hal
Dave Engvall wrote: > > > Indeed that ( + and - ) would be the intuitive way to do it but it > doesn't work. > > I tried changing the sign on INPUT SCALE and the sign on OUTPUT_SCALE > independently but that doesn't work either. Axis moves on command and > then > faults on following error. > So I have more work to do. > > On a servo system, you have to swap the signs on both INPUT_ and OUTPUT_SCALE, or the servo runs away. Jon -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
On Thu, 2009-04-02 at 14:40 +0200, Peter blodow wrote: ... snip > > > already at low speeds whereas I think they should be able to run faster > > > - improper timing could be an explanation for this. > > My old stepper card does not recognize pulses below a certain length and > below a certain time distance. Check these lengths. > > Greetings from Germany on a warm sunny spring day > Peter Blodow I'm glad you're getting good weather there in Germany. We're starting our few weeks of warm weather with green foliage. Soon the grass lands will turn brown, which is still pretty, but I prefer green. I am not a developer,but... I think Stepconf is more convenient when you have data for the driver card from the manufacturer available. Otherwise, you end up doing what the manufacturer would need to do, which is test, and cut and try all the parameters to come up with the operating ranges for each parameter. Of course the stepper driver manufacturer is in a much better position to come up with this data. If you don't have the data, then you may be better off editing the config files by hand. I believe, one feature of Stepconf is that it starts fresh each time and overwrites the previous config file. If you want to save the previous file, just rename or copy it with a different name. I think this has been an issue, and may be enhanced in the future. What driver card are you using? Do you have a description and/or pictures of your setup? -- Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
I don't have solutions for you other than to note that I have been able to use Stepconf (ver 2.2.8) to set up my gantry style router (48"X24"X4") with no problems. Using the test axis, I was able to troubleshoot a problematic X axis (leadscrew alignments). I can not run my machine at 90 ipm cuts with 120 ipm rapids. With more time, I am sure these rates could increase by tweaking the mechanical components. Only additional item is I did update the 2.2.8 from source back in mid february before doing this work. Don't know if this helps or hurts the discussion. Brian G -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] m5i20_pidtest.hal
On Thu, 2009-04-02 at 09:59 -0700, Dave Engvall wrote: ... snip > Now that things are running I can relax a bit. Many thanks to all > those that offered > advise on my problem(s). > > Dave Oops, looks like you are way ahead of me on this. Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] m5i20_pidtest.hal
On Apr 2, 2009, at 9:16 AM, Kirk Wallace wrote: > On Wed, 2009-04-01 at 22:18 -0700, Dave Engvall wrote: > ... snip >> Indeed that ( + and - ) would be the intuitive way to do it but it >> doesn't work. >> >> I tried changing the sign on INPUT SCALE and the sign on >> OUTPUT_SCALE >> independently but that doesn't work either. Axis moves on command and >> then >> faults on following error. >> So I have more work to do. >> >> Dave > > I briefly looked over the Servo Dynamics ( www.servodynamics.com ) > 1525-BR manual > ( http://www.servodynamics.com/Manuals/1525br_manual.pdf ). They do > seem > to indicate that the + input is a single ended common, but don't > explain > why. It would be nice to see what chip or circuit they use for the > input. If you can take the cover off without voiding your warranty, > can > you get a close up picture of the input area on both sides of the > board? > Another thing that came to mind is that the enable input is pulled > high > or active by default, so it seems that if the enable signal fails, > most > likely the amp will be active. It looks like the position limit switch > inputs are the same way, they seem to fail with the amp active. > > The manual indicates the amp has inputs for torque and velocity > feedback, which may complicate things. The amp output to the motor > will > vary with, the input from EMC2, and the feedback to the amp from the > motor. I like to have EMC2 handle all of the feedback, but looks like > the torque mode feedback really is a current limit to protect the > motor, > so this should be the setup to use. > > What are you using as the analog output to the amp? > > Now that you have some motion working, if you set the FERROR and > MIN_FERROR, for the axis under test, to a large number, such as 1", > does > the encoder display in AXIS match the the commanded motion? In other > words, for a command for a .5" plus movement at a slow feed rate , > increase the displayed position by .5"? > - > Kirk > http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ > Hi Kirk, Yes, one can use torque mode as the crew did on the Mazak at Galesburg. However, tuning is much easier if one has an internal velocity loop and then has to tune only the position loop. Using a battery box and halscope I tuned the gain vs tach on the amp to get good response. The X is not geared right so is slow to respond, i.e like 200 ms to plateau on velocity. On the other hand the Y comes up in about 40 ms. I just finished tuning both axes and the Y is much better than the X. Both are pushing the resolution of the encoders tho. The FF1 values are quite high 8.5 for X and 15 for Y. Not exactly ideal but I'll take what works. Now that things are running I can relax a bit. Many thanks to all those that offered advise on my problem(s). Dave -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Limit switches
On Thu, 2009-04-02 at 13:20 +0100, John Stevenson wrote: > New beginner here just getting my head round the capabilities of EMC2 > and would like to ask a few question on the operation. > > Just taking the limit switches on one axis, say X for arguments sake, > we have two switched wired in series, done this way so as to only use > 3 inputs per machine. > If the table is traveling towards X+ switch and hits it - what ? EMC2 will stop all movement and indicate an axis limit error. http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Homing_And_Limit_Switch > [a] What does the screen / command line say.? I don't recall off hand, I am not at an EMC2 machine right now, but I can check. > [b] Will it deny you the opportunity to jog further onto the limit > switch ? There is a check box in AXIS that can over-ride the limit error in order to get the axis off of the switch. > John S. > Regards, > > John Stevenson > L Stevenson [ Engineers ] I personally, would try to install the inputs needed for a full complement of limit and home switches. You can use cheap PCI dual parallel port cards: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815166007 (for other applications, one caveat is this card may not be compatible with Pluto cards) that will give you more than enough I/O. In my opinion, this will make the machine much easier to use. Also consider using two "switches" for the homes, one on the slide and another on the screw (or configure as index on encoder setups). This will allow a much more accurate home, so that you can conveniently reuse setups between power downs. If you could post a description and pictures of your setup, this would help draw more opinions (if that is what you want ;). Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] FW: Searching the email archives
Thank you, that is just exactly what I was looking for. Now off to the searches. - John Guenther 'Ye Olde Pen Maker' Sterling, Virginia On Thu, 2009-04-02 at 16:19 +, William Baden wrote: > > > > > > > > > The link for the archives is: [Gmane.org archive]found on this > webpage:http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.plTo do a search of this > archive select "Searching" on the page that is brought up. Should be on the > left side of the window.You should be sent to a search page where you can > enter into the text boxes for "Search for words" "Written by" and "In > Group"For in group use this as the group:gmane.linux.distributions.emc.user > Hope this helps.Will Baden> From: j.guent...@verizon.net > > To: emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:14:28 -0400 > > Subject: [Emc-users] Searching the email archives > > > > Hello; > > > > Is there any way to search the email archives for a specific subject? > > Is there any way to download the entire email archives? > > > > Thanks. > > - > > John Guenther > > 'Ye Olde Pen Maker' > > Sterling, Virginia > > > > > > > > -- > > ___ > > Emc-users mailing list > > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users > > Rediscover Hotmail®: Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. Check it > out. > _ > Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. > http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_allup_1a_explore_042009 > -- > ___ > 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] FW: Searching the email archives
The link for the archives is: [Gmane.org archive]found on this webpage:http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.plTo do a search of this archive select "Searching" on the page that is brought up. Should be on the left side of the window.You should be sent to a search page where you can enter into the text boxes for "Search for words" "Written by" and "In Group"For in group use this as the group:gmane.linux.distributions.emc.user Hope this helps.Will Baden> From: j.guent...@verizon.net > To: emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 09:14:28 -0400 > Subject: [Emc-users] Searching the email archives > > Hello; > > Is there any way to search the email archives for a specific subject? > Is there any way to download the entire email archives? > > Thanks. > - > John Guenther > 'Ye Olde Pen Maker' > Sterling, Virginia > > > > -- > ___ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users Rediscover Hotmail®: Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. Check it out. _ Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_allup_1a_explore_042009 -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] m5i20_pidtest.hal
On Wed, 2009-04-01 at 22:18 -0700, Dave Engvall wrote: ... snip > Indeed that ( + and - ) would be the intuitive way to do it but it > doesn't work. > > I tried changing the sign on INPUT SCALE and the sign on OUTPUT_SCALE > independently but that doesn't work either. Axis moves on command and > then > faults on following error. > So I have more work to do. > > Dave I briefly looked over the Servo Dynamics ( www.servodynamics.com ) 1525-BR manual ( http://www.servodynamics.com/Manuals/1525br_manual.pdf ). They do seem to indicate that the + input is a single ended common, but don't explain why. It would be nice to see what chip or circuit they use for the input. If you can take the cover off without voiding your warranty, can you get a close up picture of the input area on both sides of the board? Another thing that came to mind is that the enable input is pulled high or active by default, so it seems that if the enable signal fails, most likely the amp will be active. It looks like the position limit switch inputs are the same way, they seem to fail with the amp active. The manual indicates the amp has inputs for torque and velocity feedback, which may complicate things. The amp output to the motor will vary with, the input from EMC2, and the feedback to the amp from the motor. I like to have EMC2 handle all of the feedback, but looks like the torque mode feedback really is a current limit to protect the motor, so this should be the setup to use. What are you using as the analog output to the amp? Now that you have some motion working, if you set the FERROR and MIN_FERROR, for the axis under test, to a large number, such as 1", does the encoder display in AXIS match the the commanded motion? In other words, for a command for a .5" plus movement at a slow feed rate , increase the displayed position by .5"? - Kirk http://www.wallacecompany.com/machine_shop/ -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
Peter Thankyou so much for sharing your trials and discovery. Such knowledge will save a poor beginner like myself much precious sanity. Regards Cal Grandy Vermont USA Hello Gentlemen, > this is mainly to the EMC developers. > > Since January I have tried to get my steppers run smoothly and evenly. I > wrote several mails to the list on this problem, but received little echo. > Now I seem to be near to the solution which might be of interest to the > developing team. > > My steppers rattled and lost steps regardless of the conditions I gave > them. I've changed almost everything in the setup to get the motors run > correctly. Result: No cure for the problem of "rattling steppers loosing > steps" (name of my former thread). > > - I tried 4 different motherboards from 350 MHz Intel to 2.4 GHz AMD > - I tried 3 newly installed harddisks with two different live CD's > downloaded 2008 and 2009 > - I tried running EMC from the live disks directly > - I tried all this with two different driver boards > - I tested all axis independently and in common > - I made a LED test plug for the printer cable to visualize the timing > with > little sockets to access the signals with a scope probe > - I changed the order of pulse and direction output at the pins of the > parport > - I commented all "reset" lines in .hal to switch off doublestep like I > was > told > - I varied the parameters of steplen and stepspace in .hal up and down to > extreme values > - I had a friend (informatics expert) do all this again to exclude my > person as the source of trouble (which is the most likely cause of > computer > problems) > - I looked at the pulses at the parport with two different oscilloscopes > and found that the pulses came rather irregularly (the old scope couldn't > even trigger it). > > Finally I noticed: only 3 successive pulses (5 us) came with a constant > pause in between, the fourth pause was twice as long which caused the > motors to dance a 5/4 waltz no matter what speed I chose. This could be > influenced only by varying the microstep rate from half to 1/4 or 1/8 > step. > The longer pause seemed to appear then as the eighth or the sixteenth one > correspondingly (hard to get a steady picture for counting them on the > scope). > > To put it shortly: I found no solution and came to the conclusion that > nobody in the world ever tried running steppers with EMC stepconf because > I > never heard anything about it and nobody answered to my mails about it. > All > this troubleshooting took me about two months since I sometimes have to > earn some money, too, and almost all my nerves. > > Note that I did all this with the "test axis" function of stepconf because > this is a very convenient way to see the result of parameter variations > immediately. Now, yesterday evening it occurred to me that stepconf > apparently ignores settings in .hal and .ini files that I made with the > editor when going beyond its apparent default limits. I made a micky mouse > G-Code list and tested this with axis instead of stepconf, ad lo and > behold! the problem was solved! (A little time jitter was still present > but > bearable). > > I resisted my instant urge to dance on the table only because there was no > space on any table. Can you imagine, by the way, what my house looks like > meanwhile? My wife told me that if I wouldn't get all the equipment > mentioned out of the way (I piled it up in 3 rooms), she would, which > could > become a serious case - wars originated from lesser causes.;-)) > > Seriously: After all my efforts I am inclined to exclude all other causes > of the misbehaviour than stepconf. Is it really true that nobody ever > reported problems with the "test axis" function of stepconf? Maybe it has > been fixed in 2.3? I have the impression that it must be a minor bug when > counting the pulses because there is a connection with the microstep > feature. > > I am aware that expositions now have caught all the attention of the gang. > But when NAMES and EMC expo are over, please someone would have a look at > this? > > Thank you for the learning > > Peter Blodow > -- > ___ > 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] Limit switches
New beginner here just getting my head round the capabilities of EMC2 and would like to ask a few question on the operation. Just taking the limit switches on one axis, say X for arguments sake, we have two switched wired in series, done this way so as to only use 3 inputs per machine. If the table is traveling towards X+ switch and hits it - what ? [a] What does the screen / command line say.? [b] Will it deny you the opportunity to jog further onto the limit switch ? John S. Regards, John Stevenson L Stevenson [ Engineers ] -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] Searching the email archives
Hello; Is there any way to search the email archives for a specific subject? Is there any way to download the entire email archives? Thanks. - John Guenther 'Ye Olde Pen Maker' Sterling, Virginia -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
>I had a little different but LESS subtle issue with stepconf... Whaddayamean LESS subtle?? I spent almost every weekend for two months fussing with stepconf And my machines rest >My issue was that as I tried to tweak my settings to get each of the >setting correct so that each axis will move the appropriate distances, >about half the time the stepper would not move.. Yes would not move... No >the motor was not stalling, just simply NO movement... If I were to exit, >run Axis, I then could test the axis, and it moved I then would note >how far it moved.. Go BACK into stepconf to tweak, then back to Axis to >test.. VERY VERY inconvenient but I got it.. I have not encountered something like this yet, but it will be a long beautiful spring. Honestly: After all I've seen and after reading Rob Jansen's mail I doubt if the "test axis" function is worth any more than to check if the motors are hooked to the right pins. Obviously, the movement properties of this feature and that of Axis can't be related, so experiences with stepconfig don't pertain to the real behaviour in later practice. >Robert I. Shell > > > Wow, with your wife almost throwing out all your stuff that's very nice > > to write ;-) I wasn't sure if she would move my stuff out or leave herself.;-) Didn't wait to find out. > > I will also start learning again. Somehow my stepper motors stall > > already at low speeds whereas I think they should be able to run faster > > - improper timing could be an explanation for this. My old stepper card does not recognize pulses below a certain length and below a certain time distance. Check these lengths. Greetings from Germany on a warm sunny spring day Peter Blodow -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
I had a little different but LESS subtle issue with stepconf... My issue was that as I tried to tweak my settings to get each of the setting correct so that each axis will move the appropriate distances, about half the time the stepper would not move.. Yes would not move... No the motor was not stalling, just simply NO movement... If I were to exit, run Axis, I then could test the axis, and it moved I then would note how far it moved.. Go BACK into stepconf to tweak, then back to Axis to test.. VERY VERY inconvenient but I got it.. Robert I. Shell Senior Programmer Analyst - Channels and Integration Affinion Group, Global Information Systems Columbus Ohio Application Development Center Work: (614) 652-5257 > Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:08:49 +0200 > From: r...@myvoice.nl > To: emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > Subject: Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf? > > Peter, > >> this is mainly to the EMC developers. > I am not an EMC developer. I am a challenging user, just like most of us :-) > >> Seriously: After all my efforts I am inclined to exclude all other causes >> of the misbehaviour than stepconf. Is it really true that nobody ever >> reported problems with the "test axis" function of stepconf? Maybe it has >> been fixed in 2.3? I have the impression that it must be a minor bug when >> counting the pulses because there is a connection with the microstep feature. >> > Yes, I reported on this list that the step rates that were being used by > the "test axis" function in stepconf is different from the step rate > being used by Axis. I am not sure if this has been picked up. I did not > look at the exact pulse width and pauses between the pulses. I could do > this next week since I do have a logic analyzer that can be hooked up to > my PC. > You should however be aware that stepconf does indeed (as far as I know) > not acknowledge any manual changed in the HAL files. >> I am aware that expositions now have caught all the attention of the gang. >> But when NAMES and EMC expo are over, please someone would have a look at >> this? >> > I almost showed up in Names (Namur) in Belgium. It took me some time to > realize this was a TLA and not the name of the city >> Thank you for the learning > Wow, with your wife almost throwing out all your stuff that's very nice > to write ;-) > I will also start learning again. Somehow my stepper motors stall > already at low speeds whereas I think they should be able to run faster > - improper timing could be an explanation for this. > > Regards, > > Rob > > -- > ___ > Emc-users mailing list > Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users _ Quick access to your favorite MSN content and Windows Live with Internet Explorer 8. http://ie8.msn.com/microsoft/internet-explorer-8/en-us/ie8.aspx?ocid=B037MSN55C0701A -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
Re: [Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
Peter, > this is mainly to the EMC developers. I am not an EMC developer. I am a challenging user, just like most of us :-) > Seriously: After all my efforts I am inclined to exclude all other causes > of the misbehaviour than stepconf. Is it really true that nobody ever > reported problems with the "test axis" function of stepconf? Maybe it has > been fixed in 2.3? I have the impression that it must be a minor bug when > counting the pulses because there is a connection with the microstep feature. > Yes, I reported on this list that the step rates that were being used by the "test axis" function in stepconf is different from the step rate being used by Axis. I am not sure if this has been picked up. I did not look at the exact pulse width and pauses between the pulses. I could do this next week since I do have a logic analyzer that can be hooked up to my PC. You should however be aware that stepconf does indeed (as far as I know) not acknowledge any manual changed in the HAL files. > I am aware that expositions now have caught all the attention of the gang. > But when NAMES and EMC expo are over, please someone would have a look at > this? > I almost showed up in Names (Namur) in Belgium. It took me some time to realize this was a TLA and not the name of the city > Thank you for the learning Wow, with your wife almost throwing out all your stuff that's very nice to write ;-) I will also start learning again. Somehow my stepper motors stall already at low speeds whereas I think they should be able to run faster - improper timing could be an explanation for this. Regards, Rob -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
[Emc-users] Bug in stepconf?
Hello Gentlemen, this is mainly to the EMC developers. Since January I have tried to get my steppers run smoothly and evenly. I wrote several mails to the list on this problem, but received little echo. Now I seem to be near to the solution which might be of interest to the developing team. My steppers rattled and lost steps regardless of the conditions I gave them. I've changed almost everything in the setup to get the motors run correctly. Result: No cure for the problem of "rattling steppers loosing steps" (name of my former thread). - I tried 4 different motherboards from 350 MHz Intel to 2.4 GHz AMD - I tried 3 newly installed harddisks with two different live CD's downloaded 2008 and 2009 - I tried running EMC from the live disks directly - I tried all this with two different driver boards - I tested all axis independently and in common - I made a LED test plug for the printer cable to visualize the timing with little sockets to access the signals with a scope probe - I changed the order of pulse and direction output at the pins of the parport - I commented all "reset" lines in .hal to switch off doublestep like I was told - I varied the parameters of steplen and stepspace in .hal up and down to extreme values - I had a friend (informatics expert) do all this again to exclude my person as the source of trouble (which is the most likely cause of computer problems) - I looked at the pulses at the parport with two different oscilloscopes and found that the pulses came rather irregularly (the old scope couldn't even trigger it). Finally I noticed: only 3 successive pulses (5 us) came with a constant pause in between, the fourth pause was twice as long which caused the motors to dance a 5/4 waltz no matter what speed I chose. This could be influenced only by varying the microstep rate from half to 1/4 or 1/8 step. The longer pause seemed to appear then as the eighth or the sixteenth one correspondingly (hard to get a steady picture for counting them on the scope). To put it shortly: I found no solution and came to the conclusion that nobody in the world ever tried running steppers with EMC stepconf because I never heard anything about it and nobody answered to my mails about it. All this troubleshooting took me about two months since I sometimes have to earn some money, too, and almost all my nerves. Note that I did all this with the "test axis" function of stepconf because this is a very convenient way to see the result of parameter variations immediately. Now, yesterday evening it occurred to me that stepconf apparently ignores settings in .hal and .ini files that I made with the editor when going beyond its apparent default limits. I made a micky mouse G-Code list and tested this with axis instead of stepconf, ad lo and behold! the problem was solved! (A little time jitter was still present but bearable). I resisted my instant urge to dance on the table only because there was no space on any table. Can you imagine, by the way, what my house looks like meanwhile? My wife told me that if I wouldn't get all the equipment mentioned out of the way (I piled it up in 3 rooms), she would, which could become a serious case - wars originated from lesser causes.;-)) Seriously: After all my efforts I am inclined to exclude all other causes of the misbehaviour than stepconf. Is it really true that nobody ever reported problems with the "test axis" function of stepconf? Maybe it has been fixed in 2.3? I have the impression that it must be a minor bug when counting the pulses because there is a connection with the microstep feature. I am aware that expositions now have caught all the attention of the gang. But when NAMES and EMC expo are over, please someone would have a look at this? Thank you for the learning Peter Blodow -- ___ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
