[rsecret]

Am I correct in assuming that the pin asignments from my printer port to my drives and/or breakout board are determined by a driver whithin CAM software.

If not is there a standard pinout scheme for the step and direction signals?

Thanks!

[ger21]

The pinouts are determined by how you've wired you're drives. The control software should be able to be set up to accomodate the wiring. It has nothing to do with CAM software.

[rsecret]

Ok, so tell me if I have it right, Mach2 is an example of a control software where MeshCAM is CAM software? If so would Mach2 be where one would setup there LPT connections?

Sorry for the lame questions but I am still having trouble understanding what software does what.

Thanks!

[CLaNZeR]

Pin outs for controller boxes/boards to vary but have the same functions.

At a minimum each Motor will require one pin for Clock and the other for Direction and some use another pin for enable depending on the controller being used again.

So if you have Three motors then 6 pins are going to be used to determine the direction of the controller and send pulses on the clock lines for speed and distance.

Other input pins are used for limit switches and Emergency stop.

Other outputs can be used for Switching Aux ouputs or for Sleep/Boost mode, again depending on the controller.

The original Parallel Printer Port had a total of 12 digital outputs and 5 digital inputs, this has changed a bit with enhanced, extended etc but if you follow the guideline below then you can be sure all ports will work like this.

Pins 2-9 are setup as a data port as outputs and commonly used for controlling the motors.

Pins 10-11-12-13 and 15 are inputs

Other outputs are Pin 1,14,16 and 17

The rest are taken to GND

So now to configure the software you are using by looking for the I/O options or other options that sound like they are linked to the output signal and configure them to suit the pins your controller needs.

Regards

Sean.

[pminmo]

Maybe this will help http://pminmo.com/pport/pport.htm

[rsecret]

Now thats what I was looking for! I read the Mack2 doc. and even though they talk about which of the LPT pins are inputs and which are outputs they never get into what pin goes where.

BTW as a beginer I found the Mach doc to be very helpful.

Thanks!

[ger21]

Keep in mind that the pin assignments in the above mentioned site are not set in stone. They are somewhat of a standard, but you can set up you pins any way you want.

Yes, MeshCAM is CAM software, which outputs a g-code file. Mach3 is control software, which reads the g-code file, and actually controls the machine.

[pminmo]

ger21,
True those are the defaults for those programs except for EMC, which unless it has changed is not configurable.