[egw]

Anyone load Fadal assist on a computer with XP and have a message that access to com1 is denied?
any help would be appreciated.


On another subject, have a fadal Preformance series 3020 with a Seimens Control and have been very pleased overall.
Arm tool changer is very nice

thanks for any help
geo

[nervis1]

None of that old com software is tested on XP so we are on our own. I'm trying to do the same thing right now and going back and forth with a computer tech guy trying to get XP to communicate on my 422 port.

First try removing the com ports in device manager and re booting the computer. Some program may have com 1 tied up.

I'll let you know if I learn anything useful.

[Neal]

The Fadal Assist can work in Windows XP. Go to properties and set the Comaptability tab to run in Win 95 or 98 mode. I have the Assist on my Desk Top with XP and it is set for Win 95 compatability and it works fine.
The issue with you Com1 has nothing to do with XP or Assist per sey. The problem is that there is a setting on your computer that is blocking access to Com 1.

Neal

[nervis1]

Wow, had no idea you could do that. I can't find the compatability tab though.

Where is this?

If I right click the desktop and go to properties I don't see any compatability tab....

[egw]

if you have assist on your desk top right click on the icon, the pull down will have properties etc. select 95/98
called fadal today they said to get nc fadal which is not much help if you already paid for Fadal assist.

geo

[nervis1]

Ah thank you.

[Fred Stevens]

A couple more comments here. Neal is right - you can run Fadal Assist in Win 95/98 compatibility mode (or even a dos box, it's originally a dos program). Assist has a couple of nice features, it lets you run a graphics sim like the 88HS controller right on your pc screen, and, as I recall, it includes the "function" feature like what is built in to the Fadal controller. This gives ya access to the subroutines like engraving, etc. right on your pc.

NC Fadal is strictly a communications program. It lets you upload and download a program, all programs and tool page info. From inside of NC fadal, you can do editing to a program, cut, paste, copy etc. You can also print and do save and save as. That's about it, though. If you don't have a CAD program or anything else, it's better than nothing, but not by much.
fredstev

[egw]

Thank you for the input Fred!
I came to find out my new Compact computer I purchased to use cad cam and assist on does not have any COM1 or COM2 available???
called HP support and they said there is not COM1 on the computer.
this is why in this case Fadal Assist can not find COM1 to send the program to. there is a printer port for the RS232 cable, but it is LPT only. Drag.

I did find where to asign the COM ports if you have them
Go to Control panel
than System
than hardware
next Device manager to see the com settings

Conect to/ network connections/add connection and the bottom radio button is set up and advanced connection.

geo

[Neal]

EGW--
Remember that the Assist program supports ONLY COM1 and COM2. Also the parameter is CASE sensitive. It must be in upper case letters. Also, Assist is restricted to a maximum of 9600 Baud.
I have the Assist manual in PDF form if anyone would like to have it. I'm leaving for Pennsylvania tomorrow for the Holidays but I'll be back on Jan 3rd. Send me an e-mail or call my office if you know where it is and I'll send it to you.

Neal

[Fred Stevens]

Thank you for the input Fred!
I came to find out my new Compact computer I purchased to use cad cam and assist on does not have any COM1 or COM2 available???
called HP support and they said there is not COM1 on the computer.
this is why in this case Fadal Assist can not find COM1 to send the program to. there is a printer port for the RS232 cable, but it is LPT only. Drag.

I did find where to asign the COM ports if you have them
Go to Control panel
than System
than hardware
next Device manager to see the com settings

Conect to/ network connections/add connection and the bottom radio button is set up and advanced connection.

geo

You're welcome. If your PC doesn't have either 9 or 24 pin rs232 serial ports (not uncommon now), you can buy an internal card that fits one of your pci slots and will fix you up. I THINK that you can also buy a usb to rs232 adapter but am unsure if it would work correctly in this application. Also, don't forget that you either need a null modem (crossover) cable or a crossover adapter to connect to the Fadal cabinet. The pinouts are documented in your manual or at:

http://www.fadal.com/index.php?id=788

Fred

[alkhemist]

For some reason in the evolution of PCs com1 and com2 have been come abandoned in favour of com3 and com4. This is merely a naming convention.

If your pc has a serial port, which you state it does; you should be able to configure it to be com1 thry com256.

In XP, go to the desktop, right click the "My Computer" icon. On the dropdown menu click "Properties". A new window "System Properties" will appear. Make sure the "Hardware" tab is active, then click the "Device Manager" button. A third window called "Device Manager" will appear (you can also get here from the "Control Panel" app - if you're familiar with it).

The Device Manager will display a graphic hardware tree (similar to Windows Explorer). Find the branch that is labelled "Ports (COM&LPT)". Click the "+" node to expand this branch. The should be a branch titled "Communications Port (COMx)" {Note X will be a number of what ever the current serial port is configured to respond as - if I have followed your posting correctly, you should probably see "COM3". DOUBLE-CLICK this branch.

A fourth window opens (don't you feel like Alice going down the rabbit's hole?). This window is entitled: "Communications Port (COMx) Properties". Click the "Port Settings" tab. On this tab you will see a button labelled "Advanced..". Click this button.

A final window opens. Now you should see a drop-down list box (a white rectangle with the letters "COMx" (or what ever your current com# is), and a down arrow to the right side of the box. Click the down arrow to reveal all the possible COM# designation that you can assign your serial port to. Select "COM1" and then Click the "OK" button to re-assign the serial port's inturrupt name.

You might have to reboot your system for the port to be recognized as COM1.

PLEASE NOTE that by changing the comm number, if you have additional serial devices, or boards that use COM1 interupts you might experience some other hardware conflicts. Your system will ultimately let you know this is the case with all sorts of error and warning boxes appearing. If this happens, you have two options: return the comm port to #3 and don't use the software on that box; or use the Device Manager's to trouble shoot and reassign the other conflicting devices.

This might seem daunting, don't let it scare you. This used to be an easy accessed feature of Windows prior to their Plug & Pray, er... I mean Play, concept.

Good Luck !

[jsmoe]

I never thought I'd be using this software again, but here I am loading it onto a Win98 machine I just set up specifically for this. The trouble I'm having is when I launch Assist, it comes up for a second and the screen saver comes on. When I press any key to continue, It comes back up for a second and again, right to the screensaver.
Any known solutions out there would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Neal]

Disable the screen saver. Assist has one built in but I would disable it also.

Neal

[jsmoe]

Thanks but it is the Assist screensaver I was refering to, I disabled it but it still comes up in about 1 second. It makes Assist unusable.

[Neal]

right click on the ASSIST.EXE file and open PROPERTIES. Check on disallow screensaver.

Neal

[jsmoe]

Did that, I must have a damaged file or a glitch...I'm thinking I need to get my hands on a recently working copy, My copy has been stored on an old floppy for about 20 years since it was last used...dunno..

Thanks though!