[bill south]

Hey Guys;
I'm still struggling with the pp install on my pro (servo). First question is does the computer need to be connected to the bob in the machine for installation. I have been trying the install on a bench computer with the idea of just unplugging the mach controller and plugging in the new computer. So, does the new pp computer need to be connected tot he pro for installation of the software???? The error I'm getting is "machine control software experienced an error. Install a software update" which it will not do!

Also my machine is a servo. I don't know if the ini, hal and bit I'm using off the other thread are for a servo machine.

Wow, Acorn is looking better all the time.
Thanks
Bill

[SCzEngrgGroup]

Wow, Acorn is looking better all the time.

Only because you have not yet experienced Centroids idea of "support": "Do it the way WE think you should, or you're on your own"...

Regards,
Ray L.

[LeeWay]

I am not sure why, but you have to have all the ducks in a row to help eliminate those errors.
You can't just run Path pilot without the Mesa card and I am pretty sure it needs to see the hardware.

[brianbonedoc]

Lee - is right. Just shove that mesa card in the Novakon PC and start. I believe Kvom has a servo machine that he set up and I think he posted his files here.

If you are doing PP 2.0 it's a bit different in the set up and hal files. I posted mine here somewhere for examples. Mine is a pulsar stepper machine.

I am happy to help you in any way I can.

[kvom]

That error message is what you'll get as long as there are errors in the HAL and .ini files. Possibly nothing to do with the hardware. The install succeeded. Because the startup wants to flash the Mesa card, you'll need to have it installed.

My machine is not a servo.

[brianbonedoc]

That error message is what you'll get as long as there are errors in the HAL and .ini files. Possibly nothing to do with the hardware. The install succeeded. Because the startup wants to flash the Mesa card, you'll need to have it installed.

My machine is not a servo.

My bad maybe it was sagreen who has the servo machine?

[PCW_MESA]

A step/dir controlled servo would not be any different config file wise than a stepper motor system
(other than perhaps step timing and machine velocities/accelerations)

A system with axis encoder feedback to Pathpilot would need hal/ini file changes

[bill south]

Thanks Guys;
Still getting the error even installed in the machine. I feel the need to learn more about Linux and how to get out of the automatic boot to PP mode so I can try to use the error trap routine. I'm familiar with windows but Linux has me baffled. Is there a key combination that would have Linux start without launching PP.
FYI (just in case), I have the PP2.0 upgrade but I'm attempting to install 1.9.3 so I can follow the Tormach routine for installing the new version. I know I'll eventually get everything figured out just starting slow out of the gate.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Bill

[LeeWay]

You have to be able to bypass the boot into Path Pilot in order to install the files in Linux. Once you are in Linux, the file structure and GUI are kinda similar to Windows, so not that strange of a place.
I haven't done it in so long, I do not remember how it is done on the older PP or the new USB.

[Steve303]

I think in PP 1.9x if you hold down the LEFT "ALT" "SHIFT" Keys should get you to the desktop.

If you wish to stop PP from booting every time you re-boot just uncheck "Tormach PathPilot" in the "Startup Applications" under "System" menu.

Steve

[brianbonedoc]

Bill - theres a bit of work involved going from PP 1.9.x to PP2.0 therefore I would start out w/ PP 2.0 as 1.9 is basically obsolete.

In PP 2.0 the left shift + Alt trick is supposed to work, but on mine it didn't.
I had to hit ctrl-x or ctrl-shift-x to get to the terminal prompt. Then type in mate-panel and it will get you a desktop.
Then in startup applications, uncheck PathPilot so it doesn't start automatically as this helps w/ testing.

[LeeWay]

Bill - theres a bit of work involved going from PP 1.9.x to PP2.0 therefore I would start out w/ PP 2.0 as 1.9 is basically obsolete.

That is a good point. I have been resisting the 2.0 on the lathe. It is mission critical and is not broken.
At this point the Pulsar is not yet mission critical again. Still setting up for a different product. It would be a good test bed to upgrade to 2.0. Doing so would probably be a wise choice for support reasons.

[Steve303]

If you want to work in simulation mode with PP2.0 without a mesa card installed in your pc you can press CTR + ALT + S keys before selecting the machine. Forces PP into simulation mode.

[bill south]

SUCCESS
I think I wore it down and it just gave up and started working! Actually, once I could access the log files it was only a matter of eliminating the errors. The only thing left to do is get the limit switches and home switches working.
Thanks for all the help guys! It is really appreciated!
Bill

[brianbonedoc]

Nice Bill! One thing on my pulsar that I did differently than the stock tormach was tie all the limit switches together. So all limit switches use only one input. That is reflected in my hal file. If I recall there weren’t enough inputs on the BOB to do everything and have separate limit switches. It doesn’t really matter because you only home one axis at a time anyways

[rickjamesbrown]

Hi, I'm trying to get PP (1.9) working on my Novakon Pulsar. I'm following the instructions posted here: PathPilot on Non-Tormach Wikia | FANDOM powered by Wikia. I have installed PP from the DVD and now I need to flash the correct firmware to the BOB. I have a Novakon Pulsar purchased last fall - does anyone have the correct bitfile for that board? I'm a bit at a loss as to where to find it. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

- Rick

[kvom]

Did you purchase a Mesa card and install it?

[Steve303]

Here is the bit file that I am using with my Pulsar. Remove the .txt.

Steve

[sagreen]

My bad maybe it was sagreen who has the servo machine?

It is me. I'm getting ready to do a 2.0 install today.

Scott...

[brianbonedoc]

Good luck!!

Let me know if you have questions.