[phomann]

Pretty sure Tormach uses the 10.10.10.10 IP address so IP jumpers need to be
W5 DOWN, W6 UP

But beware, Path pilot will write it's bitfile to the 7I92, which is not what you want for a G540
This needs to be worked around (maybe a path pilot expert will chime in here)

Hi PCW,
Thanks. I’ll try that tonight. My plan was to;
1. Get PathPilot to talk to the 7i92 and start PathPilot running.
2. Get the WiFi up and running as I don’t have any other way to log into the computer.
3. Look at what needs to be changed, bit file, hal to get it running with my G540 controller.

Maybe I should have got a PC with the ability to add a 2nd NIC as TP suggested.

Cheers
Peter


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[phomann]

I think I remember reading an old post by a user rsdi? stating u need to change the network ip address to something like 10.10.10.1.

10.10.10.1 may be the IP address of the PC. That would align with PCW’s suggestion of the card being 10.10.10.10.
The issue is that the PathPilot Install USB configures everything, so I’m assuming it is setting the PC’s IP address.
There is a log function that writes a whole lot of debug info to a USB stick. I didn’t have time to go through it last night but I did notice an if_config output file so that should have what the PC’s IP Address is.
Cheers
Peter


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[vmax549]

Hi Peter, You can use the built in Eithernet for the machine and a usb plugin eithernet for the web access and share. You may have to set the jumpers on the Mesa board. But you do want to use the builtin for the com to the Mesa board.

Do you know how to get to the Linux side yet ?? From there you can look at the PathPilot log to see what it wants to connenct. IF you had chosen the 1100S3 and the mesa jumpers are correct it should have loaded up with the stock PP_7i92 bitfile. IF you used the 1100M setup it used their OWN emc board that will not match up.

ALSO if you used the 1100S3 the hal will be close and you can tell from the PP LOG what needs to be changed. BUT it will only give you 1 error at a time. So it is a process.

(;-) TP

[rodw]

Normally, PP excluded, you set the jumpers so the ip address of the card is 10.10.10.10
So the PC needs to be in the same network range. Usually 10.10.10.1

If you can get to a command prompt, type ip a and record the network interface name (eg eth0, enps1 or similar)
then you need a text editor. sudo apt install geany will install geany which is very similar to notepad++ on windows.

Then you can edit a config file to set the fixed ip address

sudo geany /etc/network/interfaces

Then add this to the bottom of the file

auto eth1
iface eth1 inet static
address 10.10.10.1
hardware-irq-coalesce-rx-usecs 0

The last line helps with some intel NIC cards so it may not be required
change eth1 to what ip a reports.
Then reboot

You will also need to edit your hal file where the hm2_eth driver for mesa cards is loaded to specify the cards 10.10.10.10 ip address
see HM2_ETH

But you really should continue the conversation on the linuxcnc forum where there is a dedicated PP section where the experts PCW referred to live

[phomann]

Hi,
Setting the jumper to get the IP address from flash(10.10.10.10) did the trick.
Thanks everyone for that.

How do I bring up a command window?

I plugged in a USB WiFi dongle. The message window reports that it was plugged in. I can’t see how to configure it as it doesn’t show up in the network configuration page. I’ll need to do some research.

Cheers

Peter


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[phomann]

So I made some progress.
I used an RS232 DB25 breakout board and swapped the various pins from the 7i92 board to match that of the G540. For instance the 7i92 uses pins 2 & 3 for the X axis Dir and step respectively, whereas the G540 has them as 3 & 2

The charge pump frequency in the Hal file was 500hz. I changed it to 12000Hz and it worked as the G540 specifies 12.5Kz.

The G540 uses PWM for the spindle speed whereas the 7i92 uses a step pulse.

At the moment I’m considering making a idc26 board that swaps the pins around to suit the G540. For the spindle speed I’m thinking of putting a step pulse to PWM converter on the board.
The plan is to minimize altering the PathPilot configuration as much as possible.

Cheers
Peter





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[phomann]

The alternative is to dive in and create the appropriate bit and Hal files.
At this stage I don’t have the skill to accomplish that yet.
Cheers
Peter.


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[gerritv]

My experience with PP on a PMDX-132 (somewhat similar to G540) is that making a cable munger is the way to go. The only change I need to make in the PP config files is the travel and max spindle speed (I have a 24k spindle). This makes updating to newer versions of PP quite painless as there are only a few config file lines involved.

PP (configured as 1100-3) outputs freqency for spindle speed. My VFD needs 0-10V so I bought a converter for that. Works well. For the G540 you might need to daisy chain a freq->voltage->pwm converter pair to get to what you need (I couldn't find a freq->pwm directly)

[vmax549]

HI Peter. The correct bitfile for a 7i92 to use a G540 has alreay been created. You just have to Download it from the mesa site and load it into the correct folder then change the INI to point it to it so PP knows where to find it on loadup.

When you first turn on the PC and it boots watch the top left hand corner and when a Cursor shows up blinking then press Shift_X_ALT and hold it down until you see the Linuxcnc Desktop then you can release the keys. NOW you are in Linux. From there you have access to the Hal files and the INI files. From here you can load the Bit file to the proper folder ( MESA)

(;-) TP

[gerritv]

But then he has to do much more editing of the hal file(s) to get things connected again. By using a Tormach provided file, he only has to make a cable adapter, which is already done.

The less editing of hal and ini files when re-purposing PP the better.

[sagreen]

Hi all,

I should be ready in a week to start the Pathpilot installation journey. I've done quite a bit of searching trying to find threads on a suitable PC to use for Pathpilot. From what I can glean, a Gigabyte motherboard is probably the best bet.
Can anyone recommend a suitable NUC style PC that is suitable for this task?

I could get something like this but don't know it is suitable?


Gigabyte GB-BACE-3000 Brix

14nm Intel® Celeron N3000
500GB SSD
Ultra-compact PC design – 0.69L (56.1x 107.6 x 114.4mm)
1x 4Gb 1600 MHz RAM
Intel® IEEE 802.11 ac, Dual-Band Wi-Fi & Bluetooth 4.0 NGFF M.2 card
Supports dual displays via a VGA and an HDMI port
Gigabit LAN




Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Peter

I've been using a couple of these for PathPilot conversions and they are working great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Scott...

[scott216]

Hi,
That all makes sense. Last night I installed Mint onto the pc as a test as I wait for my PathPilot USB to arrive.
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Peter, what version of Mint is PathPilot shipping with? I upgraded to PP v2.x when it came out a few years ago and it's on Mint Rosa v17.3. Latest Mint is Cinnamon v20.

[PCW_MESA]

But then he has to do much more editing of the hal file(s) to get things connected again. By using a Tormach provided file, he only has to make a cable adapter, which is already done.

The less editing of hal and ini files when re-purposing PP the better.

Not really, if you use the correct bitfile (A bitfile for a G540) the pinout is correct and
you have the proper resources for the G540: PWM and chargepump support

Since this is not a Tormach machine, the hal file will likely have multiple customizations
anyway plus the low level pinout changes are not usually visible to hal anyway
(stepgens and pwmgens for example are addressed by module number not physical pin number)

[phomann]

Hi PCW,
I had a look at the G540 bit file definition. It doesn’t match the PathPilot use of the G540 input pins. PathPilot uses the 4 pins for XYZ home switches and probe input. The Mesa bit file uses then for two encoder inputs.

I don’t have the knowledge at this stage to modify PathPilot’s HAL and other files to suit the G540.
Once I get that working. I need to sort out PathPilot’s use of the 7i92 2nd port.
Cheers

Peter


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[PCW_MESA]

Hi PCW,
I had a look at the G540 bit file definition. It doesn’t match the PathPilot use of the G540 input pins. PathPilot uses the 4 pins for XYZ home switches and probe input. The Mesa bit file uses then for two encoder inputs.

I don’t have the knowledge at this stage to modify PathPilot’s HAL and other files to suit the G540.
Once I get that working. I need to sort out PathPilot’s use of the 7i92 2nd port.
Cheers

Peter


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The encoder in no way interferes with the use of those pins for home switches nor requires any hal changes

[phomann]

Hi PCW,
Thanks for that. It looks like I need to do a bit more reading.
My plan is to get PathPilot to work with the G540 with as little changes as possible. That said, it sounds that it may not be too difficult to do it via software configuration changes as TP suggested.
Cheers
Peter


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[phomann]

Peter, what version of Mint is PathPilot shipping with? I upgraded to PP v2.x when it came out a few years ago and it's on Mint Rosa v17.3. Latest Mint is Cinnamon v20.

My understanding is that it is Linux Mate. I’d need to check the version though.
Cheers
Peter


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[phomann]

I've been using a couple of these for PathPilot conversions and they are working great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Scott...

Hi Scott,

I’m using one of these.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-800-G...-/255462077125

I haven’t been able to get a WiFi dongle to be recognized by PathPilot yet.
Im not sure if I have to use the exact dongle that Tormach supplies. I can’t afford the US$100+ postage for a $17 dongle to Australia.


I’m also managed to get hold of a Dell Optiplex 7010 SFF i5 3570 QUAD 3.4GHz 4GB 500GB
It has 2 PCI slots so I can add an Ethernet card for a 2nd network connection.

Hopefully that will work.
Cheers
Peter


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[gerritv]

Not really, if you use the correct bitfile (A bitfile for a G540) the pinout is correct and
you have the proper resources for the G540: PWM and chargepump support

Since this is not a Tormach machine, the hal file will likely have multiple customizations
anyway plus the low level pinout changes are not usually visible to hal anyway
(stepgens and pwmgens for example are addressed by module number not physical pin number)

My machine is not a Tormach either. I edit only the few lines that determine the axis lengths and max spindle speed. No editing of pins etc. needed. I use a PMDX-132, similar to G540 and with a twisty cable but totally with Tormach bit, hal and ini files. Changing bit file from Tormach also requires additional editing in code files. PITA IMO and easily avoided by doing what he did, make a twisty cable. Given that Tormach does updates multiple times per year, the less editing the better.

Personally I did it this way to get things up and running. I have seen no need to do any other changes. For MPG etc I built a clone of Tormach's console, easy enough with a Teensy.

[gerritv]

Peter, have you looked at this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuswrRHSCI8

I found that messing with Wifi directly on this configuration doesn't work, Tormach wrote a bunch of code to overcome limitations/issues in that version of Mint.

On the topic of adding ethernet cards, again due to Linux the way it is, you can't predict which card is eth0, and it is always eth0 that gets the 7i92 connection. No way to change that.

The spcific wifi usb I am succesfully using is: TL-WN725N TP-LINK (TL-WN725N) N150 150Mbps wireless N Nano USB adapter