584,863 active members*
4,782 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
Page 1 of 2 12
Results 1 to 20 of 30
  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13

    CNI floppy format

    I wrote a program for reading and writing disks in CNI format, and a
    simple program editor (see screenshot). My machine is a Biesse Rover
    346, if there is someone interested in testing the program with other
    RT480 machines please contact me.
    I need a postprocessor for the Biesse Rover 346, if anyone can help me
    with that I will be very grateful.


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    5

    i would be very interested

    I would greatly appriciate looking at your program

    as right now i cannot work with my rover 325 with rt480 controler

    thank you

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    The program reads a CNI floppy image and shows all programs in it. Double click a program to edit it. To make a floppy image you can use 'dd' command on Linux ("dd if=/dev/fd0 of=floppy.img bs=1440k") or RawWrite on Windows (http://www.chrysocome.net/rawwrite).

    My program is written in Java, so you'll need JRE to run it (http://www.java.com/). It's been tested on Linux and Windows.

    You can get a demo version here
    http://oldnapalm.googlepages.com/CNIFloppy.jar

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    Quote Originally Posted by sidskilly View Post
    I would greatly appriciate looking at your program

    as right now i cannot work with my rover 325 with rt480 controler

    thank you
    This software is intended to transfer programs between a PC and a RT480 controlled CNC machine using floppy disks, so you need a working RT480 controller in order to use it.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    5

    our controler does work

    it's a rt480 and works,
    i can get you version of software,
    we have none of the original software to the machine, \
    i'd like to dump programs to it via the pc to nc link, but
    this is a good start, your software is a demo,
    what are the restrictions

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    This demo version is for testing purposes, it will read an image from a floppy disk saved in a RT480 controller, list the programs and allow you to edit them, but will not save a floppy image.

    If the editor works with programs saved by your machine, for US$ 400 I will provide you the full version of my software and will make it import from a file format you specify (like files generated by your CAM post processor).

    The only alternative to the official CNI software I found costs € 970
    http://www.techni-soft.de/html/asc2cni.htm (Google translation)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    482

    biesse 480 481 floppy writing

    i have the technisoft software for sale @ £650 sterling.
    it works perfectly. original software and dongle. im allowed to sell it in english speaking countries. i also have written postprocessors for bobcad and alphacam so now the old machines make complex parts easily.
    i made new vacuum pods for my rover 321 today using it, takes all day by hand writing into machine. approx 1 hour on cad to machine. (ive done it both ways to see)

    re sending direct to the machine via serial link. firstly check your controller has the serial card fitted as it costs about £1000 from biesse. just remember, the code you have on pc must be exactly spot on or you will end up doing damage. ie, put a z poz in the code and your milling through your vacuum pods in a jiffy. :-( from experience!!!!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    My program works perfectly too. It has a better interface and supports more options, like transferring drilling tables.

    Demo version:
    http://oldnapalm.googlepages.com/CNIFloppy.jar

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    482
    i have run your program. looks interesting but being a trial wont let me do things to test it.
    what are the trial restrictions at present? re the full version
    i pasted a 300 line program into the editor and it crashed? is that a trial program limit problem?

    does it post process or is the editor purely manual?

    when writing to the disk does it format the disk to cni format before writing?
    is it written purely for 480 controller? as 481 code is different.


    at present im using the technisoft program which writes post processed text files, converts them to cni format, formats the disk and writes with just a few clicks. on the 481 controller it wont accept files over 11k size so thats the individual file size limit.

    a lot of my programs i write parametrically on pc, import to machine and run them. written parametrically makes them really easy to change in the controller.
    others i output from bobcad, postprocessing using the scripts i wrote for my controller and paste as a text file.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    The trial version will read a floppy image and let you edit programs, but won't write a floppy image. If you are interested in further testing I can send you a version that writes.
    There is no limit in the number of lines, I just tested with a 400 line program and it does not crash. What JRE version are you using? There's a file size limit of 16KB because of the FAT type used by CNI.
    The editor does not post process, it does the same Technisoft does. It writes a floppy image in CNI format, so when you raw write the image to a floppy it will be in CNI format. I did it to keep the program cross-platform, but if you decide in which OS you will run it I can make it write directly to the floppy. It's been tested in RT480 machines, but if 481 uses the same floppy format it should work.

    Regards.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    482
    i would be interested in testing it for you.
    i have a 481 controller machine and friends of mine have xnc controllers which i can also test on.
    if you want to send me a full writing version to evaluate il check it out and make any improvement suggestions.
    if it works as well as the "competition" software id be interested in marketing it for you too. im friendly with a few independant techs who visit lots of cnc owners with biesse machines.
    how much do you want for full program for each resale?

    most people i know are using windows xp machines so that would be the best platform for a "full package solution"
    take into account that users want a quick write to disk solution, not having to open rawrite seperately etc.
    also as a file import i would suggest .txt files as these are the quickest to check on pc, as well as saving. programs like bobcad scramble up files when saved as.cnc etc and obviously these cant be read by cni oldie machines!

    i have the latest java offline installed on my machine, downloaded to run your program.
    the 11k limit i have on controller is all the "working ram" i have. anything more and the machine rejects it. so for big files i split them up and import them, running sections as a worklist. for panel processing 10k is more than enough. i just wanted to be creative and rout pictures etc which i have done, but that was just for my satisfaction that i had cracked my programming and postprocessing correctly. it took me 2 weeks of late nights to write the postprocessor scripts for bobcam and another week to write for alphacam.
    has your machine got the serial port card installed? i wanted to find someone with one to test some ideas!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    482
    biesse can make parts for biesse!
    attatched picture of new pods made today from t6 nylon.
    and a picture engraved from a dfx file downloaded from cnc zone forum
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails biessebike.JPG   biessepod481.JPG  

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    I'm working on the import option from txt files generated by MasterCAM post processor, and on direct floppy writing for Linux and Windows. Can you send a file generated by your AlphaCAM post?
    Please send me a private message with your e-mail address or instant messenger.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    This Win32 version reads directly from floppy, no need to use RawWrite.

    http://oldnapalm.googlepages.com/CNIFloppy_Win32.jar

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    482

    Talking

    ive been checking out oldnapalms program. its looking good! with a few more tweeks it will be the best thing for old biesse users since sliced bread was invented!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    3

    RT480

    New member, just found your postings. I have been programing rt480 @ the machine. How has the new program been functioning? Is the process, design in a cam, then post process, then convert for cni?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    Quote Originally Posted by macwood33 View Post
    Is the process, design in a cam, then post process, then convert for cni?
    Yes, it's exactly what you described. It imports from txt files generated by the post processor and writes to a floppy in CNI format.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Posts
    3
    You have a few links posted are they the program? CNI floppy.exe, .32. jar
    I have been searching off and on and everybody quit and said we could not format from windows to the cni and it would not work.
    I have not yet purchased a CAM. Would like to find a tech in my area to set it up. Any leads?

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Posts
    13
    Yes, these links are the program (demo version).
    .jar = tested on Linux and Windows, only supports floppy images.
    Win32.jar = handles floppy directly, Windows only.
    .exe = Windows executable, still needs JRE (redirects to Sun website if JRE is not found).

    When people say you can't format from Windows to the CNI, they mean CNI won't read a Windows floppy, and Windows won't read a CNI floppy. But what my program does is raw read and write a floppy in CNI format, so it can read a floppy written by a CNI controller (you can test in the demo), and a floppy written by my program can be read by CNI controllers. It has been tested with RT480 and 481 controllers.

    About tech in your area I'm sorry but can't help you, I'm in Brazil.

Page 1 of 2 12

Similar Threads

  1. Floppy Steppers
    By chuckknigh in forum WoodWorking Topics
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 12-28-2010, 12:26 PM
  2. DNC from floppy drive
    By jwknow in forum Haas Mills
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 03-11-2010, 03:39 PM
  3. floppy drives
    By dertsap in forum CNC Machine Related Electronics
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 04-30-2007, 03:04 PM
  4. Format 1
    By MegaMoog in forum Fadal
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 04-07-2006, 12:08 AM
  5. Using CRC in Format 2
    By Mese in forum Fadal
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 03-29-2006, 02:37 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •