[greybeard]

No, it's not my age that's the problem, it's my machine.
I've set up turbo on my desktop, and can open the programme in dos ok.
At present it doesn't recognise my mouse, even though another dos based cnc programme does(Supercam), but I'm assuming that's another problem to be sorted out later.
(The Supercam prog works ok and successfully drives the m/c.)
A friend has sent me a config.ini file based on my m/c setup, and that is in the file ok, and seems to have set the step size/limits/ etc., as expected.
However, the keyboard arrow keys produce no effect whatever.

I've printed out the whole 97+ pages of the manual, and read it numerous times, but can find no clue there.

Any suggestions welcomed.

John

[ger21]

Are you running it under XP in a DOS window?

[greybeard]

Hi Jerry.
No, I boot up in dos.
I've got win98se as my installed os on this desktop, but know of the timer issues with windows, so I boot direct to dos
John

[Bubba]

John,
Ok, easy one first. To use the mouse, you have to have something like mouse.com in your autoexec.bat file. Having said that be sure NEVER to use the mouse when the machine is moving as it will generate an interrupt and mess up the pulse flow.

Have you double checked the ini file to be sure it references the correct parallel port? By anychance, is the ini file named anything other than turbocnc.ini? Also, is it in the same directory as turbocnc.exe?

Another stupid question, have you verified the pinout on the port is properly connected to your drivers? Are you using a bob or direct wiring to the parallel port?

As the movie says, "Need Input":})

[greybeard]

John,
Ok, easy one first. To use the mouse, you have to have something like mouse.com in your autoexec.bat file. Having said that be sure NEVER to use the mouse when the machine is moving as it will generate an interrupt and mess up the pulse flow.

Hi Bubba.
I've tried to follow the instructions in the manual re getting the mouse.com in, and all the other things for booting directly into dos, but a few things didn't seem to go as planned, so I've put that particular problem on hold, and put everything back to starting position.

........Have you double checked the ini file to be sure it references the correct parallel port? By anychance, is the ini file named anything other than turbocnc.ini? Also, is it in the same directory as turbocnc.exe?

Yes, that's AOK.

.......
Another stupid question, have you verified the pinout on the port is properly connected to your drivers? Are you using a bob or direct wiring to the parallel port?

The controller I'm using is an EMC-XYYZB built for the SuperCam setup, and works ok using their own software designed to run directly from the printer port, but with minimum G code support.
Since I wanted to move on from 2.5D to 3D, I decided to give the turbo prog a look.

Symptom Update.

Re-booting, I now notice that the xyz coordinates in the status window do follow the keyboard input of using the arrow keys, with or without the ALT key.
However, no corresponding movement of the motors.
I also see that if I try to change the jog increment using the ALT + (1-8),
there is no effect in the setup/jog mode.
I assumed that pressing Alt + 5 would change the Active Axis entry to [5] X, but it has no effect.

Is this right ?
Regards
John

[greybeard]

By the way, I'm only planning to use the mouse for the set up, and until I find my way around the prog.
Only too aware of the dust in the workshop

[Bubba]

John,
sent you a PM and we will see what we can figure out.

Also, its not the dust that is the primary problem but a "feature" in the program. Also, what version are you using?

[greybeard]

Update.
My comment about the lack of response in the setup/jog mode is my lack of understanding, not a software problem (chair)
It works as designed, but still no effect on the motors.
John

[greybeard]

Bubba,
I've just noticed that the ini prog I have installed has major differences in the true/false settings for the step/dir pin entries compared with the ini file as supplied with the 4.01 download.
This would seem to indicate a likely cause of the problems I have.
Any thoughts ?
John

[Bubba]

John,
Just walked in the door and will be looking into it in a few minutes!

[greybeard]

Bubba, thanks for the PM's.
You were right in your gut feeling. I loaded the original ini file, then used the config I/O lines to enable the drives on pin 14 of the printer port.
Sure enough, the jogging then worked, albeit on the wrong axis, because I hadn't yet reconfigured them.
So I went back to notepad and edited the config file to give it my pin arrangement, but then it didn't jog.
So back to the original file again, but now that doesn't work either, so I'm now going quietly mad.

I've checked each time that the ports have been reset after I've made any alteration, and I can see that the enabling has appeared in the config file as a new entry, but I'm darned if I can see what I'm not doing this time that I did before.

After a meal, I'll delete all the various turbcnc.ini files(old/prev etc) and copy the original one from my original download, and start again.
At least I know it's possible to move my m/c with turbo, I just have to keep trying
John

[Bubba]

After you reset the ports etc, you may have to "Enable Drive" from the setup menu as shown below. I also looked in my testing ini file and this is added as a separate enity.

[DRIVE_ENABLE_1_(OUTPUT)]
Enabled=True
Pin=14
PortAddress=$378
ActiveHigh=NO

[greybeard]

Bubba -I've just sent you a pm before reading your #12.
I now wonder if that is what I did the one time it worked
I'll give it a try in the morning.
Thanks
John

[Bubba]

Sent you one back before reading this one!


Good luck

[Torsten]

No, it's not my age that's the problem, it's my machine.
I've set up turbo on my desktop, and can open the programme in dos ok.
At present it doesn't recognise my mouse, even though another dos based cnc programme does(Supercam), but I'm assuming that's another problem to be sorted out later.
(The Supercam prog works ok and successfully drives the m/c.)
A friend has sent me a config.ini file based on my m/c setup, and that is in the file ok, and seems to have set the step size/limits/ etc., as expected.
However, the keyboard arrow keys produce no effect whatever.

I've printed out the whole 97+ pages of the manual, and read it numerous times, but can find no clue there.

Any suggestions welcomed.

John

First thought I had was, did you try it with the NumLock Key on or of?
I think it has to be off.

[Bubba]

Torsten,
The biggest problem he has is the control box that connects to the parallel port has a drive enable pin. This was not configured. He was able to configure that and got motion then some other problems have crept in. Mainly with saving configuration changes. I think based on mails that we have had that he is forgetting to save the config.ini and therefore the changes are not taking place. We should know more tomorrow.

[CJL5585]

Greybeard,

Also remember to save the new configuration file from the Turbocnc menu option after changes. If you are in EDIT mode with a word processor, saving the file through the word processor does not always have the info that was updated, the next time TCNC is booted up. Why? Who Knows? This is a problem that I have experienced with TCNC4.01.

Am patiently waiting for the new upgrade of TCNC.

Jerry

[greybeard]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all your good inputs .
Torsten - good point. Generally I automatically turn num lock off when I first boot up, but I've a suspicion that sometimes the thought isn't the deed, and that would certainly explain an inconsistency in behaviour.
Jerry -nice to hear from you. Hope all is well. I think your point re saving, along with Bubba on the same topic, both point to another "senior moment" I tend to get.
OK, I might have saved it, but where the H### did I put it.
I have enough problems with the car keys. Why should files be any different.

Well, the sun's up, so it's out to the workshop for another go, and I've got about 5 hours head start on you guys to get it sorted.
John

[greybeard]

OK guys, it took me half an hour, and it's working yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa.

Checked Num Lock was off, reset my pins, set pin 14 to enable, saved config, reset ports, saved again as turbocnc.ini, then tried jogging.....nothing
Went back to the config I/O and looked at the Active High/low setting which was on High, so I set that Low(I think that's a bit counterintuitive, but there you go), and reset ports, saved etc, and it NOW WORKS.


All I need now is a couple more bits and I'm in business.:wee:

Thanks everyone.
John

[greybeard]

OK, so it's a couple of hours later, closed and then rebooted a couple of times, and it still works


However, going through the user guide again, I've just come across an interesting bit of information.
It may have been alluded to already, but I didn't realise till now just how important it is in this situation.

Although the configuration file can be edited using any text editor, including the file editor built into TurboCNC this is not recommended. The menu system should be used to modify the configuration file. If the currently loaded configuration file is edited, new configuration must be loaded using the menu item 'Configure / Load New Configuration', before exiting or the new values will be overwritten.

Now to me that is a bit ambiguous.

........ If the currently loaded configuration file is edited, new configuration must be loaded using the menu item 'Configure / Load New Configuration', before exiting or the new values will be overwritten.....

Edited in what - "any text editor", the built-in file editor, or using the menu system ?
I suspect the latter, but do you need to save before you "Load New Configuration"?
Again, it may become obvious when you have the window open in front of you, but as a guide, I don't find that paragraph very clear .

John