. .
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
  1. #1
    TnW's Avatar
    Lives in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 26-07-2020 Has been a member for 2-3 years. Has a total post count of 5.
    Hi,

    First off, I haven't really used Linux much before this so apologies if the questions that I am asking seem a little noddy to you more knowledge guys. We all have to start somewhere! My brother in law is an IT tech and he was going to help me get this set up but with the lock down we are unable to figure out what is going on. I have had a right mission to get to this point with missing parts, needing to re fabricate parts as stuff ended up getting slightly warped and delays on parts due to the lock down such is life though, I shall not be beat!!! I just want to get it running and start making some money

    The plan was/is to use LINUXCNC for the control software. The PC I have didn't have a PPCard so I purchased a StarTech PEX1Pcard. Installed it inside the machine and Linux has found it OK. I am having issues on not only which I/O port to use in the config file (Ive tried everything), but also not sure what I should be editing in the .hal file and what I shouldn't be using.

    Ill dump some info below, if you need anything else just drop me a reply and I will get it when I get back to the workshop.

    Should the number after the parport in my .hal file be a 0 or a 1? Would it need to be a 1 as the card we are using is parport1?

    hardinfo and PCI devices is giving me the following info...

    I/O Ports 0xe010 -0xe017
    I/O Ports 0xe000 -0xe003

    :~$ dmesg | grep parport

    [ 9.663273] parport_pc 00:0a: reported by Plug and Play ACPI
    [ 9.663332] parport0: PC-style at 0x378 (0x778), irq 5 [PCSPP,TRISTATE]
    [ 9.757461] parport1: PC-style at 0xe010 (0xe000), irq 17 [PCSPP,TRISTATE,EPP]
    [ 17.305126] lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).
    [ 17.305473] lp1: using parport1 (interrupt-driven).

    lpisc -v

    02:00.0 Parallel controller: Oxford Semiconductor Ltd Device c110 (prog-if 02 [ECP])
    Subsystem: Oxford Semiconductor Ltd Device c110
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
    I/O ports at e010 [size=8]
    I/O ports at e000 [size=4]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: parport_pc

    .hal File - Not all the info but enough to help I hope!


    loadrt trivkins
    loadrt [EMCMOT]EMCMOT base_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]BASE_PERIOD servo_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]SERVO_PERIOD num_joints=[TRAJ]AXES
    loadrt hal_parport cfg="0x378 out"
    setp parport.0.reset-time 5000
    loadrt stepgen step_type=0,0,0
    loadrt pwmgen output_type=1
    loadrt classicladder_rt numPhysInputs=15 numPhysOutputs=15 numS32in=10 numS32out=10 numFloatIn=10 numFloatOut=10
    loadrt linear8

    addf parport.0.read base-thread
    addf stepgen.make-pulses base-thread
    addf pwmgen.make-pulses base-thread
    addf parport.0.write base-thread
    addf parport.0.reset base-thread

    addf stepgen.capture-position servo-thread
    addf motion-command-handler servo-thread
    addf motion-controller servo-thread
    addf classicladder.0.refresh servo-thread
    addf stepgen.update-freq servo-thread
    addf pwmgen.update servo-thread
    addf linear8.0 servo-thread


    If anyone has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Which version of LinuxCNC are you using? If it's the base v2.7 and the mchine is a vanilla design then most if not all of the configuration can be done from the setup wizards rather than write the .hal and .ini files by hand. I never once looked at those files until I upgraded to v2.8. You can certainly create most of what you need fom there and then edit as required later.

    Re the parallel port: I know there are issues regarding finding an add-on card rather than a built-in port but cannot remeber what the answer is! It has been talked about on the forum before.
    An optimist says the glass is half full, a pessimist says the glass is half empty, an engineer says you're using the wrong sized glass.

  3. #3
    Welcome to the forum TnW.

    What kind of machine are you planning to use it on ie. Do you need ATC or dual axis etc. Mil, router or lathe.

    What version of linuxcnc? . I see you are loading classic ladder.

    Here are the Docs for 2.7 http://linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/pdf/Lin...umentation.pdf page 33 stepper config wizard
    ..Clive
    The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

  4. #4
    I would go with KITWN's reply. To help more we'd need to know what setup you're using. Servo's or steppers for a start then as he said you should really use the stepconf or PNC conf wizard for your first setup. These tools will be installed when you install Linuxcnc.

    That should get you started and then if there's still problems with it you can fill us in more.

    The stepconf wizard basically sets up your HAL and INI files for you depending on the inputs you give it. Some things need to be added afterwards like coolant, ATC, further axis etc but once you have the basic setup you can then chase those monkeys seperately :-)

  5. #5
    TnW's Avatar
    Lives in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 26-07-2020 Has been a member for 2-3 years. Has a total post count of 5.
    Morning guys, apologies as I should have explained a little better yesterday evening, it had been a long day and my brain was pretty frazzled!

    The machine I am using is called a SheetCNC, it is an 8 x 4 cnc router using a GPenny 2.2kw chinese spindle.

    Its built from 25mm MDF and Plywood. It comes as a pre manufactured mechanical type kit which you assemble and then I source the electronics and set up.

    The machine uses stepper motors with a sprocket and chain drive which run off of 3 ST-M5045 drivers. The chain drives the machine off of steel rails and steel v type wheels.

    The reason for going with LinuxCNC is the manufacturer provided a basic hal file which has been set up for the machine including certain homing functions and spindle monitoring etc. I am waiting for a reply from the manufacturer to see if they have any info or help to give. The few pages of info relating to machine set up with an aftermarket card is that it is beyond the scope of the documentation and needs further looking into.

    I have tried to modify their .hal file in the stepconf but it doesn't even find it when I go into the configs file for some reason, when you open the folder there are no files to be seen. I had hope to just modify their file however I'm wondering if the simplest this is to start from the beginning again and maybe try to cherry pick the correct info from their .hal file?

    I understand how difficult it can be to try and diagnose problems over a forum so if you need info just ask. Thank you!

  6. #6
    A linuxcnc basic config requires a hal file and an ini file. You need to post the config folder.

    I understand how difficult it can be to try and diagnose problems over a forum so if you need info just ask. Thank you!
    I have already asked you what version of Linuxcnc you are using. It should be at the top of the screen when liniuxcnc is open
    ..Clive
    The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

  7. #7
    TnW's Avatar
    Lives in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 26-07-2020 Has been a member for 2-3 years. Has a total post count of 5.
    Linux info below.

    Distributor ID: Debian
    Description: Debian GNU/Linux 7.11 (wheezy)
    Release: 7.11
    Codename: wheezy

    LinuxCNC Info

    Axis 2.7.14

    .ini info

    # Generated by stepconf 1.1 at Wed Nov 30 14:30:16 2016
    # If you make changes to this file, they will be
    # overwritten when you run stepconf again

    [EMC]
    MACHINE = SHEETCNC
    DEBUG = 0

    [DISPLAY]
    DISPLAY = axis
    EDITOR = gedit
    POSITION_OFFSET = RELATIVE
    POSITION_FEEDBACK = ACTUAL
    ARCDIVISION = 64
    GRIDS = 10mm 20mm 50mm 100mm 1in 2in 5in 10in
    MAX_FEED_OVERRIDE = 1.2
    MIN_SPINDLE_OVERRIDE = 0.5
    MAX_SPINDLE_OVERRIDE = 1.2
    DEFAULT_LINEAR_VELOCITY = 20.00
    MIN_LINEAR_VELOCITY = 0
    MAX_LINEAR_VELOCITY = 200.00
    INTRO_GRAPHIC = linuxcnc.gif
    INTRO_TIME = 5
    PROGRAM_PREFIX = /home/sheetcnc/linuxcnc/nc_files
    INCREMENTS = 5mm 1mm .5mm .1mm .05mm .01mm .005mm
    PYVCP = custompanel.xml

    [FILTER]
    PROGRAM_EXTENSION = .png,.gif,.jpg Greyscale Depth Image
    PROGRAM_EXTENSION = .py Python Script
    png = image-to-gcode
    gif = image-to-gcode
    jpg = image-to-gcode
    py = python

    [TASK]
    TASK = milltask
    CYCLE_TIME = 0.010

    [RS274NGC]
    PARAMETER_FILE = linuxcnc.var

    [EMCMOT]
    EMCMOT = motmod
    COMM_TIMEOUT = 1.0
    COMM_WAIT = 0.010
    BASE_PERIOD = 54088
    SERVO_PERIOD = 1000000

    [HAL]
    HALUI = halui
    HALFILE = SHEETCNC.hal
    HALFILE = custom.hal
    POSTGUI_HALFILE = custom_postgui.hal

    [HALUI]
    # add halui MDI commands here (max 64)
    MDI_COMMAND = o110 call
    MDI_COMMAND = o120 call
    MDI_COMMAND = o130 call

    [TRAJ]
    AXES = 3
    COORDINATES = X Y Z
    LINEAR_UNITS = mm
    ANGULAR_UNITS = degree
    CYCLE_TIME = 0.010
    DEFAULT_VELOCITY = 20.00
    MAX_VELOCITY = 200.00
    ARC_BLEND_ENABLE = 1
    ARC_BLEND_FALLBACK_ENABLE = 0
    ARC_BLEND_OPTIMIZATION_DEPTH = 316
    ARC_BLEND_GAP_CYCLES = 40
    ARC_BLEND_RAMP_FREQ = 2

    [EMCIO]
    EMCIO = io
    CYCLE_TIME = 0.100
    TOOL_TABLE = tool.tbl

    [AXIS_0]
    TYPE = LINEAR
    HOME = 0.0
    MAX_VELOCITY = 200.00
    MAX_ACCELERATION = 300.0
    STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 450.0
    SCALE = 92.4221251174
    FERROR = 1
    MIN_FERROR = .25
    MIN_LIMIT = -0.001
    MAX_LIMIT = 2486.0
    BACKLASH = 0.095
    HOME_OFFSET = 0.0

    [AXIS_1]
    TYPE = LINEAR
    HOME = 0.0
    MAX_VELOCITY = 200.00
    MAX_ACCELERATION = 300.0
    STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 450.0
    SCALE = 92.4410919142
    FERROR = 1
    MIN_FERROR = .25
    MIN_LIMIT = -0.001
    MAX_LIMIT = 1255.0
    BACKLASH = 0.095
    HOME_OFFSET = 0.0

    [AXIS_2]
    TYPE = LINEAR
    HOME = 0.0
    MAX_VELOCITY = 100.0
    MAX_ACCELERATION = 3200.0
    STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 4000.0
    SCALE = 100.0
    FERROR = 1
    MIN_FERROR = .25
    MIN_LIMIT = -245.0
    MAX_LIMIT = 0.001
    HOME_OFFSET = 0.0

  8. #8
    where are the hal file files refired to here:

    HALFILE = SHEETCNC.hal
    HALFILE = custom.hal
    POSTGUI_HALFILE = custom_postgui.hal

    I see you are posting on the linuxcnc forum as well.

    What are the actual problems you have. Pictures of inside the control box might help as well
    ..Clive
    The more you know, The better you know, How little you know

  9. #9
    Don't know if this is of use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md4LxvbYoV0

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by cropwell View Post
    Don't know if this is of use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md4LxvbYoV0
    That looks like the answer to the initial question.
    An optimist says the glass is half full, a pessimist says the glass is half empty, an engineer says you're using the wrong sized glass.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Auto-Squaring with LinuxCNC v 2.8
    By Kitwn in forum LinuxCNC (EMC)
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 25-04-2021, 01:25 AM
  2. NEW MEMBER: LinuxCNC using EtherCAT anyone doing this?
    By Brassneck in forum New Member Introductions
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 01-08-2019, 11:12 AM
  3. What do I need to run LinuxCNC???
    By gatesy in forum LinuxCNC (EMC)
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 02-12-2015, 07:42 PM
  4. Mach3 vs LinuxCNC/EMC What do you use and why?
    By Lee Roberts in forum Machine Control Software
    Replies: 46
    Last Post: 26-11-2013, 01:02 AM
  5. How many LinuxCNC/EMC users do we have?
    By birchy in forum LinuxCNC (EMC)
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 30-12-2012, 08:08 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

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