!need Help CNC6040Z USB Limit switch wiring!

[magicniner]

A quick Google Search with the board name yields this -

[Clive S]

A quick Google Search with the board name yields this -

Yes. but this has been addressed by John in post #17

[magicniner]

[B]hi i have managed to upload my cnc6040Z XML settings file that came with the cd for my machine.great i hope you can help me with everything from start to milling something.

That is not a MACH3 xml file, a simple check is to search the file in the text editor you are viewing it with, if "Mach3" doesn't appear multiple times in the file then it is not a Mach3 XML file.

[magicniner]

Yes. but this has been addressed by John in post #17

Clive,
You are entirely correct, I'm just trying to get the relevant info all in one short space.
Reading through I can't see where it is explicitly stated how the board is connected to the laptop.
Enabling the laptop's built in parallel port is mentioned, I assume from this that a fully wired parallel cable is being used to connect to the parallel port on the laptop as the USB to parallel cable mentioned in the manual will not work with Mach3 unless a hardware specific Plugin is installed and Mach3 would not then need a conventional parallel port to be present in order to work.

[Schematicsman]

So magicniner yes the cable is parallel to usb one end connected to JP board in black box and the other end usb to my laptop so how and where would I be able to download the cnc6040 xml plugin that is needed to get this machine working with Mach3????Please help because If I cant get it to work with my laptop usb connection, I doubt the desktop pc would even work with the same usb connection.

I tried connecting 2 limit switches in series Normally closed to the appropriate pins Clive mentioned and in the inputs tab and enabled X+ X- Y+ Y- and green ticks on Active Low and there was no response on the diagnostics page I even tried Automated setup of inputs and no response ever.So I dont know what to do nothing seems to want to work.But thank you and everyone for all their help.i continue to read the manual And hoping to get some function if I can:)

My laptop is a ::::
Dell D620 2Ghz processor
With serial db9 connection and no DB25 parallel connection ....on the back if that helps

[EddyCurrent]

Are we there yet ?

[magicniner]

So magicniner yes the cable is parallel to usb one end connected to JP board in black box and the other end usb to my laptop so how and where would I be able to download the cnc6040 xml plugin that is needed to get this machine working with Mach3????

With a Parallel to USB you are on a hiding-to-nothing, no one is yanking your chain, they don't work because Art Fennerty's brilliant MACH3 Parallel Port driver cannot access the hardware through USB to read and drive the individual pins as it can on a local hardware bus Parallal Port

Plugins are bits of software which integrate with MACH3 to support hardware, XML files are configuration files containing MACH3 settings to work with a given machine configuration, ideally you would need both but in setting up MACH3 manually yo create your own configuration which MACH3 stores as a transferable (and copy-able and back-up-able) file.

You can't simply find and download a plug-in, plug-ins are not generic, they are hardware specific and must be developed and supplied by the hardware manufacturer, if they don't supply one you can't get one.

If your laptop BIOS shows parallel port settings you may be able to find a docking station with an external connector (this is the case with my HP Compaq machines although I don't use them as controllers), if so disable all power saving options for everything in BIOS while you're there before trying it.

The point of using older or Industrial market desktop PCs is that they have Parallel Ports and a Parallel Port is your only way forward with MACH3 unless you buy an external USB or Ethernet Motion Controller that does come from the manufacturer with a functional Plug-In - read around the subject well prior to purchase of USB or Ethernet motion controllers, suppliers are not above selling Lemons and shining customers on about Vapourware fixes and updates that never materialise.

John Stevenson has a shelf full of NBG controllers that were supposed to be the dog's b's if you listened to the sellers but were SNAFU and never adequately supported.

[magicniner]

Are we there yet ?

I suspect so ;-)

[Schematicsman]

hi,there magicniner can I just buy a cheap ebay Parallel Port PCIe x1 Card. and a parallel male to female or vice versa cable connected from JP board card to desktop computer to get Mach 3 responding? also is it possible to compile a xml of my machine spec ect for Mach 3 to work? just trying get around anyway I can without the cost cause I got the machine for a Bday present and it cost a sht load of money. Yes my laptop can accept a docking station and found one on ebay it does have parallel port and other ports,so I might still have a chance :)

[A_Camera]

hi,there magicniner can I just buy a cheap ebay Parallel Port PCIe x1 Card. and a parallel male to female or vice versa cable connected from JP board card to desktop computer to get Mach 3 responding? also is it possible to compile a xml of my machine spec ect for Mach 3 to work? just trying get around anyway I can without the cost cause I got the machine for a Bday present and it cost a sht load of money. Yes my laptop can accept a docking station and found one on ebay it does have parallel port and other ports,so I might still have a chance :)

Maybe you can maybe you can't... Nobody can answer that question about parallel port. I know Dell laptops can be tricky and even docking stations need drivers for the available ports to work. If your docking station is a REAL docking station, not just a port replicator type, then you may be able to get it work but you most probably won't do it without some pain and a lot of swearing. You must also be familiar with the configuration of your laptop and docking station BIOS, as well as the OS you are having. Windows 7 32 bits is the last one supporting parallel port, so you can't use anything better than that. Personally I have once tried with an HP laptop with docking station and XP, but it didn't work at all. I also tried just for fun with a more modern, HP ProBook6470b and W7 Pro 32 bits and it didn't work, even though the docking station had parallel port and other software using the parallel port worked with it, so it couldn't have been the OS or the BIOS or the configuration of the PC.

Anyway, if you want to stick to that PC then try the PCI card. If you are lucky and find the right card and drivers then it will work. If it is not working you can but the docking station and test it. Personally I'd buy an old desktop and would run it from there.