7i43 daughterboard configuration

I'm almost done getting my SX2 mill online, I selected a 7i47S(stepper/encoder/VFD) and a 7i42TA(io/protection) to go along with my 7i43 (200k)

The zip file has a bit/pin file, but I noticed that the distribution uses a bit and xml file. How can I properly Is pncconf even an option? If I drop the files in the firmware directory, will they work? or is an xml file required?

If this isn't the right option, how can I get there (I'm prepared to reinstall, ise webpack is installed/ready)

In the current release version pncconf does not even use the XML file - the firmware is hard coded, so no droping the firmware in the directory will not help you use pncconf.
When EMC 2.5 is released pncconf will support reading the XML file, but not all firmware can be used.

If your firmware is close to one of the firmware in pncconf then you could use pncconf to make something close then edit it to suit, other wise you must build one manually from samples produced from pncconf or from the sample configs that EMC supplies.

can you post the PIN file?

I've attached it, There are two BIT files that seem to go with this, SVST2_4_7I47B is for the 400k version, and SVST2_4_7I47S is for the 200k version of the 7i43. All of the files are in the CONFIGS\HOSTMOT2 and CONFIGS\HOSTMOT2\EPPHM2 directories in the current firmware download on mesa's website for the 7i43. So they don't really follow the convention of the other files at all, not having separate .PIN files, there's no XML for either.

If I can't get it to work tonight, I'll probably just have to make a custom anyway. I'll let you guys know the results.

So what would really be nice is either for pncconf to be able to read and parse the IDROM section of the currently loaded bitfile, or for there to be a separate utility that takes reads the IDROM from the loaded bitfile and creates a XML file...

BTW I believe a custom bitfile is needed for the 7I43 used with a 7I47S, as the SVST2_4_7I47 is for the plain vanilla 7I47, not the 7I47S

Jeff Eppler made the XML files ( they are only used in EMC) so surely he has an automated way.
It's actually difficult to keep pncconf flexible enough for all the different combinations.
Mesa products are so flexible if pncconf makes any assumptions (which makes programming easier) then it limits the firmware supported.
Peter by IDROM section are you meaning the BIT file?
Do you have any sample code for reading it?

The IDROM is in the bitfile but not easily extracted from it. Its read from a loaded bitfile by the driver
The IDROM is a 256x32 bit ROM that's part of all HostMot2 configurations that is read by the driver to determine:

1. What hardware modules and what quantity of each are present in the configuration (Stepgen, PWMGen, Encoder counter, UART, SPI etc)
2. Version of each module
3. Base address of each module
4. Configuration pinout including which pins are inputs and outputs
5. Clock low/clock high frequency
etc
For example, the .PIN files are created by running a program that reads and parses the IDROM contents from the hardware

The driver does some parsing for its own uses and for the debug option that prints the pinout

Thanks for the firmware, PCW! It made the 7i47S a dream to work with (once I realized the ordering for the stepgens) For the record, the 7i47S is a great daughe-rboard. It was convenient to have the differential outputs for each channel - makes it easy to reverse an axis!

On another note, I've run into an issue with my spindle/VFD. It's connected to the 0V/wiper/5V of the mill. And the voltages work properly. However, turning the spindle on via emc starts at an RPM of "1".....and drives the spindle at full speed. Increasing the speed in EMC reduces the speed on the mill.

The voltage on the wiper isn't reversed, though. 0V on the wiper corresponds to no movement, and 5V results in full speed.

Also, attempting to call "setp hm2_7i43.0.pwmgen.00.pwm_frequency" results in a pin/param not found error. Setting the scale (2500) and output type(1) works