SOLVED: one axis not working for newbie

I'm trying to convert a lathe from TurboCnc to LinuxCNC. I'm new to LinuxCNC.

I ran the stepconfig wizard and the X axis tested OK inside the wizard, but not the Z axis. Likewise, the X axis works inside LinuxCNC but not the Z axis.

The X axis is driven by a Gecko 203V, pins 2 & 3
The Z axis is driven by a Gecko 201, pins 14 & 16
The 203V runs on active hi, while the 201 runs on active lo.

Both axis work fine in TurboCNC, so I'm confident there is no hardware problem.

The X axis & 203V run no matter whether I configure the pins to "invert" or not.

The Z axis does not run whether I configure the pins to "invert or not.

I'm guessing there is something wrong with the HAL file?

My ini and hal files are attached.

you need to reconfigure the z to active hi ,

I don't understand why I should set the Z's 201 to run on active high since it runs active lo in TurboCNC?

Nonetheless I edited the hal file as follows to turn off "invert" for pins 14 & 16? I changed the "invert" command for 14 & 16 from "1" to "0." It didn't make any difference -- still no Z response.

net xstep => parport.0.pin-02-out
setp parport.0.pin-02-out-reset 1
net xdir => parport.0.pin-03-out
setp parport.0.pin-14-out-invert 0
net zstep => parport.0.pin-14-out
setp parport.0.pin-14-out-reset 1
setp parport.0.pin-16-out-invert 0
net zdir => parport.0.pin-16-out

I have a newbie question about the HAL file that may or may not be related to my Z problem.

LinuxCNC refers to the lathe's X as axis "0" and the lathe's Z as axis "2." Yet some of the HAL commands generated by StepConfig refer to Z as a "1" not a "2" . Is it supposed to be that way, or is that a bug?

This is what I am referring to:

setp stepgen.1.position-scale [AXIS_2]SCALE
setp stepgen.1.steplen 1
setp stepgen.1.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.1.dirhold 46000
setp stepgen.1.dirsetup 27000
setp stepgen.1.maxaccel [AXIS_2]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net zpos-cmd axis.2.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.1.position-cmd
net zpos-fb stepgen.1.position-fb => axis.2.motor-pos-fb
net zstep <= stepgen.1.step
net zdir <= stepgen.1.dir
net zenable axis.2.amp-enable-out => stepgen.1.enable

Why is it using "stepgen.1." instead of "stepgen.2" ?

BigJohnT wrote:

Does Z hold firm when power is applied?

I'll try to check later this evening

If you change directions does Z move one step?

No. There is zero response from the Z axis.

BigJohnT wrote:

Does Z hold firm when power is applied?

Z holds firm as soon as power is applied to the drives.

If you change directions does Z move one step?

I put my hand on the motor while changing directions, couldn't feel anything or hear anything.

I re-verified that pin 14 goes to the 201's step terminal and that pin 16 goes to the 201's direction terminal.

Fixed it. Reconfigured the wiring to run Z on pins 6 & 7 instead of 14 & 16. Then reran StepConf, now Z works, though rough as a cob.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the high pins on some parallel ports do not work in LinuxCNC unless a certain switch is set? But for now I am content to use pins 6 & 7.

As BigJohnT suggested, the 201 and the 203 drivers require different timing, and StepConf does not give us the option of specifying two different timing settings, so the Z is probably running rough for that reason.

I presume I have to edit something or another to specify different timing for the 201, so exactly where and how do I do that?