StepConf wizard won't convert my Mach3 XML

I have just fired up LinuxCNC 2.7 on a new computer ready to switch over from the ugly Mach3 system I have. I tried the StepConf wizard but it won't translate the Mach3 XML file. I don't want to write a configuration file from scratch especially since I have a working Mach3 configuration. I suspected there might be a problem with line endings between the Windows/Mach3 XML file and the LinuxCNC wizard so I added Unix/Linux line endings to the XML file. It made no difference, though it is now readable. I have attached it since it is quite small.

All my other computers are Linux machines and ONLY my CNC machine runs Windows. I'll be glad to see the back of it. However, I'm stuck.

Big John, can you please help?
Clive.

How is your maching connected to your Mach3 PC?
Linuxcnc can only convert and use Mach3 parallel port connected machines.

If you are using a Smoothstepper, you are going to have to get Linuxcnc compatible hardware and rewire the machine.

It's a parallel port connection.

Are you sure. The bottom of your XML file references a Smoothstepper. Other Mach3 pure parallel port xmls I've looked at do not. Maybe the Smoothstepper is hidden in your PC case, with it's parallel port cables coming out?

The CNC controller box is connected to the PC with a standard parallel port cable. The PC has no special hardware just a regular printer port.

It seems to be a set of parsing errors.

I deleted the Smootstepper references (and maybe a couple of other things) from the xml file then I was able to load it.
I don't know anything about Mach3 or its files. but this is what Stepconfig spit out, Don't know if it will be usable for you.

I'll give that a try and report back.

I removed the section concerning the smoothstepper entirely but that didn't fix the parsing problem. I double clicked the XML file and a browser parsed the file and noted an error in the XML file (some non-ASCII characters!). I deleted those and the file read OK.

On to testing...

Yep, that was it on the line "LastUser" delete those junk characters, and then it loads. (The Smoothsteper stuff had nothing to do with it.)

Good Luck.

Yes, it loaded fine. Now LinuxCNC tells me that the RTAPI and HAL_LIB are not loaded! Dang...