Running an external program from a HAL pin

pgf
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11 Apr 2025 18:01 - 11 Apr 2025 19:36 #326094 by pgf

Running an external program from a HAL pin was created by pgf

[ Damn. I edited the post to clarify some wording, and now the code blocks are broken. I'm not going to try to fix them. :-/ ]

I'd like to run an external program after an e-stop event. I thought it was going to be easy.

I have the program (which goes into the background, so there's no delay) in M101. M101 works when I invoke it via MDI.

I have a g-code snippet which invokes M101:

(subroutine which just runs my spindle off script)
o<my_spindle_off> sub
(MSG, my_spindle_off)
M101
o<my_spindle_off> endsub


That, in turn, is run via MDI_COMMAND, just like my homing and touch-off routines:

[code][HALUI]
MDI_COMMAND = o<reset_g54> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<auto_x_minus> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<auto_x_plus> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<auto_y_minus> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<auto_y_plus> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<auto_z_minus> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<home_x> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<home_y> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<home_z> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<reset_g54_rot> call
MDI_COMMAND = o<my_spindle_off> call


In custom.hal:

[code]loadrt estop_latch 
addf estop-latch.0 servo-thread 
net estop-loopout \
    iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in <= estop-latch.0.ok-out
net estop-loopin \
    iocontrol.0.user-enable-out => estop-latch.0.ok-in 
net estop-reset \
    iocontrol.0.user-request-enable => estop-latch.0.reset 
net remote-estop \
    estop-latch.0.fault-in <= hm2_7i96.0.gpio.003.in_not


And in custom_postgui.hal:

[code]net external-estop-off \
    estop-latch.0.fault-out => halui.mdi-command-10


With halshow, I can see net external-estop-off and pin estop-latch.0.fault-out change state when I go in and out of e-stop state, but my command never runs.  Ideas?

paul

[/code][/code][/code]

Last edit: 11 Apr 2025 19:36 by pgf. Reason: clarification

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Aciera
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11 Apr 2025 19:46 #326102 by Aciera

Replied by Aciera on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

You cannot run an MDI_COMMAND when the controller is in estop. Try a python hal component that invokes your external program instead:
www.linuxcnc.org/docs/stable/html/hal/halmodule.html

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pgf
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11 Apr 2025 19:58 #326103 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

Thanks. Seems like that restriction is a little too restrictive sometimes. :-/

But surely there's some other, event driven, mechanism, which wouldn't involve polling the pin every second or more?

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PCW
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11 Apr 2025 20:26 #326108 by PCW

Replied by PCW on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

It does seem a bit dangerous and contrary to the purpose of EStop
to do motion commands automatically after an EStop event.

What is the intended operation and with what kind of EStop is further motion
safe?

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pgf
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11 Apr 2025 20:31 #326110 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

I want to shut off my spindle. (A Makita router.) I certainly won't be turning it on this way. And it would be a lot safer to do this than what I have now, which is "nothing". (From the software side, that is. The hardware switch on the mill does cut power to the spindle.)

As a less dangerous sounding example -- I'd also like to control my shop vacuum dust collector automatically. That's less likely to involve e-stop, but it would certainly be nice to shut it down automatically in that case.

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pgf
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11 Apr 2025 21:12 #326114 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

Also, I'm not wedded to doing this with MDI -- I'd much rather use an interface that didn't require editing four different config files just to get it setup. ;-)

It seems like what I want should be part of halui somehow, but as far as I can tell, it's not.

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PCW
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11 Apr 2025 21:12 #326115 by PCW

Replied by PCW on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

How is the spindle controlled?

The spindle should be disabled by EStop

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pgf
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11 Apr 2025 21:16 #326117 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

Right. that's exactly what I'm trying to accomplish -- disable the spindle with EStop. The spindle is a Makita router, with an on-off switch. I'd like to simply plug it into one of my zigbee-controlled smart switches, which are trivial to control from just about anywhere. Obviously a hard-wired relay would be better, but it's only a hobby mill, and that's not going to happen anytime soon.

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Grotius
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11 Apr 2025 21:27 - 11 Apr 2025 21:29 #326118 by Grotius

Replied by Grotius on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

Hi,

Maybe we can use the zigbee-api

Then we make a tiny connection to the nml channel, as a client.
Then the zigbee can follow the emergency status. on - off.

Last edit: 11 Apr 2025 21:29 by Grotius.

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pgf
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11 Apr 2025 21:39 - 11 Apr 2025 21:46 #326120 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Running an external program from a HAL pin

I run Home Assistant (open source, no cloud involved) which does a good job of managing the devices. It's not the interface to zigbee that's the issue -- it's the interface to HAL. :-)

Is the NML channel documented somewhere? [ Edit: Never mind, I found it. No, I won't be going there... ]

Last edit: 11 Apr 2025 21:46 by pgf.

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