Making Sense of The C6 Code

it has been 2 years in the making, and I am finally giving up and asking questions.

I have had trouble with my Xylotex mini mill conversion since the start through my own lack of comprehension.

This came to a head today, when after many hours of wiring in all the components I was thwarted by the inability to read the code despite pouring over the manuals and spending most of last night and today studying the forums.

I have installed a C6 Variable Speed Control from CNC4PC.
I now cannot figure out what pins to use to control it.

I got the handy little HAL file from CNC4PC's website, but cannot decipher which pins control what or what needs to be added to make them work.

I would like to use pins 13 for step and 18 for ground

Can anyone give me an answer?
CNC4PC's Code posted below

"#
# 5th stepgen for controlling the spindle.
# Type must be set to velocity
#
loadrt stepgen step_type=0,0,0,0,0 ctrl_type=p,p,p,p,v #
# Use a scale module for offset and scaling of the stepgen
# Offset and scale are determined by first calculating and testing
#
setp scale.0.in 0
setp scale.0.gain 0.36
setp scale.0.offset 60.0
addf scale.0 servo-thread
#
# Initialise the stepgen for the spindle
#
setp stepgen.4.position-scale 1
setp stepgen.4.maxvel 1300
setp stepgen.4.steplen 1
setp stepgen.4.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.4.dirhold 20000
setp stepgen.4.dirsetup 20000
setp stepgen.4.maxaccel 200
#
# Enable
#
net spindle-enable <= motion.spindle-on => stepgen.4.enable #
# Connect spindle speed to scaler
#
net spindle-cmd motion.spindle-speed-out => scale.0.in #
# Connect scaler output to stepgen velocity
#
net spindle-freq <= scale.0.out => stepgen.4.velocity-cmd #
# Connect output to the pin for the analog voltage of cnc4pc board
#
net spindle-out <= stepgen.4.step => parport.0.pin-14-out #
# Control of spindle on/off (I1/I2 of KBIC speed controller over the
# relay instead of triac
#
net spindle-cw => parport.0.pin-16-out"

can you post your Hal file

however the two lines of interest are

net spindle-out <= stepgen.4.step => parport.0.pin-14-out #
# Control of spindle on/off (I1/I2 of KBIC speed controller over the
# relay instead of triac
#
net spindle-cw => parport.0.pin-16-out"

the first .. net spindle-out ( parport.0.pin-14-out ) is your step pin
so as you wish to use pin 13 for your step , change this to parport.0.pin-13-out
i.e pin 13

net spindle-cw is as it says spindle clockwise ... i.e activate this pin when i want to go clockwise
or words to that effect !

or as you wish it's your direction pin , direction pins are nothing more than a switch between 0v or 5v
or forward = 0v , reverse = 5v ( or can of course be the other way round by using the invert logic.. not )

so changing this from 16 to 14 will give you the correct pin you are looking for

hope it helps understand a bit more

Dave

@ CNC

This is good, with some sleep and your deciphering it is starting to make sense now.
The hard part is understanding what is relevant and what is not.

@ Andy

The fact that it was designed for Mach is what relegated it to the "parts to install" box under my desk for the last 2 years.
I do not understand why they didn't use the PWM ether, you see pwm to voltage boards on Eldorado tools like the mega series to drive the peck feature.
All in all with the file you suggested I am starting to understand the language.

I will post my Hal tonight when I get home, I will probably need help getting the C6 code sections in their proper places.


Thanks guys.

Here is the HAL file... (Updated after clean install @Tue Apr 5 01:43:27 2011)

# Generated by stepconf at Tue Apr 5 01:43:27 2011
# If you make changes to this file, they will be
# overwritten when you run stepconf again
loadrt trivkins
loadrt [EMCMOT]EMCMOT base_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]BASE_PERIOD servo_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]SERVO_PERIOD num_joints=[TRAJ]AXES
loadrt probe_parport
loadrt hal_parport cfg="0x378 out 0xc400 out "
setp parport.0.reset-time 2000
loadrt stepgen step_type=0,0,0
loadrt abs count=1

addf parport.0.read base-thread
addf parport.1.read base-thread
addf stepgen.make-pulses base-thread
addf parport.0.write base-thread
addf parport.0.reset base-thread
addf parport.1.write base-thread

addf stepgen.capture-position servo-thread
addf motion-command-handler servo-thread
addf motion-controller servo-thread
addf stepgen.update-freq servo-thread
addf abs.0 servo-thread
net spindle-cmd <= motion.spindle-speed-out

net xstep => parport.0.pin-02-out
setp parport.0.pin-02-out-reset 1
net xdir => parport.0.pin-03-out
net ystep => parport.0.pin-04-out
setp parport.0.pin-04-out-reset 1
setp parport.0.pin-05-out-invert 1
net ydir => parport.0.pin-05-out
net zstep => parport.0.pin-06-out
setp parport.0.pin-06-out-reset 1
setp parport.0.pin-07-out-invert 1
net zdir => parport.0.pin-07-out




setp stepgen.0.position-scale [AXIS_0]SCALE
setp stepgen.0.steplen 1
setp stepgen.0.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.0.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.0.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.0.maxaccel [AXIS_0]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net xpos-cmd axis.0.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.0.position-cmd
net xpos-fb stepgen.0.position-fb => axis.0.motor-pos-fb
net xstep <= stepgen.0.step
net xdir <= stepgen.0.dir
net xenable axis.0.amp-enable-out => stepgen.0.enable

setp stepgen.1.position-scale [AXIS_1]SCALE
setp stepgen.1.steplen 1
setp stepgen.1.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.1.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.1.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.1.maxaccel [AXIS_1]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net ypos-cmd axis.1.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.1.position-cmd
net ypos-fb stepgen.1.position-fb => axis.1.motor-pos-fb
net ystep <= stepgen.1.step
net ydir <= stepgen.1.dir
net yenable axis.1.amp-enable-out => stepgen.1.enable

setp stepgen.2.position-scale [AXIS_2]SCALE
setp stepgen.2.steplen 1
setp stepgen.2.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.2.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.2.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.2.maxaccel [AXIS_2]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net zpos-cmd axis.2.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.2.position-cmd
net zpos-fb stepgen.2.position-fb => axis.2.motor-pos-fb
net zstep <= stepgen.2.step
net zdir <= stepgen.2.dir
net zenable axis.2.amp-enable-out => stepgen.2.enable

net estop-out <= iocontrol.0.user-enable-out
net estop-out => iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in

loadusr -W hal_manualtoolchange
net tool-change iocontrol.0.tool-change => hal_manualtoolchange.change
net tool-changed iocontrol.0.tool-changed <= hal_manualtoolchange.changed
net tool-number iocontrol.0.tool-prep-number => hal_manualtoolchange.number
net tool-prepare-loopback iocontrol.0.tool-prepare => iocontrol.0.tool-prepared

A few things to mention.
I tried to put the C6 code in myself and it crashed. (have not tried again after new install)
I rewired the Xylotex board to reflect the pinout of the C6 control pins as specified in the unaltered CNC4PC code. P14 Step and P16 Relay CW
The Stepconf App will not allow me to configure the second card and according to HAL always sets it to OUT when I tell it IN in the config. (even after new install and updates)
I tried to add the port today by conf the wizard with the options I wanted on Port 0 and then changing them to port 1 in the hal.
No dice and EMC refused to load. (have not tried again)


I do not know if this is a huge problem though. The fresh install of 10.04 wants a new password every time I boot and a lot of the modules are not loading. (fixed with fresh install and updates)


Thanks

The EMC errors are now fixed @ 2AM

I have 3 axis movement and can run programs but still have no spindle control or limit/home switch control on port 1

I'm going to bed...

Sweet!
This is the HAL modified as you outlined.
I will try it as soon as I get home and maybe it will just work without fussing with it too much.

Thanks Andy!


# Generated by stepconf at Tue Apr 5 01:43:27 2011
# If you make changes to this file, they will be
# overwritten when you run stepconf again
loadrt trivkins
loadrt [EMCMOT]EMCMOT base_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]BASE_PERIOD servo_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]SERVO_PERIOD num_joints=[TRAJ]AXES
loadrt probe_parport
loadrt hal_parport cfg="0x378 out 0xc400 in "
setp parport.0.reset-time 2000
loadrt stepgen step_type=0,0,0,0 ctrl_type=p,p,p,v loadrt abs count=1 loadrt scale count=1 setp scale.0.gain 0.36
setp scale.0.offset 60.0
addf scale.0 servo-thread




addf parport.0.read base-thread
addf parport.1.read base-thread
addf stepgen.make-pulses base-thread
addf parport.0.write base-thread
addf parport.0.reset base-thread
addf parport.1.write base-thread

addf stepgen.capture-position servo-thread
addf motion-command-handler servo-thread
addf motion-controller servo-thread
addf stepgen.update-freq servo-thread
addf abs.0 servo-thread
net spindle-cmd motion.spindle-speed-out => scale.0.in net spindle-scaled scale.0.out => stepgen.3.velocity-cmd


net xstep => parport.0.pin-02-out
setp parport.0.pin-02-out-reset 1
net xdir => parport.0.pin-03-out
net ystep => parport.0.pin-04-out
setp parport.0.pin-04-out-reset 1
setp parport.0.pin-05-out-invert 1
net ydir => parport.0.pin-05-out
net zstep => parport.0.pin-06-out
setp parport.0.pin-06-out-reset 1
setp parport.0.pin-07-out-invert 1
net zdir => parport.0.pin-07-out net spindle-pulse => parport.0.pin-14-out net spindle-dir => parport.0.pin-16-out






setp stepgen.0.position-scale [AXIS_0]SCALE
setp stepgen.0.steplen 1
setp stepgen.0.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.0.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.0.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.0.maxaccel [AXIS_0]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net xpos-cmd axis.0.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.0.position-cmd
net xpos-fb stepgen.0.position-fb => axis.0.motor-pos-fb
net xstep <= stepgen.0.step
net xdir <= stepgen.0.dir
net xenable axis.0.amp-enable-out => stepgen.0.enable

setp stepgen.1.position-scale [AXIS_1]SCALE
setp stepgen.1.steplen 1
setp stepgen.1.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.1.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.1.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.1.maxaccel [AXIS_1]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net ypos-cmd axis.1.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.1.position-cmd
net ypos-fb stepgen.1.position-fb => axis.1.motor-pos-fb
net ystep <= stepgen.1.step
net ydir <= stepgen.1.dir
net yenable axis.1.amp-enable-out => stepgen.1.enable

setp stepgen.2.position-scale [AXIS_2]SCALE
setp stepgen.2.steplen 1
setp stepgen.2.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.2.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.2.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.2.maxaccel [AXIS_2]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
net zpos-cmd axis.2.motor-pos-cmd => stepgen.2.position-cmd
net zpos-fb stepgen.2.position-fb => axis.2.motor-pos-fb
net zstep <= stepgen.2.step
net zdir <= stepgen.2.dir
net zenable axis.2.amp-enable-out => stepgen.2.enable


setp stepgen.3.position-scale 1
setp stepgen.3.maxvel 1300
setp stepgen.3.steplen 1
setp stepgen.3.stepspace 0
setp stepgen.3.dirhold 10000
setp stepgen.3.dirsetup 10000
setp stepgen.3.maxaccel 200 net spindle-enable <= motion.spindle-on => stepgen.3.enable
net spindle-pulse <= stepgen.3.step
net spindle-dir <= stepgen.3.dir


net estop-out <= iocontrol.0.user-enable-out
net estop-out => iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in

loadusr -W hal_manualtoolchange
net tool-change iocontrol.0.tool-change => hal_manualtoolchange.change
net tool-changed iocontrol.0.tool-changed <= hal_manualtoolchange.changed
net tool-number iocontrol.0.tool-prep-number => hal_manualtoolchange.number
net tool-prepare-loopback iocontrol.0.tool-prepare => iocontrol.0.tool-prepared

Yes, I do

I did the HAL on a PC in notepad.
I will be sure to fix it when I implement it later tonight.

The Mill is on it's own dedicated PC.