first time trying software

hi folks

i finally have some time to start trying to use linux cnc. i bought a probotix v90 fireball some months ago. they sent a cd-rom with ubuntu and linux cnc. the ubuntu install failed on my computer, but the linux cnc seems to run - probably from the cd-rom. anyway it is asking me for machine configuration but i don't see the v90 fireball in any of the choices. what configuration should i choose?

thanks.

Hi

Probotix have sample configs on their site

They may be a little out of date but will get you started.
The stepconf screen shots should show you what values to enter etc

www.probotix.com/support/

regards

howdy folks

ok - got linuxcnc running and set configuration according to info on probotix site. what might be a good next step? hook the parrallel port to the probotix v90 and select a sample g-code script and run it (with the router turned off of course) to see what the stepper motors do??

Hook everything up, assuming you read the getting started guide.
Might want to look here...
gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/g-code/index.html
If all seems well "start the machine, take it out of e-stop try jogging around a bit, "touch off" the axis and then do some g1 moves to check the SCALE, that is if you ask for a 1" move does it actually move 1"?

Rick G

hi y'all

can't seem to find out how to get it out of e-stop.

here's my story so far............



ok - running emc2 with my v90 config, i chose 3Dtest.ngc from the samples. i cannot seem to make it do

anything. help gives a list of commands F3 and F5 switch between two menus, but F2 doesn't turn anything on.

ctrl-home doesn't do anything. at the bottom it says E-stop, and no tool, and position relative actual.
r (the run command) causes a box to appear that says: R(run) co0mmand (emc_task_plan_run) cannot be

executed until machine is out of E-stop and turned on. well i can't seem to find out how to get it out of e-stop

and turned on and once this window comes up i cannot make it go away. if i close the program and restart it

gives me a list of errors and will not run again until i shut down my computer and restart. ubuntu and linux cnc

are the only o.s. and programs on this machine. no windows or anything else.

here is the list of errors: oops - sorry. whatever linux cnc saved the errors as, my windows internet computer

can't read it and i downloaded a free ultimate file open pgm and when that looks at the error file it says it's an

FFV file and lists out a ream of what appears to be hex.

also - i went back to the stepconf and this time for each axis i told it "test axis" and it worked fine. problem

seems to be in getting the emc2 to do it's job.

also - like the mad magazine poiuty. haven't seen it in many years.

Hi

If pressing F1 or clicking on the red circular button with a white cross does not take it out of estop, check your physical Estop button is disengaged, it is easy to miss that sometimes.
If still no joy, you will need to post your hal and ini files (zip the whole config directory is easiest)

Sometimes, especially if you have a charge pump or specific drive enables, the configs need to be altered.

regards

ok - who knew?? clicked the red circular button with the white cross. out of estop, ran sample script. it worked. i have some joy now.
the probotix does not seem to have a physical estop button.
however - every time there's an error the program locks and i have to restart the computer.
i am using 10.04. maybe i should try the older 8.04??

Always seems obvious once you know it

i am using 10.04. maybe i should try the older 8.04??

If you have a uni processor computer like a P4, then probably it would perform better, but it should not lock up with either.

Normally lock-ups are a linux thing, graphics drivers etc rather than anything to do with Linuxcnc

regards

however - every time there's an error the program locks and i have to restart the computer.

What type of error? What error message?
Did you try just hitting the F1 then F2 buttons to restart the machine?

Rick G

the next time i get an error i'll write down what it is and report it here. i'll try to be more specific. the computer i use for cnc is not connected to the internet. i tried saving one of the error files to send it here but however ubuntu saves it my windows internet computer can't read it so i couldn't send it.