5i25 configuration with only a G540, no daughterboards

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10 Jan 2018 00:03 #104220 by mpicco
Got a used MaxCNC 10 for Christmas and am trying to get it running with LinuxCNC. The PC has a Mesa 5i25 board and I have that connected to the G540. The PC is running the latest LinuxCNC (Debian).

The only thing I understand thus far is that pncconf is required to setup the 5i25 with the G540, however, it's less than intuitive to this newbie. Is there a known list of steps I can work through to get this operational?

Thanks in advance!
Michael

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10 Jan 2018 00:39 #104222 by cmorley
Unfortunately Pncconf doesn't come with this firmware installed by default.
I'll see if i can dig one up then i'll tell you how to add it - unless someone has a sample config to give you.

Chris M

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10 Jan 2018 01:18 #104223 by cmorley
ok here is the firmware XML file for pncconf.

it needs to go in the /lib/firmware/hm2/5i25 folder
You need to use sudo to do that.

Then when you run pncconf there should be two options on the mesa configure page under board name - internal data 5i25 and 5i25
Select 5i25 and you should see g540x2 undoer firmware.
hit accept component changes button.
depending on what connector your are using stepgen 4 or 9 must be set as a charge pump.
confirgure the rest as you see fit.

Hopefully that is clear enough and I didn't miss anything...

Chris M
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10 Jan 2018 05:07 #104226 by mpicco
Thank you, Chris!
That brings up the g540x2 as a selection. When I hit the "accept component changes" button, two more tabs appear: "I/O Connector 2" and "I/O Connector 3". Each of those has a column marked "Num", which I assume to be the actual pin numbers for my 25-pin cable running to the G540. Having only ever worked with stepperconfig in the past, I'm guessing that I set these pins as I would with stepperconfig? Looking at pin #2 (for instance), I'd want to set that as X Step and set pin #3 to X Direction, but those terms aren't appearing in the drop-down. The terminology seems to have changed when going from one config program to the other.

I feel a lot closer than I've been so far and really appreciate the help!

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10 Jan 2018 05:39 #104227 by cmorley
unfortunately the numbers in pncconf represent the component (or channel) number not the connector pin number.
This might help:
Configuration pin-out: 

IO Connections for P3
Pin#  I/O   Pri. func    Sec. func       Chan      Pin func        Pin Dir

 1      0   IOPort       None
14      1   IOPort       PWMGen           0        PWM             (Out)
 2      2   IOPort       StepGen          0        Step            (Out)
15      3   IOPort       None
 3      4   IOPort       StepGen          0        Dir             (Out)
16      5   IOPort       StepGen          4        Step            (Out)
 4      6   IOPort       StepGen          1        Step            (Out)
17      7   IOPort       None
 5      8   IOPort       StepGen          1        Dir             (Out)
 6      9   IOPort       StepGen          2        Step            (Out)
 7     10   IOPort       StepGen          2        Dir             (Out)
 8     11   IOPort       StepGen          3        Step            (Out)
 9     12   IOPort       StepGen          3        Dir             (Out)
10     13   IOPort       QCount           0        Quad-A          (In)
11     14   IOPort       QCount           0        Quad-B          (In)
12     15   IOPort       QCount           0        Quad-IDX        (In)
13     16   IOPort       None

IO Connections for P2
Pin#  I/O   Pri. func    Sec. func       Chan      Pin func        Pin Dir

 1     17   IOPort       None
14     18   IOPort       PWMGen           1        PWM             (Out)
 2     19   IOPort       StepGen          5        Step            (Out)
15     20   IOPort       None
 3     21   IOPort       StepGen          5        Dir             (Out)
16     22   IOPort       StepGen          9        Step            (Out)
 4     23   IOPort       StepGen          6        Step            (Out)
17     24   IOPort       None
 5     25   IOPort       StepGen          6        Dir             (Out)
 6     26   IOPort       StepGen          7        Step            (Out)
 7     27   IOPort       StepGen          7        Dir             (Out)
 8     28   IOPort       StepGen          8        Step            (Out)
 9     29   IOPort       StepGen          8        Dir             (Out)
10     30   IOPort       QCount           1        Quad-A          (In)
11     31   IOPort       QCount           1        Quad-B          (In)
12     32   IOPort       QCount           1        Quad-IDX        (In)
13     33   IOPort       None

In pncconf one only selects the stepgen no need to select step and direction (thats becuse you can't change their location like in stepconf)
The following user(s) said Thank You: mpicco

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15 Jan 2018 19:09 #104506 by mpicco
If I'm understanding the list of P2/P3 connections, this is what I'm thinking my pncconf Mesa card config page should be:
Boardname: 5i25
Firmware: g540x2
These two selections result in:
PWM Base Freq: 20000 Hz.
PDM Base Freq: 6000000 Hz.
# of Encoders: 2
# of PWM Generators: 2
# of Step Generators: 10
# of Pins: 34

The G540 DB-25 pinout tells me X-Step is pin 2; Y-Step is pin 4 and Z-Step is pin 6.
Understanding that I only choose the step and not direction, how do I apply the chart you made above to properly choose the assignments of X, Y & Z axis? Assuming the column marked "Pin#" refers to the DB-25, would I put X-axis Stepgen on "Num 2", Y-axis Stepgen on "Num 6" and Z-axis Stepgen on "Num 9"?

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15 Jan 2018 19:25 #104509 by PCW
normally you would assign

stepgen 0 to the X axis
stepgen 1 to the Y axis
stepgen 2 to the Z axis


pncconf doesn't use pin numbers at all

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15 Jan 2018 21:39 #104522 by mpicco
Looking at the tabs "I/O Connector 2" and "I/O Connector 3", I don't see a choice of "stepgen 0", etc. The columns are "Num", "Function", "Pin type" and a check box to invert the signal. This is getting confusing!

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15 Jan 2018 21:58 #104523 by PCW
So on I/O connector 3 you should see a selection box named "Unused Stepgen" with a "Num" of 0
select "X Axis Stepgen" for this...
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15 Jan 2018 22:12 #104525 by mpicco
I've now at least gotten a response on the X axis! The motor mostly just sits there and vibrates a little in each direction when I attempt to 'jog' it. What setting might I check?

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