5i25 configuration with only a G540, no daughterboards

I can surely give that a try! That would certainly take care of any mapping/permission issues.

Anything Machinekit specific that I should be watching for?

Thank you for the quick response.

Leonard

Just a refresher: I have a 3-Axis/4-motor spindle driven machine running Machinekit. Until today, I was not able to run pncconf to generate at least a starting point for my XML and HAL setup.

In order to see the 5i25 as an option (versus the '5i25-Internal Data'), I created /lib/firmware/hm2/5i25 and copied 5i25_g540x2.xml into it. Lo and Behold! When I attempted to run pncconf, I was now able to select "5i25" as a board.

I forged onward using the data that I've found here and in one or two other sources. Of note:

On the Basic Hardware page: Servo Period as Default (100K), Axis Config: XYZA, Units: mm, Mesa0 = 5i25, Selected First Paraport Address as the default (0x278, OUT), and AXIS as the GUI[/li]

External Controls: Selected "External Button Jogging" and set speed to 100 mm/min. Is this acceptable?

GUI Config Page: Selected "Move Spindle Up..."

Mesa I/O Config Page: Tab 1:
1. Firmware: 5i25_g540x2
2. Unchecked: 7i33 Daughter Board
3. Set:
1. PWM = 20,000
2. PDM = 6, 000,000[
3. Watchdog = 10,000,000 ( From: linuxcnc.org/docs/html/config/pncconf.html#_mesa_i_o_setup)
4. Encoders = 2
5. PWM Generators = 2
6. Step Generators = 10
7. Pins = 34

That's when the wheels fell off, the tranny dropped out, and threw a rod through the block.

As was suggested: I set the Unused StepGen 0 to "X Axis StepGen", followd by StepGen 1 = "Y Axis StepGen", StepGen2 = "Z Axis StepGen", and then, because I didn't know what else to do, I set Unused StepGen 3 to "Y Axis StepGen" and selected the "INV" box, When I attempted to move forward, I was greeted with, "You forgot to designate a stepper or PWM signal for axis a".

Any help on where to go from here, including anything that I need to change, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

Leonard

If you specify a 4 axis configuration:

Axis Config: XYZA

You are expected to assign a motion output device for all the specified axis

If this is a gantry type configuration you are likely to be better off running LinuxCNC master
because it knows natively how to home/square gantry machines (machinekit and LinuxCNC2.7.X do not)

As always, PCW, great food for thought. Thank you!

I've reconfigured things as XYZ with all other options as per Post #10625 (above). The hope is that once I have a basic XYZ machine set up, I'll be able to add a -Y section for the other Y-stepper.

On the Mesa Config Page, I've set things as per the images below, and can see the "Parallel Port Set to OUTPUT" screen.

Quest.:
1. Do things look OK to this point?

2. Must I set/configure the Parallel-Port-Output pins, or is that handled in the firmware? I've studied the 5i25_g540x2.pin file, but I'm confused as to how to apply it to the Pncconf screen, or even if I need to?

3. If I don't have to set the pin-outs, can I proceed to setting up my stepper motors? I believe that I may have the data that I need.

As always, great thanks to the community for your help. While I still have an $1800 brick sitting on my bench, I'm getting closer, and I would not be without your input.

Thank you!

Leonard

Were you planning to use both the DB-25 ports on the Mesa card, and the ordinary parallel port(s) on your computer? If you are not also using the ordinary old parallel ports anymore, you can select "none" (under the Mesa0 PCI/Parport Card) rather than 1 Parport or 2 Parports on the Basic Information window in PNCconfig.

Todd:

Thank you! That explains THAT!

Again, thank you very much!

Leonard