Configuring my A Axis

I just finished a thread in the Installing LinuxCNC forum, and now have moving motors on my Taig Mill/G540/7i92 installation.

As I worked through that, I'm as sure as I can be that I asked pncconf for XYZA axes, not XYZ, but in any case, here I am with XYZ now moving, but no A (a Sherline rotary table using the same steppers as X,Y, and Z).

I did do two passes through pncconf, so it's always possible that I missed it on the second one, just seems doubtful to me.

However I ended up here, I'm sure that others before me have added an Axis to an existing machine, so I'd like to understand how best to do that.

Do I re-run pncconf and recreate my hal and ini files, because yes, I surely must have made a mistake?
-OR-
Do I edit the files, copy/paste an existing Axis and then make changes(?) to implement the rotary table?
-OR-
Some other alternative?

Thanks for your help with this!

- Bob

I would suggest:
reload the working config in pncconf.
on the base information page change the machine name.
Now the new config will keep the settings of the old but will not overwrite it because it will use the new name.
On that same page make sure 'Axis Configuration' says XYZA

Run through the pages untill the Mesa page - add the A axis stepper designations.
run through until the A axis pages come up and fill them in.
run through pages until the end and pncconf saves the config.

Now you should have two configs one without A and one with.
Also what version of linuxcnc are we talking about?

Chris

Are you saying that pncconf should have, would now create a hal, ini, etc. for XYZA?

Because if it didn't do that simply because I goofed on the second try and left A out, then that seems to be the simplest, low-guesswork path. Just re-do and reapply the changes from the other thread...

You're expecting pncconf to be able to generate config files for all 4 axes?

Just saw cmorley's post - that sounds good.

My linuxcnc version is 2.7.14

Well, I'm on hiatus for a bit and will have to come back to this.

After having moved motors, my G540 has decided to persistently illuminate its fault light... I'm going with 'infant mortality' until a better explanation comes along. I've had the board here since early 2016, but it's just now that I've had space and time to get on with setup, so it's only been powered for perhaps a couple of days in total.

Tried basic stuff like disconnecting everything, but that didn't change anything. Used Gecko's video to open it up and look for fried chips, but nothing I can see.

Anyway... I have an email into their support address to see if they'll support the board, given the situation.

Gonna have to come back to this when I have a working controller board...

Thanks so much for the support, folks. I'll be back with updates when my lights are green again.

- Bob

Tom,

Yep. Tried that, no joy.

But...between Gecko's troubleshooting video and an email from one of their support techs, my motors are moving again. Basically just took it apart, powered up the G540's motherboard (green!), added stuff back (stayed green!), and voila! Back to moving motors. No idea what changed, apart from takeapart and gradually reassemble, but it works. Wired the same, switches the same...ah, well...mysteries of life.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand...my A axis now works!

Using Modify to ADD a new axis did NOT work for me. I think I did indeed forget to specify XYZA (vs. XYZ) when I ran the wizard the second time, despite getting the pin mapping right later. Anyway, Modify did NOT let me advance to configuration for the "A" axis after selecting XYZA, and instead threw errors when I tried. I can post a picture of the error page, if someone wants it.

Gave it a couple of tries before giving up on that and just doing a fresh config, which worked fine.

So I think I'm through the all-axes-moving 'gate', and it's on to the next challenge - trying to do something useful with them!

Thanks again for your help with this!

- Bob