Re:pncconf - feature requests

rotwang wrote: Add to the GUI interface select radio-buttons one that says "Custom" then for this selection have PNCConf output a single line "#include custom.inc" instead of its usual GUI setup text. Then I can go back to PNCConf to refine my pin assignments without having to keep re-editing the generated .ini file every time.
Roger
PS -- If anyone ever got around to teaching PNCConf about the 7i73 I'd be a happy man.

PPS -- More complicated this one
Taking the 7i76 for an example (as that's what I have) the TB2 thru TB6 tabs work in terms of the functional blocks of the 7i76.
It would be more useful if they worked in terms of the physical terminal blocks, in other words the TB2 tab would have 24 rows, numbered 1 to 24 corresponding to the physical terminals, likewise for the other tabs. Pins with fixed assignments, like +5v and GND would be non-editable, like wise for step- and dir- as they are fixed inverses of step+ and dir+.
In addition a print facility, (this could be just a csv file, which I can then format and print) which would list in three columns,the terminal number, the logical function and the full name of the generated hal pin, would mean I can then document the complete wiring schedule for my machine and know that will always correspond to the hal setup. If this is feasible and/or of interest I can mock-up the sort of output I have in mind.

Not sure what version you are talking about at least in 2.7 and beyond the 7I73 is supported.
I don't see pncconf ever supporting the physical layout of the terrminal blocks.
Pncconf used to do that before the start of sserial cards.
It would require hard coding the layout every card mesa makes -
The info cannot be machine read and we don't have the man power to do it manually
If we do one card we must do them all.
That is why it is like that.

As for the display option I would suggest that you either:
wait to change the display until you are happy with the basic machine movement or
just hand edit everything - if you can build a custom interface - you are beyond the useful purpose of pncconf
We just don't have the man power to manage all the options.

Chris M

Sorry Chris, that is 2.8.when seting the scale, on the popup screen it is all good, but it will not change the value of scale on the main screen, so it has to be done manualy or it remains at 50.000 and cuases joint errors when using that config.
Thank you very much for everything.
P.S.
I use it at least 500 times and did not notice that as i edit everything manualy.

I glad it has been useful to you.
I'll try to look at the problem soon.

Chris M

As a newbie to this, I thought I might be able to give you a little newbie user feedback:

I noticed while searching the forum for answers to PNCconf 5i25/7i77/7i84 configuration, that Gmoccapy support in PNCconf has been requested a couple of times. Though I would log that request into this sticky thread:

- Please add Gmoccapy support.
I had a thread discussion with Andy Pugh about adding Gmoccapy to the PNCConf documentation, but at that time didn't realise it wasn't implemented in the wizard.
forum.linuxcnc.org/32-documents/33049-up...-config-wizard#96561
Turns out there is some Gmoccapy info there in the github, but to add it to the Docu at this point it will just add confusion.

- Please add a note by the sanity check check that some cards (eg 7i84) have neither PWM or PDM so there are no sanity checks for them.

- Please some screen shots and explanations to the help files concerning the 5i25 / 7i77 combination. Especially the I/O connector 2 and 3 look significanty different, and are rather confusing for a newbie.

- If you need the 7i77 and 7i84 connected, with it's field power applied before running PNCconf please add this to the help file.

I really appreciate the effort of all the voluteers who support LinuxCNC and it's users. The support of my MAHO retrofit project on this forum has been great, even when some of the questions were not even LinuxCNC related.
forum.linuxcnc.org/12-milling/33035-retr...h400e?start=60#99502

My take on this is that the Mesa gear is professional hardware.
If you want to use professional hardware, you have to be professional yourself.
To be professional, you have to learn how to edit ini and hal files using a text editor.

The Mesa environment is far more complex than a simple parallel port to configure. Maintaining pncconf got beyond what the current maintainer could offer. So if you want the features you ask for, maybe you could offer to take over the maintenance of the code. Its only 5000 lines of Python code.

Anyway back to gmoccapy, You can move from Axis to Gmoccapy in 5 minutes just by editing your .ini file. See:
linuxcnc.org/docs/html/gui/gmoccapy.html...capy:display-section

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't realise that it is no longer actively supported. It is clear that I'll have to edit and INI and HAL, and also develop ladder components to get the MAHO working, but I have a lot to learn to get there.
I don't think I have the python knowledge or competence to come close to supporting the level PNCConf is already at. Sorry.
Mark.