Offline install of jethornton 7i92 config tool?

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22 Apr 2020 19:52 #165149 by blockbuffer
I finished the physical install of my Taig mill, enclosure, G540, 7i92, mill computer, etc. and began studying config steps...

Found some useful threads here and have successfully flashed my 7i92. In the course of that, I found links to jethornton's linuxcnc config utilities, which appear to be recommended as a simpler staring point.

jethornton.github.io/7i92/index.html

My question is... Is it possible to prepare an offline install of this utility and its dependencies on Win 7 and transport it on a thumb drive to my linuxcnc machine for installation? The linuxcnc build is stretch uspace 386 on an older Optiplex, so no wireless and in its current (neatly zip-tied and installed) location, no 10/100 Base-T, either. I can disassemble and move it for this, but I didn't anticipate that I'd need any more than the linuxcnc iso, a couple of pre-move updates, and the mesa kit, so I painted myself into a bit of a corner.

Thanks!

- Bob

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22 Apr 2020 19:57 #165150 by tommylight
For Mesa 7i92 that is basically a 5i25 with ethernet connecction, the easiest way to get things working is by making a config with pncconf for 5i25, then editing the hal file to replace all instances of hm2_pci with hm2_eth and all instances of 5i25.0. with 7i92.0.. It also needs adding the ip address near the top of the file where it loads the card with something like:
loadrt hm2_eth board_ip="10.10.10.10" config=" num_encoders=6 num_pwmgens=0 num_stepgens=0 sserial_port_0=000xxx
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22 Apr 2020 21:14 #165156 by blockbuffer
Thanks!

Sounds reasonable! This fooled me for a while - pncconf is not in the linuxcnc index, but pdf search found it in the doc and I'm studying... :-)

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23 Apr 2020 10:38 #165208 by tommylight
It should always be in the CNC menu. Strange that you do not have it.

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23 Apr 2020 14:06 #165264 by blockbuffer
I may do, haven't looked yet. Wanted to try to understand what I was dealing with re: config., via the doc first.
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23 Apr 2020 20:55 #165304 by blockbuffer
Making cautious progress with pncconf, but I do have questions...

When I loaded the firmware, I chose 7i92_G540x2D. That matches the numbers of both the Mesa and Gecko boards. I've pressed on with 5i25 + G540x2 as board and firmware choices in pncconf.

From the "x2D", I assume that the firmware will support daughter boards, but this is a basic XYZA stepper-based Taig mill, and I'm only running one parallel cable from the P1 conector on the 7i92 to the G540, no daughters.

Apart from the board and firmware choices, I've left the defaults on the Configuration tab. When I clicked the "Accept" button, tabs for I/O connector 2 and 3 appeared.

I'm not sure what to do with these tabs. The help file says many things about them, but I have not been able to parse out the bits I need, for my simple little scenario.

Looks like one of those tabs should rule (but which?), and some of those options should probably say something other than "Unused", but which? And what?

Thanks for your help!

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23 Apr 2020 22:16 #165318 by tommylight

Apart from the board and firmware choices, I've left the defaults on the Configuration tab. When I clicked the "Accept" button, tabs for I/O connector 2 and 3 appeared.

Those are the connectors on the 5i25 or 7i92, there you can choose the stepgens for each axis and on the next pages you can also test if the motors are moving and tune the scale to fit your setup. Also chose the I/O pins as needed, i forgot how G540 pinout was, it was several years back.
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23 Apr 2020 22:29 #165320 by blockbuffer
One gate at a time, then...

The board has connectors P1 and P2.

The tabs are Connector 2 and Connector 3, so the numbers don't match.

I assume that the connectors on the board are SUPPOSED to match 1:1 with the tabs. If that's correct, any idea which tab is the one that governs P1 on the board?

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23 Apr 2020 23:27 #165323 by tommylight
On the page where you chose 5i25 and the G540 under it, below set the PWM to 1, stepgens to 4, encoders to 0.
This way you have nothing to chose on the "IO connector 2" page and it wont complain when you try to save the config.
Then on the "IO connector 3" page you will have only 1 pwm and 4 stepgens, notice the number in front of stepgen, 0 is usually for the X axis, 1 is for the Y and so on, but it does not have to be exactly like that as you can also have 2 Y or 2 X axis. This is if you have 4 motors, if you have three, set only 3 stepgens, not 4. You can also set the inputs and/or outputs, but that can also be done later by editing the hal file.
First lets get you moving.
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24 Apr 2020 00:16 #165325 by blockbuffer
Thanks!

Pix attached - is this what you meant? The Taig is a simple machine - just one motor moving each X,Y,Z axis, plus a 4th motor for the Sherline rotary table as "A", so no multiple motors.

I do not understand what those tab numbers (000 thru 016) refer to (virtual pins maybe?), but if I look at my 7i92 board, I'm wondering if I should move my cable from P1 to the P2 position, as that position on the board is marked "0..16". Thoughts?

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