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"Greatly" might be an overstatement for $±5.

Don't forget old PMDX boards (PMDX.com).

My machine has one, it's good, though they are so absurdly overpriced no sane person would ever buy a new one, but buying an old PMDX breakout board for cheap is certainly not a bad idea.

But there must be a reason that linuxcnc won't find it.
It looks okay in your files.
Response is exactly like it is commented out.
I tested to comment out the loadrt line and got exactly thisI also tested to mis-spell cia402pv.Spindl in the loadrt line and got the same error.
Also mis-spelling on the addf line give the same error.
There is some mis-spelling between the loadrt and the addf lines
but I don't see what it is.

From the output messages this is the hal file linuxcnc uses
./hallib/EL8_machine.hal
That's the one you showed, right?

I don't know. Can you retype those two lines?

hi there,

Just for anyone who searches and finds this, as of this writing (October 30 2025), if you have already run sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade, you can't just run apt purge, you have to run:


And that will remove the error.

In addition, at least on my machine, after you run pncconf, you have to comment out lines 21 and 22 in order for LinuxCNC to launch.

Hi Peter,

Thank you for this information. Forgive me, I'm new. Are you associated with Mesa Electronics?

Regards,
John

I'll have to check that out.

Edit: This will take some thought to have the spinbox updated from the hal pin and the hal pin updated from the spinbox without a fight as to who is in control of the value.

JT

There is no actual advantage to using a 6I25 configuration for LinuxCNC so they have been dropped
The VHDL Source is available if you want to compile something for a non-LinuxCNC application.

loadrt [KINS]KINEMATICS
loadrt [EMCMOT]EMCMOT servo_period_nsec=[EMCMOT]SERVO_PERIOD num_joints=[KINS]JOINTS
loadusr -W lcec_conf ethercat-conf.xml
loadrt lcec
#loadusr -W hal_manualtoolchange
loadrt cia402 count=4
#loadrt mult2
#loadrt mult2 count=4 etc for multiple instances
loadrt cia402pv names=cia402pv.Spindle

Doesn't appear to be commented out in the Hal file ?

Hmm, did you by any chance comment out the loadrt cia402pv line?

Oh, you're right, I always assumed they were MII chips, like on all other FPGA boards.

ww1.microchip.com/downloads/aemDocuments...face-DS00002357B.pdf

Hmmm, that could make things a lot easier, since the difficult part is already in the chip.

Thank you very much!!!

Print file information:
RUN_IN_PLACE=no
LINUXCNC_DIR=
LINUXCNC_BIN_DIR=/usr/bin
LINUXCNC_TCL_DIR=/usr/lib/tcltk/linuxcnc
LINUXCNC_SCRIPT_DIR=
LINUXCNC_RTLIB_DIR=/usr/lib/linuxcnc/modules
LINUXCNC_CONFIG_DIR=
LINUXCNC_LANG_DIR=/usr/lib/tcltk/linuxcnc/msgs
INIVAR=inivar
HALCMD=halcmd
LINUXCNC_EMCSH=/usr/bin/wish8.6
LINUXCNC - 2.9.6
Machine configuration directory is '/home/cnc/linuxcnc/configs/probe_basic_dev'
Machine configuration file is 'EL8_machine.ini'
INIFILE=/home/cnc/linuxcnc/configs/probe_basic_dev/EL8_machine.ini
VERSION=1.1
PARAMETER_FILE=linuxcnc.var
TPMOD=
HOMEMOD=el8_homecomp
TASK=milltask
HALUI=halui
DISPLAY=probe_basic
COORDINATES=X Y Z
KINEMATICS=trivkins coordinates=XYZ
Starting LinuxCNC...
Starting LinuxCNC server program: linuxcncsvr
Loading Real Time OS, RTAPI, and HAL_LIB modules
Starting LinuxCNC IO program: io
Starting HAL User Interface program: halui
linuxcnc TPMOD=tpmod HOMEMOD=el8_homecomp EMCMOT=motmod
Found file(REL): ./hallib/EL8_machine.hal
Shutting down and cleaning up LinuxCNC...
Removing HAL_LIB, RTAPI, and Real Time OS modules
Removing NML shared memory segments

Debug file information:
Note: Using POSIX realtime
HAL: ERROR: function 'cia402pv.Spindle.read-all' not found
./hallib/EL8_machine.hal:18: addf failed
2439
Stopping realtime threads
Unloading hal components
Note: Using POSIX realtime


 

Hi Hakan
Thanks for the help I have configured to the directory now, but have a new error message ?

The Ethernet chips on the mesa cards use a 16 bit bus, thought I'd mention this as you mentioned MII. From what I understand MII is supposed to be a more or less generic communication interface.

But I can get confused with these things .

Sad to say but the Aussie Gumbernment, being advised by an unelected eKaren who's main job was the keep the kids safe from rock spiders, is also responsible for this mess.
Honestly since the only reason I watch Foxtel, cable tv to our north American cousins, is to watch the MotoGP, WSBK and other bike racing, I had a YouTube Premium subscription for a few years now, maybe pre coof years. So I don't have an issue with signing in.
I think I may have seen some free to air tv a year or so ago, I lost 3/4 of my IQ felt the urge to be some crocs and a Ford Ranger and listen to Triple M on the radio...luckily I can neither afford a Ford Ranger nor a pair of crocs.

RIO now actually consists of two projects:

1. Configuration front end with HAL/INI generator

2. FPGA gateware generator


In Rio, there are now two ways to use a Mesa cards:

1. with RIO firmware/gateware (FPGA gateware generator)

Unfortunately, only those with an SPI interface. I will try again to build something that works with the MII chips when I get the chance, but it may take a while.

2. Original hm2 firmware (HAL/INI generator)
Still being tested. At the moment, only the 7c81 is supported, as I have this at home. Next will
be the 7i92.
This should actually support all cards, but in order to configure them correctly in the flow tool, you have to enter all pin positions into a file, which is simple but time-consuming.


I have already ordered a 7i92 clone from China.