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You can test everything, even run machines, without installing LinuxCNC, just boot from USB in Live mode and run the sim configurations included, or use another USB or the internal HDD if you want to actually run the machine, again without installing anything.

I am still working with version 2.8.4. I wanted to test what version 2.9.4 can do better and installed it in parallel.

The good news is im open to hardware options!

PC and Parallel - I have an older PC with the Parallel port that i could use... (I read that a USB to 25pin is no good for latency, so not going that route, this has the port!) 

Mesa - I know of it. seems good if the setup is more straightforward. Looks like they run about $100 to $300. Do you happen to know a PN or feature so i can look that up?

Cheap stuff maybe just to test on? there is also some USB styles... but i dont think they place nice with Linuxcnc?
www.amazon.com/Controller-100Khz-Breakou...08BJTB1GQ/ref=sr_1_6

What kind of io hardware are you using? Parallel port, Mesa cards, or something else? For example many Mesa io boards offer settings to use some of the regular inputs as hand wheel encoder inputs.

Yes --> "hand wheel inputs with encoders to "manually" move your stepmotors" via linuxcnc. and if it misses a step or two from my hand_encoder to the linuxcnc/DRO, no big deal as me (the human) will stop turning when the DRO shows the number im after. I get there may be backlash depending on the ball leads I use. question for another post. Unless its a deal breaker now.

for this one --> "adding encoder feedback to your axis to feed back the position" my plan is to use steppers with motor_encoders for feedback to the stepper driver. So closed loop driver-to-stepper but open loop to Linuxcnc to driver. I may be off here.

so silly question, but if i were to turn the X and Y at the same time, it will do a 45deg ish travel? they are both non blocking?

Are you asking for hand wheel inputs with encoders to "manually" move your stepmotors or are you asking about adding encoder feedback to your axis to feed back the position, if your powered off axis are moved by hand?

Both are possible, and technically would require approximately the same hardware. But the handwheel option would require less strict timing requirements because missing an encoder step there is less critical.

Don't use an XYZA configuration to setup a secondary Y axis gantry machine in Stepconfig unless your machine actually has a rotary A-axis. (aka 5 joints XYYZA.)

If starting fresh using the Stepconfig wizard in 2.9, don't use the "A axis" settings to configure your secondary Y axis joint. Start by configuring your machine as a XYZ machine, then choose "Tandem Y Step" and "Tandem Y Direction" for the step/dir output pins for the secondary axis on your parallel port. Similarly you must configure a separate home switch for both Y motors using two input pins connected to "Home Y" and "Home Tandem Y" (or one of the available combined home limit options available with those pin input options.)

If you already had a functioning configuration with version 2.8, you should be able to import the configuration files from that and have them work with 2.9 without needing to make any significant changes. (Maybe I think.)

Yes, I launched the included Axis sims on a dell OptiPlex-7780-AIO Intel Core i7-10700.
This ssd has debian 12 and mx23, does this affect mint 22.1?

Error report created by /usr/lib/tcltk/linuxcnc/show_errors.tcl:

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 - 2.10.0~pre0
Machine configuration directory is '/home/gitin/linuxcnc/configs/sim.axis-1'
Machine configuration file is 'axis_mm.ini'
INIFILE=/home/gitin/linuxcnc/configs/sim.axis-1/axis_mm.ini
VERSION=1.1
PARAMETER_FILE=sim_mm.var
TPMOD=
HOMEMOD=
TASK=milltask
HALUI=halui
DISPLAY=axis
COORDINATES=X Y Z
KINEMATICS=trivkins
Starting LinuxCNC...
Starting LinuxCNC server program: linuxcncsvr
linuxcncsvr (2832) emcsvr: machine 'LinuxCNC-HAL-SIM-AXIS' version '1.1'
Loading Real Time OS, RTAPI, and HAL_LIB modules
linuxcnc TPMOD=tpmod HOMEMOD=homemod EMCMOT=motmod
Starting TASK program: milltask
milltask (2845) task: machine 'LinuxCNC-HAL-SIM-AXIS' version '1.1'
Starting HAL User Interface program: halui
halui (2847) halui: machine 'LinuxCNC-HAL-SIM-AXIS' version '1.1'
Found file(lib): /usr/share/linuxcnc/hallib/core_sim.hal
Found file(lib): /usr/share/linuxcnc/hallib/sim_spindle_encoder.hal
Found file(lib): /usr/share/linuxcnc/hallib/axis_manualtoolchange.hal
Found file(lib): /usr/share/linuxcnc/hallib/simulated_home.hal
Found file(REL): ./cooling.hal
USRMOT: ERROR: command 30 timeout
emcMotionInit: emcTrajInit failed
Starting DISPLAY program: axis
Shutting down and cleaning up LinuxCNC...
task: 0 cycles, min=0.000002, max=0.001060, avg=-1.000000, 0 latency excursions (> 10x expected cycle time of 0.001000s)
Removing HAL_LIB, RTAPI, and Real Time OS modules
Removing NML shared memory segments

Debug file information:
Note: Using POSIX realtime
link (updating variable file): Нет такого файла или каталога
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/axis", line 3007, in <module>
vars = nf.Variables(root_window,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/nf.py", line 46, in __init__
setattr(self, name, makevar(master, name, klass))
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/nf.py", line 70, in makevar
self.set(self._default)
File "/usr/lib/python3.12/tkinter/__init__.py", line 424, in set
return self._tk.globalsetvar(self._name, value)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
_tkinter.TclError: can't set "taskfile": can't read "::": no such variable
2835
2845
Stopping realtime threads
Unloading hal components
Note: Using POSIX realtime

---

Info report created by linuxcnc_info:
The file: /tmp/linuxcnc_info.txt
can be posted to a forum or a web site like:
pastebin.com
in order to provide information about the linuxcnc
system and configuration.

Date: Пн 17 мар 2025 19:59:24 MSK
UTC Date: Пн 17 мар 2025 16:59:24 UTC
this program: /usr/bin/linuxcnc_info
uptime: 19:59:24 up 4 min, 1 user, load average: 1,03, 0,92, 0,43
lsb_release -sa: Linuxmint Linux Mint 22.1 22.1 xia
linuxcnc: /usr/bin/linuxcnc
pwd: /home/gitin/linuxcnc/configs/sim.axis-1
USER: gitin
LOGNAME: gitin
HOME: /home/gitin
EDITOR:
VISUAL:
LANGUAGE: ru_RU
TERM: dumb
COLORTERM:
DISPLAY: :0
DESKTOP: mate
display size: 1920x1080 pixels (508x285 millimeters)
PATH: /usr/bin:/home/gitin/linuxcnc/configs/sim.axis-1/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin

uname items:
nodename -n: gitin-OptiPlex-7780-AIO
kernel-name -s: Linux
kernel-vers -v: #1 SMP PREEMPT_RT Debian 6.10.12-1 (2024-10-01)
machine -m: x86_64
processor -p: x86_64
platform -i: x86_64
oper system -o: GNU/Linux

/proc items:
cmdline: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.10.12-rt-amd64 root=UUID=0ae8aa4a-3b74-4dae-9243-989492bb833f ro quiet splash
model name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz
cores: 8
cpu MHz: 4558.254
parport:
serial: 0000-0000 : serial

Versions:
gcc: gcc (Ubuntu 13.3.0-6ubuntu2~24.04) 13.3.0
python: Python 3.12.3
git: not_in_PATH
git commit: NA
tcl: 8.6
tk: 8.6
glade: not_in_PATH

linuxcnc_var all:

LINUXCNCVERSION: 2.10.0~pre0
LINUXCNC_AUX_GLADEVCP: /usr/share/linuxcnc/aux_gladevcp
LINUXCNC_AUX_EXAMPLES: /usr/share/linuxcnc/aux_examples
REALTIME: /usr/lib/linuxcnc/realtime
RTS: uspace
HALLIB_DIR: /usr/share/linuxcnc/hallib
PYTHON: /usr/bin/python3

dpkg -l '*linuxcnc*':
Желаемый=неизвестно/установить/удалить[r]/вычистить[p]/зафиксировать[h]
| Состояние=не[n]/установлен/настроен[c]/распакован/частично настроен[F]/
частично установлен[H]/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Ошибка?=(нет)/требуется переустановка[R] (верхний регистр
в полях состояния и ошибки указывает на ненормальную ситуацию)
||/ Имя Версия Архитектура Описание
+++-===================-=============-============-==============================================
un linuxcnc <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-dev <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-doc <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-doc-en <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-doc-es <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-doc-fr <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-sim <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
un linuxcnc-sim-dev <нет> <нет> (описание недоступно)
ii linuxcnc-uspace 1:2.10.0~pre0 amd64 motion controller for CNC machines and robots
ii linuxcnc-uspace-dev 1:2.10.0~pre0 amd64 PC based motion controller for real-time Linux

Hi,I'm in the early stages of researching a conversion for my PM-25 mill to use stepper motors and encoders, with the goal of creating an easy-to-use system for both manual and CNC operation. Ideally, it will be a 50/50 split between DRO mode and running G-code from my CAM software.

I have experience with 2.5 and 3-axis Southwest/Prototrak systems and really enjoy using X/Y DRO mode for quick manual jobs—especially for things like reworking a part on the fly with handwheels.

Now, for my question: I came across Probe Basic, which looks like a good fit for my needs, but is it possible to have a DRO mode where external encoders on the X and Y axes feed into LinuxCNC, move the stepper motors, and display the position on the Probe Basic screen?

In short:

• Enter DRO mode.
• Turn a custom encoder on the X axis and Y axis (e.g., 100 steps maybe even a fine or course option? ).
• The table moves accordingly, and LinuxCNC tracks the position.
• If needed, I can zero out the position, similar to how old MX2 or K3 Prototraks work.

Would this kind of setup be possible? Im ok with EE and Software, can build a PCB but rather look for some options first. Thanks!

Is the X axis position getting smaller as it moves in?
linuxcnc.org/docs/stable/html/lathe/lath..._synchronized_motion

JT

how setting first time my dual Y axis at setup wizard, i has try add my parallerport pin 8 and 9 is A axis, and setting pins 8,9 to tandem Y step and dir, normal Y have pin 4 Y step and 5 is Y dir, but no working. what i need setting can use 2 motor Y axis. new version 2.9.4 old has 2.8.4.

how setup dual Y axis, just installed new version linuxcnc because i hear support dual Y axis motors, but now first time try setting wizard make tandem Y step ad dir add to pin 8 and 9 (A axis in card) no working.

i just installing ew version linuxcnc old has 2.8.4 ew is 2.9.4 and have dual Y axis problem, i try add parallerport card A axis to second motor to Yaxis but no working, how this setting, wizarrd i has make setting XYZA and pin setting 8 and 9 have Yaxis2 step and dir. all other pins have normal XYZ old setting but now try use tandem Y step and dir, to A axis. no working, how this setting ?

Post the error report here.
Did you try running the included Axis sims?
Usually Axis issues are always related to OpenGL not working, so you can try adding or removing the graphic card.
-
FYI, i have installed this 7-8 times by now, it works as advertised, meaning installs in about 8-12 minutes on some Lenovo i7 6600U and 7600U.
Also axis works always.

So, how did you get this to work:I thought it meant to add 16 to the P word in the M19 command but that does not work as only values 0,1 or 2 are accepted by the interpreter.