Configuration for MDrive 17

Hi all

First of all, I am new and noob so excuse me if I ask something which may result obvious.

I'm trying to configure two steppers motors (MDrive 17) whose PINs I show you below;



So, in step conf I have many possibilities, but X Step and X Direction doesn't match with it, doesn't it?

I mean, if I want to move 34 steps to the right, what should I do? I have been thinking about using Spindle CW and CCW, does it make sense? Or should I use X Step, X Step (Invert), X Direction and X Direction (Invert)?

I am actually using this configuration:
Pin 1: X Step
Pin 2: X Step -
Pin 3: X Direction
Pin 4: X Direction -
Pin 5: Digital out 0 (Laser)
Pin 10: Home X

Thank you all!

Make a config using stepconf, save it and edit the hal file to use "up/down", so the part where it says
loadrt stepgen step_type=0,0,0
should be
loadrt stepgen step_type=1,1,1
If you need that for all 3 axis.

Thank you very much!

I cannot try it now, but I wish I could.

By the way, I saw I can configure the 1st Parallel with every axis but not the second one, I was going to use each parallel for each motor, but I am going to fix it.

I am trying to do a laser recorder but I don't understand many things I am trying to learn.

Another question, I want to use just two motors for two axis, so can I use for each one CW and CCW? Or there is some speed limit? Its a good idea?

Thank you very much, I wish you a good day

gholm wrote: Thank you very much!

You are welcomed, always.

gholm wrote: By the way, I saw I can configure the 1st Parallel with every axis but not the second one, I was going to use each parallel for each motor,

???
You can use as many parallel ports as you can fit on a PC, and you can set them as you like or need.

gholm wrote: I am trying to do a laser recorder but I don't understand many things I am trying to learn.

A laser scanner ?

gholm wrote: Another question, I want to use just two motors for two axis, so can I use for each one CW and CCW? Or there is some speed limit? Its a good idea?

Yes you can, and the only speed limit is the parallel port ability to send pulses, depending on the PC and Kernel.

tommylight wrote:

gholm wrote: Thank you very much!

You are welcomed, always.

gholm wrote: By the way, I saw I can configure the 1st Parallel with every axis but not the second one, I was going to use each parallel for each motor,

???
You can use as many parallel ports as you can fit on a PC, and you can set them as you like or need.

Actually there is a maximum limit of 8 ports with the Linuxcnc parallel port driver. (But if you need more than 2 or 3 other hardware options, such as Mesa cards, become more practical.)

I did say "as many as you can fit on a PC" as i am pretty sure that besides some very rare server motherboards, none had more than 6 PCI slots, plus the built in makes 7. Still under the limit.
But that would change if using dual port PCI cards, as that would result in 13 ports!
Thank you, Todd.

I would assume that if you wanted more than 2 parallel ports you'd automatically use the dual port cards. (I know I have.)

I am sorry I didn't answer, thank you very much.

Thats what I meant with the parallel port configuration:



Here I can choose several Axis configuration, as Step and Direction,



But in this screen I cannot, I just can choose CW and CCW.

(Maybe not exactly like this, but simmilar)

I am sorry, I am sure what I am asking is too basic but I don't understand this.

And thank you again for helping, I appreciate it!

linuxcnc.org/docs/html/hal/hal-examples.html
linuxcnc.org/docs/2.6/html/config/ini_config.html
You would need to do some manual editing of the hal and ini files, but i still am not sure what are you trying to achieve, like what should the end product do or how should it function or....
You can make a config for the first port, save it, and then copy and paste stuff you need by also replacing the parport.0 entries with parport.1

Thank you for your answer.

My idea is to make a simply 2 axis engraver laser CNC and control both axis with two microsteppers which has the following possible connections:






So I have two motors with built-in driver that I think I can use directly without any driver configuration, can I?

Thank you very much