4th axis is running but nothing else

This is a Taig 3000 4 axis that I am attempting to run on linuxcnc. Microproto control box with parallel port. I have finally gained function of 4th axis in 'test this axis' (some fine tuning needed). The 3 other axes will move a few steps in either direction but that is it. so I plugged X into the A port and it does the same. Moves a few steps and stops. I cant change timing setting for the other 3. Same stepper motor for all 4 axes.

Just to be clear...can you confirm:

• All four motors are the same?
• One motor works when plugged in to A-axis port?
• Another motor doesn't work when plugged in to the same port?
• Other three ports don't work?

This isn't going to fix anything, but have you tried plugging the known-good motor in a non-working port yet?

And you 'know' all four motors are the same how?  Same part numbers on them? Or they're all the same size with same color wires?

Trying not to assume too much here.

Are you switching between motors or drives?
If the rest of the motors make a step only when changing direction, you have the step and dir pin reversed.
What port are you talking about changing ?

Edit:
I am sure i have read the same thing before, what happened?

same part numbers. When I place the know good motor on x axis is acts the same. All motors were working on Mach 3. When I plug x motor into A port it moves.

I find these differences in the .ini

[AXIS_Z]
MAX_VELOCITY = 0.824652777778
MAX_ACCELERATION = 30.0
MIN_LIMIT = -4.0
MAX_LIMIT = 0.01

[JOINT_2]
TYPE = LINEAR
HOME = 0.0
MIN_LIMIT = -4.0
MAX_LIMIT = 0.01
MAX_VELOCITY = 0.824652777778
MAX_ACCELERATION = 30.0
STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 37.5
SCALE = 8000.0
FERROR = 0.05
MIN_FERROR = 0.01
HOME_OFFSET = 0.0

[AXIS_A]
MAX_VELOCITY = 360.0
MAX_ACCELERATION = 1200.0
MIN_LIMIT = -9999.0
MAX_LIMIT = 9999.0

[JOINT_3]
TYPE = ANGULAR
HOME = 0.0
MIN_LIMIT = -9999.0
MAX_LIMIT = 9999.0
MAX_VELOCITY = 360.0
MAX_ACCELERATION = 1200.0
STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 1500.0
SCALE = 1.11111111111
FERROR = 1
MIN_FERROR = .25
HOME_OFFSET = 0.0

performax wrote:

same part numbers. When I place the know good motor on x axis is acts the same. All motors were working on Mach 3. When I plug x motor into A port it moves.

Now we're getting somewhere.

So A-port works for both motors. And other ports don't work for any motor.

Either the port pinouts are different, or your configuration has issues.

Can you attach your INI and HAL files please?  You'll have to rename them from myconfig.hal and myconfig.ini to myconfighal.txt and myconfigini.txt to attach them in a response here.

Note for super-new users: 'myconfig' is just a file name I made up.  Yours will be whatever the config wizard named the files, and they'll be located somewhere like linuxcnc/configs/'myconfig' (or similar).

Just make backups and rename them then post them here and we'll have a look.  Once you do that, while you're waiting for someone/us to have a look, see if you can open/review your Mach3 configuration and see what the port/pin assignments were for all four axes.