Difference between USER_M_PATH and nc_files path

Hi,
What is the difference in the use of a path in USER_M_PATH than the nc_files standard path?
In both I can specify user defined functions (M100-M199), is it right? Or these directories are used to do different things?

Nicola.

You can use both. The idea is that you can keep your M-code subroutines somewhere out of the way where they are safe from over-zealous tidying-up.

Note that USER_M_PATH specifies a _list_ of directories that are searched
for executable files with names like M1xx.

Ref: linuxcnc.org/docs/2.7/html/config/ini-config.html
The 'nc_files' mentioned is a bit confusing.

The search list begins at [DISPLAY]PROGRAM_PREFIX which is conventionally set
to the directory ~/linuxcnc/nc_files by programs like pncconf and stepconf or
when a configuration is copied to a user directory using the config picker.
These programs typically create this directory if it does not exist.

The seldom-used 'default location: nc_files' specifies a subdirectory named
'nc_files' in the configuration directory that contains ini file. This
subdirectory must exist to be usable in the path search.

As you know I have changed stepconf to add the configuration interface for the HALUI section of the ini file. Eventually I would like to fully configure my cnc machine 'stepcraft 840' using only stepconf. So I need to add even 'USER_M_PATH' under RS274NGC section in accordance with the specifications in this forum: www.stepcraft-systems.com/forum/software...allation-einrichtung . Another issue is the use of HALFILE and POSTGUI_HALFILE, but I check this later .
So you think is best to use USER_M_PATH for custom commands?
Nicola.

dgarrett wrote: Note that USER_M_PATH specifies a _list_ of directories that are searched
for executable files with names like M1xx.

Ok this is clear.

dgarrett wrote: The 'nc_files' mentioned is a bit confusing.

The search list begins at [DISPLAY]PROGRAM_PREFIX which is conventionally set
to the directory ~/linuxcnc/nc_files by programs like pncconf and stepconf or
when a configuration is copied to a user directory using the config picker.
These programs typically create this directory if it does not exist.

The seldom-used 'default location: nc_files' specifies a subdirectory named
'nc_files' in the configuration directory that contains ini file. This
subdirectory must exist to be usable in the path search.

This is for me more confused than before. :blink:
The ini file is under ~/linuxcnc/configs not under ~/linuxcnc/nc_files. I do not understand.

Nicola.

nicokid wrote: This is for me more confused than before. :blink:
The ini file is under ~/linuxcnc/configs not under ~/linuxcnc/nc_files. I do not understand.

What Dewey is saying (as I read it) is that there is a default location that is searched second:

~/linuxcnc/configs/my_config/nc_files

This is where you can put config-specific M-files, if you wish to.

andypugh wrote: ~/linuxcnc/configs/my_config/nc_files

This is where you can put config-specific M-files, if you wish to.

Uhmm... indeed my own USER_M_PATH path points to ~/linuxcnc/configs/stepcraft-840/mcode.
So if I change the name of directory mcode in nc_files I can avoid setting the USER_M_PATH parameter in .ini file?

Thanks, Nicola.

nicokid wrote: So if I change the name of directory mcode in nc_files I can avoid setting the USER_M_PATH parameter in .ini file?

That is the way I read what Dewey posted. It is a simple experiment to find out

I did some tests

This does not work:
~/linuxcnc/configs/my_config/nc_files

I can put my files with M codes (like M100) in this directory: that can be changed by setting PROGRAM_PREFIX parameters.

or

I can setting USER_M_PATH parameter, for example:
USER_M_PATH = nc_files
Then I can put my M files under:
In the end I think that the directory ~/linuxcnc /nc_files is for all ini configuration, while the directory specified by USER_M_PATH is just for one ini configuration (~/linuxcnc/configs/my_config/nc_files).

Nicola.

The attached demo illustrates USER_M_PATH usage.
The config directory is named 'demo'.
The config directory also contains subdirectories named
d1,d2,d3, and nc_files.

The two included ini files (demo1.ini, demo2.ini) use a minimal
axis gui simulation configuration to access a simple gcode starup
file named demo.ngc

The demo1.ini config specifies:
The demo2.ini config removes (comments out) the PROGRAM_PREFIX:

Each subdirectory contains simple M1NN files to
identify their usage by encoding the value of the
motion.analog-in-00 pin which is read in the gcode file
named demo.ngc using the m66 cmd which populates the
variable #5399
To try: