PathPilot 2.9.6 on non-Tormach machine

I'm looking to run PP2.9 on a non-tormach mill.  I already have the flash drive and have installed it on a 1tb hard drive.  I tried to use the guide for running PathPilot on Non-Tormach Machines written for PP1, but I don't have a config.txt file.  Is there a guide written for the newer PathPilot?

Thank you

Hi,
can you provide a bit more information?
what hardware controller are you using? Also are you using a Mesacard motion controller?

cheers

Peter

Hi I have the same issue, have the new usb installed on a HP desktop with a parallel port 25 pin but cant get past the install where it asks for the machine type, have tried to follow the bits of guides provided for old versions but no luck so far, help would really be appreciated
 

Hi,
I’m not sure you can install it on a machine with a parallel port. I think that PathPilot now expects a Mesa card.

You could try selecting one of the old Tormach models

Cheers

Peter

phomann wrote:

Hi,
can you provide a bit more information?
what hardware controller are you using? Also are you using a Mesacard motion controller?

cheers

Peter

Apologies for the late reply, I am using a MESA 7i97T with a 7i76 daughter board.  To be honest, I haven't gotten very far.  I've installed Pathpilot with the boards not connected.  I do not have a config.txt file in the folder specified.  Do I need to let Pathpilot flash my boards with the wrong firmware to get a config file I can edit? I may be bailing to probeBasic (or a modified version) to fit a control screen I picked up.

Hi,
Firstly, I chose Pathpilot purely because I wanted the Pathpilot interface. I’m not saying it is better than others, but it suits my workflow and the way I do things. 

I am also (as a secondary project setting up LinuxCNC on a Raspberry Pi which will use the probe basic UIF.

As to setting up PathPilot, it needs a motion controller attached to start. When you select the Tormach machine, PathPilot try’s to communicate with the expected Mesacard, then downloads the firmware if it isn’t what PathPilot expects.

So, most people choose a Tormach machine that matches the Mesacard they have and a machine that is “similar” to what they want to achieve. You then, have to edit the .hal and .ini files for that machine to suit your non-Tormach machine. Every time you do a PathPilot update, these two files will be overwritten.

The best way around it is to have a backup copy of these to files in the same directory as they won’t be overwritten. I also changed the startup script so that it points to my .hal and .ini files.

The model 1100-3 is a common choice that many use. I chose the 440 as it uses a Leadshine MX4660 controller that has an identical db25 interface to the Gecko G540 that I use.

Read through the thread I wrote on getting my machine to work on Pathpilot. It should explain how I did it.
forum.linuxcnc.org/pathpilot/45846-pathpilot-7i92-g540-hal-file

I hope it helps. 

cheers
Peter

Hi Peter , That process of a backup file may not always work. IF the update adds to or subtracts from the makeup of the files then they may not load properly. Then you have to rebuild the installed hal/ini to match your hardware. Not always but sometimes. Been there done that .

When using a card that is not a tormach standard then you have to use the mesa config bit file and tell Pathpilot in the ini file what card setup you are using and the name of the bit file.

Just a thought , ( TP

Hi Terry,

Correct you are. I use a comparison too called Beyond Compare to check the changes in an upgrade.

I did get caught out on one upgrade.

Cheers

Peter

I have 7i97T and 7i76 cards, and I'm attempting to get pathpilot to run. This is for retrofitting a non-tormach machine. A Bridgeport Interact 412. The original tutorial does not seem to apply at all to PathPilot 2.*. I have PP 2.10.1. I've tried picking through pathpilotmanager.py, but I do not know what I'm doing.

Attached are my log and pathpilotmanager.py.  Any help would be appreciated.

edit:  I think the Mesaflash version is too old for the 7i97T, I'm going to update it and try again.