[SOLVED] [Gmoccapy PlasmaC Run+Config tabs empty. Exceptions missing handlers

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16 Mar 2021 21:48 - 16 Mar 2021 22:36 #202521 by errorxyz
SOLVED BY htasta in the chat. It was just the "OFFSET_AV_RATIO = 0.5" was under [JOINT_2] and not under [AXIS_Z]. That solved everything.

Hello Forum! After solving many little riddles myself, I'm now the proud owner of a gmoccappy plasma window where I can jog and home my axis but nothing more because the tabs RUN and CONFIG are empty, and I can't really move on without them I think.

My installation is based on the Linuxcnc2.8 examples-> by machine->plasmac->gmoccapy-> metric plasma.
I have adapted the ini and hal file from that example to the point where I am now.

When run I the original example, the RUN and CONFIG tabs are filled with useful values. But they disappear without an error message in my setup. I figured out to start linuxcnc from the commandline to get maybe see some errors in the background and I noticed there are some exceptions pertaining "materialList' and missing event handlers. Which makes total sense because when I try to enter the missing values, Gmoccapy won't let me, any input in these forms is rejected. There is also an exception about OFFSET_AV_RATIO not being a string or a number. It the default value "0.5".

To be clear, my next goal was to simply load a simple shape like a circle from "Conversational" to make sure basic movement from a file works, but it seems everything fails I assume because of missing default values.

I have attached my main .ini and .hal file, and also the output copied from the console. I don't think I have touched the .pref or material.cfg file, but I have included it.

PS: I'm building a plasmacnc around the parallel port for now. Everything is running on an old core2duo PC offline, because I have only mobile broadband.
I'm also considering to instead jump on QtPlasmaC because I have read a sort of announcement that it is ready to be used on plasma tables, but my intuition kind off tells me that's probably even more unstable and less documented. It required LinuxCNC2.9 preview as far as I understand?
Last edit: 16 Mar 2021 22:36 by errorxyz.

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16 Mar 2021 22:04 - 16 Mar 2021 22:05 #202524 by snowgoer540

I'm also considering to instead jump on QtPlasmaC because I have read a sort of announcement that it is ready to be used on plasma tables, but my intuition kind off tells me that's probably even more unstable and less documented. It required LinuxCNC2.9 preview as far as I understand?

Your intuition is incorrect in this case. I would highly recommend switching to QtPlasmac. It does require 2.9. PlasmaC for Axis and Gmoccapy is no longer supported. Further 2.9 contains some bug fixes at the linuxcnc core level that are required for the way this component interfaces with it.

The documentation is better than or at least equal to the PlasmaC documentation.
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/plasma/qtplasmac.html

Although, I question whether or not you actually read/followed the original PlasmaC documentation in the first place, because your method of creating a working PlasmaC config doesn't reflect anything mentioned in the documentation, and neither do the files you posted. You dont seem to have run the configurator on a working base machine created with pncconf or stepconf (I am not sure you used stepconf either (seems like you're running a parallel port)).

I would suggest considering updating to 2.9 (method for this is mentioned in the docs above), and then creating a new configuration following the directions in the docs.
Last edit: 16 Mar 2021 22:05 by snowgoer540.

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16 Mar 2021 22:44 - 16 Mar 2021 22:47 #202537 by errorxyz
Thanks for the reply, the main issue is solved now (I have edit the post).

That dam configurator! Where is it? I did read about its existence in the documentation, I know its supposed to be a python script but I couldn't find it in the folder structure on the live usb linuxcnc 2.8 That I'm running. I had also googled it but couldn't find it.

I have created my basic setup in stepconf with axis and then had to hack together the ini and hal manually.

But very good info. I was advised to be careful because the main branch version 2.9 could be unstable and I should use 2.8 for reliability. I want something that really works.
Last edit: 16 Mar 2021 22:47 by errorxyz.

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16 Mar 2021 22:55 - 16 Mar 2021 22:56 #202538 by errorxyz
I have found the configurator now to. Well I guess I don't need it anymore now.

It was actually quite clearly described here but (I must have been blind for that part):
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/plasma/plas...via_the_configurator
Last edit: 16 Mar 2021 22:56 by errorxyz.

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17 Mar 2021 09:38 - 17 Mar 2021 09:39 #202572 by snowgoer540

I have found the configurator now to. Well I guess I don't need it anymore now.

It was actually quite clearly described here but (I must have been blind for that part):
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/plasma/plas...via_the_configurator


I would follow the instructions in the documents. I would discard the hacked config and run the configurator on your base machine files, as you are far less likely to have issues than using the hacked together config (no offense intended).

But very good info. I was advised to be careful because the main branch version 2.9 could be unstable and I should use 2.8 for reliability. I want something that really works.

Unsure who is advising you, but there are a few things to consider:

1. PlasmaC on 2.8 is already outdated. QtPlasmaC also brings new useful features.
For 2.8 the latest Plasmac.comp (the main file that does all the plasma stuff) is at version v.188 (htmlpreview.github.io/?https://github.co...lasmac/versions.html).
For 2.9 Plasmac on Gmoccapy (or Axis), it's at version .191 (forum.linuxcnc.org/plasmac/37233-plasmac-updates#200162)
For QtPlasmaC it sits at version .205.


2. I explained that in 2.9 there are several important bug fixes/improvements with core LinuxCNC code that directly affects the Plasmac component. As such, by using 2.8 you're knowingly using software with "bugs" in it.


3. 2.9 is the development branch. But I wouldn't call it "unstable". At any rate, it really depends on your frequency of updates. Generally speaking if some improvement introduces a bug, it gets fixed pretty quickly.

At the end of the day it's up to you, but it would be hard for me to knowingly work from something that is no longer supported and that has bugs that have already been fixed.
Last edit: 17 Mar 2021 09:39 by snowgoer540.

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17 Mar 2021 10:02 #202578 by tommylight
I am using 2.9 on several machines, it works properly.
Unstable in Linux is not the same as in windows, in Linux it means there might be some function that does not function as it should while in windows that means it will crash and take the PC with it burning the house down in the process! :)
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17 Mar 2021 11:21 #202586 by phillc54

I am using 2.9 on several machines, it works properly.
Unstable in Linux is not the same as in windows, in Linux it means there might be some function that does not function as it should while in windows that means it will crash and take the PC with it burning the house down in the process! :)

Great explanation Tom. :)
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