How to convert a basic machine with Axis GUI to PlasmaC Gmoccapy GUI

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20 Apr 2020 04:36 #164733 by phillc54

The kinstype=both caused me a lot of grief until I deleted it. That removal was mandatory (and this requirement was undocumented) then too but Linuxcnc seems to have enabled it again.

I think that is a Gmoccapy issue, it seems to work fine either way in Axis

[quoteI'm quite happy to hit home all to get everything sorted out at the beginning of the day...... But I do that at 6 metres a minute so it never takes long...[/quote]
Cool, it doesn't take me long either.

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20 Apr 2020 04:38 #164734 by CFE
Hi Rod,


The kinstype=both caused me a lot of grief until I deleted it. That removal was mandatory (and this requirement was undocumented) then too but Linuxcnc seems to have enabled it again. ..


It certainly would be nice if somewhere was to be found that kinstype=both is not working in Gmoccapy, but then how to run 2 motors on 1 axis ? Remove kinstype=both and Gmoccapy simply doesn't run. Has us buggered.

Cheers, Peter

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20 Apr 2020 04:39 - 20 Apr 2020 04:39 #164735 by phillc54

I have attached a zip file of a configuration based on the Axis/lasmaC GUI for our machine. I am trying to work out how to connect the output from the THCAD-10 to the parallel port, with an encoder input through HAL. That will give us enough extra headaches I think.

I'll have a look and see what I can do.

We would also like to know how to change from the Axis GUI to Gmoccapy/PlasmaC so we work it with the touchscreen. As mentioned before Gmoccapy doesn't seem to work with kinstype=BOTH, which is baffling us. It would be nice to know why and if it's not going to work, why is it mentioned as an option for a plasma cutter ? I suppose most plasma machines are gantry machines, surely it every PlasmaC GUI should be able to run 2 motors on 1 axis without problems, the Axis GUI does it.

Why not use Gmoccapy without kinstype=BOTH, it won't affect anything except hide the joints from the user which is probably not a bad thing anyway.
Last edit: 20 Apr 2020 04:39 by phillc54.

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20 Apr 2020 04:47 #164737 by CFE
Hi Phil,

In response to this :
"Why not use Gmoccapy without kinstype=BOTH, it won't affect anything except hide the joints from the user which is probably not a bad thing anyway.", we have done that, remove kinstype=BOTH but then Gmoccapy only runs 1 motor on the x-axis, for some reason unknown to us it doesn't seem to connect the second motor (joint) to the signals for the x-movement. Why ?

Cheers, Peter

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20 Apr 2020 04:50 #164738 by phillc54

Hi Phil,

In response to this :
"Why not use Gmoccapy without kinstype=BOTH, it won't affect anything except hide the joints from the user which is probably not a bad thing anyway.", we have done that, remove kinstype=BOTH but then Gmoccapy only runs 1 motor on the x-axis, for some reason unknown to us it doesn't seem to connect the second motor (joint) to the signals for the x-movement. Why ?

Sorry but I can't help with that. I don't use Gmoccapy but many gantry users do so I thought it would work. I know Rod uses Gmoccapy on his gantry machine.

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20 Apr 2020 05:23 #164748 by phillc54
I just set:

[JOINT_0]
HOME_SEQUENCE = -2

[JOINT_1]
HOME_SEQUENCE = -2

[JOINT_2]
HOME_SEQUENCE = 1

[JOINT_3]
HOME_SEQUENCE = 0

and Gmoccapy works fine with or without kinstype=BOTH

One thing you cannot do with PlasmaC is just change the "DISPLAY =" from axis to gmoccapy as there are other requirments. If you want to change you need to run the configurator and create a ne config.

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20 Apr 2020 05:44 #164760 by CFE
Hi Phil,

The PlasmaC configurator does not give the possibility to chance GUI's, so essentially we're stuck with whichever GUI the base configuration is set up with from the start. In our case it is Axis on the machine that works, but if we try to implement Gmoccapy then we run into trouble, because that is not working from the start. Basically it sucks.

I am getting close to connect the THCAD-10 output to the encoder in HAL, but how do I connect the parport pin to the HAL pin that reads the plasma arc voltage in PlasmaC ? That's got me baffled too, no clear documentation on this either, unless I follow a HAL course somewhere.

Cheers, Peter

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20 Apr 2020 05:57 - 20 Apr 2020 06:17 #164763 by phillc54

The PlasmaC configurator does not give the possibility to chance GUI's, so essentially we're stuck with whichever GUI the base configuration is set up with from the start. In our case it is Axis on the machine that works, but if we try to implement Gmoccapy then we run into trouble, because that is not working from the start. Basically it sucks.

If it is too much trouble to run the Configurator and create another config then i am sorry.
I guess I should spend more time changing it so folk can swap GUIs on a whim...


I am getting close to connect the THCAD-10 output to the encoder in HAL, but how do I connect the parport pin to the HAL pin that reads the plasma arc voltage in PlasmaC ? That's got me baffled too, no clear documentation on this either, unless I follow a HAL course somewhere.

I am working on it, but am busy.
Last edit: 20 Apr 2020 06:17 by phillc54.

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20 Apr 2020 06:18 #164773 by CFE
Hi Phil,

We have tried the HOME_SEQUENCE things, over and over and in different ways, and it just doesn't work. Gmoccapy hangs and returns errors. And where do I find the debug file if I create that ? Something else that bugs me, where to find debugging files. Anyway, Gmoccapy just doesn't work for us and it will be interesting to see actual ini and hal files of gantry machines that do work with Gmoccapy, we are losing faith in the whole business.

Cheers, Peter
Attachments:

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20 Apr 2020 06:22 #164775 by rodw
Please take the time to read the docs. In particular the chapter on homing configuration and the sub heading HOME_SEQUENCE
linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/config/ini-....html#_home_sequence (warning this is 2.9 docs, check your version)

Not running 2 motors has nothing to do KINSTYPE but everything to do with a missing HOME_SEQUENCE which must be a negative number for both joint axes (eg. Joints 0 and 1 in your config). All you need to do is set your machine up right. My preference would be that you use -1 not -2 but it seems legal.

Gmocappy has worked fine for me on my plasma table since 2016 and a lot of other users are using it.

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