a busted machine

I have LinuxCNC seemingly happy with both the ini and the hal I created for the new computer. However, when LinuxCNC starts up it reports:

No parport registered at 0x4000. This is not always an error. Continuing

I have to say I don't like this. lspci -v reports that the StarTech parallel port is at 0x4000 and 0x4010. I happen to be 140 miles from the CNC hardware so I can't readily check if LinuxCNC really is connected to the parallel port. I assume I will get this pseudo-error every time I fire up LinuxCNC even when connected to my CNC hardware.

This is most likely because the parallel port has no register read-back facility so LinuxCNC just sends something to 0x4000 and if Debian doesn't complain it maybe is OK. A better solution would be to have the user temporarily short pins 14 and 15 on the parallel port and do a simple loop-back test.



 

It seems that the OS needs to be told that the parallel port is present. Executing the following removes the pseudo error message:
sudo modprobe parport_pc io=0x4000
So the installations sequence should read: lspci -v to get the address of the parallel port then let the OS know it is active via modprobe.
This fixes the problem but not permanently. The fix has to be run every time the machine is booted.

Copy the old folder to 
~/linuxcnc/configs

The error mentions it is not always an error and it continues, so it does work without modprobe stuff, granted the address is correct.
Did you test it without modprobe?

As I mentioned, I'm 140 miles away from the actual CNC machine. It will be a week before the computer gets hooked up to the hardware. My task is to check things out, as far as possible, beforehand.

I simply don't like things that are pseudo-errors. There are three classes of reports that I use in my code:

1. Error             He's Dead, Jim. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.
2. Warning        Not good, but something needs to be checked or fixed. For production release there should be no warnings.
3. Information   blah, blah, blah...

The time at the CNC machine is somewhat constrained so I want to be up and running without fuss. I'll probably re-check the the XY&Z scales but that is about all.
We use the machine for art making purposes and my collaborator is only available to visit one week a year. You can see our work here:
  Howe-McCarthy

 

Hmm i have seen that work before, somehow! Nice work.
You do not need the machine to check if a parallel port works, you need a piece of short wire:
Pins 10,11,12,13 and 15 are inputs, so use the included "port tester" from the LinuxCNC config chooser, it wiil copy stuff to the config folder and fail, edit the hal file inside the folder it created by deleting the 0x378 address and adding you port address, start the config chooser again and chose that config but this time from the top "my configurations" folder.
watch the LED's on screen while using the above mentioned piece of wire, insert one side in the above mentioned pins and touch the other side to the port metal frame, the LED should change color.
If that works, the port is all good and dandy.