DIY Arduino ATC Pathpilot....

OK I slowed down the PP atc query and that was not the problem so I need to figure out what the exact string info PP is looking for next then see IF it is in the responce string from the Arduino.

Like eating an elephant, one bite at a time..

( TP

Went back to the Errorlog and it shows a Com timeout issue and it does not see the VE responce. It tried 3 times and failed each time. Pretty much out of ideas to try.

( TP

Getting closer sometimes it will make it all the way and read the VL info start to act but then looses COM and errors out. AND the ACT gracefully shut back down. You can watch it in the errorlog . I think there is something to disabling the bootloader in Arduino to make it respond faster.

The idea is to use PP as it is not have to rewrite the Hal_atc coding.

Enough for today. It has been a long one.
( TP

Its morning and a couple of pots of coffee later: ITS ALIVE ( Thanks to PathPIlot's very good error reporting AND a couple of extra error reports from ME I figured it out. It is up and running for now.

NOW to take out all the time delays and see IF it still runs ok.

( TP

Well it will not run without the time delays so now to slowly reduce the time untill it does not work anymore ( BUT that is for a different day. I at least know it can be done with the Arduino MEGA which has TONS of I/O to deal with complex ATCs. The timing mods are in the ~/tmc/configs/tormach_mill/python/hal_zbotatc.py file.

AND a word to the wise be VERY carefull about modding files. ONE mistake and you have a dead machine on your hands and you may have to do a full reload or PP to get it back.

Also I had to make a MOD to the arduino code to set the proper number_of_tools value == 12 otherwise PP failed when comparing the number of tools it thinks is there.. Also the TYPE had to change to 12 as well to match. The Arduino is hardcoded for these values and PP cannot update them even though it tries.

Enough on ATCs and Arduinos for now, ( TP

HIYA Snow, I don't think the answer is really in the PP files. The Arduino needs to connect on its own without having to hack the PP code base. Also I have not been able to get the UNO to talk to PP. It never gets by the initial logon. PP never createsa HAL_atc com element based on the rules so PP can never talk to the UNO. Working on that part.

The arduino code you provided needed to have 2 things changed the profile needs to be set to reflect what tool changer you have it is set to a 10 tool changer and most times PP is using a 12 tool changer. ALSO in the code the number aof tools is set to -1 and that needs to be 12.

Hope that helps , ( TP