microsmt machine is not connecting to OpenPNP software. help!

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Sharmist Secure

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Oct 1, 2023, 2:35:20 PM10/1/23
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I have my machine built.  I installed OpenPNP.  Did the demo.  Now, I want to connect up to real hardware.  Ain't happening.  It is in this weird setup config where it first asks for the nozzles and then says to set Gcodedriver with M115 or generic.  It says it cannot figure out the board type, but then it stopped asking that question and it won't let me do that anymore, so I looked at the configuration and noticed it was tcp instead of serial.

Note that after setting it to serial (USB serial COM5) and apply, it does the M115 command in that particular setup dialog and sees all of the Smoothieware output, but somehow thinks it is generic which is wrong.

When I save the configuration, I noted that the E: drive (that sees the Smoothieware microSD card contents) is unchanged.  Nothing is saved.  Not sure where it saves it, but even an uninstall, looking for the machine.xml (which did not exist anywhere), and reinstall has it pick up where it left off.  It is remembering its state SOMEWHERE.  Sigh.

My gut is if I am able to truly RESET OpenPNP to start from scratch, maybe it will fix itself.

Finally note that Microsmt included all of the XML and the CFG file.  I saved them elsewhere to go back to them, but OpenPNP must not be properly seeing my board.  I was hoping to start from scratch but until OpenPNP actually talks properly to the Smoothieboard, that is not going to happen...

-Mitch

mark maker

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Oct 1, 2023, 4:20:04 PM10/1/23
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OpenPnP cannot connect itself automatically to the controller, you still need to set the connection type and port manually. I don't know about the Microsmt preconfiguration. But if you use Issues & Solutions from scratch, it should tell you when and how to connect, please read the instructions carefully, and press the blue [i] buttons for more information in the Wiki.

OpenPnP does not setup your controller board, it only detects the controller board type and some capabilities, i.e. it can only adapt itself to the controller board, it cannot change the config.txt or similar.

_m

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Sharmist Secure

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Oct 1, 2023, 4:58:02 PM10/1/23
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I have been trying to do that without much success so far.   I want it to NOT pick up where it left off but rather START OVER.  It keeps wanting to do that even after an uninstall/reinstall.

How do I do that?  Thanks!

-Mitch

mark maker

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Oct 2, 2023, 4:28:27 AM10/2/23
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bing luo

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Oct 2, 2023, 11:08:35 AM10/2/23
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Except for the serial port number, you do not need to configure any parameters   for  connect  the  control  board  to  your   computer  . You only need to copy the files from the SD card to the specified directory on your computer. 

Perhaps you plan to configure Openpnp from scratch according to its official guidelines ,This requires a long time of learning and exploration. You'd better use the machine.xml file I provided directly. That way, you can connect  by set  the serial port number  only.    My  YouTube channel   has installation videos.  

When   you have a lot of time, you can back up the machine. xml file and configure openpnp from scratch ,  Test each function by modifying parameters, .In  this way, you can explore more features of OpenPNP.

Sharmist Secure

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Oct 3, 2023, 1:54:37 AM10/3/23
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Thanks, Bing.   That video helped.  I did not know where to take those XML files...but your video showed me where to do that.

I also wanted to start from scratch to get a better feel for the system.  I had to stop and restart OpenPNP a number of times but it was finally moving along on calibration.  I tested all of the known G-codes manually using a serial interface first, so I know the equipment is working fine.

I still have another video (finishing the electronics and final assembly of the kit) to post yet -- probably this weekend after I finished editing.  

-Mitch

Sharmist Secure

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Oct 4, 2023, 1:28:49 AM10/4/23
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I am much further along but now running into something else unexpected.  OpenPNP will run for a bit (I am calibrating the camera focus/measure right now, for example), and then OpenPNP freezes up after some command and then I get an error message back that OpenPNP is waiting on the M114 response.  Once I start seeing that, every command (movement, actuator) WORKS but then it freezes before showing that same message.  Restarting OpenPNP clears it up but this is tedious.  It took me several attempts before primary fudicial calibration would work. 

Is there some setting that would help?  Changing command timeout (doubling from 10s to 20s) did not matter...

Thanks!

-Mitch

bing luo

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Oct 5, 2023, 10:02:30 PM10/5/23
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Make your serial cable shorter and simpler, and M114 will disappear

Sharmist Secure <sharmis...@gmail.com> 于2023年10月4日周三 13:28写道:

Sharmist Secure

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Oct 7, 2023, 12:43:18 PM10/7/23
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The cable is only 0.5m as it is.  I really cannot make it shorter without being on top of the machine, although I can bypass the MicroSMT-provided USB-hub and connect it directly.

Could it be that my (dedicated) laptop that runs this is too slow?  There must be some settings on the Smoothie and/or OpenPNP that stabilize this handshake.  Any thoughts?

Sharmist Secure

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Oct 7, 2023, 1:11:41 PM10/7/23
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I have done some tricks to shorten the cable to 0.3 m and directly connected it to the laptop -- on a different USB port -- and the problem still occurs.

When I restart OpenPNP, it goes away for awhile.  I suspect this may be an OpenPNP driver handshake delay (or again my laptop being slow).  The reason being is that when I issue a command in OpenPNP, I can watch the lights on the Smoothie and the reset LED always goes red while processing.  Sometimes it can take up to a couple seconds before it goes red -- which tells me that the Smoothie finally got the command after which action is pretty much instantaneous.

Has anyone else experienced this?

bing luo

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Oct 7, 2023, 4:38:17 PM10/7/23
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1. Try replacing a computer.(There is a high possibility that it may be a problem with the serial driver of this computer).

2. Is the power supply grounded? Check for possible interference sources ,Or change the PNP machine to another location.

3. It's not a smoothie board, call  it that way can cause misunderstandings.  
It only   a  board  which  uses   smoothie  firmware .

Sharmist Secure

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Oct 8, 2023, 1:10:31 AM10/8/23
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Sorry, I will try to be more precise on terminology.  As you can see in the other thread, I believe I have isolated the problem.

-Mitch

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