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Topics - Steve Stallings

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1
PMDX has released a new plugin that fixes a problem that
has plagued our users for a while. It did not affect all
systems, but did affect many of them. The source of the
problem was the PMDX plugin trying to use the Mach4 API
before Mach4 was done initializing. This could result in
machine.ini files being corrupted any time the PMDX plugin
was in the plug-ins folder under \Mach4Hobby\Plugins. This
problem could happen even if the SmartBOB was not selected
for use in the profile you were running because Mach4 asks
all plugins that are present to run their initialization
code so that Mach4 can populate the selection menus with
all the plugins that are available.

The most noticeable symptom of the problem would be altered
screen colors, but other more subtle configuration problems
could result because uninitialized data was getting written
to the machine.ini file.

If the toolpath area of your screen has a mustard color
background instead of the default blue background, then you
have been affected by this problem.

Remember that this issue could affect even profiles that did
not use the SmartBOB, and that the changes remain in the
machine.ini file even if you had subsequently removed the
PMDX SmartBOB plugin.

You should update your PMDX SmartBOB plugin, even if you
are not using it, so that future corruptions do not happen.
The updated plugin is version 0.52.254 and is available here:

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

It is best to rebuild your profile from freshly installed
sample profiles from PMDX and Mach4 defaults. This assures
that you have a clean machine.ini file. You can safely look
at old profiles after the new plugin is loaded, but do not
use them to copy and create a new profile.

If you are still running a profile with the default name,
such as Mach4Mill or PMDX-Sample, you should use the
Mach4Loader to make a safe copy of it before reinstalling.
This will allow you to have a reference to look at to find
your old settings.

To do this start the Mach4Loader, highlight the profile that
you are using, and click on the COPY button. Provide a
new name such as MySavedProfile in the box for the profile
name and then where it asks for screen set, click on the
button with three dots and select the screen set that you
were using, typically wx4.set is you were using a sample.
Then click on OK to save the profile under the new name.
Now the newly saved profile will not be overwritten when
you reinstall Mach4 and you can start it any time by using
Mach4Loader and highlighting the name and clicking OK.
Because you have installed the updated PMDX-SmartBOB
plug-in there is no risk in opening old corrupted profiles.

In order to be sure that you have known good profiles to copy from
when building new profiles you will need to remove the old PMDX
sample profiles and reinstall both Mach4 and the PMDX SmartBOB
plugin. The PMDX SmartBOB installer will not overwrite existing
PMDX samples, so you must delete the "PMDX-Sample" and the
"PMDX-424-Sample" profile before reinstalling the PMDX SmartBOB
plugin.

You can do this by deleting their folders from the \Mach4Hobby\Profiles folder,
or by using the Mach4Loader icon, highlight the profile to be
removed and click on the Delete button.

Both Mach4Hobby and the PMDX-SmartBOB plugin can be installed
over your existing ones without un-installing (other than the
old PMDX sample profiles mentioned above). Other custom profiles
will not be overwritten during the installs. Both Mach4Hobby and
the PMDX SmartBOB plugin offer standard Windows un-installers if
you choose to run them.

We apologize for the trouble and confusion this may have caused
for you. It sure caused us plenty.

Steve Stallings
www.PMDX.com

2
Announcements / PMDX-414 SmartBOB-USB released
« on: April 28, 2017, 04:45:04 PM »
The PMDX-414 is refresh of our SmartBOB product line that combines
the encoder support of the PMDX-410 with the panel mount system
of the PMDX-412 into a single new design so you no longer have to
choose between these two features when selecting a low cost board.

The PMDX-414 has replaced both the PMDX-410 and the PMDX-412
in our product line and can functionally replace both products. The
older products will continued to be supported by our Mach4 plug-ins
because they share the same design architecture as all of the
SmartBOB family.

You can view the PMDX-414 product page here:

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-414


3
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.51.252,
released 19 April 2017.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds
2914 and 2233, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_51_252.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Fixed several bugs in probing support.

(2) Clarified error messages for lathe threading.

(3) Added support for PMDX-414.

4
General Discussion / MOVED: CNC Router build...
« on: April 02, 2017, 06:13:39 PM »
This topic has been moved to Show and Tell so more people will find it.

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-Forums/index.php?topic=387.0

6
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.49.237,
released 06 January 2017.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds
2914 and 2233, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_49_237.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Fixed bug with operation using builds of Mach4 newer than 2914 which caused
errors when Feed Hold was requested.

(2) Enhanced debug reporting.

7
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.48.235,
released 22 December 2016.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds
2914 and 2233, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_48_235.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Encoder/tach support for "synthetic" index so you can use an encoder or tach
for measuring spindle RPM and threading without needing a physical index pulse.
See the release notes for more information.

(2) Threading support using either 1 pulse-per-revolution index pulse, a bi-directional
quadrature encoder or uni-directional single-line tach input. See the release notes
for more information.

(3) Fixes and enahancements to PMDX-424 and PMDX-179 combination regarding the "Probe"
and "Error Code" LED behavior (see release notes for details).

(4) BUG FIX: Add workaround for Mach4 motion planner anomaly that that occasionally caused
GCode files to hang.

(5) BUG FIX: Fix bug in encoder interface that caused spurious values when then encoder
was rotating in the reverse direction.

(6) BUG FIX: Fix a bug in the real-time display that could show a PWM output as not active
(i.e. not toggling) when it actually is toggling.

(7) BUG FIX: Fix a bug that incorrectly changed the spindle pulse frequency based on the
PWM minimum duty cycle.

(8) Homing code now ignores variable from the Mach4 core that caused our plug-in to
sometimes not allow an axis to be homed.


8
There have been two major releases of Mach4 since we last updated our release notes.

Mach4 build 4.2.0.3206 was released 07 October 2016. This was a very large
update that added many new features like probing and PMC (a programmable
logic controller).

Mach4 build 4.2.0.3233 was released 21 November 2016. This release was a
follow on that worked to complete lathe functionality among other things.

Build 3233 can be downloaded here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/Mach4Hobby%20Installer-4.2.0.3233.exe

Before installing updates, please take time to review our hints here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/Mach4Hobby%20build-installation-hints.txt

The release notes have been updated here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/Mach4Hobby%20build-release-notes.txt

Our complete archive of previous downloadable Mach4 installer releases is here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/

9
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.46.221,
released 31 August 2016.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds
2872 and 2914, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_46_221.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Fixes bugs introduced by spindle control enhancements in previous release. Interactions
      with encoder support and spindle speed reporting on some models of SmartBOB.

(2) Turn off Steps LED when errors halt motion.

(3) Do not allow "Expanded Input" mode on the PMDX-416 which has its own isolated
      inputs and does not support inputs on the ribbon header.

(4) Prevent Index input events from flooding Debug logs.

10
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.45.217, released 09 Auguse 2016.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds 2872 and 2914, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_45_217.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Add support for Step Frequency mode to control spindle speed (Tormach and others)

(2) Allow spindle speed signal output to be assigned to any general purpose output

Bug fixes:

(1) None



11
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.43.213, released 01 July 2016.  This plug-in requires Mach4 builds 2872 or higher. It has been tested with builds 28782 and 2914, and should work with later builds when released.

Full details of this release are here: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_43_213.html

Download the plug-in here:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

Major changes for this release (see the release notes for a complete list of changes):

(1) Support for PMDX-412 SmartBOB-MiniUSB and PMDX-416 SmartBOB-OptoUSB devices

Bug fixes:

(1) None, this release was only to add support for new SmartBOB models.


12
Announcements / PMDX-412 and PMDX-416 new SmartBOB's now available
« on: July 03, 2016, 11:31:37 PM »
The next generation of our low cost SmartBOB interfaces is now shipping.

They offer updated packaging that allows direct mounting behind a panel
by using brackets on the board. A dress plate for the outside of your
control box is included for professional appearance.

The PMDX-416 replaces the PMDX-422 and now includes opto-isolated inputs.

See them here: 

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-412

http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-416

Full manuals are available on each product page.


13
The Mach4Hobby plugin for the SmartBOB-USB family of controllers has been updated to version 0.38.188, released 06 April 2016.  This plug-in tested with Mach4 builds 2872 through 2914 and should work with later builds unless the API is changed..

New features since Version 0.36.171:

    Support PMDX-424 Revision B boards

    Support spindle RPM calculations using a 1 pulse-per-revolution sensor

    Support M62/M63 real-time output commands

    Add M6 (tool change) macro to the PMDX sample profile

Bug Fixes Since Version 0.36.171:

    Re-send device configuration after communication timeout

    Resynchronize the machine's actual position to Mach4 after hitting a
    limit switch or getting and EStop or 'Disable' during motion

    Fixed bug that caused motion underrun on very short jog moves
    (mostly cause by VistaCNC iMach pendants, but can also be caused by
    certain motor tuning settings)

    Enable the PMDX-424 Motor3 "Slave" step output (appears on screw terminal
    connector J11 as "Motor 3B Step").

    Prevent spindle TIMING input messages from flooding the debug log and crashing Mach4

    Improve communication error handling and recovery

Full details HERE: http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_/ReleaseNotes_Ver_0_38_188.html

This updated plug-in can be downloaded HERE:  http://www.pmdx.com/PMDX-SmartBOB-USB-Plug-In

[EDIT: corrected version number in subject & first line of message]

14
Mach4 build 4.2.0.2914 was released 02 March 2016. Build 2914 can be downloaded here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/Mach4Hobby%20Installer-4.2.0.2914.exe

The release notes have been updated here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/Mach4Hobby%20build-release-notes.txt

Our complete archive of previous downloadable Mach4 installer releases is here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Downloads_Mach4/Mach4_Hobby_Releases/

15
Announcements / PMDX-424 Quick Start Guide now available
« on: February 04, 2016, 07:10:54 PM »
Preliminary version published here:

http://www.pmdx.com/Doc/PMDX-424_Quick_Start_Rev0_5.pdf

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