[cyclotron]

Hi all,


I have a WIN XP machine, so I'm running DOS and
TCNC off of the same boot disc. I got TCNC to open
but I don't think it knows how to find the printer port
(I have tried all the port is the AXIS Config.) I don't
know what is wrong, The motors don't seem to be receiving
any signals. (I can get them to work under DOS runnig inside
of XP, but its very choppy.) Any suggestions? Can I open the DOS BIOS
some how and tell it how to use printer ports? Can I turn on mouse
support while i'm at it? any help would be awesome!

I've had my machine built for 2 months now and the electronics are ready to go!!

[bcromwell]

Go in to the System Bios (del,f1 or f2 usally) and make sure the LPT port(s) are defined as lpt1 io port 0x378 lpt2 io port 0x278 and not set to disabled or auto.

This is if the ports are build on to the system board, if it's an pci/isa board then the bios settings will not help. Might need to change jumper settings or load a dos based driver.

Dos under Xp is virtual, you will see issues trying to use a dos based program under xp when related to using serial/parallel ports. You need to run it under MSdos or Dr. Dos.

[ger21]

You'll need a mouse driver on your boot disk to use a mouse.

[Bubba]

Also, be aware, there is a bug. If you "click" on your mouse while there is a move in process, an interrupt will be generated that can (and will) mess up the timing of the pulses.
My recommendation is that once everything is setup, dump the mouse driver and only use the keyboard for your commands!

I personally, have found that I have no use for a mouse once the system is properly setup!

[The Blight]

I would say drop the mouse. I have tried to run a machine with the mouse connected, and if I as much as moved the mouse, I would start hearing strange sounds from the motors. If I moved it fast enough, I would start loosing steps.

[cyclotron]

thanks everyone,

I didn't know that the mouse interfered with pulse generation so much!
Actually, I find hot keys to be much faster anyway. Are there hot keys to jog tho?
I'm going to try the io changes. The TCNC manual seems to imply that it is possible to run the program with the virtual DOS on XP. That said, I'm working on getting and older computer with Win98 on it.

[Bubba]

For jogging purposes, I personally use the F8 key and then in continuous mode, the arrow keys for X and Y , PgUp/PgDn for Z and +/- for my A axis. I have never even set up the discrete mode jogging.
As for running it in a dos box in XP, won't happen with any good regularity. Windoze severely messes it up. Stick with pure dos as you are now. Having said that, I will test some of my g-code programs in a dos box on my easy chair system but of course, I am not trying to move any motors.

[cyclotron]

so I opened the bios when I booted up, but it was the bios for Windows (I think) also, there was no option for setting up ports. When I boot up in Dos , I use a boot disk that I had XP make. When I use TCNC from that boot disk, it says that only LPT 1 is configured and that its address is $378. I can Get the motors to move in XP (choppy of course) with the motors going to LPT 3 with the address $3BC. Is this a problem with the version of DOS that comes with XP?

[Bubba]

to my knowledge, there is NO version of dos that comes with XP! 98SE was the last dos based version.

[The Blight]

Windows ME was the last one. Dos was just disabled on that system, but you could unlock it throught a few simple operations. My computer is running Windows ME. But you are right about XP.

[Bubba]

Your right:}) Forgot about that version as every time I have been involved with it, it was a Royal PITA!

[The Blight]

Only reason I'm using it is because it was allready installed. It's said to be the worst one microsoft has ever made.

Sorry about this. Off topic.

[bcromwell]

Only reason I'm using it is because it was allready installed. It's said to be the worst one microsoft has ever made.

Sorry about this. Off topic.

Na, Vista take the cake for the worst one ever made in my book. I would take ME over Vista any day

[The Blight]

Ah yeah. Forgot about that because I'm avoiding it like the plague.

[Robin Hewitt]

Back in yesteryear when we wanted to find out what was installed port-wise as acceptable to DOS we used the debug program...

debug gives you a little minus sign prompt. Don't panic. Give it

d 40:0

and it will dump the part of memory where such things are stored, the first line will show serial and parallel port addresses. The addresses are least significant byte first so 378 would show as 78 03

q

will exit back to the command prompt.

I presume modern BIOS's still do this. Wonder if they still contain the text "NOT IBM" strategically arranged to line up with the address where IBM BIOS said "IBM"

Of course parallel ports can now be set bidirectional. The first screen that comes up VGA on boot is the BIOS, it usually has instructions on how to get in and change things, but that may flash past faster than the eye can see.