Hi Polska.

I am not sure which features to remove to make the plugin simpler.

The plugin has two base functions: 1) Controlling axis via joysticks 2) Programming buttons with predefined actions or macros.
Function 2 can be turned off by setting all button functions to All buttons disabled in the JoyPadSetup program.

Function 1 is controlling axis movements of up to 6 axis in either continuous or step mode. Setup is done in Mach3 via setup menus.
There is only a minimum setup: Axe map (Device axe -> Mach axe), Max speed, Invert axe and Single axe movement lock.

Continuous jog is selected when pressing one or both of the Safe buttons (button SL and SR) - the same goes for step jog with one or both of the Alt buttons (button AL and AR ).

I think the plugin is as simple as it practically can be.
Removal of options to invert, scale, map and select between continuous and step will remove needed functionality in my opinion, but I could be wrong...

The plugin will work, even if the .NET framework and JoyPadSetup.exe is missing or not installed as long as JoyPad.m3p is installed. Buttons will then default to Logitech JoyPad 3-axis mill setup. JoyPadSetup program will only work when .NET Framework is installed.

Minimal setup with joysticks only:
1) Install JoyPad.m3p plugin (double click file).
2) Copy attached JoyPad.Button.Setup to Mach3 PlugIn directory from attached ZIP file Disable_All_Buttons.zip.
3) In Mach3, configure JoyPad plugin in plugin menu.

All buttons except SL, SR, AL and AR is disabled and there is no need for JoyPadSetup.exe program or .NET Framework to be installed.
Maybe this is the setup you are looking for?

- Joakim

Hi Joakim,

Thank you for the quick reply and a detailed explanation. According to this statement " Continuous jog is selected when pressing one or both of the Safe buttons (button SL and SR)
- the same goes for step jog with one or both of the Alt buttons (button AL and AR )." There is definitely something is wrong with my joypad. For one, when pressing the "SL" button alone the y axis start moving very slowly by itself, second- it absolutely does not respond to joystick movement at all.  And it behaves as described in previous posts. The same joystick worked great connected to other machine controlled by the  plugin that come with Mach3, that was written by Art. Since old PC quit working and I had this Dell computer available even thou I needed to buy the ESS because lack of the parallel port. So long story short. Thanks for the help, I definitely look for new joypad hopefully this will fix this.

Yes, I will definitely disable the buttons. Thanks


ps; Not sure you celebrating this holiday or not if you are, then Merry Christmas to you and others , if not, just ignore it..

BR

... There is definitely something is wrong with my joypad. For one, when pressing the "SL" button alone the y axis start moving very slowly by itself, second- it absolutely does not respond to joystick movement at all. ...

This often happens if the joysticks is not calibrated in the the Control Panel (wrong zero makes it drift). Maybe the missing movement also has to do with calibration...

Remember that the JoyPad plugin must be the only plugin installed in Mach3 using the JoyPad/joysticks - if more than one plugin/program is competing for control it can give unexpected results...

It was tested and calibrated in windows itself and it appeared to be working fine. And it was/ is the only joystick plugin installed. I removed plugin that come with Mach3..

Best Regards..

Hi , I just downloaded the plugin

I ran joypad.m3p and it said plugin installed ,  I can see it in config plugins  so I enabled it.

When I run Joypad setup.exe it tells me " no button map file found , using defaults , which I OKd

When I try to save it tells me .... error saving button assignments to file, check if Joypad.Button.Settup is open or write protected.

What am I doing wrong ?

Don

.... error saving button assignments to file, check if Joypad.Button.Settup is open or write protected.

What am I doing wrong ?

This normally means that write permission to write the button map file or destination folder is missing.
Try running Mach3 as administrator and saving the configuration.

- Joakim

Thank you for your help but unfortunately
I still get the same result.

I ran Mach3 as Admin and enabled the joypad plugin
I saved the config
I even ran joypad setup exe as admin but still it said
there was no button map found , and when I tried to save it said
it cant write to the file

Could it be because I am on a windows 7 64bit OS ?

Don

Could it be because I am on a windows 7 64bit OS ?

Windows 7 64 bit is properly the reason for the access problems. Security is much tighter in Windows 7.
I think there is an option for running programs in compatibility mode - you could try "XP Windows".
Hope it helps.

- Joakim

I am having a very buggy time getting this to work reliably. Usually ends up running off. Read on..
Running Win XP, SmoothStepper, Mach 3.043.xx on lathe.
Input device is an industrial USB joystick "CH Products IP DESKTOP USB 12-Button Joystick". Windows sees it fine as a 3axis, 12 button input device. Calibrated it in to zero.
Installed this plugin today, read through most of the manual, and configured the buttons all to be "ignored" except the Safety and Alt (Controller button mapping is not intuitive, but I messed with it till I think I got it).

It will jog just fine, but when I select the continuous motion mode button, it will work for about 4 to 5 moves and then it'll get stuck in one direction and NOT STOP no matter what I try. Usually happens if I let up the button while it's moving. Cycle Estop to back online and the machine took off in some wild direction. I'm too young for a heart attack.

Looks like it could be useful but needless to say I won't be going near this plugin until I know what it going on.
Going back to Contour USB pendant for now.
Any ideas?

Thanks-

Update- Seems that the stuck runaway is due to the "Inc. Jog" being active when trying to move in continuous motion jog. Inc. Jog gets turned on when I hit the Alt button to jog in steps, but then never gets turned off, and that messed up the continuous jog. If I manually turn it back off in Mach, then the continuous motion jog seems to work alright.
Is this normal?