first BCL-run with LaserBot gives no movement/laser (RESOLVED)

[ivo]

Hello,
I have a Makeblock LaserBot.
My LaserBot works with mlaser. But I am searching better SW due to the many bugs/limitations.
I want to make a test if laserbot works with BCL before buying the license, is this possible ?

I have installed BCL but can not have any movement in my laserbot using BCL.
I installed BenCutLaser Version 3.2, and flashed the Marlin_110_RC8_FA_BL.hex firmware into Laserbot. (OK, no errors)
I have set next parameters:
  COM Port - set COM5 - set MinMega2560
  COM Port - 11520, no parity,, 1 stopbit, 8 databits, no handshake
  Setup - Controller boards - set "MegaPi/LaserBot"
  G-code Generation - settings - GCode parser:  BCLVLM_Marlin
  Laser Tool parameters - set "Normal laser operation"
 
I get no movement with next commands: 
  Laser Tool Parameters - click "Left/right test"     -> no movement
                          click circle test          -> no movement.


I get below startup messages when I connect, so connection is OK I think:

( BenCutLaser (c) 2016-2018 All Rights Reserved )
( Developed by Ralph Freshour and Paul Henty )
( support@BenCutLaser.us )

( Connected to COM5 @ 115200 baud )
start
echo:Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 FA BL

echo: Last Updated: 2016-12-06 12:00 | Author: BenCutLaser 1.8.4
Compiled: Mar 27 2017
echo: Free Memory: 5458  PlannerBufferBytes: 1136
echo:Hardcoded Default Settings Loaded
echo:Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X43.74 Y43.74 Z836.00 E836.00
echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo:  M203 X300.00 Y300.00 Z5.00 E25.00
echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo:  M201 X3000 Y3000 Z100 E10000

echo:Accelerations: P=printing, R=retract and T=travel
echo:  M204 P3000.00 R3000.00 T3000.00
echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Y20.00 Z20.00 E5.00
echo:Home offset (mm)
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo:PID settings:
echo:  M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
echo:Filament settings: Disabled
echo:  M200 D3.00
echo:  M200 D0



Should I do any additional thing to have a small demo ?

Best Regards,
Ivo

[ggallant571]

You can use a terminal emulator to issue gcode commands directly to the controller.

For instance:

           "$$"
should list the current operational parameters while

         "G00 X10 Y20 F600"

should move the laser head to position (10,20) at speed 600mm/min.

BTW - you might want to manually position the head in the center of the fixture prior to playing.

Another option is the universal gcode utility.

[Administrator]

See attachment. Does your Setup->Gcode Words tab look like this?

[Administrator]

How about your Setup->Controller Boards tab?

See attachment.

[ivo]

Thank you for al your feedback!

All parameters are like on the images.

Terminal mode was a good idea. Here I get action !
I get next response in terminal-mode:
   "G00 X10 Y20 F600"  returns "ok" and moves the laser head  (greath ! it is still alive !)
   "$$"                returns "echo:Unknown command: "$$" " [LF] "ok"  (maybe not supported by Marlin)
   "M115"              returns:                                                               
      FIRMWARE_NAME:Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 FA BL (Github) SOURCE_CODE_URL:https://github.com
      /MarlinFirmware/Marlin PROTOCOL_VERSION:1.0 MACHINE_TYPE:LaserBot EXTRUDER_COUNT
      :1 UUID:cede2a2f-41a2-4748-9b12-c55c62f367ff
    "M114"              returns:
      X:1.00 Y:20.00 Z:0.00 E:0.00 Count X: 44 Y:875 Z:0
    "M503"              returns:
      echo:Steps per unit:
      echo:  M92 X43.74 Y43.74 Z836.00 E836.00
      echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
      echo:  M203 X300.00 Y300.00 Z5.00 E25.00
      echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
      echo:  M201 X3000 Y3000 Z100 E10000
      echo:Accelerations: P=printing, R=retract and T=travel
      echo:  M204 P3000.00 R3000.00 T3000.00
      echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time
      (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
      echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Y20.00 Z20.00 E5.00
      echo:Home offset (mm)
      echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
      echo:PID settings:
      echo:  M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
      echo:Filament settings: Disabled
      echo:  M200 D3.00
      echo:  M200 D0

So:
  - HW & communication is working
  - but commands from insde BCL are not done, except at connection time !?
 
The communication speed in BCL and terminal mode is 115200. is this maybe too high for BCL ?
 
I get now always the "Microsoft.NET framework" Unhandled exception error when
 - starting BCL 
 - clicking the Toolpaths-tab

I have re-installed BCL and reflashed the firmware -> no better results; Unhandled exception error and no movement of the laser.
Do you have any other sugestions to do/test ?
Best Regards,
Ivo

Here are some screenshots:

[ggallant571]

It appears your units are mm/sec. Not a problem but the typical is mm/min. BTW - mm/sec seems a better term!!!

[Administrator]

@ivo are you available to do a screen share session using join.me? What time zone are you in? I'm in Los Angeles.

[ivo]

Hello Ralph,
I am in Brussels/Belgium/Middle-Europe: GMT+2, 9 hours ahead of you.
OK for a screen-share. I am not home until late this evening. I let you know when available.
Thanks for your time & support !


I check the mm/sec  mm/min when I am back home.

[Administrator]

Email sent.

[ivo]

Hello Ralph,

I finally succeeded in getting BCL operational (head moves and laser on/off) with Laserbot.

I did a new download and installation on a second PC without any BCL run-time problems.
I un-installed BCL, rebooted, and installed again with the new download on the problem PC. This time all worked OK.

The only difference I see is that BCL on the working installations shows default communication parameters (115200 baud PARITY=N DATA=8 STOP=1)
while the problem installation showed at startup zero-communication parameters which I corrected after each startup.
Is it a bad download or an installation issue, I do not know, but I can continue with my first full test.

Thanks for your support !
Ivo

Problem:  BCL does not send any command to the laser but receives the laser boot-messages, COM-port communication parameters are all 0 at startup of BCL
Configuration Makeblock LaserBot + BCL, Win10
Solution: new SW-download, BCL-uninstall, PC-reboot, BCL-install

[Administrator]

I'm glad you finally got it working. For those unaware, @Ivo and I had an extensive off-forum support exchange going for a couple of days.

Make sure you are installed into Bencutlaser folder. It sounds like BCL is not able to save your comm port parameters and that's the only reason I can think of for it not being able to do that. BCL must be installed into that folder.