release_notes.txt

This is a CNCPro source file. It is include the G-Code interpreter source.

7/12/99 CNCPRO Enhancements:
-'Relative arc always' option added in operator menu.
-Aux. pins (both step and dir) are always high if aux. axis is off. (unless
data pins inverted is selected,  then they are low).
Fixes:
-Homing and limit switch bug when limit towards negative 'y' axis activated
was fixed.
-Homing bug when homing both 'x' and 'y' fixed


7/20/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Easier maneuvering through file dialog with left and right arrows.
Fixes:
-Relative arc only option had a bug, now it is fixed.


7/22/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Dwells (e.g. g04 p100) under 1 sec. are fixed. (this used to cause either
no dwell or system hang)
-Loading files from second page of dialog now loads the correct file


7/27/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-IO bits now clear to off on startup


7/28/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-G04 bug again is finally fixed. this is for you john. sorry about that.


7/29/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Aux. jog keys now work for number pad + and -.


8/2/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Feed rate display during program execution. (it wasn't broken till I went
and fixed it...now it's ok)


8/3/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-G00 for low max speed config now does not fail.


8/9/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-The current machine configuration now appears on the screen.


8/12/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Because there are a few smarty pants out there who like to look at the step
pulses on an o-scope, I though I would make life less confusing for them and
output equal high/low pulse widths.  If you have a slow controller this may
help the smoothness also.


8/25/99 CNCPRO & ACE enhancements:
-Release of ACEconverter (.DXF to gcode converter/optimizer). Incorporated
an installation program for easier installs.


8/29/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Added setting in setup->labels... menu called "update display only after
move". If this setting is set to the maximum, steps per second will be
doubled. It is now possible on a Pentium 266 to achieve more than 60000
steps/sec.


8/30/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Added line by line execution of programs


9/1/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Rewind feature added
Fixes:
-G92 now works right


9/2/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Skip forward or backward one block at a time through program fixed:
-G92 (sorry, sorry, sorry) it really does work this time


9/8/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Drill cycles G80,G81,G83 have been added. usage is as follows:
G80   cancel drill cycle
G81   single pass drill cycle on
      up position specified by R parameter
      drill position specified by Z parameter
      e.g. "G81 R1 Z-.5"
      where parameters are in absolute coords.
G83   multiple pass drill cycle on
      up position specified by R parameter
      drill position specified by Z parameter
      max depth/pass specified by Q parameter
      e.g. "G81 R1 Z-.5 Q-.25"
      where parameters are in absolute coords.
      except Q (pass depth).
Fixes:
-Skip forward and skip back are now mapped to the correct keys.


9/11/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-"Off one step when change of direction happens" now fixed.-thanks Larry.
-Tapping jog key during change directions now works better.
-Drill cycles are now industry standard (they start on the same line as
drill cycle on).


9/14/99 ACE enhancements:
-Now converts polylines


9/15/99 ACE fixes:
-Polyline offset bug is fixed
-Supports more .dxf formats (turbocad v5)


9/19/99 ACE fixes:
-Status indicator has been added
-More support for other .dxf files
-.dxf files with no layer table now works again
-Closed polylines are now supported
-Important note for current users:  in order to use the patched .exe for ACE
you must replace the file in the 'YA\ace' directory named 'cw3220.dll' with
the file in 'yapatch.zip' named 'cw3220mt.dll'.  This file will be in
'yapatch.zip' for a few weeks.  If you need this file after that time please
contact YA at [e-mail]
A very very very special thanks goes to YA user Tim Kelly who helped out
with lots of ideas and testing.


9/21/99 ACE fixes:
-Now you can use long paths with spaces and raw drives for converting to and
from
CNCPRO fixes:
-/sec feedrates are now displayed when you use the <F> key if you are using
/sec units
Enhancements:
-Feedrates called during a program are either in /min or /sec depending on
the current setting


9/23/99 ACE enhancements:
-MORE MORE MORE memory allocation limit.  We are now allocating with a far
pointer for those BIG files.


9/27/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-The '-' key on the number pad now works for jogging the aux. axis
Enhancements:
-There has been a hold line added for holding the feed while in either the
high or low state.  If the hold line is in active mode and the e-stop button
is pressed (while connected to the same pin as the hold line) you must press
the ESC key for CNCPRO to break from the hold and recognize the e-stop
button.


10/1/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Now version 2.0
-CNCPRO now has a lite version
-CNCPRO is now parametric and can now take variables (not available in CNC
Pro Lite)
V    set or use a variable. specify
      V0 through V100 e.g. "V59=2.34"
      use V0 through V100 e.g. "G01 XV59"
-now subroutines are available
G22   (not available in CNC Pro Lite)
      do subroutine followed by a P parameter
      with a subroutine number
      e.g. "G22 P20"
      up to 100 subroutines can be specified in
      a program. each subroutine is defined
      after the M30 statement and is signified
      by the '$' character.  M0 is not supported
      within any subroutine and if called, the
      subroutine will be terminated. each
      subroutine is terminated by M2. e.g.
      ...
      G22 P20 V1=2 V2=1
      G22 P20 V1=5 V2=3
      M30
      $20
      XV1
      YV2
      X0
      Y0
      M2


10/5/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Some arcs (depending on feed) may not have been very accurate...now it is
fixed and all arcs are accurate
CNCPRO Enhancements:
-NOW IT IS VERSION 2.0
-CNCPRO also has a lite version associated with it now (don't worry, all
current users have the full version)
ACE enhancements:
-NOW IT IS VERSION 2.0


10/13/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Tool description and io descriptions now record characters properly
-Tool changing now only changes coordinates and does not move the machine
-Tool change position is a common location in space with respect to the tool
holder
enhancements:
-Tool table is now more user friendly and doesn't automatic re-number tools


11/2/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-Direction reversal algorithms now work correctly 100% of the time


11/19/99 CNCPRO fixes:
-CNCPRO had originally been designed for steps to occur when a step bit went
from high to low.  Because nearly every driver takes a step on the low to
high transition, this method has been changed and all those who rely on high
to low steps will have to use an inverter chip.


11/22/99 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Now CNCPRO can support both high to low and low to high step bit
transitions. the new setting option is in the setup->bit settings menu.


12/30/99 CNCPRO  fixes:
-The HIGH TO LOW setting on step activate bits now works correctly


1/25/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-M10 and M11 now work correctly when used in a program
-Constant contouring back to back arcs now works properly


2/16/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-Auxiliary following other axis was having problems on arcs, now it doesn't
-Default value for operator setting "I and J always relative" is now "ON"


5/4/00 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Editing capabilities have been added to CNCPRO provided that you have DOS
"edit" or PC DOS "e" programs on your computer
-Coordinate rotation has been added so that you can rotate machine
coordinates 90 degrees about any axis (effectively swapping axes)  There
have been 6 M commands to handle this....M100 through M106, there is also a
new menu interface from the control screen
-M99 has been added (cycle stop and rewind and cycle start again)


7/27/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-There was a bug w/ acceleration rates that only happened on very rare
occurrences particularly if you had an axis that accelerates
 at a much slower rate than any other axes.  It is fixed now and works well.


8/8/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-This isn't really a bug in CNCPRO but in order to work with some builds of
edit.com (standard dos editor) I have to re-hook the
 timer interrupt after returning to CNCPRO.  This means one of two things
(edit.com uses the internal timer -> which I don't really
 see them having any use for) or they screw up memory that unhooks that
interrupt.  In any case, I re-hook this interrupt and all should work O.K.
now.  IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING ANY OTHER WEIRD THINGS HAPPENING PLEASE KNOW
THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER MEMORY WHEN EDIT.COM TAKES OVER AND BECAUSE
CNCPRO TAKES UP 350K AND WHATEVER PROGRAMS YOU LOAD INTO EDIT.COM MAY TAKE
SOME MEMORY....WE COULD EASILY RUN OUT  THE STACK HERE IF EDIT.COM DOESN'T
CHECK FOR THIS.  Anywho, I can't fix this so when editing big files, do so
at your own risk.
-After M99 returns and you stop the program, no garbage is left on the
screen anymore.


8/15/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-A fix made in the 8/8/00 release messed up constant contouring and/or
circles acceleration and deceleration causing missed steps because of
instantaneous top end speed.  It is fixed now and does work in conjunction
w/ the fixes made 8/8/00


8/15/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-Finally got the circle ending speed right.  I didn't think it would take
three tries but it did.  Sorry about that and thanks for your patience.
Enhancements:
-Add the loop command to loop one line.  you can loop any line any number of
times.
 (you can not use this command within a subroutine)
 e.g.:  L100 X1 would move the X 100 times 1 unit in the x direction
assuming you have relative coordinates
 you can place subroutines in that line also.


9/29/00 CNCPRO enhancements:
-Added the G95 command for file chaining (you can not use this command
within a subroutine)
 e.g.: eq. "G95 #c:\path\to\file\file.ext"
 quits executing current file and begin executing next file specified


10/16/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-If you enter the wrong password for setup, CNCPRO won't lock up anymore.


12/18/00 CNCPRO fixes:
-Arcs in the 'yz' and 'zx' planes now work correctly with the 'k' parameter
 for z arc center.  'j' is ALWAYS for y arc center, and 'I' is ALWAYS for
 x arc center now, no matter which arc plane is specified.  this is actually
 a simpler way of doing it then the previous way, which was by the right
 hand rule for picking I and j.
changes:
-For editing gcode files while in CNCPRO, I've changed the way CNCPRO shells
 out to "edit".  It now shells out to edit.com as a child process instead of
 just a system command.  Maybe DOS is smart enough now to protect CNCPRO
 memory.  I don't know because I can't reproduce it either way.  This is
just
 to give it a shot.


1/17/01 CNCPRO fixes:
-there was a problem with the 'K' parameter described in the last patch. It
is fixed now.


4/10/01 CNCPRO fixes:
-there was a problem w/ arcs in that if your resolution was small and your
 arc was big, the entire arc would not be completed.  The parameter that
used
 to be described as an int is now a long.  This should fix any problem of
this
 type.


4/20/01 CNCPRO enhancements:
-If you get sit and tired of typing in a stupid password to enter the setup
menu, just change it to "none", all lowercase.  You will then not be
prompted.


4/27/01CNCPRO enhancements:
-After CNCPRO has been exited, it will now remember various settings like
jog increments,
 jog type, feedrate, and others.  The most notable of remembered settings
would be
 the COORDINATES that were previously used the last time CNCPRO was running.
 Because the program has been turned off and then back on, I am not
responsible for
 any error do to machine startup and program startup that may be caused do
to
 startup sequences.  In other words, even though the coordinates may say one
thing,
 but you may be a few steps off when CNCPRO starts back up...nothing I can
do about that.

5/5/01 CNCPRO fixes:
-sometimes cncpro would flash the screen over and over in infinate loop after
a g95 or m99 call.  this problem has been fixed.  this was a result of the
message queue not getting cleared before the program ran again, and if there
was an unidentified character recogized like N or a blank line or something,
then the previous message command ran, in this case it happened to be m99 or
g95 which was to restart the program. and so this would conintue in an endless
loop.  anyhow,  the queue gets cleared every time now and all works fine.

1/17/02 CNCPRO fixes:
-limit switch on Aux. axis when going up and got tripped, did not respond in the
correct direction.  now it does.

1/17/02 CNCPRO enhancements:
-along with being able to rotate axes, you can now switch the z and aux. axis on
the fly.  There have been 1 M command to handle this....M106, there is also a
new menu interface from the control screen called "Rot/Sw Ax".  this literally
switches the aux. and the Z axis at the interface.  Unlike rotating the axes, this
axis swap does not change the coordinates of either axis.  you would need to
compensate for this by moving the z or a coordinates accordingly.

4/18/03 CNCPRO fixes:
-finally think found what is causing keyboard freeze up.  basically, i have found
this can happen when setting the timer interrupt too fast for the processor.
what happens when cncpro startup is that it runs a loop calculation for one second
while the splash screen is coming up.  at that time, it calculates, based on that
calculation (i think i use "how many times can i do square of 3 in one second") how 
fast to set the timer interupt frequency to which ultimately determines how fast
signals can be exported from the port to the motor drivers.  well, i found recently
that based on my compiler for borland, that i have updated sometime during cncpro
development that it optimizes that "square of 3" calculation....which as a result was
setting the the timer frequency about 3 times to high.
so, as a result, i have guaged the timer frequency back down to normal levels in this
build which should help with keyboard freeze ups.  i should note, that these freeze
ups should have only happened on less than 600 mhz or so computers.  there is  a cap on
the frequency above these levels and faster computers shouldn't have been effected.
but, everyone should note that you may not be able to get the stepper frequency back
up to what it was before this build.....(your max speeds setting will drop down possibly
by using this build and forward)
But finally i have found this issue.  thanks to a customer who wanted be unnamed for
helping to track this one.