software help please!

Ok - so I have got my motors wired up now. I finally got the sprinter software loaded into my mega using a laptop (I have win7 64 on my pc and It didnt want to play nice with the adruino). So I hooked up pronterface and finally got it to connect - takes like 10 seconds.. and I have motor control....
ONCE.
I dont care which axis - they all will work - both directions, but when they have moved as much as commanded, the software locks up and says event object missing. the motors also make a high picthed (quiet) noise and are unable to be turned. Im guessing they are in a "hold" mode. Once the usb is unplugged the software unlocks, but has to be restarted and the usb cable re plugged back in to get it to connect.
So -
Is this because I only have the endstops and the motors connected? no thermistors or hot end? Is it a problem with the sprinter software? Or is it something in the Pronterface...
Ive searched these forums as well as the net and cant find the solution.
This is the pronterface log from last test I performed extruding 25mm of (nonexistent) filiment:


Traceback (most recent call last):
File "pronterface.py", line 780, in procbutton
File "cmd.pyc", line 219, in onecmd

File "pronterface.py", line 181, in do_extrude
File "pronsole.pyc", line 927, in do_extrude

File "printcore.pyc", line 186, in send_now

File "printcore.pyc", line 255, in _send

File "serial\serialwin32.pyc", line 260, in write

serial.serialutil.SerialTimeoutException: Write timeout

Any ideas where I should look?? Is this something im not setting up correctly in the sprinter firmware?
Thanks in advance!
Jeff

well, just for shits and giggles I tried pronterface on my 32bit win7 machine - works great! so whatever the issue is its with the 64 bit.
so anyhow - onto the next step....
is it possible to do a test print just to get the motors to work?

The problem is not the extruder, which is not connected. Thats sure.

That you can't move your axis, after the motors have run is normal. They are in hold mode. You can configure sprinter to disable them after they are not used for some time, then you can move them again.

I think your problem is the serial communication. Steps you could check.

1. Don't run motors, but something simple like M119 (endstop status). If you get one answer and then nothing like with the motors, your communication breaks. If you can get many responses, your firmware may have a problem.

2. Check the communication settings in pronterface - do they fit your firmware settings. After all, you got the firmware installed over the usb, so communication was possible.

3. Try an other communication speed. Installation is always 9600 baud. But 38400 should also work safe.

4. Check, if you have installed the correct and latest FTDI driver.

5. Test with an other Host, e.g. Repetier-Host (see signature) which is not written in python. I don't think it's pythons fault, but you never know. But perhaps you get a error response, that makes sense to you also write timeout is pretty clear. Just why can't you write?

If it's not one of the above, you may have a hardware problem. You should test it on some other computer to verify. May also be a windows 64 problem.

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Parabolic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> well, just for shits and giggles I tried
> pronterface on my 32bit win7 machine - works
> great! so whatever the issue is its with the 64
> bit.

OK skip point of my first response.

> so anyhow - onto the next step....
> is it possible to do a test print just to get the
> motors to work?
Try it. Just don't set any tempertures as they will never be reached. Should work and without connected extruder nothing bad can happen anyway.

Awesome!!
I loaded the mustache ring in pronterface and gave it a go! The axis' found home with no problem and a "virtual" test print ensued! Its a shame I cant tell if the circle is actually round or oval at this point - but at least I know it can complete a full print!
So Im waiting for my hobbed bolt to show up so I can do a filament feed calibration. I have to find some documentation on calibrating the x,y,z axis'. Then I can finish putting my hot end together and hopefully a real test print soon!!
so a few more questions:

any recommended guides for calibrating this? Ive already seen spacexulas skeinforge video (with the clay), but I cant seem to find where to look to adjust the settings on the distances...
I have a resistor type hot end - what is best to "glue" the resistor and the thermistor in? should I wrap it with anything afterwards?

this "kit" came with a plexi build platform. Im going with a heated build plate so Ill have to cut a new platform out of wood - how thick? And also Im going to put glass over it - how thick is that supposed to be and can I get that at home depot or lowes?

thanks!!
Jeff

Back to the original topic of the post, I have a 64 bit windows 7 machine and had the same error when running Printrun. I did some searching and found problem is with the 32 bit pyserial running on 64 bit. To fix, you either need to be running all 32 bit versions of python and the dependencies or modify the pyserial source.

I wrote up the steps I followed to get pronterface working with 64 bit python on my 64 bit machine. You can find them here. Let me know if you have any questions about them.

Wonder if that should be put on the wiki Printrun page.
[reprap.org]

Parabolic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ok - so I have got my motors wired up now. I
> finally got the sprinter software loaded into my
> mega using a laptop (I have win7 64 on my pc and
> It didnt want to play nice with the adruino). So
> I hooked up pronterface and finally got it to
> connect - takes like 10 seconds.. and I have motor
> control....
> ONCE.
> I dont care which axis - they all will work -
> both directions, but when they have moved as much
> as commanded, the software locks up and says event
> object missing. the motors also make a high
> picthed (quiet) noise and are unable to be turned.
> Im guessing they are in a "hold" mode. Once the
> usb is unplugged the software unlocks, but has to
> be restarted and the usb cable re plugged back in
> to get it to connect.
> So -
> Is this because I only have the endstops and the
> motors connected? no thermistors or hot end? Is it
> a problem with the sprinter software? Or is it
> something in the Pronterface...
> Ive searched these forums as well as the net and
> cant find the solution.
> This is the pronterface log from last test I
> performed extruding 25mm of (nonexistent)
> filiment:
>
>
> Traceback (most recent call last):
> File "pronterface.py", line 780, in procbutton
> File "cmd.pyc", line 219, in onecmd
>
> File "pronterface.py", line 181, in do_extrude
> File "pronsole.pyc", line 927, in do_extrude
>
> File "printcore.pyc", line 186, in send_now
>
> File "printcore.pyc", line 255, in _send
>
> File "serial\serialwin32.pyc", line 260, in
> write
>
> serial.serialutil.SerialTimeoutException: Write
> timeout
>
> Any ideas where I should look?? Is this something
> im not setting up correctly in the sprinter
> firmware?
> Thanks in advance!
> Jeff

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