BDI steppermod gives following errors

Ray,

Here is the emc.ini file for my configuration. I am including it in this
message for convience.

============================================================================
====================


; EMC controller parameters for generic controller. Make these what you need
; for your system.

; General
section -------------------------------------------------------------
[EMC]

; Version of this INI file
VERSION = $Revision: 1.7 $

; Name of machine, for use with display, etc.
MACHINE = Sherline 5400

; Name of NML file to use, default is emc.nml
NML_FILE = emc.nml

; Debug level, 0 means no messages. See emc/src/emcnml/emcglb.h for others
DEBUG = 0x00000003
; DEBUG = 0x7FFFFFFF

; Startup codes for RS-274-NGC interpreter
RS274NGC_STARTUP_CODE = G20

; Sections for display
options ------------------------------------------------
[DISPLAY]

; Platform for GUI
PLAT = nonrealtime

; Name of display program, e.g., xemc
; DISPLAY = xemc
DISPLAY = tkemc
; DISPLAY = yemc
; DISPLAY = keystick
; DISPLAY = emcpanel

; Cycle time, in seconds, that display will sleep between polls
CYCLE_TIME = 0.200

; Path to help file
HELP_FILE = doc/help.txt

; Initial display setting for position, RELATIVE or ABSOLUTE
POSITION_OFFSET = RELATIVE

; Initial display setting for position, COMMANDED or ACTUAL
POSITION_FEEDBACK = ACTUAL

; Highest value that will be allowed for feed override, 1.0 = 100%
MAX_FEED_OVERRIDE = 1.2

; Prefix to be used
PROGRAM_PREFIX = programs/

; Introductory graphic
INTRO_GRAPHIC = emc.gif
INTRO_TIME = 0

; Units for display, default would be AUTO
LINEAR_UNITS = AUTO
; LINEAR_UNITS = INCH
; LINEAR_UNITS = MM
; LINEAR_UNITS = CM
ANGULAR_UNITS = AUTO
; ANGULAR_UNITS = DEG
; ANGULAR_UNITS = RAD
; ANGULAR_UNITS = GRAD

; Enable popup balloon help
BALLOON_HELP = 1

; Task controller
section -----------------------------------------------------
[TASK]

; Platform for task controller
PLAT = nonrealtime

; Name of task controller program, e.g., bridgeporttask
; TASK = bridgeporttask
TASK = minimilltask

; Cycle time, in seconds, that task controller will sleep between polls
CYCLE_TIME = 0.010

; Part program interpreter
section --------------------------------------------
[RS274NGC]

; File containing interpreter variables
PARAMETER_FILE = emc.var

; Motion control
section ------------------------------------------------------
[EMCMOT]

; Platform for motion
PLAT = realtime
; PLAT = nonrealtime

; Name of motion control program
EMCMOT = steppermod.o
; EMCMOT = freqmod.o
; EMCMOT = stgmod.o
; EMCMOT = stg8mod.o
; EMCMOT = emcmotsim

; Key for real OS shared memory, e.g., for simulated motion
SHMEM_KEY = 100

; Base address for physical shared memory, e.g., for real-time motion.
; Note that if you change this, you may need to change OS parameters, e.g.,
; /etc/lilo.conf
SHMEM_BASE_ADDRESS = 0x1F00000
; SHMEM_BASE_ADDRESS = 0x3F00000

; Base address of Servo To Go board
STG_BASE_ADDRESS = 0x200
; STG_BASE_ADDRESS = 0x300

; Address for parallel port used for steppers
PARPORT_IO_ADDRESS = 0x378

; Timeout for comm to emcmot, in seconds
COMM_TIMEOUT = 1.0

; Interval between tries to emcmot, in seconds
COMM_WAIT = 0.010

; Base task period, in seconds
; PERIOD = 0.00200

; Trajectory planner
section --------------------------------------------------
[TRAJ]

AXES = 3
; COORDINATES = X Y Z R P W
COORDINATES = X Y Z
HOME = 0 0 0
LINEAR_UNITS = 0.03937007874016
ANGULAR_UNITS = 1.0
CYCLE_TIME = 0.010
DEFAULT_VELOCITY = 0.0167
MAX_VELOCITY = 0.167
DEFAULT_ACCELERATION = 20.0
MAX_ACCELERATION = 20.0
PROBE_INDEX = 0
PROBE_POLARITY = 1

; Axes
sections ---------------------------------------------------------------

; First axis
[AXIS_0]

TYPE = LINEAR
UNITS = 0.03937007874016
HOME = 0.000
MAX_VELOCITY = 1.2
P = 1000.000
I = 0.000
D = 0.000
FF0 = 0.000
FF1 = 0.000
FF2 = 0.000
BACKLASH = 0.000
BIAS = 0.000
MAX_ERROR = 0.000
DEADBAND = 0.000
CYCLE_TIME = 0.001000
INPUT_SCALE = 8000 0
OUTPUT_SCALE = 1.000 0.000
MIN_LIMIT = -10.0
MAX_LIMIT = 10.0
MIN_OUTPUT = -10
MAX_OUTPUT = 10
FERROR = 1.000
MIN_FERROR = 0.010
HOMING_VEL = 0.1
HOME_OFFSET = 0.0
ENABLE_POLARITY = 0
MIN_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
MAX_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
HOME_SWITCH_POLARITY = 1
HOMING_POLARITY = 1
JOGGING_POLARITY = 1
FAULT_POLARITY = 1
; Parameters for Inland Motor BMHS-0701 X 20
TORQUE_UNITS = OZ_IN
ARMATURE_RESISTANCE = 1.10
ARMATURE_INDUCTANCE = 0.0120
BACK_EMF_CONSTANT = 0.0254
ROTOR_INERTIA = 0.0104
DAMPING_FRICTION_COEFFICIENT = 0.083
SHAFT_OFFSET = 0
REVS_PER_UNIT = 10
; Parameters for generic amplifier
AMPLIFIER_GAIN = 1
MAX_OUTPUT_CURRENT = 10
LOAD_RESISTANCE = 1
; parameters for generic encoder
COUNTS_PER_REV = 4096

; Second axis
[AXIS_1]

TYPE = LINEAR
UNITS = 0.03937007874016
HOME = 0.000
MAX_VELOCITY = 1.2
P = 1000.000
I = 0.000
D = 0.000
FF0 = 0.000
FF1 = 0.000
FF2 = 0.000
BACKLASH = 0.000
BIAS = 0.000
MAX_ERROR = 0.000
DEADBAND = 0.000
CYCLE_TIME = 0.001000
INPUT_SCALE = 8000 0
OUTPUT_SCALE = 1.000 0.000
MIN_LIMIT = -10.0
MAX_LIMIT = 10.0
MIN_OUTPUT = -10
MAX_OUTPUT = 10
FERROR = 1.000
MIN_FERROR = 0.010
HOMING_VEL = 0.1
HOME_OFFSET = 0.0
ENABLE_POLARITY = 0
MIN_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
MAX_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
HOME_SWITCH_POLARITY = 1
HOMING_POLARITY = 1
JOGGING_POLARITY = 1
FAULT_POLARITY = 1
; Parameters for Inland Motor BMHS-0701 X 20
TORQUE_UNITS = OZ_IN
ARMATURE_RESISTANCE = 1.10
ARMATURE_INDUCTANCE = 0.0120
BACK_EMF_CONSTANT = 0.0254
ROTOR_INERTIA = 0.0104
DAMPING_FRICTION_COEFFICIENT = 0.083
SHAFT_OFFSET = 0
REVS_PER_UNIT = 10
; Parameters for generic amplifier
AMPLIFIER_GAIN = 1
MAX_OUTPUT_CURRENT = 10
LOAD_RESISTANCE = 1
; parameters for generic encoder
COUNTS_PER_REV = 4096

; Third axis
[AXIS_2]

TYPE = LINEAR
UNITS = 0.03937007874016
HOME = 0.000
MAX_VELOCITY = 1.2
P = 1000.000
I = 0.000
D = 0.000
FF0 = 0.000
FF1 = 0.000
FF2 = 0.000
BACKLASH = 0.000
BIAS = 0.000
MAX_ERROR = 0.000
DEADBAND = 0.000
CYCLE_TIME = 0.001000
INPUT_SCALE = 8000 0
OUTPUT_SCALE = 1.000 0.000
MIN_LIMIT = -10.0
MAX_LIMIT = 10.0
MIN_OUTPUT = -10
MAX_OUTPUT = 10
FERROR = 1.000
MIN_FERROR = 0.010
HOMING_VEL = 0.1
HOME_OFFSET = 0.0
ENABLE_POLARITY = 0
MIN_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
MAX_LIMIT_SWITCH_POLARITY = 0
HOME_SWITCH_POLARITY = 1
HOMING_POLARITY = 1
JOGGING_POLARITY = 1
FAULT_POLARITY = 1
; Parameters for Inland Motor BMHS-0701 X 20
TORQUE_UNITS = OZ_IN
ARMATURE_RESISTANCE = 1.10
ARMATURE_INDUCTANCE = 0.0120
BACK_EMF_CONSTANT = 0.0254
ROTOR_INERTIA = 0.0104
DAMPING_FRICTION_COEFFICIENT = 0.083
SHAFT_OFFSET = 0
REVS_PER_UNIT = 10
; Parameters for generic amplifier
AMPLIFIER_GAIN = 1
MAX_OUTPUT_CURRENT = 10
LOAD_RESISTANCE = 1
; parameters for generic encoder
COUNTS_PER_REV = 4096

; section for main IO controller
parameters -----------------------------------
[EMCIO]

; Platform for IO controller
PLAT = nonrealtime

; Name of IO controller program, e.g., bridgeportio
; EMCIO = bridgeportio
EMCIO = minimillio
; EMCIO = simio

; cycle time, in seconds
CYCLE_TIME = 0.100

; tool table file
TOOL_TABLE = emc.tbl

; address for parallel port used for auxiliary IO
PARPORT_IO_ADDRESS = 0x278

; wait times in seconds for spindle brake, release
SPINDLE_OFF_WAIT = 1.0
SPINDLE_ON_WAIT = 1.5

; external digital inputs, outputs are always 0 for 0V, 1 for 5/24V

; digital in bits

ESTOP_SENSE_INDEX = 1
LUBE_SENSE_INDEX = 2

; digital in polarity, 0 is inverted, 1 is normal
; controller compares with polarity, equal means on, not equal means off

ESTOP_SENSE_POLARITY = 0
LUBE_SENSE_POLARITY = 1

; digital out bits

SPINDLE_FORWARD_INDEX = 1
SPINDLE_REVERSE_INDEX = 0
MIST_COOLANT_INDEX = 6
FLOOD_COOLANT_INDEX = 7
SPINDLE_DECREASE_INDEX = 8
SPINDLE_INCREASE_INDEX = 9
ESTOP_WRITE_INDEX = 10
SPINDLE_BRAKE_INDEX = 11

; analog out bits

SPINDLE_ON_INDEX = 3

; digital out polarity, 0 is inverted, 1 is normal
; controller writes the polarity to turn on, opposite of polarity to turn
off

SPINDLE_FORWARD_POLARITY = 0
SPINDLE_REVERSE_POLARITY = 0
MIST_COOLANT_POLARITY = 0
FLOOD_COOLANT_POLARITY = 0
SPINDLE_DECREASE_POLARITY = 1
SPINDLE_INCREASE_POLARITY = 1
ESTOP_WRITE_POLARITY = 1
SPINDLE_BRAKE_POLARITY = 0
SPINDLE_ENABLE_POLARITY = 1

; section for external NML server
parameters ----------------------------------
[EMCSERVER]

; Name of NML server, e.g., emcsvr; if not found then none will run
; EMCSERVER = emcsvr

; section for emc stripchart parameters ----------------------------------
[EMCSTRIP]

; Name of strip chart display program e.g. emcstripchart; if not found then
none will run
; EMCSTRIP = emcstripchart

; OPTIONS for emcstripchart ussually -f something.conf; This file says which
; variables to plot, colors etc. -u changes the update rate.
OPTIONS = -f emcstrip.conf.ferror

============================================================================
====================

Tim also asked me to run the lsmod and rmmod commands and provide the
resules which I am including below:

============================================================================
====================

[root@localhost /root]# /sbin/lsmod
Module Size Used by
steppermod 234160 0 (unused)
rtl_fifo 8576 0 (unused)
rtl_posixio 7008 0 [rtl_fifo]
rtl_sched 26736 0 [steppermod]
rtl_time 4976 0 [steppermod rtl_posixio rtl_sched]
mbuff 5200 4 [steppermod]
rtl 17392 0 [rtl_fifo rtl_posixio rtl_sched rtl_time]
supermount 12880 2 (autoclean)
[root@localhost /root]# /sbin/rmmod mbuff
mbuff: Device or resource busy
[root@localhost /root]#

============================================================================
====================

This all has me quite perplexed, and I still don't understand why steppermod
has the overwhelming desire to write over the emc.ini file every time you
run it. That really doesn't make sense to me since freqmod doesn't do this.
If I had a more powerful laptop to run this on I most certainly would be
using freqmod.


John Guenther
'Ye Olde Pen Maker'