RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Help with DeskNC for DOS

Hi, Tom:
| -----Original Message-----
| From: tom.kay@... [mailto:tom.kay@...]
| Sent: Friday, September 28, 2001 9:29 AM
| To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
| Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Help with DeskNC for DOS
|
|
| Hello
|
| I am going to embarass myself in asking for help with starting DeskNC
| for DOS. I was always horrible with DOS, so I don't know if I am even
| starting right by using the DOS prompt which I find in the Windows NT
| start menu. Do I have to restart my computer in DOS mode?

Tom, there are a few ways to do this. You can "click" on the "start button"
to bring up a menu. Then, select the "shut down" menu item and "click" on
it. Finally set the radio button to restart in MS-DOS mode and "click" on
the "OK" button. When the computer shows the DOS prompt (C:>) use the change
directory command (CD) to select the directory that DeskNCDOS is located in.
Then, enter "DeskNCDOS" to load and execute the program.

But, if you're not attempting to actually run the machine, you can simply
"click" on the start button and select the "Run Program" menu selection.
Then enter the name of the program that you want to execute, including the
directory. For example, enter "DeskNC\DeskNC.EXE" if the program is located
in the DeskNC subdirectory (folder).

You didn't say what OS you were using, so I'm assuming that it's either
Windows '95 or Windows '98.

| I am simply trying to run the program and see how it works. I'll be
| using it, or some other software with a 3 axis mill, at some point in
| the future.

The DeskNC screen is nice because it provides a graphical rendition of your
G-Code. However, if you're looking for the low cost programs, you might want
to consider TurboCNC. It's a ten dollar bill shareware program that comes
with the source code. Unlike the DeskNC demos (and others) TurboCNC's demo
program doesn't have any time limit like some of the others (eg. the DeskNC
program gives you ten minutes of machining then quits; TurboCNC merely
presents a couple of start up screens that you might not show if you
subscribe)

| So, can anyone help me get out of the starting gate? I find that some
| of the freeware programs work in my "learning" sessions, and some
| don't even want to start. The one I like so far, is Kellyware, which
| is a windows based program. I have heard that DOS-based programs are
| better for machine control, since they are real-time, but the windows
| ones sure are easier at first.

The reason the DOS-based programs often run better than Windows based
programs is that with DOS, the CNC program can pretty much take control of
the computer and keep all timing constant. With any version of Windows,
there's quite a bit of OS environment overhead during the time that the CNC
program is running that the motion control will not be particularly smooth.

| I should mention that I do not have my computer hooked up to any cnc
| system at the moment. I have just finished Dan Mauch's 5 amp drivers,
| but I am not ready to do a full scale test with motors yet.

I'm running Dan's 2 amp board. It works quite well.

-- Carol & Jerry Jankura
Strongsville, Ohio
So many toys, So little time....