RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Help with DeskNC for DOS

The below suggestion will not work for him as he is on an NT box. You will
notice in his question "DOS prompt which I find in the Windows NT start
menu". NT/2000 does not have a DOS mode. Even on 2000 with the command
prompt startup you are in a command shell under nt/2000 without the ability
to make direct hardware calls. He will have to boot from a bootable system
floppy made on a 9x box or from a DOS machine.

Tim
[Denver, CO]

> -----Original Message-----
>
> 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....
>
>
> Addresses:
> FAQ: http://www.ktmarketing.com/faq.html
> FILES: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/files/