Problems with file transfer to FP2NC

I have been trying unsuccessfully to get file transfer from pc to Dialog2 control to work consistently. Sometimes a file will transfer with no errors, and will fail with error 78 or 99 if I try it again. Mostly the tool compensation data makes it, but the program does not. The errors from repeatedly trying to transfer the same file vary considerably from attempt to attempt. I am beginning to think the problem could be that I need to get the machine to reinitialize everything. Perhaps it has some parameter memory that needs to be flushed or restored, or it needs to re-read eproms, etc. I have forgotten how to do that.

I should mention that the machine sat for almost a year without being used (I was building a new house, garage and carport), and when I restarted it, all the batteries had lost their charge, so the programs in memory were all erased and the machine had reverted to metric mode.

AlfaGTA has a post on the forum about initializing the control- that is a good idea at this point. https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...mills/dialog-4-fp4nc-help-109213/#post2352398

Have found D4 is rather particular that everything is correct- one missed setting somewhere or mildy incorrect format and all sorts of issues arise.

Suggest starting with making sure the Baud rate (use something slow, like 4800 or lower), Parity, Stop Bits, Data Bits are the same on the control and the PC.
My D4/terminal program works best with a line delay of 63ms in my terminal program.

Use a very basic/simple processor to create your program, something like MS Word Pad- if you use MS Word/Excel or similar, there is too much info going on in the background for the Dialog control. Format of the file is important- need the correct wording, checksums, there are certain places that require particular linespacing in the program or the control gets confused.

Colt45 said:

AlfaGTA has a post on the forum about initializing the control- that is a good idea at this point. https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...mills/dialog-4-fp4nc-help-109213/#post2352398
.

Click to expand...

thanks for linking, that is what I was looking for. I hope it is applicable to D2.

i am using 2400 baud, and I have inspected the files for non-ascii characters (using grep). All of this worked fine the last time I tried it, and the setup has not changed. I am having more trouble with program files that contain tool offsets than those which only have a program.

the data path has a usb to serial converter in it. Maybe I need a new one.

Some members here have commented about issues using USB to serial converters....seems all are not created equal.

On the initializing of the D2.I am.not positive, it is different from the D4 as your control has no K 10 jumper.....
However think you can still do the process.....
Think it goes like this:
Power on the control
Pull the X120 power connector at the NSV board.
Pull the 4 boards to the right of the NPP board. (NEP,NPP,NSP and NSI)
Re-install the boards.
Reconnect the X120 connector
Initialize the control as with D4.

Let us know if this works....
Cheers Ross

Ok, i will try it out.

I have an oscilloscope. I wonder if it would be possible to use it to look at the serial communication and see if there is an issue? Or would that require a logic analyzer.
I am not an EE.