[Coco] moving files on bootup >> leading to that CNC Coco machine

[George Ramsower]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frank Swygert"

> So the files will always be in the same directory on the floppy. In that 
> case, just insert a command to copy the directory to the ramdisk in the 
> start-up file, not a file-by-file copy. I haven't touched Os-9 in years, 
> but there should be a directory copy command. I'm assuming you have taken 
> measures to save this directory from the ramdisk to floppy at convenient 
> intervals, and when the program is halted. You will still lose any changes 
> during a reset or loss of power, but that shouldn't be a big problem --  
> especially if you can compare the ramdisk and floppy directories and save 
> changes at some point in the program, or just take the time to copy the 
> whole directory from ramdisk to floppy at intervals. Time consuming, but 
> would be best for security.
> --------------
> From: "George Ramsower" > As I said, the files will be changing.
> This means some will be deleted and some will be added or changed. 
> Therefore, a script to copy files would be constantly changing and will 
> require my attention. This is not an option. It has to be automatic. Since 
> the ram disk will start empty, the routine should  just copy a directory 
> to the ramdisk upon startup.

Okay!

 Once I snapped that piping dsave to shell did the trick(thanks to Robert 
Gault for reminding me), this little snag was done. Although I'm not ready 
for it yet, I am planning for the future.
 This is part of a larger project that I brought up several months ago about 
using a Coco to control a Mirco Milling Machine. The extreme time since then 
is because I've tossed the whole idea of using ball bearing slides on the 
machine and have totally redesigned and fabricated a new machine. This has 
taken some time. The coco has just been waiting for this to happen and I 
haven't had much time to work on the software. Now that I've got the 
machine/mechanical parts almost ready, I'm actually using the coco and the 
machine to do some milling and drilling to finish the darned thing.
 I've impressed myself with the way it's working. (Pat myself on my own 
back). I did some checking on backlash and accuracy and I am proud to say 
that each of the three(X, Y and Z) axis are pretty cool. Backlash is is less 
than .0004 inches and accuracy over the entire length of travel is within 
.0015 inch.
 Most of the inaccuracy in the total length is because of the way I was 
doing the math when I move it in such a way that leaves fractions of steps 
and those steps were getting out of sync with the real position and the 
cheap lead screws which are nothing more than "all thread rods".  So, I'm 
working on converting actual, desired positions and then converting that 
number to the stepping of the motors to get to that point. This will help, 
but will not compensate for the threaded rods.

 This is not easy to explain.


 Anyway...... I also discovered that in Basic09, using While/Endwhile is 
faster than stomping through those steps using FOR / NEXT. While/Endwhile is 
actually easier to use also!!

 WOW! I gotta tell ya, this is a learning experience.

 The plan on using Dsave to a ram drive is that when I build a design to 
machine a part, the computer should get the control commands(hopefully 
G-Code) from the ram drive and then execute those commands. Of course, the 
ram disk needs to be quick. I can now use Dsave to save the ramdisk back to 
the floppy when I shutdown the operation. Otherwise, the software will rely 
on the ramdisk to operate. I can delete files manually, so this isn't an 
issue.

 I'm constantly amazed how powerful OS9 and Basic09 is. Not quite fast 
enough, but still very powerful.

 Gene Heskett said the other day."a coco doing actual work!"

 Well, here it is...... almost.

George