Manual

18-2 Appendix H
Be sure the machine is not in the Downloading mode; it gets in this mode when you send the
BD command. To be sure it isn't, turn the power off, then back on.
Be sure you have not inadvertently put the machine in the Programmed Off state by sending
ESC.) or ESC.Z.
Check the values of any personality parameters you have changed. If they are incorrect the
Automove System may be physically disabled and give no other indication. The solution is
to correct the bad values via the PE command, or simply reinstate all factory- set values via
ESC.!6: . (See the caution, below!)
Connect a terminal (or a computer emulating a terminal) and see if the Automove System
transmits a question mark "?" at power up. If so, one or more personality parameters have
bad values. This can leave the System disabled. Consider sending
ESC.!6: to reinstate the
factory-set values.
Caution: Be careful -- some factory-set values may not be what you want!
Try running the Automove self test. Turn the power off. Then, while pressing both the Left
Arrow and Right Arrow buttons, turn the Automove power on. The motors should run
through a diamond- shaped self test pattern and the front-panel lights should go on and off.
It is a good idea to send the IN command at the beginning of each move sequence.
One Particular Command Doesn't Work
Use the OE command to see if the Automove System detected an ACL error. Check the
syntax of the command and make sure the parameters are in range. If it is a motion
command (MA, MR, AA, AR) make sure that the entire motion is within the travel limits;
this is tricky with arcs. Use the OL command to find out what the current travel limits are.
Make sure all parameters are separated by spaces or commas, and are not run together.
Make sure the command is terminated by a semicolon or by the mnemonic of the next
command. Make sure there are no spaces in the middle of a number or between the minus
sign and the first digit, and no semicolons or letters before the last parameter of a command.
Remember, if any parameter is bad, the whole ACL command is ignored. Also, any ACL
error causes the System to ignore all characters until the next semicolon ";" or letter "A"
through "Z".
If your programming language supports it, try sending the outputs to the computer's screen
instead of to the RS-232C port. Again, a good way to find problems, if you happen to have
a terminal or another computer, is to hook it up in place of the Automove System to see what
your program is actually sending.
Remember, you are really debugging two programs: the host language (e.g. BASIC)
program, and the sequence of ACL commands. Be sure that your host program is really
executing the statements you think it is. Try putting PRINT statements in your loops and
subroutines, putting a message on the screen to say "I got here and the value of X is 333".
If the Digital Outputs don't do what you want, look for an errant MD or VM command.
Remember that MD affects all subsequent vectors, not just the first one.