Q:  I just received the MyT'Mill software but the motors do not move or move in the same direction.  What's going on?
A: If you have a Step/Direction type controller, select "Preferences" under the "Edit" menu then click the "Controller Type" tab.  Select Step/Dir and set the Pin Outs to match the manufacturers specification.  If you purchased our Pro controller, the Pinouts should be set to X:2/3 Y:4/5 Z:6/7 A:8/9 step/dir signals.
Next check the parallel port address on your computer and set MyT'Mill software to match.  You can check which port address your computer is using by selecting "Control Panel" under the "Start" menu.  Open the "System" icon.  Click "Device Manager" tab, then "Ports", "Printer Port".  Click "Properties" button, then "Resources" tab. The first number listed under the "Input/Output range" is the port address.  Set the port address in MyT'Mill (Setup/Parallel Port) to match that number.

Q:  I get a "Privilidged Instruction" error when I run the software on WinNT/2000/XP.  What's up?
A: WinNT, 2000, and XP have security protocols which prevent directly accessing the parallel port like you can with Win98 and below.  However, you can unlock the security for specific programs and ports using third party applications.  One that I use is called Direct-IO, available at www.direct-io.com.  It costs $29 but there is a free demo that works for a month to try it out.  After installing it:
1)  Open Control Panel under Start Menu/Settings.  Double click DirectIO.  Click the I/O Ports tab.  Enter 378 in the Begin field, and 37F in the End field then click the Add button.
2) Click the Security tab.  Enter the directory\name of the program, eg.C:\Program Files\EasyCAMpro.exe.  or c:\mytmill\mytmill.exe.  Then click the Add button. Exit.
3) Run the mytmill.exe or EasyCAMpro.exe normally.

Q: I have a Backtrack Sherline cnc lathe I've been trying to run with your demo software. I can only get the motors to stutter. Are there any setup issues I of which I ought to be aware?
A: You need to set the "controller type" to step/dir and the pinouts need to be set to what backtrack says.  There are backtrack customers successfully using it.  The most common step/dir pins are:  X: 2/3; Y:4/5; Z: 6/7; A: 8/9   or   X:2/6; Y:3/7; Z: 4/8; A: 5/9
Also, set the motor speeds to 5 in/min or so for testing.  If you have that set too high, the motors would just buzz or stutter.

Q: The motor parameters form is dropping the decimal digits.  What's going on?
A: Your Windows is probably an international version which is using commas instead of periods.  In the control panel choose International Settings, numbers, first prompt.

Q: I  found out how to draw in millimeters in Delta Cad, only to find that MyTMill reads millimeters in feet!  Can I overcome that, or am I going to have to draw in in.
A: When you import a DXF file into MyT'Mill, it gives you an option to scale the part during import.  There are 304.8mm/ft so use a scale factor of 1/304.5=0.003284072

Q: The last thing I cut was a cross in wax, it cut great, except was only 1 3/4" long, and my drawing (from Delta Cad) was in inches, and measured 2 1/2" long.  I double checked my measurements, and they were correct.  what happened?
A: What speed did you cut the cross at?  If you go too fast, the motors could slip.  Try some tests of a simple pattern like a 1" right triangle at a low speed and watch the scales to make sure it actually moves 1" and ends up back where it started.  Increase the speed until the test fails.  Now you will have a good feel for what your system is capable of.  If it fails at all speeds, the resolution is set wrong in the motor parameters form.

Q: I use the computer for everything, and have a printer connected to the printer port.  Until the other day, I unplugged the printer and plugged in the mill controller.  I installed a printer switch, and the "z" motor will magnify, and refuse to turn until I plug dir. into the printer port.....any suggestions?
A: Do you have a cannon printer?  Some printers will send out "polling" signals to the printer port, even when not in use.  I use a printer switch also but I have to turn off the printer driver when I use MyT'Mill.  You can do this by choosing Settings under Start button.  Click properties of your printer and set the port to "unused".

 Q: Why does text not show up in the DXF import?
A: Text must be exploded first.  You can use KeyCAD Complete to explode the text.  This program is on the second disk of your DeltaCad software called keycad.exe.  To use that program follow these steps:
1) Double-click keycad.exe.
2) Use Edit|Erase to delete the rectangular border that appears.
3) Use File|Transfer|Import|DXF to import the DXF file.
4) Use Edit|Explode to explode the text into lines.
5) Do File|Save   new name.
6) Do File|Load   load it back.
7) Do File|Transfer|Export|DXF to export the new DXF file.
8) Import it into MyT'Mill.
Other ways of doing text include using "Word Art" in MSWord or MS Publisher to make fancy text.  Select it, copy it, Paste Special it into autocad.  Explode it.  Write the DXF.

Q: This is a report from a customer
A: Also, just to report a small mishap:  I had 200 holes to drill in thin copper plate (0.01").  The positioning accuracy in X and Y was good at something like 5" per minute, and I had the Z axis at 2.5" per minute, not thinking that drilling through thin material would be much of a problem.  I guess what I stupidly failed to consider was that the Z leadscrew has to do a fair amount of work lifting the whole motor assembly up and down, with the result that after 140 holes the saddle nut seized solidly onto the screw and the two had to be replaced.  Perhaps you might want to warn people to go easy on the Z axis since it is probably almost always a lot more loaded than X and Y, so the fastest speed that works without motor slip may actually be too fast for the screw and nut (at least with extended use).  I run it much slower now with no further problems.

Q:  I noticed whenever I run the software the cpu takes 100% processor occupancy while doing nothing. (nothing else running in the background either).  What is it doing?
A: This behaviour is normal.  There is a Windows function called AppIdle that is called when the program or any other program isn't doing anything else.  It is lowest priority.  The procedure checks to see if you have Step/Dir set.  If so, it exits.  If not, it sends commands to the parallel port to turn off unipolar motors.