while loop doesn't end

mher

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of a strange issue.
I'm trying to run a while loop a x number of times by checking the iterations

I'm doing this by calling

while iterations < 4
I would expect the while loop to break after the 4th iteration. However the while loop keeps running indefinitely.

If I add an if check inside the while loop to break it it does work.

while iterations < 3
    if iterations > 3
        break

The entire script (which is to calibrate the probe, by using a klicky probe) is here;

;Calibrate Klicky probe
; if two speed probing is configured in M558,we probably want to reduce the speed for this test
var ProbeSpeedHigh = sensors.probes[0].speeds[0]*60 ; Speeds are saved in mm/sec in the object model but M558 uses mm/min
var ProbeSpeedLow = sensors.probes[0].speeds[1]*60
var centerX = {(move.axes[0].min + move.axes[0].max)/2} ; Set the center X to a variable to use later
var centerY = {(move.axes[1].min + move.axes[1].max)/2} ; set the center Y to a variable to use later

var originalDiveHeight = sensors.probes[0].diveHeight	; Set the original dive height to a variable before changing it

M558 H2 F60 ; reduce probe speed to 60mm/min for accuracy - adjust F parameter as required. Change the dive height to make room for probing

;define some variables to store readings

var NumTests=10 ; modify this value to define number of tests

; Do not change below this line
var RunningTotal=0
var Average=0
var Lowest=0
var Highest=0

; If the printer hasn't been homed, home it
if !move.axes[0].homed || !move.axes[1].homed || !move.axes[2].homed
  G28
else
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} F360 ; if axes homed move to dive height

M561 ; clear any bed transform
M290 R0 S0 ; clear babystepping

;ensure you have room for the probe
if move.axes[2].machinePosition < sensors.probes[0].diveHeight
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight}

; move nozzle to centre of bed
G1 X{var.centerX} Y{var.centerY} F99999

M564 S0 H0 ; Allow movement beyond limits

M561 ; clear any bed transform

; Jog head to position
M291 P"Jog nozzle to touch bed" R"Set nozzle to zero" S3 Z1
G92 Z0 ; set Z position to zero

M291 P"Press OK to begin" R"Ready?" S3;

G91 G1 H2 Z3 G90					; Set to relative positioning, move Z up 3mm, change back to absolute positioning
M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/klicky_load.g"	; Make sure the klicky probe is loaded

; Move probe over top of same point that nozzle was when zero was set
G1 X{var.centerX - sensors.probes[0].offsets[0]} Y{var.centerY - sensors.probes[0].offsets[1]} F99999
G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight}; lift head

echo "Current probe offset = " ^ sensors.probes[0].triggerHeight ^ "mm"

; carry out 10 probes (or what is set in NumTests variable)

while iterations < var.NumTests
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} 		; move to dive height
		
	G30 S-1
	M118 P2 S{"Test # " ^ (iterations+1) ^ " Triggered @ " ^ move.axes[2].machinePosition ^ "mm"} ; send trigger height to Paneldue console
	M118 P3 S{"Test # " ^ (iterations+1) ^ " Triggered @ " ^ move.axes[2].machinePosition ^ "mm"} ; send trigger height to DWC console
	if iterations == 0
		set var.Lowest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new lowest reading to first probe height
		set var.Highest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new highest reading to first probe height
		
	if move.axes[2].machinePosition < var.Lowest
		set var.Lowest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new lowest reading
		G4 S0.3
		
	if move.axes[2].machinePosition > var.Highest
		set var.Highest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new highest reading
		G4 S0.3
		
	set var.RunningTotal={var.RunningTotal + move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set new running total
	G4 S0.5
	
set var.Average = {(var.RunningTotal - var.Highest - var.Lowest) / (var.NumTests - 2)} 	; calculate the average after discarding th ehigh & low reading
;M118 P3 S{"running total = " ^ var.RunningTotal} ; send running total to DWC console
;M118 P3 S{"low reading = " ^ var.Lowest} ; send low reading to DWC console
;M118 P3 S{"high reading = " ^ var.Highest} ; send high reading to DWC console
M118 P2 S{"Average excluding high and low reading = " ^ var.Average} ; send average to PanelDue console
M118 P3 S{"Average excluding high and low reading = " ^ var.Average} ; send average to DWC console

G31 P500 Z{var.Average} ; set Z probe offset to the average reading
M564 S0 H1 ; Reset limits

M558 F{var.ProbeSpeedHigh}:{var.ProbeSpeedLow} ; reset probe speed to original

G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} F360 ; move head back to dive height

M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/klicky_unload.g"	; Make sure the klicky probe is unloaded
M291 P{"Trigger height set to : " ^ sensors.probes[0].triggerHeight  ^ " OK to save to config-overide.g, cancel to use until next restart"} R"Finished" S3

M500 P31 ; optionally save result to config-overide.g

OwenD

@mher said in while loop doesn't end:

var NumTests=10 ; modify this value to define number of tests

You should only need to set this variable to var NumTests=4 if you only want four tests

Also your indenting here isn't uniform

; If the printer hasn't been homed, home it
if !move.axes[0].homed || !move.axes[1].homed || !move.axes[2].homed
  G28
else
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} F360 ; if axes homed move to dive height

mher

@OwenD
Yeah i was just using the 4 as an example. the thing is it just keeps going in the while loop wayyy past 10. Fixing the indentation doesn't change anything either

OwenD

@mher
I suspect your calls to the macros that attach/detach may be causing some problems.
You may need to post those.

If I comment those out (and lower some of the G1 speeds to suit my system) I get
Screenshot 2022-11-09 at 19-45-40 3Dprinter.png

;Calibrate Klicky probe
; if two speed probing is configured in M558,we probably want to reduce the speed for this test
var ProbeSpeedHigh = sensors.probes[0].speeds[0]*60 ; Speeds are saved in mm/sec in the object model but M558 uses mm/min
var ProbeSpeedLow = sensors.probes[0].speeds[1]*60
var centerX = {(move.axes[0].min + move.axes[0].max)/2} ; Set the center X to a variable to use later
var centerY = {(move.axes[1].min + move.axes[1].max)/2} ; set the center Y to a variable to use later

var originalDiveHeight = sensors.probes[0].diveHeight	; Set the original dive height to a variable before changing it

M558 H2 F60 ; reduce probe speed to 60mm/min for accuracy - adjust F parameter as required. Change the dive height to make room for probing

;define some variables to store readings

var NumTests=10 ; modify this value to define number of tests

; Do not change below this line
var RunningTotal=0
var Average=0
var Lowest=0
var Highest=0

; If the printer hasn't been homed, home it
if !move.axes[0].homed || !move.axes[1].homed || !move.axes[2].homed
	G28
else
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} F360 ; if axes homed move to dive height
M561 ; clear any bed transform
M290 R0 S0 ; clear babystepping

;ensure you have room for the probe
if move.axes[2].machinePosition < sensors.probes[0].diveHeight
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight}

; move nozzle to centre of bed
G1 X{var.centerX} Y{var.centerY} F1300

M564 S0 H0 ; Allow movement beyond limits

M561 ; clear any bed transform

; Jog head to position
M291 P"Jog nozzle to touch bed" R"Set nozzle to zero" S3 Z1
G92 Z0 ; set Z position to zero

M291 P"Press OK to begin" R"Ready?" S3;

;G91 G1 H2 Z3 G90					; Set to relative positioning, move Z up 3mm, change back to absolute positioning
;M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/klicky_load.g"	; Make sure the klicky probe is loaded

; Move probe over top of same point that nozzle was when zero was set
G1 X{var.centerX - sensors.probes[0].offsets[0]} Y{var.centerY - sensors.probes[0].offsets[1]} F1300
G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight}; lift head

echo "Current probe offset = " ^ sensors.probes[0].triggerHeight ^ "mm"

; carry out 10 probes (or what is set in NumTests variable)

while iterations < var.NumTests
	G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight + 5} 		; move to dive height
	M400	
	G30 S-1
	M118 P2 S{"Test # " ^ (iterations+1) ^ " Triggered @ " ^ move.axes[2].machinePosition ^ "mm"} ; send trigger height to Paneldue console
	M118 P3 S{"Test # " ^ (iterations+1) ^ " Triggered @ " ^ move.axes[2].machinePosition ^ "mm"} ; send trigger height to DWC console
	if iterations == 0
		set var.Lowest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new lowest reading to first probe height
		set var.Highest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new highest reading to first probe height
		
	if move.axes[2].machinePosition < var.Lowest
		set var.Lowest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new lowest reading
		G4 S0.3
		
	if move.axes[2].machinePosition > var.Highest
		set var.Highest={move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set the new highest reading
		G4 S0.3
		
	set var.RunningTotal={var.RunningTotal + move.axes[2].machinePosition} ; set new running total
	G4 S0.5
	
set var.Average = {(var.RunningTotal - var.Highest - var.Lowest) / (var.NumTests - 2)} 	; calculate the average after discarding th ehigh & low reading
;M118 P3 S{"running total = " ^ var.RunningTotal} ; send running total to DWC console
;M118 P3 S{"low reading = " ^ var.Lowest} ; send low reading to DWC console
;M118 P3 S{"high reading = " ^ var.Highest} ; send high reading to DWC console
M118 P2 S{"Average excluding high and low reading = " ^ var.Average} ; send average to PanelDue console
M118 P3 S{"Average excluding high and low reading = " ^ var.Average} ; send average to DWC console

G31 P500 Z{var.Average} ; set Z probe offset to the average reading
M564 S0 H1 ; Reset limits

M558 F{var.ProbeSpeedHigh}:{var.ProbeSpeedLow} ; reset probe speed to original

G1 Z{sensors.probes[0].diveHeight} F360 ; move head back to dive height

;M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/klicky_unload.g"	; Make sure the klicky probe is unloaded
;M291 P{"Trigger height set to : " ^ sensors.probes[0].triggerHeight  ^ " OK to save to config-overide.g, cancel to use until next restart"} R"Finished" S3

;M500 P31 ; optionally save result to config-overide.g

mher

@OwenD
could very well be I've only just started installing the klicky probe and making the required changes to the firmware.

here is my load macros:
; Move to load the klicky onto the eva tool

M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/Klicky/klicky_status.g" ; Check the probe's current status

; Check if the status for klicky is already attached
if global.klicky_status != "attached"
	M98 P"/macros/Predefined Locations/klicky_location.g" 	; Move to pick up the probe
	G91														; Switch to relative positioning
	G1 X-60 F99999											; Move X to 0
	G1 X60 F99999											; Move X to 60
	G90														; Switch to absolute positioning
	M400													; Wait for all moves to be completed
	
	M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/Klicky/klicky_status.g"			; Check for probe status
	echo sensors.probes[0].value[0]							; Show the probe status

if global.klicky_status = "attached"						; Check for the status and make sure it's attached
	echo "Probe ATTACHED"
else
	echo "Error probe not attached - aborting"				; Abort running task if probe isn't attached successfuly
	abort

and here is my unload macro (which probably isn't the problem because it doesn't get to this point when the loop runs infinite)

; Dock the klicky probe 

M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/Klicky/klicky_status.g"				; Check the probe's current status
if global.klicky_status != "docked"							; Check if the probe isn't docked already
	echo "Docking Klicky Probe"				
	G90 													; Switch to Absolute positioning
	M98 P"/macros/Predefined Locations/klicky_location.g" 	; Move in front of probe dock
	M400 													; Wait for all moves to be completed
	G91 													; Switch to relative positioning
	G1 X-60 F99999 	 										; Move into the dock
	G1 Y30 F99999 											; Move to unhook probe
	G90 													; Switch to absolute positioning
	M98 P"/macros/Predefined Locations/klicky_location.g" 	; Move in front of probe dock
	M400													; Wait for all moves to be completed
	
	M98 P"/macros/ZProbe/Klicky/klicky_status.g"			; Check the probe's current status

if global.klicky_status = "docked"							; Check if the probe is docked
	echo "Probe is DOCKED"
else														; Abort the current action if the probe isn't docked correctly
	echo "Error probe not docked - aborting"
	abort

OwenD

@mher
The macros themselves look ok
There is a limit to the number of nested macros you can have, but I'm not sure what it is.
I suspect when the main calls your klicky macro, which in turn calls another, then the local variables in the original are lost.

Can you try calling your macro before you declare the variables?

mher

Maybe @Phaedrux or @dc42 can comment about what the limit of the macros is, if there is such a thing and if that could be the cause of the while loop not exiting correctly.

OwenD

@mher
What firmware version are you running?
Someone else was having similar issues here
https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/29070/weird-macro-behaviour?_=1668050444951

mher

@OwenD
I'm running 3.4.0 currently so maybe there is a issue in there as well.
For now I've worked around it by doing the if check in the while loop which works it's just not that clean.

dc42

@mher that's odd, please try this and tell me if it works for you (it works for me):

while iterations < 4
  echo iterations
  G4 S1

mher

@dc42
Yeah I already created a macro like that to perform the same test and it was working as expected.

Just did the same for the code you shared just to be sured and again it worked like expected.

dc42

@OwenD said in while loop doesn't end:

I suspect when the main calls your klicky macro, which in turn calls another, then the local variables in the original are lost.

That shouldn't be the case, but of course there may be bugs in the implementation.

@mher said in while loop doesn't end:

Maybe @Phaedrux or @dc42 can comment about what the limit of the macros is, if there is such a thing and if that could be the cause of the while loop not exiting correctly.

There is a limit of 10 nested stack pushes. A macro call (whether explicit or implicit) counts as a push, so does using M120. Within each stack push there is also a block nesting limit of 10, so while- and if-else bodies can't be nested more than 10 deep.

@mher if you can identify what it is that you are doing in your macro that causes the while-loop to misbehave, I will look into it.

mher

@dc42

As far as I can see really quickly i'm max nesting 5 pushes. However lets say i'm inside a while inside an if statement and I call a macro in this if statement and inside the macro itself there are additional if statements. Do they get counted towards the max bodies deep you can nest? If so that might be an issue

I'm also assuming that there isn't a max of how many macros you can call in 1 macro?
So if i would call M98 30 times in succession it should be fine?

OwenD

@mher said in while loop doesn't end:

G1 X{var.centerX - sensors.probes[0].offsets[0]} Y{var.centerY - sensors.probes[0].offsets[1]} F99999

It may be unrelated but...
Just as a matter of interest, what happens when you send a command like G1 X100 Y100 F99999 ?
It will no doubt be restricted by the max speed you set with M203, but if that speed is causing an error condition it may be a factor.

I think you're going to have to heavily lace your code with echo commands so you can see where in the scheme of things your issue is appearing.

mher

@OwenD As far as I understood it it will execute the command and the speed will be capped at the max you set in the firmware. So max speed for x is currently 10800 (for me atleast). So setting it to F999999 will make sure that when I share this in the vcore3 group (I'm running a vcore3) other people can use it with the speeds they have set on their setup.

I've been adding echo's the thing is that it just seems to fail on the "while iterations" check.
Because I've got it working now by just doing a check inside the while to break the code.

I even setup a testing file with a while loop and loading/unloading the probe which works as expected.

mher

@dc42
Alright it seems like i figured out what is causing the issue.

I created a new macro and started adding things one by one.
Everything went fine until I added this line:

G91 G1 H2 Z7 G90 ; Set to relative positioning, move Z up 5mm, change back to absolute positioning

after adding this the while loop kept on running. After removing it everything ran as expected again

EDIT:
just confirmed it by creating the following macro. This would just keep running the while loop infinite.

G91 G1 Z5 G90 ;Removed H2 to be sure this wasn't the cause

while iterations < 4 
	echo "iteration: " ^ iterations

Then I split the G91/G90 command from single line to multi line and it started working as expected. So it seems there is an issue with the single line implementation for relative/absolute.
Which I read here we should be able to do the way I did
https://forum.duet3d.com/topic/11662/treat-g90-g91-and-m82-m83-like-g53/3