# Connection question **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [April 9, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317 "2017-04-09T12:57:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 10:30pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/27 "2017-04-10T22:30:05Z")
now I get the com port not found message never mind,out of frustration, I hit the red button. Sorry. nope nothing works. I’m done ---
**Author:** ![picengravertoo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/picengravertoo/32/45297_2.png) [@picengravertoo](https://community.inventables.com/u/picengravertoo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/28 "2017-04-10T22:49:10Z")
Read through this thread as you went through all of this before. > [@Xloader - instructions](https://community.inventables.com/t/xloader-instructions/31039): > > How to use Xloader to load a new version of grbl into the Arduino/X-controller. The left screenshot shows the window that Xloader displays when it starts. Enter the file path or browse to the .hex file that you would like to load into the Arduino/X-controller. Select the device type you are going to load into (Uno/ATmega328 for the Arduino/X-controller). Select the COM port where your Arduino/X-controller is attached. The baud rate should be 115200. Press the “Upload” button. When the .he… ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/29 "2017-04-10T22:59:02Z")
So I just went through the motions with the Xloader and everything runs backwards. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/30 "2017-04-10T23:00:14Z")
Sorry guys. I just don’t get a good grasp of this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/31 "2017-04-10T23:14:16Z")
So I just saw that $3=3 I had this problem before. I need to have $3=4 But I cant make it change. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/32 "2017-04-10T23:30:00Z")
its weird. when something like this happens I cannot exit out of picsender. I literally have to unplug things before I can start over. ---
**Author:** ![picengravertoo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/picengravertoo/32/45297_2.png) [@picengravertoo](https://community.inventables.com/u/picengravertoo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/34 "2017-04-10T23:55:49Z")
Download and install the latest version if you have not already. [PicSender](https://www.picengrave.com/PicSender.htm) ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/35 "2017-04-11T00:47:23Z")
Robert, I don’t have the luxury of going to a new computer. This one is only a few years old with windows 10 Jeff? I have picsender 2.7 I will down load the latest version and try it. ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 2:22am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/36 "2017-04-11T02:22:41Z")
> [@JanVanderlinden](#): > > I need to have $3=4But I cant make it change. If you are going to use PicSender, you have to make sure that the Spindle.txt and Laser.txt files have the correct grbl settings in them. Any time that you start PicSender it will load in either the Spindle.txt parameters if you have the spindle selected, or the Laser.txt parameters if you have the laser selected. This means that if you change any grbl parameter outside of PicSender the next time that you start PicSender it will overwrite the grbl parameters with the ones stored in the spindle.txt or laser.txt files. The spindle.txt and laser.text files are (to the best of my knowledge) only used by PicSender. If you want to use PicSender, then you have to learn how to use it properly or you will continue to be frustrated. If you don’t want to use PicSender, then you can manage the grbl parameters with your program of choice and the spindle.txt and laser.txt files will be ignored. ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 4:06am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/38 "2017-04-11T04:06:13Z")
I did set up some special files for his machine, but we found out later on that he needed to make some changes so the files are out of date. However, the entire sequence is in the other thread, and it has the changes documented. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 12:03pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/39 "2017-04-11T12:03:07Z")
Good morning Gents, Yes, you guy did in fact help me through this process before. But if I don’t do something on a regular basis, I simply don’t remember it. Larry, I did find the file that you sent me and have it loaded. I also want to continue using picsender. However now X and Y are traveling in the correct direction but Z runs backwards. Also if I make only one move in the Z, the program shuts down and I get a message of a tripped limit switch. I think you guys sent me to get hub for some grbl information and that is where I found that I had to change $3 I’m going to go there again to see if I can learn something. ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/40 "2017-04-11T12:22:27Z")
> [@JanVanderlinden](#): > > I also want to continue using picsender. I’ll try to get you some more information later today. ---
**Author:** ![JohnChamplain](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/johnchamplain/32/75884_2.png) [@JohnChamplain](https://community.inventables.com/u/JohnChamplain)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/41 "2017-04-11T12:35:40Z")
> [@JanVanderlinden](#): > > think you guys sent me to get hub for some grbl information and that is where I found that I had to change $3I’m going to go there again to see if I can learn something. This is the info you’ll find. I’m sure it may be confusing, so please post what is presently in your $3 setting, and we can then tell you what to change it to, if you need the help. $3 – Direction port invert, mask This setting inverts the direction signal for each axis. By default, Grbl assumes that the axes move in a positive direction when the direction pin signal is low, and a negative direction when the pin is high. Often, axes don’t move this way with some machines. This setting will invert the direction pin signal for those axes that move the opposite way. This invert mask setting works exactly like the step port invert mask and stores which axes to invert as bit flags. To configure this setting, you simply need to send the value for the axes you want to invert. Use the table above. For example, if want to invert the Y axis direction only, you’d send $3=2 to Grbl and the setting should now read $3=2 (dir port invert mask:00000010) Setting Value----Mask--------Invert X-----Invert Y------Invert Z 0----------------00000000-------N--------------N--------------N 1----------------00000001-------Y--------------N--------------N 2----------------00000010-------N--------------Y--------------N 3----------------00000011-------Y--------------Y--------------N 4----------------00000100-------N--------------N--------------Y 5----------------00000101-------Y--------------N--------------Y 6----------------00000110-------N--------------Y--------------Y 7----------------00000111-------Y--------------Y--------------Y ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/43 "2017-04-11T13:24:56Z")
Once again, thank you for all of your help. It will be this afternoon before I am able to get out to the shop again. Yes, I did go to the github web site and looked at the invert mask settings. I think that $3 should be “4” for me. I wont be able to check it until I get home. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/46 "2017-04-11T14:44:18Z")
Wow, It sounds like I’m being scolded here. I do not use Easel because of a lack of internet in my shop. The only internet I have where I live is through my phones hot spot. (and that’s not the best connection) Yes, I once again (just this past weekend in fact) gone through all of the wiring and everything is solid. I think (with the help of Larry, Phil, John, Jeff, and Inventables) the problem has been narrowed down to the controller. I now have the new controller installed, but because of my lack of understanding as to how computers and CNC works, I am struggling once again to get it going. With their help I already resolved one connection issue that I would never have resolved by myself. (I never knew that different control boards would connect to a different com ports) So now its down to getting the X,Y,Z going in the correct direction. Once I get this resolved, I can then run some program’s and see if it freezes up. This all along (for months) has been the problem that I have had. If this new controller works, and does not freeze during a program, or in-between programs, Inventables will be making a permanent engineering change based on these results. They just happened to pick a newbie to the CNC world. ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/48 "2017-04-11T15:59:38Z")
Robert, yes I understand that but without a reliable internet connection this is my only option. Besides that, I really need to learn this stuff. I find it fascinating yet frustrating (sometimes) at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/49 "2017-04-11T19:31:40Z")
Jan, I put a post here that describes PicSender grbl parameter maintenance. I thought it might be of general interest so I put it in that thread. ([PicSender G-code sender - #101 by LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/t/picsender-g-code-sender/34307/101)) ---
**Author:** ![JanVanderlinden](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/janvanderlinden/32/48838_2.png) [@JanVanderlinden](https://community.inventables.com/u/JanVanderlinden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/50 "2017-04-11T22:37:04Z")
Larry, I did go to that thread and it is indeed very informative. I now have the machine moving in the correct direction. I finally ran a successful homing cycle. However, when I try to run a program I now get these messages. ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/f/1/f1bbf730963f0285592ff5c7700b8995e589cc26.JPG) ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/uploads/inventables/original/3X/2/9/295b64da3d80a866b791671302f7d6e4810b6b47.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/52 "2017-04-11T23:56:04Z")
Many of the X-controllers were sent out with faulty USB bulkhead cables. See if you have a USB cable that will connect directly to the X-controller PCB. Connect the computer directly to the board inside the X-controller and see if that works. ---
**Author:** ![picengravertoo](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/picengravertoo/32/45297_2.png) [@picengravertoo](https://community.inventables.com/u/picengravertoo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2017, 1:07am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317/54 "2017-04-12T01:07:53Z")
> [@PicSender G-code sender](https://community.inventables.com/t/picsender-g-code-sender/34307/65): > > Select the Vector Gcode box and rerun. [Previous page](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317.md?page=1) [Next page](https://community.inventables.com/t/connection-question/36317.md?page=3)