Spinning blue wheel of death

Make sure the program is being run complete from the beginning each time.  A full execution as opposed to a 'partial execution'. 

I have seen people have that slowing down problem because they kept doing a partial execution starting near the top of the program (Execute from cursor - Ctrl+U).  Doing that fills the execution list and the program runs slower with each iteration.  

Believe it or not, between myself and the operator we figured it out, but it doesn't make a lick of sense.  The operator told me that the previous CMM programmer (he retired a couple years ago) would open the probe utilities dialog box for each probe in the program, take a picture of the build info (this is important later), delete all of the hardware in the build, close the dialog box, then rebuild the entire hardware build using the pic you just took.  Then calibrate all of the wrist angles for that probe in the program.  Repeat for all other probes in the program.  I didn't want to try this, but it completely worked.  I just can't explain why.  And it runs like a champ now!  No pausing, blue wheel of death or anything!

Believe it or not, between myself and the operator we figured it out, but it doesn't make a lick of sense.  The operator told me that the previous CMM programmer (he retired a couple years ago) would open the probe utilities dialog box for each probe in the program, take a picture of the build info (this is important later), delete all of the hardware in the build, close the dialog box, then rebuild the entire hardware build using the pic you just took.  Then calibrate all of the wrist angles for that probe in the program.  Repeat for all other probes in the program.  I didn't want to try this, but it completely worked.  I just can't explain why.  And it runs like a champ now!  No pausing, blue wheel of death or anything!

Sounds like the probe file somehow became partially corrupt, but was still able to function. Removing all of the hardware, then adding it back in sounds like it's rebuilding the probe with the files removing the corruption. Basically the same as deleting the entire probe file, and making a new one from scratch with the same name. Potentially it may retain the data that causes this slowing to happen. If you get time, maybe delete entire those probe files and rebuild them from zero + add all angles back. 

Should be able to do the same thing by backing up all the probe files (now that they are all working again).  Then, when (if) this happens again, simply copy them back to where they are stored.  This would be a LOT quicker, and no chance for screwing it up.  They would all need to be calibrated, but that isn't any different than re-building them.

Good idea.  What would be the best way to back up the probe files?  I normally just copy them all off the local drive and save them somewhere else on a network folder.  Or can you back them up and restore them with the settings editor?

Thanks for sharing your solution.  I haven't heard of a probe file issues like that before.  It makes me understand better why some people seem to like to start fresh with new probe files every once in a while.   

Store them anywhere you would like to, can be on a Flash Drive, or even on the local drive in a new folder called "Probe File Backups" . As long as you know where they are.

wow, i've legitimately got probes (12 per machine, 4 machines) that have been unaltered since 2016 (aside from monthly probe cal's).  I can't fathom how these corrupt probes occur so frequently.

I think I have had one in 30+ years of Pcdmis, and I'm pretty sure it got fubar due to Pcdmis error.

dcoss said:

years ago) would open the probe utilities dialog box for each probe in the program, take a picture of the build info (this is important later), delete all of the hardware in the build, close the dialog box, then rebuild the entire hardware build using the pic you just took.  Then calibrate all of the wrist angles for that probe in the program.  Repeat for all other probes in the program.  I didn't want to try this, but it completely worked.  I just can't explain why.  And it runs like a champ now!  No pausing, blue wheel of death or anything!

I just want to check - you do have separate, locally stored probe files for each machine don't you?  If your probe files are stored on the network then that could easily explain why they are getting corrupted.

We do have separate locally stored probe files for each machine.  

Make 100% sure each machine's probe directory is assigned to those local-drive folders.  You can "have" them local and still be inadvertently using a networked set.