Program pausing mid-run, prompt for protocol file being used by another program, likely related to QC-Calc

[[Ja...]]

Hello!

We recently implemented QC-Calc from Pro-Link in the past year or two. So far it works great, we have a Contura and O-inspect successfully updating our database after every CMM run along with another vision system. However, without what I can say is a discernible reason on both machines the inspection will be halted and this question prompt will come up. For example, I can set a loop for 10 repeats of the measurement plan and sometimes it will go through without issue, sometimes it will stop on the third of ten, or maybe it will stop just when I am doing a single run and active at the computer/CMM.  You can click Yes or No and the program will continue without issue, but the real productivity loss and issue of the matter is that sometimes someone will set up a program with a fifteen minute run and they will come back and find it didn't get even two minutes in before halting at this prompt, and sometimes it will work without error. This only really started when we started using QC-Calc and I am 95% confident can confirm it does not happen when we are not exporting the table file.

My first thought thought would be that it happens when the two CMMs are trying to export data on an open program but we are never running the same program on each machine at the same time and with how the Question prompt is laid out with filepath it makes me think that it might be independent of that. 

I am pretty sure a large number of users utilize QC-Calc to automatically export the data file from CMM inspection so I thought I would ask here. Has anyone seen this before? Am I missing a simple permissions checkbox or setting somewhere? I didn't reach out to Zeiss or ProLink yet because I fear they both might point me in the other direction. 

 

Edited November 22, 2024
Censored Customer and Grammar edit

[[Ri...]]

My suspicion is that you have your Environment Paths set to the directory of the measurement plan. Typically this isn't an issue, but if you are running from a network drive, or sharing measurement plans across multiple machines, it can be dangerous. 

Can you go to Extras - Settings - Environment - Paths and see if you setting look like this or not?

[[Ja...]]

Hi Richard, thanks for replying. Here are the settings, looks similar to yours and not where the error messages references.

I did end up speaking with ProLink/QC-Calc on the phone, they said they don't do anything with any Zeiss/Calypso files other than the exported table file, in this case a .txt I believe. The representative said they have not seen this issue or anything similar in their database after a search, so I think that mostly crosses them out although, again, this definitely around when we implemented QC-Calc. I started a ticket with Zeiss technical as well.

I have been researching this and every knowledge base and thread I can find since this morning while I run some MSA studies. Right now I am watching the actual file named "protocol" in the measurement plan directory waiting for the date modified to be updated (that looks like it is updated realtime as the program runs, but maybe it will hang up). I am wondering what in the Zeiss software interfaces with this specific file or if QC-Calc pops up with something at the same time. 

 

Edited November 22, 2024

[[Ri...]]

Please change the Actual Values settings to use the "Fixed directory for actual values" and see if that fixes your issues. 

You will need to be in the Master account to change this. 

[[Ja...]]

I will try that on both CMMs, thank you. Actually just before you replied I saw you mention this on a similar topic, although a little different of an error message, but both related to measurement plans being stored on shared drives. I will report back if I see the error or in a few days the lack thereof. 

 

[[Mi...]]

I unfortunately have to use QC-CALC.

Like they told you, it doesn't interact with the program files at all, only the results table files (.chr and .hdr). There is a "racing" problem that happens where QC-CALC will sometimes consume the table file before Calypso is done with it, causing an error. But that's not this error. In the software you can "Edit Application Defaults" and there's a collection delay you can set... however we found this didn't 100% solve the problem so I just use PCM to duplicate the table files then QC-CALC can steal them.

QC-CALC is not related to your problem - network programs are....While you technically can do it that way, I don't recommend that you do. 

I babysit 33 CMMs with 1 other programmer, thousands of programs run everyday throughout the plant we do not run ANY programs over the network. We created a new directory on each CMM for all the Zeiss Paths, then have that directory shared with my and his user's given full control, that way we can copy the programs to each machine. The programs run far more reliably this way.

 

 

[[Ch...]]

I use QC Calc.   This might not help you, but I think it's good general advice that will benefit someone.  Especially if you use QC Calc and store programs on a network.   
 

Send files and store programs in their default locations.   Then use scripts to move files and update programs as needed.  I let Calypso do Calypso and Windows do Windows.  Calypso gets finicky when you start changing default locations.   I know people will say that if you do it right then you won't have issues and bla-ba-bla-bla.  

For your specific issue, I think each program is fighting over the config folder on the network.   Again, storing programs in calypso's default folder and just using scripts to update the file will fix this. 

 

[[Mi...]]

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Would you mind sharing the method you use for the script? Since Calypso gets mad at you if you overwrite a program that's running and we are 24/7 production I can't just robocopy even at designated times.

I have an idea to make the server robocopy the files to the CMMs in a different directory... then using PCM or a batch file at the start or end of a CMM run check that directory for a newer version of a given program and copy it to the main program directory (to prevent any long waits or failures due to the network interruptions, making it seamless for the operators).

[[Ja...]]

Hello all,

After making the change suggested by Richard, changing to "Fixed Directory for Actual Values", we have not seen the issue. I even ran a 25x loop of a 18min program overnight on one CMM, and the other has been constantly running production parts. From what I've learned I believe it doesn't have anything to do with QC-Calc but rather windows and Calypso 'fighting' over the network drives as suggested in this thread and the previous thread I linked. When we installed QC-Calc we likely changed some of these settings, (for whatever reason, i.e., to match the suggested settings) which is why the error was confounded with the implementation.

Michael,

Not sure if this is helpful or exactly what you are looking for, but before we were running QC-Calc I had a report.bat script in the measurement file path that was taking excel data out automatically for me. It looks like you could repurpose the script for any file type. I will post the related script below and also attach the powerpoint I obtained it from. I was using notepad++ to edit. Here is the related thread as well: https://qualityforum.zeiss.com/topic/6642-default-excel-file-to-different-location/

report.bat

taskkill /im excel.exe

set _source="C:\Users\Public\Documents\Zeiss\CALYPSO\workarea\results"
set _target="O:\CMM Excel Auto Export\Customer\customernamehere\partnumberhere"

FOR /F "delims=" %%I IN ('DIR %_source%\*.xls /A:-D /O:-D/T:C /B') DO MOVE %_source%\"%%I" %_target% & GOTO :EOF

 

134_918c89da4a0f49467ef9b3ca60967adb (2).pptx