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How to stop the machine and start from the same place in Mach3

How to stop the machine and start it from the same place, or what to do if the electricity is turned off and the machine is up. That is, we will consider options for how to continue the operation of the machine after a planned or forced break (pause or stop).

Let's consider several options:

We need to stop the machine - remove sawdust (in rare cases), replace the cutter (broken, dull), stop for the night, urgently need to leave, leave (at the same time, I don’t want to leave the machine unattended).
We need to start the machine from a certain place - the electricity was turned off, the cutter broke (but we saw it too late), the urgent replacement of brushes in the spindle, the computer freezes.
It is necessary to test the operation of the spindle, cutter, check the material.

Pause the machine

This is the easiest option when you need to stop the machine to continue from the same place.

There is a Pause button in the Mach3 control program (both in the Russian version and in the English one, it will be difficult to make a mistake, it is Yellow)). Just press the button, wait for the program to work (complete the cycles in this position) and stop.

After that, it is recommended to raise the spindle up using the Page Up buttons on the keyboard, then you can stop the rotation of the spindle itself. Personally, I do not turn off the computer, that is, the program does not close. Further, to start the machine and continue working, you just need to start the spindle (at the same speed that was originally calculated) and click on the Start button.

Запускам с паузы Mach3

That's it, the program will automatically bring the cutter to the breakpoint and continue working. DO NOT forget to turn on and start the spindle beforehand !!! (this is one of the main reasons why the cutter breaks...)

It is not recommended to stop for a pause for more than a few hours in cold and damp rooms, as the product may shift due to an increase in moisture in the wood. If you plan to stop for a day or more (the reasons are not important), then you can first put a plastic film under the product, and after a pause, wrap the entire unfinished model with this film to reduce the effect of changes in humidity. In most cases, this will help to avoid "shift" - a visible band that forms after a long pause when you continue working.

Option two - the computer and the machine must be de-energized

Let's consider the second option, when you need to turn off the computer (reboot), when the cutter is broken or you need to stop work for an indefinite period. But the product needs to be finished later, that is, continue working from the same place.

The most important thing to do is take a screenshot or photo of the Mach3 window.

Next, you will need to work with this data. I will briefly describe the process, there will be pictures below.

Taking a screenshot of an open program.
Next Stop the program with the Stop button (small red). You can take a screenshot again, it won't get any worse.
Raise the cutter in Z by 10-15 mm.
We send the cutter to the zero point by the program using the GOTO ZERO button (Go to the origin). The machine will bring the cutter to the origin.
We write down the number of the line on which the work stopped (in the window of the loaded G-Code).
Turn off the machine, turn off the computer (close the program).
Doing our own thing... Back to the machine.
We start the computer (load the Mach3 program).
The Mach3 program has been loaded. As a rule, Mach3 has a good function - it will show the previous cutter location parameters, that is, everything will be 0 there. And this is the initial Zero.
If this is not the case, that is, the coordinates in the program do not match - we send each axis to Zero sequentially by pressing the ZeroX, ZeroY, ZeroZ buttons.
We only do this if we did NOT remove or replace the cutter!
Loading G-Code. Loaded.
Start the spindle (you'll forget it later!!!).
On the right in the G-Code window we see a vertical scroll bar (so it's faster to scroll), Drag it down, scroll approximately To the line of the code section where the work was completed.
Click on the place in the G-Code window where you want to start the machine. Now I’ll explain - my machine does NOT start from the specified line, if I write it in the Line window with my hands, so I choose this way.
Or do it like this - write the line number (previously 300-400 lines) in the Line field, click on the Enter button on the keyboard, if everything is fine, then in the G-Code window the program should shift the code to this line. Next, just click on the button (which is located under the field in which Line is indicated) Run from here (that is, Run from this place).
Next, you need to click the Start button (Green).
The program will ask for the Height from which to bring the cutter to this place. Specify 10-15 mm and agree (click on the OK button). The program brings the cutter to this place.
The program will bring the cutter to the starting point. Then again you need to press the Start button (Green).
That's it, the program will continue to work from this point.

Mistakes, or additions to the description (replacing a broken cutter)

If the cutter broke, but saw it later, that is, the machine has already traveled an extra path without cutting anything.

Pause the machine.
Changing the cutter.
Bring to any place of the product (preferably closer to the Zero starting point). For the approach, we use the keys on the keyboard. Specifically, the height in Z should be of interest.
We bring the cutter to the product (to the place where the cutter has not yet made a selection).
We lower the cutter along Z to the product (how exactly you let it down will depend on the accuracy of continuing the work of milling the product).
In the Program, we reset the coordinates by the ZeroZ button (!!! only by it!!!). That is, since the cutter was changed, its height obviously changed, but X and Y were not touched.
Reset to zero, great.
Hands (key) raise the cutter to a safe height (in advance, you never know ...)
Now we roughly look at where the cutter broke and bring it to this line in the G-Code window. Naturally, this will have to be done by eye. Spin earlier by 1000-50000 lines (just as an example).
Next, we fix the line (that is, we check with our eyes whether the data in the Line window has changed).
Next, repeat from point 17 (top description). That is, we start from this line, set the height of the cutter approach and click on the Start button (you will need to click twice).

I've done it myself more than once, so there's nothing complicated here.

Short pictures below.

We bring the cutter to zero, indicate the place of the code from where to start the program.

Next, we start from the desired line of code. After pressing the start button, the program will bring the cutter to the point, then you need to press the Start button again.