# grbl offline controller erasing g code from files



## anthonyvanv (Mar 28, 2020)

another issue that I'm having with my grbl offline controller, is that I'll save my g code files as .nc or .txt. or .cnc and I'll try to open them from the sd card, and they will be empty. 
I've opened up the files and seen the G code in them but once I transfer them to the SD card, the offline controller seems to erase them. 

I can't start any of my files on the offline controller either. I'm getting very frustrated with this thing. 
I can't connect my computer to my router as they are 20 feet away in separate buildings. 
Please help!


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

What program are you using as your gcode sender?

What is the OS of the computer you have connected to your cnc controller?

Just to be clear, you save the gcode using a PC in your office, to an SD card. You can view the files on that SD card on that PC. Then you bring the SD card to another PC connected to your cnc controller. But, when you try to open the gcode in your gcode sender, the file is gone??

I assume that, when you take the SD card back to the PC that created it, the SD card is empty, correct?


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## anthonyvanv (Mar 28, 2020)

I'm creating my G Code in fusion 360. 
I'm using MacOS High Sierra. But it isn't connected to my router. 

When I create and view the G code file on my computer when I create it, I can view the file. When I save it on the SD card, I can open it and view it on that same computer. When I plug the SD card into the offline controller of my router and try to run it, it never starts cutting. I'll take it back to the computer and the file is empty. 

Kind of strange. 
Maybe my card isn't formatted right? It says its formatted as FAT32


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## BalloonEngineer (Mar 27, 2009)

The Mac will create some extra hidden files on the sd card, but those should not cause issues. I would look to see if you have any cards that are 8 gig or less, could be that the controller is based on older formats and cannot handle larger cards. This used to be a problem on older digital cameras, they could not use larger cards.


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## gwilki (Nov 12, 2012)

Anthony: What OS is the offline controller running? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the term "offline controller". In my case, I have a PC connected to the CNC grbl/arduino controller by a USB cable. Is that how you are set up? If so, it would seem that the OS on the controller PC and your Mac OS are not playing well together. If the controller PC is not running Mac, it will not recognize a Mac formatted SD card. I don't believe that Mac recognizes Fat32. I'm pretty sure that both Mac and windows will recognize exFat.


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