New Pokeys Plugin!! with LCD support added!!

[poppabear]

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12188.new.html#new

Pokeys plugin Update with Mods.

Update: (29July2009)

PoKeys Plugin version 4.0

Added LCD support!!!  You can have a: 1/2/4 Row(line) by 8/16/20 Column(Character) Display.
You have One "User Label" per Row/line that your LCD supports.

You have TWO options to write to the LCD:
1). You can write the the User Labels that you choose in the PoKeys config dialog, from VB in Mach3.
2). The other Option for those who dont want to code in VB is, you can choose to check the "Quick Pick" check
box. You will also have to Choose a "Trigger" User LED number, and Put in the "Message" you want displayed when
the LED that you Picked goes to "ON". When that LED is OFF it clears that Line.

NOTE1: If you want, you can format the DROS into the UserLabels in VB (like in the Macropump), to display
X, Y, Z or what ever DRO you want to display in "Live Time" on the LCD. (i.e. Pendants).

NOTE2: You no longer need to unplug the PoKeys before you configure it with the dialog. I moved ALL
the configuration stuff to its OWN Dialog Screen. It appears below the menu option of "PoKeys Diag.."
it is called: "PoKeys Cfg.."

NOTE3: there is "Error" cheaking in your Message lengths, if you try and put a message that has more
Characters than the LCD supports on a line, then you will get an Error message, on the PoKeys LCD, and
in Machs Error status line, and in the "UserLabel" that you where trying to fill.

NOTE4: there is "Cutouts" of the pins that the LCD uses, both in the Ports/Pins selections, and User LED selections.
the LCD uses pins: 23-26, and 28-30, Pin 43 also becomes "Used" if you turn on Analog Spindle output.

Thanks goes out again to Ed Bryson, who helped me figure out from the pokeys docs, that if you use extended functions, that you have to run both an 8 byte, and 64 byte check sum.........  I mean, "Who-Would-a-Thunk-it........"


Scott

[Bill_O]

Scott,

Great! Just great! After I get my pendant all configured you add lcd support.
I have a great pendant with a joystick and 26 membrane switches  with an alt for almost all of the buttons to have a second function. I wanted a lcd but figured it was out of the question and then you add it.
I guess it is back to the drawing board so I can have one now.

Bill

[poppabear]

    dont forget you can also Map User LEDs to IO points on the Pokeys so you can do Brians or other Macros with them...
heheheheheehe. (I Suspect you dont need the Analog Spindle out eigther   )

May fool with Matrix Keyboards next, depending on the Pokeys guys getting so more detailed docs on it.....

BTW:   WHERE is the pic of your Pendant???!!!!

scott

[Bill_O]

Scott,

I cheated. I am using the buttons on my pendant to emulate the keyboard. It allowed me to have almost as many buttons as I wanted. Whenever the button is toggled it turns on a user led.  Of coarse all this was done when that was the only thing I could do. I do use these leds for brains and macros.
I do not need the analog spindle out because I am mounting the pokeys in the pendant so ha ha back at ya!
The membrane switches could have been set up as a matrix but once again it was not available when I started the pendant. So once again, thanks alot.
As far as a picture goes. When I get it buttoned up and looking nice I will post one along with all part numbers.

Bill

[poppabear]

LCD  Potential Glitch.

   Just a heads up, the XML file that comes with the new PoKeys installer, has the "Use LCD" enabled, (my fault, I forgot to turn it off in the profile prior to packaging it up in the installer). If you have NOT configured your PoKeys to work with a LCD from the "PoKeys software". It will cause Mach3 to Crash, since it is telling the PoKeys to initialize a LCD that the PoKeys hasnt been configured for..........   The Work around is this, Set up your PoKeys configured to use a LCD, even if you DONT have one. Plug it in, and start up mach3, then goto "PlugIn Control" in the Menu and Pick "Pokeys Cfg" the dialog menu will come up, UNCHECK the "Use LCD" tick box. Hit OK and then close Mach3. Then Connect to the PoKeys with the "PoKeys" software, and UN configure it to work with the LCD. You can now boot Mach3 and use it with this latest plugin installer.............

The Problem is in the "PoKeys" XML that comes with the installer. If you are using your own profile, or different profile it is a none issue, since no Choices in the XML memory or there to load up.

sorry if this one got you,

scott

[thedoctor]

OK, it got me good. Is the installer fixed now?

[poppabear]

no but will be when I break loose some extra time.........

and I will post the fixed one to Boris, and here.......

again, sorry I missed that one,

scott

[poppabear]

Here is an UPDATE, to the LCD plugin:

a time out was added to the LCD writer to remove flicker on larger LCDs (i.e. 4x20's).
an error was found on the PoKeys screen set, by a user and I cant remember the guys name right this second.
but at any rate a new PoKeys screen set is in the Zip file as well. It also contains a "Matrix Keypad" diagnostic page, for when
the Matrix PoKeys is done.......

Currently, I am upgrading the Encoders to 32 bit, like the current 2.0.5 firmware for pokeys allows, but for it to work in Mach 3, through the plugin "Boris" is going to have his programmer change the way the input reports are done to have 4 bytes per encoder.

this will restrict the maximum encoders that you can bring in, to 6 (32 bit or 4 byte) encoders.

I suspect most dont really use more than 1-2 MPGs anyway.

Get the plugin here, (not this just updates the Pokeys plugin ONLY, and screen set, so if you want the Flash Help files, etc. you will need to run the PoKeys installer first then run the new Pokeys.m3p, and add the PoKeys.set to C:\Mach3.

Here is the link: http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12188.new.html#new

scott

[eloid]

where to bye the lcd that support pokey looking for some to post there diy build of there pend lcd
and matrix...

does anyone have info that show a step by step build?

[eloid]

does any one have examples of pendent they made with the pokey
ie lcd, and matrixs keypads