Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach Screens => Works in progress => Topic started by: SteinarN on April 17, 2009, 07:53:41 AM
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I have refurbished the main screen in the standard mill screen set. I started with the original jpg file, increased the size slightly and vent over it completely. This did I in MS paint. Saved the file as a bmp. However the conversion to jpg in MS paint sucks big time. Horribly compression and lots of ghosts. I did the bmp to jpg conversion in irfanview. Much better results there.
Here is the main screen background and a zip containing the main screen background, a new run button and the set file.
I will probably refurbish the other screens also when I get time for it.
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Here is a screen shot of Mach3 running with the refurbished main screen.
One more thing to do here is to make new some of the buttons. It's at least three different sized buttons under the axis DRO's. Have to make the button size and appearance more consistent.
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Here is some new buttons added. I'm not fully satisfied with the new buttons. It could have been a thad more gradual transition between the light green in the center and the darker green outside.
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Looks like you put a lot of time into the rework. I never could get the hang of Paint. ;D
Brett
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Looks like you put a lot of time into the rework. I never could get the hang of Paint. ;D
Brett
Yes, to much time already!
I started from scratch with ms-paint. I don't think I like that program.
I had used several hours to tidy up the main screen background, saved it in bmp, opened the saved bmp file, worked more on it and "saved" it instead of "save as". What I didn't know is that ms-paint automatically saves in jpg when only "saving" even if it is a bmp you have opened and is working on. When I opened another drawing and after that should open the bmp file of the main screen it was in fact saved as a jpg file! >:(
If you have studied an originally proper drawing which is then saved by ms-paint in jpg you know what I mean. Ms-paint converts horribly to jpg. Lots of "ghosts". You can clearly see all the faults even in normal size, you don't need to zoom in to see it............. I did this twice.............
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Here is the MDI screen. One screen shot of mach3 mdi screen and the mdi background image.
This background image was much quicker to make,. Learned a lot from making the main screen image. Lots of copy and cut and paste.
Have still to make some new buttons and adjustment, but the mdi screen image is finished.
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Nice, clean job you're doing there. I'm sure those that use the original screens would love it- :)
Dave
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Some new buttons made. Still some work to do on the MDI screen though. I don't want to have to many different button sizes. The "standard" 40x60 pixel buttons looks very small in the "teaching" area of the MDI screen. Have to think on what to do there.
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Nice, clean job you're doing there. I'm sure those that use the original screens would love it- :)
Dave
Thanks!
It takes a lot of time, to much time in fact. It will probably be some time before I get all screens done.
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Latest development.
Not fully satisfied with the "Teaching buttons". I wont make bigger buttons there. Maybe I make the area where the buttons are smaller. But that will not be tonight!
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Background image for the toolpath screen is mostly finished. Some DRO's is in place as well.
Exercise helps. Goes faster now :)
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Latest version of the main screen and the MDI screen. Moved some buttons, labels and DRO's mostly. Is well underway with the toolpath and offset screens also.
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Here is the latest versions. I'm pretty much finished I think. Have still some buttons to redo on the toolpath screen though and maybe a few other small things. Some screens isn't as good as I would like the to be. Maybe I will do a redesign some places at a later time. I wont do more than the four first screens.
Any comments welcome, suggestions on things to do different, button text, any thing.
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Here is what looks to be pretty much the final version. I have done some more buttons and some minor adjustment.
Zip file contains all background images as well as various buttons and the set file.
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Oops, here is the zip file :)
Edit: The set file included in this zip file is the wrong set file. The correct set file is posted further down.
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New lset file. The file included in the previous zip file contains an error. I had named an label with "Mode". Mode is obviously a code for G-codes loaded. Have changed the label to On. Please install the lset file included in this post.
Edit: Wrong set file here also. Removed.
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Looking nice-
What folder are you putting your bitmaps in?
When I try to load the set, I get the old screens/bitmaps loading.
Thanks,
Dave
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The jpg files is in Mach3/Bitmaps/Millbitmaps.
Here is a new set file. Changed Bitmaps to back on the first two screens. Maybe that is what causing your fault?
Edit: Still the wrong set file....... :(
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My fault!
I had two set files with exactly same name in my Mach3 folder. I had posted the old version in the previous posts.
Here is the current version at last.
Sorry for the inconvenience :)
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That did it, thanks-
Noticed on the toolpath page the "A" is missing at the DRO
Dave
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I had to make an "A" button. As you can see on the main screen I have labeled the fourth axis "4".
Anyway, here is your A button and a new set file for the Zero A button on the main screen.
Rename the "ASN" button to "A".
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The X, Y, Z and A "buttons"on the tool path page isn't buttons, only images. You can't zero the DRO's there. That you have to do on the main page or the MDI page. I don't remember the reason for doing it that way.
Anyway it's easy to change that if required.
If someone isn't familiar with Screen4 I can make a modified set file with active Zero buttons on the tool path page also.
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From what I see by having some quick looks at it for you, it looks nice but some may not like the "longer" screen. You'll have this though and it's nice to see the old screens look so sharp.
I hope other users will enjoy it-
Dave
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If someone have a dedicated system with a small screen it can maybe be a problem with the wider background images.
However I gave priority to a slightly wider image for better visibility and a more "roomy" appearance. One thing I didn't consider is what screen sizes exists. I can see it is desirable to have an image fitting exactly into a small screen in the 1000 to 1200 pixel wide range. As the 1136 pixel wide image is randomly selected it probably doesn't fit exactly into any screen.
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I placed the CV Distance and the CV Speed buttons on the main screen. These settings have a great influence on speed versus accuracy on some jobs like high feedrate wood router jobs.
Set file and slightly modified main background image attached.