Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => Mach Screens => Works in progress => Topic started by: cdballew on February 11, 2013, 11:16:20 AM
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Here is a bare-bones screen set I've been working on. It's loosely based on the physical control panel of an old NC turret punch press I operated some time ago.
The machine originally ran from a punch-card type tape strip and was later upgraded to a DOS based system.
I'm making it for my home-built machine. Because I'm a novice user, it has only one screen with the most basic features.
I'm thinking of adding another screen for a larger tool path view.
Are there any other must-have features you think I might need to add?
I'm currently adding features that use knobs instead of buttons.
Let me know if you have any ideas for other "themed" type layouts, or ways I can add to the novelty of this one.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
(http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s104/cdballew/RouterVac2000.jpg)
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Excellent work - I love the 'vintage' theme. 8)
Tweakie.
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Thanks Tweakie, It's my first attempt. I wanted to do something different from the screen sets I've seen.
I'm using Screen4 and I can't seem to find any good tutorials, so it's been rough going.
I also have Machscreen.
I keep hearing it's better but once again I can't seem to find any good tutorials and it's not at all intuitive to me.
Links anyone?
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Good job, Same idea I had with Fanuc 0ld school. Just made me feel more comfortable.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,6204.msg44966.html#msg44966
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kd-dietz.com%2Fklausphp%2Fpages%2Feng%2Fmachscreen%2Fdescription%2Fms_description.html&ei=ACMZUe7QIoae8QTyloDQBA&usg=AFQjCNE8se2ntm6Uh_FOiQ_G8ccMJGoPNQ
Brett
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Here's an updated screen cap along with the 1024 X 768 set file.
Give it a go when you have time to play. I think I got most of the bugs out.
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I love it !!!
Sort of reminds me of Zathura.
nice work !
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it would be great if it was possible to have the DRO readout fonts to look like the old electromechanical rotating digit display !
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Thanks Pythagoras
it would be great if it was possible to have the DRO readout fonts to look like the old electromechanical rotating digit display !
That would be perfect! I wonder if it is possible? Probably not.
Have you tried using this set?
Any feedback is welcome from all.
I've been using it for a few months now. I still have some bugs that I've learned to deal with, but I'd still like to fix.
I need some help, would another thread be more appropriate maybe? anyone?
1. If I press the 'Home' button after using auto tool zero, X and Y go home as they should and their DRO's show the correct coordinates.
I don't have home/limit switches on my Z axis so it stays where auto tool zero told it to go, but the DRO will change to some random number sometime.
This caused me to bury the tool in my work piece a couple of times.
2. When I press load G-Code, about half of the button stays in the pressed position, not always.
I've checked the button graphic and even tried replacing it with another graphic, still the same.
3. I need an ignore tool-change LED
Some more little things I can't think of right now.
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1. If I press the 'Home' button after using auto tool zero, X and Y go home as they should and their DRO's show the correct coordinates.
I don't have home/limit switches on my Z axis so it stays where auto tool zero told it to go, but the DRO will change to some random number sometime.
This caused me to bury the tool in my work piece a couple of times.
When you auto Zero the Z axis, you're setting an offset for the Z axis. This offset is the position relative to machine zero for the Z axis.
Then, when you Home the Z axis, it's setting machine coordinates for the Z axis to 0. If the Z wasn't homed before running the auto zero, then most likely, your Z position will change.
Note that when you home an axis with no home switch, it will set machine zero to the current position of that axis.
The proper procedure should always be to home the machine first, then run the auto zero. Always set the axis to zero prior to running the g-code, as homing after setting zero will most likely change the zero positions.
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Thanks Pythagoras
That would be perfect! I wonder if it is possible? Probably not.
Have you tried using this set?
Any feedback is welcome from all.
Maybe there is a VB method, but that is beyond me. I'm sure if the whole screen was made in the flash format that it would be possible to have such rotating digits, but its been years and It would be a struggle to remember.
I wouldn't start a new thread this one would do fine. It creates more interest too.
Sorry I cant be much help these days, I only just checked in to see how people were progressing in the screen design department. (Its another hobby in itself)
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man, i really want this for my old knee mill conversion but the screencomes up as a only some of the buttons and the majority of the screen is just black?
is the screen download bad or am i doing something wrong on my side?
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1. If I press the 'Home' button after using auto tool zero, X and Y go home as they should and their DRO's show the
correct coordinates.
I don't have home/limit switches on my Z axis so it stays where auto tool zero told it to go, but the DRO will change to some
random number sometime.
This caused me to bury the tool in my work piece a couple of times.
When you auto Zero the Z axis, you're setting an offset for the Z axis. This offset is the position relative to machine zero
for the Z axis.
Then, when you Home the Z axis, it's setting machine coordinates for the Z axis to 0. If the Z wasn't homed before running the
auto zero, then most likely, your Z position will change.
Note that when you home an axis with no home switch, it will set machine zero to the current position of that axis.
The proper procedure should always be to home the machine first, then run the auto zero. Always set the axis to zero prior to
running the g-code, as homing after setting zero will most likely change the zero positions.
Soooo, you're saying it's operator error. I'm sure that's the cause of many of my problems.
Thanks Pythagoras
That would be perfect! I wonder if it is possible? Probably not.
Have you tried using this set?
Any feedback is welcome from all.
Maybe there is a VB method, but that is beyond me. I'm sure if the whole screen was made in the flash format that it would be
possible to have such rotating digits, but its been years and It would be a struggle to remember.
I wouldn't start a new thread this one would do fine. It creates more interest too.
Sorry I cant be much help these days, I only just checked in to see how people were progressing in the screen design
department. (Its another hobby in itself)
Yeah, I had to make myself stop playing around with screen design and start working with my machine.
man, i really want this for my old knee mill conversion but the screencomes up as a only some of the buttons and the majority
of the screen is just black?
is the screen download bad or am i doing something wrong on my side?
I think the background image might be in the wrong folder.
Here is a newer version. Just unzip it to your bitmaps folder.
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great!
works now
thanks
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Good to hear!
I look forward to hearing some feedback.
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Soooo, you're saying it's operator error.
Well, since you put it that way, yes. ;)
It's really just a matter of understanding the relationship with homing, machine coordinates, and offsets, and what really happens when you zero an axis.
There's a pretty good video here that covers all these things. "Homing, Limits and Offsets" here: http://www.machsupport.com/videos/
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Here is a bare-bones screen set I've been working on. It's loosely based on the physical control panel of an old NC turret punch press I operated some time ago.
The machine originally ran from a punch-card type tape strip and was later upgraded to a DOS based system.
I'm making it for my home-built machine. Because I'm a novice user, it has only one screen with the most basic features.
I'm thinking of adding another screen for a larger tool path view.
Are there any other must-have features you think I might need to add?
I'm currently adding features that use knobs instead of buttons.
Let me know if you have any ideas for other "themed" type layouts, or ways I can add to the novelty of this one.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
(http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s104/cdballew/RouterVac2000.jpg)
hello !
when i open your theme with machscreen, it tells me that some few files are missing (in the folder Blue N Gray),
car you update it with these files ?
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Hey clemclem,
I'm not sure what is going on with that.The files are probably in the wrong folder.
It has been a long time since I've done any screen set editing
and the files I have here on my home computer are a mess.
When I go to the shop tomorrow I'll see if I can zip the final version. I've been using it for almost five years.
It has a "Run From Here" button
A "limit Override" switch, and a couple of other minor changes.