Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: Smackre on June 07, 2006, 01:45:25 PM

Title: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 07, 2006, 01:45:25 PM

I bought a usb pendant.  And it has bottons on it for changing the speed of the spindle.  A button for faster rpm and a botton for lower rpm.  But i dont have a speed control on my spindle so i can not sure this feature.  But i would like to reconfigure it.  So when i hit either botton its like hitting F5.  So that i can turn the spindle on and off at the pendant.

Anyone have any idea of how i can do this in either mach or some how in the pendant its self?

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Brian Barker on June 07, 2006, 06:27:57 PM

Who made the pendant?

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 07, 2006, 10:42:58 PM

http://www.lowcostcncretrofits.com/jog%20remote.html

The joystick model. 

I asked them and they said it wasnt possable to change what each botton did.  but im sure there is a way you just half to know how to change it in the driver or something.  Or if you can switch f5 and +&- keys in mach3 maybe?

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 02:51:40 AM

Not sure if it would work but you could use screen4 to make a button on your screen, then set this button up to do the  Gcode that you want and set a hotkey for it to match your pendant button. You may run into problems if you replicate a hotkey that is already used so try with caution.
Hood

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Brian Barker on June 08, 2006, 06:29:44 AM

You need to change the HotKey's in Mach3... The plus and minus keys are used to bring the speed up and down (on the number pad) :)

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: davidimurray on June 08, 2006, 06:33:19 AM

As an alternative to changing the screens, can you use keygrabber to redefine the keys? I've just used it to setup my USB wireless gamepad (which is brilliant!)

Cheers

Dave

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Brian Barker on June 08, 2006, 06:40:56 AM

That works too  ;D

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 08, 2006, 07:31:27 AM

how do you change the hotkeys in mach3 brian?  i have only found hotkeys for joging the menu

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: davidimurray on June 08, 2006, 07:41:10 AM

To change the actual keys you will need to use Screen4. For more details see my post here:-

http://machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=754.0

Cheers

Dave

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 08, 2006, 01:38:04 PM

I dont see screen4 file in my mach folder.  Any suggestions? 

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 01:40:42 PM

Download from the Mach site, its on the downloads page. You could also use Mach3Screen which should be in the Mach folder if you wish.
Hood

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 08, 2006, 02:37:37 PM

Well i dled that file.  Ran it and tried to open the 1024 file.  And it just kept erroring out.  So i tried the keygrabber method.  It works but it seems like you half to open keygrabber ever time you restart the computer.  I have my computer setup to open mach3 soon as windows turns on.  Just to make it simple on the operator.  Is there a way to make it so keygrabber opens?  i can make it open the program but unless you then minimize keygrabber it dont work.  Is there a way to make it open its self then minimize.  I just dont wanna half to open keygrabber ever time i turn the machine on.  Seems like a hassle.

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 02:41:08 PM

I use an ipac with keygrabber, what you do is change to Mach3 shorcut to open keygrabber rather than Mach itself,  when keygrabber starts you then click on the start Mach button on the keygrabber screen.
Hood

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 02:43:40 PM

Oh and as far as the errors you get when opening 1024.set in screen4, are you using an older version of Mach3? think it needs the latest ones to work. If you are using Mach3 ver 1.84 your best bet would be to use the old screen designer (Mach3Screen.exe)
Hood

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 08, 2006, 02:45:40 PM

i did not see a file in there mach3screen.exe

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 02:50:23 PM

Have sent it by email
Hood

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Smackre on June 08, 2006, 03:20:02 PM

That worked great Hood.  Thanks for the help.  Now i got my pendant working perfect.  Only thing left is to install my safety charge pumps to turn on my controller soon as i open mach3.  I want to setup this machine so its a 1 button turn on process. 

Title: Re: Pendant Control
Post by: Hood on June 08, 2006, 03:22:18 PM

:) sounds like a nice setup