Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: berty on October 08, 2008, 06:00:17 PM

Title: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 08, 2008, 06:00:17 PM

hi everyone  :)
this is my first proper post and i hope i have put it in the right place

i have purchased a add on number pad to fix to front of my lathe

is it possible to redirect or change the shift key for fast jog to a different key as the number pad does not have a shift key

many thanks berty

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 08, 2008, 06:38:28 PM

You may manage to use KeyGrabber for that, should be in your Mach3 folder and should allow you to asign  keys to keystrokes. Only used it myself with normal buttons and a keyboard emulator so not 100% sure

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 09, 2008, 05:55:24 AM

hi hood
thanks for reply
i am a complete novice to cnc world  :)
i have tried in hotkeys but unable to find the fast jog key did manage to change direction keys to other key board locations and then put them back again  ;D

call me a dunce, i have been looking for the mack3 folder that you mentioned i take it that it is a separate folder in the program rather than being accessed through the main desktop icon  :-[

cheers berty

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 09, 2008, 06:05:43 AM

Hi Berty,
 no name calling here, everyone needs to start somewhere and Mach being so versatile has  a huge learning curve, I have been using it for years and still only know half of what you can do.

Ok the Mach3 folder I was talking about is the location you installed Mach3 to, if you kept the default install location it will be C:\Mach3

I think there may be info on using KeyGrabber in the Mach2 Customisation manual which you should find on the document download page.

Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 09, 2008, 06:11:53 AM

hi hood
thanks for speedy reply  :)

i will go and have another go at it
cheers berty :)

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 09, 2008, 06:40:59 AM

hi hood
found keygrabber :)
 had a play with it did not understand how it works

did a key test and shift key is 310 and the star key that i would like to use is 55
i recon it is possible but how
any suggestions

cheers berty :)

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 09, 2008, 06:55:30 AM

not sure, as I said I have only used it through a keyboard emulator with actual buttons rather than keyboard keys. Will have a look and see if I can figure anything out.
Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 09, 2008, 07:06:35 AM

OK not sure if it will work but if you connect a keyboard up as well as the keypad then it should. What you will do is open keygrabber and double click on the first box and press the key you wish to use on your keypad, it should accept that, you then double click on the box to the right and choose the Shift option from the special keys button.
Then when you shut keygrabber you will be asked to save the grab file
Now next thing you need to do is change the target of your Mach icon so that it looks at keygrabber first and opens it then loads Mach, that way keygrabber will always be opened when you start Mach. What you will need to put in the target is
C:\Mach3\KeyGrabber.exe /p Mach3Mill

note the spaces between .exe and /p and also a space between /p and Mach3Mill

Oh BTW to change the target right click on your desktop icon that you use to start Mach and choose properties and then change the target address.


Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 09, 2008, 07:10:04 AM

Oh just thought, because you are using the special key menu to choose the shift key there will be no need to hook up a second keyboard for setup. :)

Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 09, 2008, 07:35:40 AM

hi hood
thanks again for speedy reply  :)

run out of time today  :(  will try tomorrow  :) :)

thanks berty  :)

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 09, 2008, 08:16:52 AM

ok, let us know as if it doesnt work there may well be someone who knows a different way you can try.
Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: berty on October 10, 2008, 05:24:54 AM

hi hood
good news did what you said

the icon now shows as a smiley at first when i clicked on smiley the key grabber would open up and read not defined then on its own mack3 opened up and star key still didn't work  :'(

found problem i had not gone up to file section and saved alterations  ;D

having saved alterations now when i click on desktop icon keygrabber opens up fist then it automatically opens up mack3

great success it was well worth the effort many thanks for your help

cheers berty  :)  :)  :)

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 10, 2008, 05:31:28 AM

Great news , and thanks for coming back and letting me know, may help some one else in the future if they are searching the forum for the same thing :)

Hood

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: moto633 on October 10, 2008, 08:20:02 PM

Hey Hood,

When I open mach a window comes up and I can choose MachMill etc. and also Tribal router wich is what that xml i was triying to show you I guess.

Anyway when I do tyhe keygrabber set up do I just insert Tribal router insted of Mach mill?

Thanks for your help,
Nick

Title: Re: number pad key jog controls
Post by: Hood on October 10, 2008, 08:25:49 PM

Yes in the desktop shortcut for Keygrabber  have the following

C:\Mach3\KeyGrabber.exe /p TribalRouter

Hood