Using an old keyboard is an awesome idea but I am doing this for local control at the controller.  My controller is connected through an ESS (Ethernet Smooth Stepper) back to the computer.  I do not want another USB connection back to the computer.  I will send some pictures this weekend as I make more progress.

i can share everything apart from me chocky buscuits.
DazTheGas

I just had to gooogle that one .... wasn't sure what I'd find. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JPLcHKCxEI

I was pleasantly surprised. 

Thanks Daz,
Russ 

tim you are using the same hardware as daz

I am not sure what he is using. 

I am using an Ethernet Smooth Stepper (ESS) with a PMDX-125 Breakout Board (BOB) and discrete switches and an MPG for control.

Using an old keyboard is an awesome idea but I am doing this for local control at the controller.  My controller is connected through an ESS (Ethernet Smooth Stepper) back to the computer.  I do not want another USB connection back to the computer.  I will send some pictures this weekend as I make more progress.

Everyone seems to be missing the point here about using a usb keyboard, with a key assigned to an input signal anything can be programmed into a function in the PLC script. Worried about wires then use a wireless one, an average board in one of those is about 30mm x 50mm, crossin a couple of wires activates a key, you will have to map which ones before removing the whole keyboard.

DazTheGas

yep using a old keyboard saves money and works many different ways

I am not dismissing the idea; I like it.  
I definitely will add a wireless keyboard/Pendant later when our group figures it out 


For now my requirements are for wired, local (switch and MPG) control of the ESS controller.  This "should be" simple to do it just has some bugs in it right now.  

it can be done you just have to get the codes in the correct spot`s that's the really hard part of lua and M4

Please excuse my ignorance but I though the keyboard interface only mapped key codes to a limited number of predefined functions.  How do I map a key code to an on screen function?

Peter

you would have to ask poppabear and Ya Nvr No reading through there post it looks like they have worked it out dazthegas may have as well as far as I can see its using the call for that function, I got probe input working with a button all I did was map a input to it