Hello everyone,

         I just got a new cnc router up and running and I use a xbox controller to jog the machine around and other various things. What I was wondering is is it possible
to assign a button on the xbox controller to initiate the auto tool zero function? Thanks

Charlie Moore

OK I figured out what I need to do. Can someone either tell me the OEM button code for the auto tool zero button or tell me where I might find it?


Thanks

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

Unfortunately not quite that easy because the Auto Tool Zero button on the standard screen (1024.set) is set as a 'VB button' and therefore does not have a specific OEM button code.

Now I am sure this has all been done before but I have not yet found the answer (but I will keep looking). Perhaps someone else knows the answer to this ?

Tweakie.

An update...

There is probably more than one way to achieve this but by using a Screen Editor, such as Mach3Screen, you can assign a hotkey to the 'Auto Tool Zero' VB button. Hopefully, this can be one of your XBox buttons (I have only tested it with my keyboard).

Tweakie.

 Hi Tweakie Thanks. I will look into this and post my results.

Charlie

Ok I got my xbox controller to work as I wanted with the auto too zero. turns out not to be hard at all. Its all in the documentation for the xbox plugin.

 

Tweakie.

Hi Charlie M,

Are you still coming here?

I too want use my Xbox controller to initiate the auto tool zero function

Its a shame you only gave hints on how to do it, I wonder if you could go through it as I dont know much about coding etc.

Regards

let me get some info together and I will get back to you. Its all in the xbox plugin docs.

OK this is what I did. I opened mach3 then when to operator/vb script editor. I then copy and pasted the auto tool zero script( I found on the web and changed the plate thickness to suit my needs) into the the form. I saved it as M701.m1s to C:\Mach3/macros/Your profile( this is the profile that you are using to run your cnc). then went to config/config plugins and selected the xbox config. I selected the right shoulder button and in the drop down menu, selected custom macro #1. In the custom macro macro #1 field I put M701.m1s.  So what happens when you push the right shoulder button it calls the M701.m1s macro. Hope this makes sense. Let me know if I can help further.