ngcgui,pyngcgui support for gcmc

ngcgui (and pyngcgui) now support Bertho Stultien's
Gcode-meta-compiler (gcmc) in git master and in recent
buildbot debs.

Ngcgui creates entry boxes to simplify testing and use of:
a) single-subroutines gcode files (.ngc)
b) gcode meta compiler files (.gcmc)

Notes:

1) gcmc (version >=1.4.3) must be installed independently and
located as an executable file in the user PATH, see:
www.vagrearg.org/content/gcmc

2) linuxcnc can be built for run-in-place (RIP)) from git master
or installed from a recent buildbot deb (19Feb2014 or later),
instructions at:
buildbot.linuxcnc.org

3) Example ini files for demonstration are located:
configs/sim/axis/ngcgui/ngcgui_gcmc.ini
configs/sim/axis/ngcgui/pyngcgui_gcmc.ini
configs/sim/gscreen/ngcgui/pyngcgui_gscreen_gcmc.ini
configs/sim/touchy/ngcgui/pyngcgui_touchy_gcmc.ini

4) The examples use .gcmc files located in: nc_files/gcmc_lib
nc_files/gcmc_lib/square.gcmc
nc_files/gcmc_lib/drill.gcmc
nc_files/gcmc_lib/star.gcmc (Bertho Stultiens)
nc_files/gcmc_lib/wheels.gcmc (Alan Battersby)

5) To modify the examples or create new .gcmc files:
a) create your own directory, for example:
$ mkdir ~/linuxcnc/myfiles
b) copy or edit your own .gcmc files, example for a deb install:
$ cp /usr/share/linuxcnc/ncfiles/gcmc_lib/square.gcmc ~/linuxcnc/myfiles/mysquare.gcmc
c) add your directory to the subroutine path defined in the ini file.
Example:
[RS274NGC]
SUBROUTINE_PATH=~/linuxcnc/myfiles:../../nc_files/ngcgui_lib:../../nc_files/gcmc_lib:../../nc_files/ngcgui_lib/utilitysubs
(above is all on one line,directory names are separated by colons ()

Note: Linuxcnc searches for a subroutine file by name following the
[RS274NGC]SUBROUTINE_PATH. The first file found with a
matching name is used.

d) add your files to the ini file in the [DISPLAY] stanza, example:
[DISPLAY]
...
TKPKG = Ngcgui 1.0
NGCGUI_FONT = Helvetica -12 normal
NGCGUI_PREAMBLE = in_std.ngc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = square.gcmc
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = mysquare.gcmc
# specify "" for a custom tab page
NGCGUI_SUBFILE = ""
...

(including a custom tab page allows you to search for .ngc and .gcmc
files as long as they are in the SUBROUINE_PATH)

6) After creating your own .gcmc file, add tags within the file to
identify variables requiring entry boxes. For example, to tag a
variable named frate, include the line:

//ngcgui: frate = 100;

To specify a default value and label, use:
//ngcgui: frate = 100; //, Feed Rate

(See the included demo .gcmc files for more examples.)

7) When a .gcmc file is selected, ngcgui submits it to the gcmc compiler,
and places the resulting gcode file in the [DISPLAY]PROGRAM_PREFIX
directory for use by Linuxcnc.

8) Ngcgui can combine .gcmc and .ngc files from multiple tab pages

Additional Referencess:

www.linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/gui/ngcgui.html

www.linuxcnc.org/docs/devel/html/config/...b_rs274ngc_section_a

git.linuxcnc.org/gitweb?p=linuxcnc.git;a...fb3cd177b538cb3e67fe

Nice one Dewey,

I really must get around to updating to your new version of ngcgui, the trouble is the old one works so well, I haven't had the incentive!

Just keeps getting better and better.

Rick G