Manual tool change + tool lengh touch off

Much appreciated you explain that i can redefine gcode commands - that's very helpful!

Yeah it's good to know from how far linuxcnc comes if i read the struggle some had years ago needing to modify all the HAL and similar files.

I did find that sim directory in

/usr/share/doc/linuxcnc/examples/sample-configs/sim/axis/remap/manual-toolchange-with-tool-length-switch/

In that directory listed is a .glade .hal .ini and .ui file - how do i load those?

Can i double click on one of them?

And how do i take care i have a button in the linuxcnc-GUI underneath the 'home all' i like also a button 'set tool'.

I did find a good youtube explaining which g-code i'd need for that.
But no clue where to put this code so the linux-CNC gui knows how to deal with it.

with the values proposed except height of toolsetter

O <touch-to-zero> sub
G91 G21
G38.4 Z-20 F100
G0 Z1
G38.4 Z-10 F10
G10 L20 P1 Z-40.5 // my setter here seems to switch at 40.5mm or 41mm
G90 G21
G0 Z10
O <touch-to-zero> endsub

Where to put all this. Have a link to how to program linuxcnc-GUI?

My plan which might be good or not is to put a few steel bars on the bed at fixed positions at known locations. If i put there known distances (parallels) in between then i know exactly at which coordinates i clamp workpieces to the bed. So that's in my case most
parallels are 6mm thickness so clamp position is 6mm away from those 2 steel bars on the bed.
If i mill multiple sides of an object that might be very useful.

(everything in millimeters)
The homing goex to (X,Y) ---> (3,3)
Now the toolsetter also is at a known location i intend to put it at (X,Y) --> (50,0)

I can change tools then at (3,3)

Above the toolsetter is not so much space.
Z-coordinate where toolsetter loses signal is at -40.5mm or -41mm (must still precisely figure that one out - you bet i will.
With the bed at 0.00mm.

Idea i had what to make:

a) a button in the linux-cnc GUI

subroutine SetToolAndHome
- home all axis
- move to (50,0) <== toolsetter location
- carry out SUBROUTINE touch-to-zero
- move to (3,3)

b) a button in the linux-cnc GUI
if( current location is NOT (3,3) then SHOW ERRORMESSAGE to first home
move from (3,3) to Clamp Position

Then run the code PyCam generated here
for which i'll have to figure out what sort of supercomputer i have to buy to speed it up a tad producing gcode otherwise it'll take years to test some stuff there.

Ah yes that opens a new linuxcnc-GUI yet on the right side the buttons are greyed out. Also if i press with mouse the left top cross and then next to it the F2 button.

The probe-in i had defined at pin 11 for the toolsetter for this same linuxcnc-GUI but then the one that works for the machine to home (had gotten that to work obviously).

Yes checking out GladeVCP now.to add something to Axis. Should manage i hope. Will report when problems or when it works ok

I do not know how to merge the gladeVCP example of manual-toolchange-with-tool-length-switch/ into the defines i had made for the machine in linuxcnc/configs/3040ext/ + configs/3040ext.stepconf

What would be the approach there?

Note i also tried to followtutorial at:
www.gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/gladevcp/gladevcp01.html

Took me hours to create the .glade file in GIT yet that tutorial doesn't work for me. Crashes linuxcnc when i try to load it. Let alone that i could try to merge it with the 3040ext.stepconf and directory of the machine defines.

With the tutorial the first problem is which directory+file to add the line
"[DISPLAY]
GLADEVCP= -u handler.py example.glade"

It must be in an .ini file but which one in which directory?
I have 3040ext.stepconf and 3040ext directory in

/home/diep/linuxcnc/configs
Must i add it do the configs/3040ext/3040ext.ini file?
Or must i add it in the later created directory linuxcnc/configs/gladevcp1/gladevcp1.ini somehow?
As that inifile already has some stuff regarding gladevcp.
Trying to test it, it crashes.

Perhaps better is trying to merge the existing example from

/usr/share/doc/linuxcnc/examples/sample-configs/sim/axis/remap/manual-toolchange-with-tool-length-switch/

Any tips where to find more info how to merge this into the 3040ext.stepconf + 3040ext directory?

Update : i manage to get a button with gcode that gets called with pyvcp.

Thanks to this page: 7xcnc.com/software/probing/z-touch-plate/

I would guess that's what i want to accomplish for now and can easily expand it (i hope) to more buttons after this one works...

(Need to bring back the computer (old and heavy) from this room to the room where the cnc machine is located - no internet there of course).

I'll report back here. Either how i got it all done or with questions

I have been testing OrangeCats manual tool change routine and ran into issues I didn't understand - primarily this:

"Linear move on line 128 would exceed joint 2's positive limit"

This error popped up after a new tool was inserted and the height probing complete. But not in a consistent way, and that puzzled me.
I therefore modified the subroutine by inserting some (print, ..) statements. See the attached file.
I then did this:
1) Start LinuxCnc from the terminal, so I can watch the output from the print statements
2) Home the machine (now at (0,0,0))
3) From MDI run: M600 and then M0 T6 (I leave the tool in)
The first probing sequence is executed and the spindle returns to its original position (0,0,0). The print output is:
First tool change
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Trip point _ToolZRef = -24.113033
4) I load the .ngc file with the cnc project I want to run
5) Manually move the spindle to the workpiece and touch off all axes. The print output is:
First tool change
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Trip point _ToolZRef = -32.790000
First tool change
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Trip point _ToolZRef = -32.790000
First tool change
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Trip point _ToolZRef = -32.790000
First tool change
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Trip point _ToolZRef = -32.124133
6) Press Run to start the program. Linuxcnc prompts me to change to the first tool. Since the correct tool is in the spindle, I leave it in.
The probing sequence starts. The print output is:
ToolDiamMM = 4.000000
G38.2 Z[-128.000000 - -10.000000] F[400.000000]
Old tool length = ######
New tool length = -23.671500
G53 G1 F[500.000000] Z[0.000000 - -24.113033 + -23.671500]
USRMOT: ERROR: invalid command
Linear move on line 128 would exceed joint 2's positive limit

The problem is clearly that the last G53 command wants to move the spindle above Z0 (valid range is -130 to 0).
Even though it is the same tool in both probing sequences, the small difference (actually rather large??) between two readings may result in the addition of a positive number. This combined with the fact that variable #5183 apparently always is zero (also if I move the z-axis down after homing and before step 3 above).

My two questions:
1) Why is #5183 always zero?
2) Why is the tool-change.ngc subroutine executed when the touch-off button is pressed? (The "First tool change" output is seen multiple times and "_ToolZRef = -32.790000" is printed
at each touch-off button press, even though the z-axis doesn't move. Don't understand where this value comes from?

What am I missing here?