Work with probe

I finally figured out the problems I have been having when using the probe GUI with gscreen. There were two problems that I had to sort out.
1) I was getting random errors when probing about not being in MDI mode. This ended up being an issue with gscreen. There are a few places where gscreen decides to change the mode to match what the GUI thinks the mode should be. One of those times is when the interpreter goes idle. I chased this one for a long time and after a number of failed attempts I found a fix. I added a check to see if the probe screen is open and if it is inhibit messing with the mode. Easy to fix once I understood what was happening.
2) The probed values come from the search probe rather than the low speed probe after the edge has been found. I think that this is a general error and not related to gscreen. I went around for a long time on this one, thinking I must be missing something, but in the end I can't see how this could ever work properly. When the ocode subroutine is called the original code returns after the first probe is tripped and it immediately grabs the probed position. The proper action would be to wait until the ocode subroutine has completed. My patch waits for the interpreter to go idle before returning and this seems to correct the issue. It's easy to determine if you are seeing the same issue. Just probe with a slow feedrate and see if the probe results are displayed before the second probe has finished. I would appreciate it if someone would check this to confirm if this is a general problem, and not something unique to what I am doing.

Here is a patch file with my changes. Most of the changes are for better handling Imperial units with the spin buttons.


I am very pleased with the GUI. Very nicely designed and easy to use.

csbrady wrote:

Just probe with a slow feedrate and see if the probe results are displayed before the second probe has finished. I would appreciate it if someone would check this to confirm if this is a general problem, and not something unique to what I am doing.

I have set my rapid speed to 60 and run numerous probes without the result being posted before the second probe completing.
Do you need this verified with a slower speed approach? I can adjust mt speed and check again if you need.

Dave

Thanks Dave. The speed just needed to be slow enough to observe what the sequence is. I can't imagine why this problem is unique to what I am doing.

csbrady wrote:

Here is a patch file with my changes. Most of the changes are for better handling Imperial units with the spin buttons.

File Attachment:

File Name: probe_screen-2.patch
File Size:10 KB

This looks interesting, how does one go about applying the patch?

/Peter

Edit: After realising that this was a python program, and really not Linuxcnc unique I googled "how to use py patch".

Copy the patch to the python directory in your config and write in terminal: "sudo patch < probe_screen-2.patch". Very convenient indeed!
Do I need to install the both the patches, or is it enough with just the latest?

I came up with a crazy idea for a probe so I made it and here is a video to show how it worked out.

thor44 wrote:

I came up with a crazy idea for a probe so I made it and here is a video to show how it worked out.

Looks good. I have used a similar technique on my router. I do as andy has suggested and use the tool as the probe. I can't change tools on that machine without possibly messing up my position so I have to use the tool. Kind of a PITA with some cutters (tapered,etc.)

The main drawback is if there is an issue with the probe circuit the damage could be really bad. Excellent suggestion to keep the velocity really low.

Well this ole man is really struggling on this new toy I built and software. I just don't have any sub-routines that I am aware of, and my directories locations are sorta not clear to me. I made a confguration for TB6560 controller and it is named tb6560. Is this the configuration ini file I should be adding to? Also I don;t have any sub-routines I have made so don't understand how to add the correct part to the statement.. Hope you guy can help me to understand what I am lost on. Thank you for your time.

okiejim,

I can answer some of your questions. You will need to modify the ini file for your configuration so the tb6560.ini will need to be modified to add the probe screen to your setup. If you don't currently have any subroutines then you will need to add the subroutine folder to the same directory as holds the tb6560.ini file and add the path statement to the ini file so that LinuxCNC knows where to look for the subroutines.

For example I have a folder called "macros" under my config directory.

In my .ini file under the [RS274NGC] header I have the following line.

The probe screen readme file should have all of the instructions you need to get it going. Feel free to ask any other questions that you have.

Jim

This what I was looking for. I kinda thought so but never hurts to ask before I break something. Thank you so much, I have the screen now and I will start to learn how to use it. I have a part for my patio roof that I made outta wood, now I want to probe it because I need to make about 50 of them. The cnc will be able to do that while I am doing other honey doo's. Thank you again.