If I may make another feature request for a future version of CM. I have three laser engravers and the software (Lightburn) I use has a “Frame” function that I believe would be a great help to CNC owners. I just traces the outer edge of the design to insure your laser will stay within your work piece. For CNC work it would give you a heads up of how close your tooling would be to the hold downs.
I haven’t hit a hold down yet but I have gotten a lot closer than I intended.
Thank you for a great piece of software and for making improvements with consideration of the people using it.
5 Likes
That’s on the list for V6
9 Likes
I realize this is off topic to a degree but how about another enhancement for CM: I have made many projects in which I use several advanced vcarve tool paths with pockets integrating graphics with text at differing depths Most of the time I use a 60 degree vee and a 1/8" or 1/4" end mill for the pocket. It would be great if CM could reorganize the gcode so that all of the same operations with each bit were done while that bit is in the spindle so that tool changes would be minimized.
Perhaps the Advanced V-Carve could spit out 2 toolpaths?? They would have to be kept associative somehow. And editing either one would edit the pair. But then you could order them however you wanted.
Another thing that would be nice to have is a “Go To” feature. If I have 2 or 3 pieces on the waste board at once I would be able to enter the “Go To” coordinates to move between the X&Y zeroes of each piece while not having to drag out the Bitzero every time (once you find the X&Y zeroes the first time). I also have made a 4" grid on the waste board with 1/4" holes that I put dowels in so I can ensure that my work is square to the machine. By installing a new work piece (using the dowels) the corner of the piece is always in the same spot. The first time you use the Bitzero to find that corner, then you can move to the SW corner in CM to determine the X&Y coordinates. If you do the same thing for the other pieces you’re working on you can move between pieces without having to Bitzero every time. Also once you find the X&Y zero in the corner of a set of dowels (no matter where it is on the work space) you can find the corner of any piece you’re working on in the future by going to the SW corner after startup, zero X&Y, enter in the coordinates and you’re there. You then only have to zero the Z axis with the paper method which is real quick.
I have also made a couple of items that have had the corners filleted and had to remove them for epoxy pouring and have a tough time with the Bitzero because of the filleted corner. I have to install a square piece of wood, set the X&Y zero, and then reinstall the filleted piece using the dowels.
Food for thought.
You can pretty much do that now with Quick Actions. Just note the machine co-ordinates of the point you want to go to, and edit one of the examples to suit.
1 Like
Awe man. Now a reason to use Quick actions. I have been avoiding it because whenever I click it my CM hangs. Using a touch screen on a raspberry Pi.
I’ve noticed this as well - after using the Quick Actions function(or possibly opening the ‘Log’ screen) CM no longer gets inputs from the touchscreen & I have to use a keyboard/trackpad to do anything further. Close CM & restart it, touch input works fine again. A strange bug.
Yes. I thought that the touch capability itself was frozen but it is only inside the CM window that it is non functional. Of course restarting it means reinitializing so that is a high penalty and have just avoided it. Everything else works great. I have not tried Log but I will.
We’ll look at that in V6. If we can duplicate it, we can probably fix it.
2 Likes
I will do some experimenting and give you a reproducible scenario.
Unfortunately, I’ve also found it to be an intermittent bug… Always attacks me at the most inopportune moments… And I’ve just been playing with my rPi on my PRO XXL for 5 minutes trying to get it to show up & nothing - just working exactly like it’s supposed to.
Locked up on me today.
- initialized
- loaded bit and did bitsetter
- jog to center
- quick action: screen came up used it to go to current XY
- exited quick action screen
- touch screen is frozen within CM. Still works on the PI, just not in the app.
I haven’t been able to get the bug to show for me since yesterday morning.
I recently updated my rPi, so not sure if that made a difference cause I don’t recall if it was before or after I saw the bug.
I’ve tried opening & running Quick Actions, the Settings window, the Log… Jogging the spindle around, probing for Zero point, & doing it all over again. It’s been fine.
What version of CM are you using?
I’m running Build 578.
Interesting. I am on 578 as well.
What LCD’s are both of you running? The Pi 7"?
Mine is a 10” screen with an integrated PI case and I have a 4 in it. It was from a company called Uperfect but it doesn’t seem to be available on Amazon any more. I will check and see if there ar eany OS updates to apply.
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Yes, I’ve got the ‘official’ pi 7" touchscreen.
I just updated the Pi and still get the lockup.
One clue maybe, will have to validate later but I went into Quick Actions like I said in step 4 above. Moved to current XY. The Quick action screen closes. I went back into it and the menu came up. I hit the x to close it without doing anything and then CM is hung.
You may have zero’d in on the culprit.
The Cancel button on the Quick Actions window. It seems I can reliably reproduce the issue every time I touch THAT button.
If I use the ‘X’ at the top right corner of the window to close the Quick Actions menu, it’s fine. Use the Cancel button, touch input to CM disappears - the mouse cursor still moves to the touch point but CM does not register any input touch button presses.