Thread: Console the Key Emulator Method

Time to get our hands dirty in Screen4.
We are going to assign a shortcut keys to the Feed Rate – (minus).
See image 1
Note that these are existing command objects so all we need to do is create a Shortcut key that we can use in the Pokeys.

Right click the Feed Rate – (minus) object and you will see the properties box appear.
See image 2

If we look at the properties it is an OEM code function 109 which happens to be a Mach Function Code for Feed Lower and it has a hotkey (shortcut key) of Ascii Dec 121 which happens to be lower case “y”.

Great news is you really don’t have to know any of these codes as we can wing it without the technical jargon. I spent days learning all this stuff and frankly it is only going to be used once or twice and if you are like me you will forget half of it before you need to use it a second time.

We already knew it was feed rate minus because the screen graphic said it was before we opened the properties box so forget about the 109 code. Now to assign the hotkey or shortcut key all we need to do is untick the “Use Hot key” box and then tick it again. A pop up appears asking us to “Type the hot key now”.
See image 3

So let’s assign Control M to this object. While holding down the control key press the M key. The pop up disappears and note the Hot key code has changed to 32,845.
See image 4

The code for control is 32,768 and if you subtract this from 32,845 you get 77 which is the acsii code for M. Again you do not need to know this as it does it for you through the pop up window. Ask if you want to know more about these codes but I prefer not to confuse this with technical jargon as it really isn’t necessary.

To sum this up you have used a control in Mach3 which lowers the feed rate and you have assigned a shortcut key of Control and M to it. On the Console you have a switch labeled “Feed Rate Minus” and this is connected to the Pokeys and through the Pokeys software you have assigned the shortcut Control and M. All things going well when you press the Feed Rate Minus switch on your console Mach3 will lower the machine feed rate.

So the difference between this example and the previous two we did in the Pokeys instructions was that we have created our own shortcut key verses using a standard shortcut key from Mach3.

We have graduated from experts to specialists so it is time to create a new command not found in Mach3 and get it to work through the console.

Brace yourselves as we move from specialist to master in this exercise.

I mentioned earlier that we can play around with screens and one of the tricks we can do is to create controls outside of the viewable screen area. The advantage is that we do not clutter our screen with buttons but they are still able to be activated by a shortcut key on your keyboard or switch on your console.
See image 1
I have created a button called “Safe Z” outside the main Mach3 screen. I will use this button to raise the Z axis to a safe height of 20mm. A handy thing to have if you decide to jog around your table.

See image 2
In the properties of that button I have assigned it as a Run function, Script Function for Gcode, ticked the VB Script function edited in Mach3, ticked displays on all screens and locked in place. I have also assigned the shortcut key of Control and B.
The reason I have ticked the displays on all screens and locked in place is that I want this command available on all my screens and not just the screen that has the focus.

Save this screen set and then open Mach 3 with your monitor still set to high resolution - you need high resolution so the button is visible and you can add some code to it.
See image 3

In the top menu of Mach3 click on Operator, then Edit Button Script and you will note all the buttons that are assigned as script buttons will flash. Click on the Safe Z button you created and a pop up window appears. Type in this line of code
Code “G0 Z20” with the quotes and see image 4 for an example.

If you know Gcode then this is simply a G code command to raise Z axis 20mm.
Save it and exit. Now press the safe Z button and you will see in the Z axis DRO the machine moves to plus 20.

We assigned a shortcut key of Control and B to this button so on your console find the switch marked Safe Z and assign the same shortcut key in Pokeys.
If you reset your screen resolution to normal you will see the button does not show on screen anymore but it is still active. A neat way to add some of your machine controls without cluttering the screens.
See image 5

You are now a master but I can hear mutterings of disbelief. I’ll waffle on a bit in the nest post and restore a bit of confidence in your new ability.

In the last exercise it probably seemed a bit mumbo jumbo but you are reading through a procedure and the lingo is foreign. Get some hands on experience and this will be mastered in a short time.

Once you know how to do the earlier exercises you can accomplish the rest relatively easy as your knowledge and familiarity grows. I purposely left out a lot of the technical jargon as you could just copy from these instructions and screens and get a console to work.

The last exercise is more complex but it is not to be shied away from. Greolt has created a great set of instructions for operating a touchplate on the CNCZone and I have given you the basics so that you can now operate a touchplate button through a console switch. He has the script there so just copy and paste it in your button script on your Mach3 screen. You don't have to understand the code so have a go and get back here for any specific code you may want or any problems you encounter. I hope that it has given a few of you the confidence to have a crack at a console. The Modio console will start in a couple of weeks.

Lastly thanks to Ubeaut for hosting this forum as we sometimes forget that these threads come at a cost to him and without this forum we would be watching TV and missing out on the opportunity to expand our knowledge and have some fun. Onya Neil.

Watching TV could end up being cheaper (although perhaps at greater cost to your brains cells)

The down side of all this amazing useful, well presented information is you want to rush out to the shed (or spare room in my case) and build yourself a CNC machine and console just to try it all out!
I look forward to the next episode

Hi Geoff,
After all that waffle it might be a welcome relief to watch a bit of the idiot box but poor pickings this time of the night.
Now the hard part is done I can finish off the swivel arm for the console and enjoy a bit of shed time tomorrow night.

Great thread and tutorial Rod.

This is a terrific resource and will also be a fantastic motivation tool.

Just a couple of small things to add.

When altering the standard Mach screen (1024.set) the very first thing to do is "save as" a new name, and then all alterations are

made to the new one and the original is always there to go back to or refer to.

Keyboard hotkeys are the most basic and simplest way to interface with the pokeys and I know Rod is starting out simple first, but it is capable of so much more.

With the issue of inadvertently doubling up on a keystroke.

There is a new screen editor called MachScreen. I actually prefer Scream4 but it has some great features.

One handy feature it has is a "View Hotkeys" screen that allows you to check all the hotkeys assigned.

These can be sorted by page or hotkey to check them all. See pic.

As I said this is great stuff Rod. Keep it coming.

Greg

Hi Greg,
The info on Machscreen looks useful. Do you have a link to the software?
I used the keep it simple approach but Mach being what it is there are many ways to skin a cat. Do you know when Mach4 is going ot be released?

Rod

Here is the link, http://www.kd-dietz.de/index_eng.htm

Mach4...... I dunno. Brian has been saying soon for a while now.

Greg

Thanks Greg
I have used his video camera program. There are some very clever people out there.
Staying at the front edge of this must spin you out some days.

To finish off the construction I worked on the swivel support arm tonight. Just a little bit to finish off the acrylic cover but that is cosmetic.

After knocking off the feet of the chair I mounted the post to a patio stirrup turned sideways. I used a hole saw to bore through the stirrup and then turned a collar to hold it firm. The bottom of the chair tube is tapered so it is a snug fit in the bottom hole. I stripped off the plate that holds the seat and then removed a couple of coils of the spring to make it easier to move the backrest adjustment. The backrest arm was bent to give a bit more extension and the adjustment handle was shortened and reshaped. I then bent a piece of acrylic to hide the mechanism and glued an end on. I need to clean up the cutouts for the handle. I love working with the acrylic and it is perfect for jobs like this.

I am pleased with the result as there is height adjustment through the gas strut (you can see that in one of the photos) and the monitor can move forward and back with the backrest adjustment. The whole thing can swivel 360 degrees. The 240 volt has been separated from the video and USB cable by cable tying them on either side of the arm.

I have it temporarily bolted to a piece of pine and that is clamped to a bench but it is quite solid.

If you have a look at the end of the monitor case you will see a bit of acrylic at the bottom. That was a woopsie where I cut a hole in the wrong place. Like I said I love this acrylic.

All done and dusted. We mounted the console by running a piece of 75mm angle down the leg of the table to mount the swivel. The bellows were fitted on the arm and the upright of the swivel and all the wiring was connected and then the computer configured.

As you can see from the photos the console is between the desktop computer and the machine. Swinging sideways on the chair puts the console into use and it is at a convenient height and place to observe the machine while operating. You can see the screens are clones of each other so there is no confusion if you swing back and use the desk computer.

The other photos are of the console swung around over the table when not in use and detail of the swinging arm all tidied up.

I am going to leave it here as the scope of this part of the project was to demonstrate a Keyboard emulator console and this has been done. Pokeys is capable of a lot more but if I had chosen a different brand of keyboard emulator then these extra features would not have been available.

Rod,
Looks very professional. It's amazing what you're able to turn out in such a short time.

How much does the console weigh? I'm looking at a couple of VESA mounts for an LCD screen and they are limited as to how much weight they'll handle. The 17" LCD I have weighs about 6Kgs.

Hi Geoff,
Wife works nights so I play in the shed or waffle on the forum.
Seems like I do a lot but the frequency of my posts probably makes it look like I am doing more than I am.

I am not sure of the weight but an estimate of 10 to 12kg would be about right. By taking the stand and case off the monitor it reduced the weight a fair bit there.
I got a Vesa mount for this console that was rated at 15kg but it was not up to specification. With three knuckles and poor tolerances the sag in the arms was really bad and I scrapped it. The sagging meant it did not hold a horizontal aspect when swiveling.

The modifed chair mount has a much greater load capacity and I would use the same design again - I'll be looking for another office chair on the next verge collection.

Good work Rod

Is the radiant heater under the table hooked up as well