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Simple GCode plotter plugin

Discussion in 'SketchUcam Related Software' started by gasmasher, Sep 9, 2009.

  1. MartinT

    MartinT Member

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    Hi Tim,
    I tried your code (pasted it into a new notepad doc, and renamed the extension to .cnc)
    It gave: "1.0 is not a valid floating point value"
    All the files you mentioned above give a similar warning, and no drawing
    I tried gplot 1.2 and it gives the same result as well.

    Just to be sure: I copied the gplot.exe and gplot.rb files into GoogleGoogle SketchUp 7Plugins
    BUT>>>Where do you leave the gplotlib.dll that unzips as well with v1.3? (maybe this is the culprit?)

    Best regards,
    Martin
     
  2. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    Gplotlib.dll is the same code as Gplot.exe but can be loaded by another application. It is not needed for GPlot.exe to run since that is a completely stand alone app.

    I am having a hard time figuring out where the problem might be. As another test can you just run gplot by double clicking it, paste the test gcode into the editor and hit the green and orange refresh button in the toolbar?

    What OS and version are you using?
     
  3. MartinT

    MartinT Member

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    Tried that, amd gives the same result :-(
    I'm running a legal version of Win Vista home premium SP2 on 1 machine, and a WinXP lite version on another machine, they both give the same output...
     
  4. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    I PM'd you a test program. We'll see if that pinpoints the problem.
     
  5. MartinT

    MartinT Member

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    Thanks, PM with the screenprint sent!
     
  6. MartinT

    MartinT Member

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    I have found the culprit, Sent PM about it! :mrgreen:
     
  7. ToxicToast

    ToxicToast Down in the weeds. Staff Member

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    Just tried this out tonight! What a great little tool this will be and should save me some time, thanks Gasmasher!

    I can now visualize the plot before sending code to the EMC2 box nicely.

    About the only suggestions I'd have for improvements would be to make the navigation consistent with Sketchup. I bounce from Pro E, to Maya/Modo style Alt QWERT at work all the time. At home I'm going between Sketchup and EMC's 3D viewer. It would be nice to keep from having to switch nav styles so often.

    Additional ideas:
    • A zoom extents hotkey/button that preserves the orientation of the camera.
    • A cut order overlay indicating sequential tool plunges.A method for stepping through the plunges with a cursor indicating the spindle's position with VCR style transport controls.
    Even without these features, this is still AWESOME!!! Thanks for making this cool tool.
     
  8. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    I use it all the time too. This plugin has been a great timesaver.
     
  9. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    Thanks for the comments guys. I do have a few more features in the works but I have been so busy fixing everything that went wrong at work during my vacation. (Here's a tip: if the source control software is trying to prevent you from doing something with alarm bells and bold red text don't boost your permissions until you force it to work, try reading the bold red text. Also, don't install a development client on all 5 production application servers).

    I agree it is important to use a similar control style to at least one of the popular apps in the same genre. Can you describe the movements you are talking about and how you would like to see them work? I don't have any experience with the apps you listed other than SU.

    One thing I wanted was a simulation mode but didn't want to deal with moving and tracking a tool avatar. I have added the option to click on a line of code and the movement is displayed on the right in a highlight color. I would also like to add a "play" button that will basically scroll through the code and in turn bold each line as it runs. Would that satisfy your last two points?
     
  10. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    I would also like to add idea of having the zoom origin where ever the cursor is, same as how it is in Sketchup.
     
  11. ToxicToast

    ToxicToast Down in the weeds. Staff Member

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    Oh yes, definitely this would be an easy way to step through the code so you can get a visual idea of how this will work. It would be probably important to be able to step next, step x, or play at a speed with a multiplier. There was a stand alone application that was bundled with some other cam software that ran a full sim of the code, even validated it for problems that worked similar to what you've started.

    Thanks again for this great tool. It'll be a big time saver, particularly when my wife evicts my printer to the garage. When that time comes I'm sure I'll be running back and forth to the garage to test and fix code. This will help me get a good visual on the file before sending over there!

    Toast.
     
  12. gizzmo

    gizzmo New Member

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    Looks all geat gasmasher,

    But any chance this is going to work under Mac OSX?
    If not, just let me know and I will adopt to Windows. :roll:

    Many thx for your great work!
     
  13. mavacpjm71

    mavacpjm71 New Member

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    Stupid Question, but when I have an active set on the coded side of the phlatprinter template the GCODE only does the other pieces sitting out. If I swap them, i still get the other piece. What does GCODE Plotter point too, the active pieces in the print area of does it have selectability? Let me know, right now its not working right for me.

    -Peter
     
  14. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    The plotter when used inside Sketchup will plot only the code that you generated last. If you want to view a different gcode file, open it within the gcode plotter.
    So you know, you can also use the plotter as a stand alone plotter by clicking on the gplotter icon that you placed in the plugins folder.
    Hope this helps you.
     
  15. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    gizzmo, I don't have a Mac to test on so I haven't bothered porting it yet. It wouldn't be that difficult to get it compiling under FreePascal and that has targets for OSX, Windows, and Linux. It is something I keep in mind but it honestly isn't that high of a priority. tvcasualty is currently using it under Wine; I just don't know enough about Macs to know if that helps you in any way.

    mavacpjm71
    , Shaun is right. The filename is stored when you click the Generate Phlatboyz GCode (green arrow) icon. When the Plot menu item is selected it just uses the last name to be stored and opens that file. That means whatever the last gcode you generated will be what opens.

    If you generate gcode and then open the plotter from the plugin menu and leave it open it will prompt you to reload the file if you generate gcode again with the same file name. It sounds a little confusing but works well especially with multiple monitors.
     
  16. mavacpjm71

    mavacpjm71 New Member

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    Got it, thanks Shaun & Gasmasher. Make perfect sense. Will try it now.

    Thanks,

    -Peter
     
  17. ewo

    ewo Moderator Staff Member

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    Is there an Icon at the top of sketchup somewere that i havent found? or am i supposed to always run it from the .exe like i have been doing?

    EDIT>>>>>> Never mind ! sometimes im such an idiot..........
    I figured out what i did wrong.
    Being abel to see the gcode from within sketchup now its so much quicker .
     
  18. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    If you copy the .rb file into the plugins directory then there will be a menu option in SU called Plugins | Plot GCode. Let me know if you have trouble getting it working.
     
  19. ewo

    ewo Moderator Staff Member

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    Thanks brother ! i went back to the first post and installed the latest version into the (CORRECT) directory and its working now.. After i read your install directions this time ! :D
     
  20. japala

    japala New Member

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    'x.xx' is not a valid floating point value.

    Seemed that I'm not the only one getting this. I bet that this has something to do with the regionals of the windows (I live in Finland and the default decimal separator is , ). It would be great to get a version with better tolerance for different regions if possible. Thanks. :)
     
  21. ToxicToast

    ToxicToast Down in the weeds. Staff Member

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    Tim, just to let you know, I am still getting a lot of mileage out of your plugin. Works great for previewing the cut as I have my 'workstation' upstairs and the printer downstairs in the garage. Very useful for checking my cuts before running down! Thanks a bunch!
     
  22. 3DMON

    3DMON Moderator Staff Member

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    Me too.
    I love being able to just hit plot gcode to make sure the code looks right within Sketchup. It's the only gcode plotter I use now.
     
  23. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    I use it every time as well :) Its so nice to do a quick preview and for me see if there are any parts I forgot to add tabs or forgot to outside cut.
    Thanks Tim!
    Mark and Trish
     
  24. gasmasher

    gasmasher New Member

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    Thanks a lot guys.

    japala, you are correct about the formatting of numbers causing a problem. MartinT sent all the info I needed to fix it but it always seems to be on the back burner. I am making a lot of upgrades to GPlot with my latest project and the formatting is one that will be fixed. Sorry, but it will still be a month or so before I can get it out the door.
     
  25. japala

    japala New Member

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    K, thanks for this. Nice to hear that we can expect more updates. :)
     

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