Shuttle jog controller question

[sharmstr]

I havent really looked into it, but I think the issue will be that the shuttle doesnt receive any info from the controller. So if you used the PP ui to change the axis, the shuttle wont know about it. That's what I "think" anyways.

[kstrauss]

Looking at the shuttle driver, all communication is from the shuttle to PP. Nothing goes the other way. Adding a LED would just show that the button on the shuttle had been pressed irrespective of what was done with the PP touch screen. A beep upon a button press might be useful audible feedback and wouldn't imply that one actually knew the selected axis.

[sharmstr]

Thats what I was afraid of. However, for a panel mount, I could control the LEDs from PP I suppose.

[LeeWay]

Oh! Lighted buttons or led's to indicate active buttons would be very cool.

[sharmstr]

Playing around with LED indication and audible notification for axis selection. This is on PP 2.0 in sim mode. Using a shuttle to change axis. The leds are different colors just so I could make sure the correct ones were being triggered. The beeps are 1 for X, 2 for Y, 3 for Z. They all have a slightly different tone. A isnt programmed yet.

[LeeWay]

I like that.

[kstrauss]

Interesting! How do you control the LEDs? Are they somehow connected to the shuttle or...?

[sharmstr]

Interesting! How do you control the LEDs? Are they somehow connected to the shuttle or...?

Unfortunately, without the shuttle source code, I doubt you can add it to the shuttle itself. I have a teensy board controlling buttons on my control panel so I'm using that. There's a function within PP that checks to make sure the axis leds in the gui match what axis is actually active. It keeps the gui LEDs in sync and its how the LEDs in the gui are changed when you select them on the shuttle. The shuttle itself doesnt set the gui LEDs. Once I figured that out, I wrote a python script that talks to the teensy to control the LEDs and sound the beeps. Whenever the PP function syncs the gui LEDs, it also calls my script.

[kstrauss]

That makes sense but does require a second USB interface to control the LEDs and beeps if I understand correctly. Even with the shuttle source it could not be guaranteed that the LEDs match reality since you can select the axis from both the shuttle and the PP screen.

It seems to me what is really required is a semi-automated way to apply user generated modifications to the standard PP code. Support of PP mods becomes incredibly onerous without such a tool.

[sharmstr]

That makes sense but does require a second USB interface to control the LEDs and beeps if I understand correctly.

No, not for the beeps. I just put the beep code in the same script that talks to the teensy just to keep it together. The beep can go anywhere.

Even with the shuttle source it could not be guaranteed that the LEDs match reality since you can select the axis from both the shuttle and the PP screen.

That's not true. You could do it exactly how I'm doing it. But instead of talking to the teensy like I am, you'd send the led request to the shuttle. The button doesnt turn on the LED, the led sync function thats independent of any button, gui or physical, does it. While we are on the subject, how do you select the axis from PP? I mentioned it the other day, but then realized that I dont think you can.

It seems to me what is really required is a semi-automated way to apply user generated modifications to the standard PP code. Support of PP mods becomes incredibly onerous without such a tool.

Agreed.

[kstrauss]

It appears that I was wrong. I was almost certain that zeroing an axis selected that axis. A very quick test shows that none of zero axis, home axis or jog axis using keyboard shortcuts gives any indication on the PP screen of which axis is being affected. I'm surprised!

I should have said: "If you had access to the shuttle source code you could possibly add the LEDs to the shuttle assuming that there are spare output pins on the shuttle's micro and you are willing to change the shuttle driver in PP." However, in light of the lack of any way to select the axis from the GUI you could create a shuttle clone using a teensy that controls the LEDs under control of the teensy alone. That would mean that no PP code changes would be required.

[sharmstr]

True. I did consider it awhile back and I have found the exact ALPS jog/shuttle switch. They are about $15. I just didnt want to add another coding project to my list.

[LeeWay]

You do eventually get an indication on the screen. A little late to the game of course once the DRO starts changing. Only good if that is the one you wanted to move.

[kstrauss]

True. I did consider it awhile back and I have found the exact ALPS jog/shuttle switch. They are about $15. I just didnt want to add another coding project to my list.

If it isn't too much trouble I'd appreciate the Alps part number and source for small quantities.

[sharmstr]

China. I couldnt find them in the states nor any mention of them on their site. I cant find the exact listing I saw before. You need to be careful because there are some similar ones made by ALPS but the pins are facing the other way (toward the knob). Anyhow, here's one for 10 of them which knocks the price down to $6 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/VK-J...799158024.html

[kstrauss]

Thanks! Mouser shows that part number on their website but it is flagged as "obsolete" and not available but there are lots of sources in China.

[kstrauss]

To update my previous posting I have attached a photo of v1.1 of my enclosed, chip resistant, shuttle using the circuit board from a repaired Tormach Jog Shuttle.
Hopefully no more aluminum chips wedging in bad places!

[sharmstr]

Nice! I see the step button made it back

[smokediver576]

Nice! I see the step button made it back

Hey Sharmstr, on Instagram I noticed on some of your PathPilot screenshots that you must be using the Ninja knobs (due to the revision number). Are you still using that or did you make a new controller like I saw some of your rendition pictures of? Also, where are you located?

[sharmstr]

Currently still using NinjaKnobs and will continue to, just customized a bit with my new controller. I'm in Los Angeles.