Ground Control Version v1.06

Ground Control version 1.06 adds a lot of new features and fixes some bugs. The new features include an updated z-axis menu, a real time velocity readout while the machine is cutting, a settings option to set the PWM frequency, a settings option to set if the chain feeds onto the sprocket from the left or from the right and the bug fixes include fixing a bug where pressing the stop button would stop the machine, but it would not start again.

Much like the firmware the vast majority of changes came from the community with a record six people making improvements. Amazing.

Merged #627 Hopefully stops the builderror on github. a day ago
Merged #626 Add a try...except catch to velocity calculation a day ago
Merged #622 The other zPopup changes broke the calibration. Fixed. a day ago
Merged #620 Include note requiring restart a day ago
Merged #621 Tweaked readme.md a bit - cosmetic a day ago
Merged #619 add Advanced setting for PWM frequency 2 days ago
Merged #611 Some modifications to the Z-Menu 2 days ago
Merged #618 I added a bunch of notes that I wish I knew when starting 2 days ago
Merged #608 Sync Settings; Store Settings in Single Location 7 days ago
Merged #610 Let's not change g-code while we're sending it... 7 days ago
Merged #609 Add chain sag adjustment to simulator 7 days ago
Merged #607 Add Chain Wrap Direction 9 days ago
Merged #606 A proposed fix for #306 12 days ago
Merged #605 Make it possible to extend chain by an arbitrary length 12 days ago
Merged #604 Use normal z-axis popup during calibration 12 days ago
Merged #602 Calibration abort 13 days ago
Merged #599 Add vel readout 13 days ago

Ground Control Version 1.04

Ground Control version 1.04 makes it so that it is possible to fix typos during the calibration process, bundles the gcode file for cutting the calibration test pattern in the windows portable version which was missing it and apparently restores a lost octothorpe...whatever that is 😀

Merged #590 Added a button and code to clear gcode. 8 days ago
Merged #589 Make sure the gcode for testing folder is available 9 days ago
Merged #587 Fix Issue 586 9 days ago
Merged #585 Restore lost octothorpe 9 days ago

Ground Control Version 1.03

There are so many fixes, tweaks, and improvements in version v1.03 that listing them all in detail beyond the list of pull request below would take pages. The single most significant change this week is the updated calibration process from @reecej which makes the process of calibrating the triangular kinematics faster, simpler, more accurate, and takes into account chain sag. An update to the way the serial thread works will make Ground Control 1.03 use significantly less processing power. A number of usability tweaks were made to the automatic calibration process.

Thank you to:
@blurfl
@reecej
@krkeegan
@madgrizzle

For making changes found in version v1.03

Merged #582 Properly Treat Error Responses as Equivalent to ok 20 hours ago
Merged #581 Adjust KpV Value to Fix Choppy Movement Issue 21 hours ago
Merged #580 Create calibration benchmark score in sumulation redo a day ago
Merged #579 Adds a button under "advanced" to load the callibration test file a day ago
Merged #558 Chain Sag Correction for Triangular Kinematics a day ago
Merged #575 convert variables to explicit floats 2 days ago
Merged #574 Simulation format results to four decimal places 2 days ago
Merged #572 Change the text of the continue button 4 days ago
Merged #570 Simulation-use-current-kinematics-setting 4 days ago
Merged #567 Use Scale-independent Pixels in more parts of Simulation carousel 4 days ago
Merged #569 Issue #568 4 days ago
Merged #565 Fix-Simulation-Slider-Label-and-machineLabel-Font-Size for large displays 5 days ago
Merged #562 Remove the logic that prevented the z-axis prompt 6 days ago
Merged #560 Update settings on machine when z-axis is turned on 6 days ago
Merged #559 Make move here/mark here reference machine units, not gcode units 6 days ago
Merged #547 Update Triangular Kinematics Calibration 6 days ago
Merged #555 Sleep Serial Thread for Massive Decrease in CPU Usage 7 days ago
Merged #553 Switch to deque to make sure buffer is freed in the right order 8 days ago
Merged #554 Don't Add Extra Space onto Quick Commands 8 days ago
Merged #552 Disable command to zero the axes in Step1 'Begin' button 8 days ago
Merged #548 Remove warning on first GC launch 9 days ago
Merged #545 Add continue buttons 12 days ago
Merged #546 Show default values next to each setting 12 days ago
Merged #544 Cleanup 12 days ago
Merged #542 Update SetSprocketVertical 13 days ago

Ground Control Version 1.02

A lot of changes were merged into Ground Control since version 1.00. Most of them were small bug fixes, tweaks, or subtle improvements. The big changes in Ground Control were to change the look of the open file window, to allow for a the all of the program functions (including calibration) to be done from a touch screen, and to add support for the new protocol to send the machine it's dimensions.

The new file chooser:

Merged #541 Fix missing data link in go to line popup 5 hours ago
Merged #535 Switch pos indicator color with theme colors 5 hours ago
Merged #536 Fix for 529 5 hours ago
Merged #537 Update the command to wipe the EEPROM 5 hours ago
Merged #540 Deletes the open/close com port routine 5 hours ago
Merged #534 Update zAxisPopupContent.py to correct inches/mm conversion a day ago
Merged #533 Update frontPage.py to correct inches/mm conversion a day ago
Merged #527 Switch to the kivy garden file chooser 5 days ago
Merged #526 Fix bug where entering number of links would cause a crash 5 days ago
Merged #524 Change the look of the dark theme slightly 7 days ago
Merged #522 Push Settings to Firmware Using $ Command 7 days ago
Merged #516 Use touch input during calibration 11 days ago
Merged #517 Clean up connectMenu.py and serialPort.py; use serial.tools.list_ports.comports() 11 days ago
Merged #515 Missing parenthesis 12 days ago
Merged #514 Ground control osx actions and settings buttons hidden under window title 12 days ago
Merged #513 Ground control triangular calibration vertical slider fix 12 days ago
Merged #501 Add a sanity check to make sure that the values entered are realistic… 13 days ago
Merged #509 A possible fix for issue #507 13 days ago
Merged #508 Fix missing call to data in z-axis popup 13 days ago
Merged #506 Fix issue where files in light view do not render fully 13 days ago
Merged #502 Display final measurements at end of calibration 13 days ago
Merged #503 Add switch units option to number input 13 days ago

Ground Control Version 1.00

Ground Control Version 1.00!

The latest version of Ground Control adds a new look, updates the default setting for the number of encoder steps per rotation to be correct, fixed a bug where messages could be written to the log out of order, improved the triangular calibration code fixing a bug where the mm->inches button did not work, added compensation for the sprocket size to the simulator, and added a stop button to the popup which adjusts the z-axis height. Another exciting release!

Merged #498 Ensure Machine is Ready; Log Inc Messages Immediately 2 days ago
Merged #497 Move triangular calibration into object 2 days ago
Merged #496 Change the default encoder steps from 8148 to 8114 5 days ago
Merged #495 Add the target distance to calibration text 6 days ago
Merged #493 Add the ability to change the look of Ground Control 7 days ago
Merged #492 Include Sprocket Geometry in Triangular Kinematics in GC Simulation 9 days ago
Merged #491 Add 'Stop' button to z-axis popup, swap 'raise' and 'lower', correct … 13 days ago

Ground Control Version 0.99

This week we added a bunch of new features to Ground Control, most of them excellent community suggestions. There is now a 5 second delay between when the button is pressed and when the chains are extended during the calibration process and there are separate buttons for the left and right chains. The default PID values in the settings have been updated to match changes in the firmware, the value of the current rotation radius is now used as the first guess in the triangular calibration process instead of the old default of 260mm which should make the calibration process converge more quickly than before, and there is now a slider on the right side which will let you adjust where the test cut happens.

Last week (which is included in this release) we switched to a two button system for choosing the kinematics type, we fixed an issue with the way the cursor is represented when single stepping through the code, we added a setting to enable the automatic spindle control, and we fixed rendering of gcode files without spaces.

A huge thank you to everyone who made a pull request or filed an issue which was solved this week. I keep waiting for the improvements to slow down, but every week things get better. A particular thank you to @blurfl this week who's continues to catch things which could easily slip through the cracks without his excellent attention to detail.

Merged #489 Make GC specify which axis to extend the chain for
Merged #488 Add a Maslow icon to repository
Merged #487 Fix rogue space crashing GC
Merged #485 New PID Values for Use with Additive Velocity Controller
Merged #484 Use current value of rotation radius if available
Merged #481 Add slider to move test cut up and down
Merged #480 Fix for 478
Merged #479 Add one button for extending each chain
Merged #477 Create objects for some calibration functionality
Merged #476 preserve X and Y positions - issue #475
Merged #474 Fix issue#473 add spaces between gcodes
Merged #472 Move automatic spindle control setting into advanced settings
Merged #458 Added zAxisAuto configuration option for spindle automation
Merged #471 Fix for 470

Ground Control Version 0.98

Numerous changes to Ground Control this week with fixes for several bugs and some enhancements. We fixed an issue with the length of chain being miscalculated during the calibration process, added a "close" button to the calibration process, made the calibration process work without a keyboard (touch screen or mouse only works now), added a very cool new option to change the text on the macro buttons so that they can reflect their functions, and made it so that trying to view the text of a blank gcode file won't crash GC, instead a warning is shown. As usual the majority of the changes came from the community. Great work everyone and happy Thanksgiving!

Merged #469 Set the chain pitch back to 1/4 inch (6.35mm)
Merged #467 Changes made while investigating sled falling off the bottom during calibration
Merged #459 Add a close button to chain calibration
Merged #464 Make macro titles configurable
Merged #462 Support touchscreen number entry for calibration. Fixes #443
Merged #457 Issue 453 - Don't crash on viewing empty Gcode file

Ground Control Version 0.97

Two changes were made to Ground Control in v0.97 both relating to improving the calibration process. The first automatically releases the tension in the chain stretched between the motors when the measurement is complete. The second change fixes a bug when using the forward and backwards arrow buttons during the calibration process.

Merged #452 Fix for issue 449
Merged #450 Extend the left chain 10mm after dist between motors is measured

Ground Control Version 0.96

There were several improvements to Ground Control this week including some excellent contributions from @blurfl . #438 makes it so when comments are automatically removed from a gcode file, the adjacent lines of code will not be combined, #439 adds more information to the simulation to make it easier to understand how a particular measurement affects the shape of parts cut, #437 makes popups an appropriate size even on very high resolution Retina displays, #441 fixes an issue where the number at the top of the calibration process were confusing, and #442 moves the sled to the center of the sheet at the end of the automatic chain measuring process which is necessary on very large frame machines.

Have a great week everyone!

#442 Move sled to center of work area after finishing measure out chains step
#441 Fix step number text in calibrating machine dimensions text
#437 Fix osx notification size
#439 Add more info to simulation
#438 Fix remove comments

Ground Control Version 0.95

Ground Control version 0.95 adds a new option to the automatic calibration procedure to make it work with the linkage kits now available. This is important because the automatic calibration process is much more consistent and user friendly than trying to do the calibration manually. 0.95 also adds a label to the simulator which will tell you how much a particular simulated error will distort a 600mm square centered on the sheet. This is useful simulate how well a given calibration process will perform in the real world.

#436 Add a label which tells you how much a 600 mm square centered will be distorted a day ago
#435 Add Calibration for triangular kinematics a day ago