Author Topic: How many DDCSV external buttons ?  (Read 6012 times)

Offline picclock

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How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« on: March 20, 2018, 08:19:02 AM »
Hi

Still awaiting delivery of my mill to convert. Hoever I've just received the DDSCV 2.1 version but it still has stock software (2018 vers). I'm just working out a case layout for it and the CNC stepper drivers. Also have a pendant wheel on order.

For those who are using this on a regular basis what extra switches would you bring out to the front panel?

Is there much advantage to upgrading the software to the Pandora version ?

I have read the 33 page thread and it seems a lot of work was done by Benedikt and others who have put a great deal of effort into it, for which I am thankful. Can I be candid and ask if the current version is as stable as the factory offering? Is there a list of the changes that the Pandora version has made ?

I intend to use it with Fusion360, and hopefully can include Brainright's post processor to produce the gcode and save myself some headaches.

For anyone else new to this controller this may help.

To upgrade firmware : -
Copy files to install directory  on USB  stick. Power up machine with stick inserted. Check update OK  by version on bottom right of  screen.

In file menu :-
TAB = copy
SHIFT =  paste
MODE = delete - use with caution as no ‘are you sure’ prompt.
Z- = enter key

Setup parameters with userVar.set file and copy to usb stick. Select file on machine and press enter  to upload.
Parameters can be set from  http://config.pandora-cnc.eu/ or by editing current userVar file.


Best Regards

picclock




Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2018, 04:24:19 AM »
Pendants !!

Is it possible to send/receive commands using the txd/rxd serial mpg interface?. This would massively reduce the pendant wiring and cabling, possibly allowing for a small status screen in the pendant itself. However, I can find no information on baud rate or whether control of the machine is feasible in this way. It would also enable wifi/bluetooth pendant variants.

Any info in this area much appreciated.

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline Will_D

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2018, 05:04:29 AM »
There was a thread on the ddcsv forum about this (I think)

http://www.ddcnc.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=20&extra=page%3D1

Engineer and Chemist to the NHC.ie
http://www.nationalhomebrewclub.ie/forum/

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2018, 07:44:39 AM »
Hi Will_D

Thanks for the info. Sounds like it is not implemented, which is a shame. Hooked it up but got nothing out from txd :-(

Possibly another fix for Pandora .. .

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline WeldingRod

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2018, 08:28:58 PM »
I like Pandora!  Totally stable, even when you, um, feed it bad gcode. ;-)
I have a standard pendant, which takes a bunch of wires.
I am 90% sure there are only two user buttons wired out on the ddcsv.  I would have installed more than two if I could have.

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Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2018, 04:03:28 AM »
@WeldingRod

Good to hear that its stable. Will have a go at installing it.

My feeling from playing about with the DDCSV is that the buttons on the panel are awkward and relatively frail. For instance, jut to use the pendant means two button pushes to select mpg, then another two to go back to run mode. 4 presses for a minor adjustment seems a lot to me, and I cannot see that type of button putting up with that sort of use for long. Likely membrane will split or switch will fracture its solder connections due to mechanical stress.

This is why I thought I would duplicate the most used buttons (mode, tab, shift) for tactile robust ones. As you pointed out, start, pause and estop can use external buttons straight from the back panel. So I make it 6 buttons + the usb skt  for my panel layout so far.

FWIW I reckon the pendant will use 12 core cable :-(. Its sort of on the cusp as to whether its worth doing some electrickery to use 3 core cable or wifi/infra red/bluetooth for cable less control. Could even export the mode switch (and others) to the pendant doing it this way which is much nicer. I seem to remember in one of the threads that the keyboard driver was still in situ, but I don't know enough about it as yet.

Best Regards

picclock

Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline WeldingRod

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2018, 09:29:26 AM »
The pendant should come with a coiled cable.  You need to watch that you use a pretty fine strand cable if you extend it.
I would hard wire it, rather than adding a layer of uncertainty.
I guess you are thinking of cracking the case to get at the keypad lines?
You might try plugging in a usb keyboard after flashing pandora and see if that can do some keypad functions.

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Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2018, 10:55:09 AM »
@WeldingRod
That was exactly what I was going to try. Very easy to do although what will transpire will be very uncertain. If it does work with keycodes that will make life much easier.

Just have the switch on order for the pendant, though I have a supplier of cable if I go the hardwire route. 12 connections + any other other keys I want on the pendant is a lot of wiring. Also not having a cable seems like a good idea, but I suspect I will lose the pendant if its not attached  :palm:.

" I used to be undecided but now I'm just not sure " :scratch:

Too much to do today for pandora, but will give it a try tomorrow. Latest Version Pandora-20180106.

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2018, 06:34:55 AM »
Hi
The upgrade to pandora was a bit heart stopping. After inserting the flash drive and allowing a little time for the install the madmodder flash screen came up and then about 2 seconds later disappeared leaving a screen with light gray and white vertical lines. I then waited for about 10 mins in case it was going to do something else, but in the end I took the plunge and turned it on and off again. This time it powered up ok but with the DDCS4V2.1 splash screen. Once powered it displays ver: 2018-01-06-PDCNOR.

I did some further tests using a wireless keyboard plugged into the usb port.  I was not able to map all of the keys but quite a few can be controlled in this way.

DDCSV 2.1 4 axis usb keyboard mapping

F3 = Moves x half distance toward zero
F9, / = tab key
F10 = sets sjr to 0.1 then 100%
8,f = highlights F
9,a,s = highlights S0,
g = selects gcode displayed, mach,g54 to g59.
Backspace, Tab = mode key, cont, step, mpg
↑ , 8 = Y+
↓ , 2 = Y-
→, 6 = X+
←, 4 = X-
PageUp , 9  = Z+
PageDn , 3 = Z-
- = run

Scroll Lock, - = enter
1 keypad = sets sro to 0

* = mode - cont, step, mpg

The wireless keyboard I used is not good enough for normal PC use, but the chip(s) may be hackable as a basis for a wireless pendant.

Best Regards

picclock
« Last Edit: March 24, 2018, 12:53:06 PM by picclock »
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline PPRINT

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2018, 09:49:42 AM »
Picclock, thanks for the data.

Please describe the function of the 'g' key.
Does it show more than a single line of code?
Will it run a program in this view?

Thanks, Rob.

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The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2018, 12:57:51 PM »
@PPRINT
It just highlights G54, which then changes to G55 then G56 through to G59 then it replaces the Gcode with MACH in red.

- or = runs the gcode file as far as I can tell.

I don't have a USB hub but I could probably confirm this by copying the gcode file to internal storage and running it from there.

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2018, 03:01:44 AM »
Well it seems my pandora upgrade will not copy files anymore. I'm assuming that the copy and paste keys are the same, tab and shift. It may be that my install was not complete but I am at a loss as to how to sort it.

Help anyone ?

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline picclock

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2018, 03:32:45 AM »
Got a usb hub and its happy to have wireless keyboard and usb stick.
Pandora keymapping - the numbers are the keycodes. Really need to reverse engineer the keyboard driver as several keys missing, no guarantee of accuracy but its probably sufficient to make a wireless pendant from my cheapo pc keyboard.

Page R = backspace or tab 8 9 going through all pages forces reset
Tool Path =
Spidle =
Tab = F9 or / keypad 120 111
Shift =
Mode = F10 or * keypad 121 106
A- = 1 keypad 97
A+ = 7 keypad 103
X- = ←, 4 37
X+ = →, 6 39
Y- =  ↓ , 2  40
Y+ = ↑ , 8  38
Z- =  PageDn , 3 34
Z+ = PageUp , 9  33
Enter key = keypad - 109 ???

Extra functions
Escape 27 homes to main page or selects values in parameters
Enter key 13 allows file selection (z– does not do this with keyboard)

Thats it for now. My new lathe has arrived and I need to get it sorted. Hopefully new mill will be hear in a week or two so too busy to do any more on this for now.

Best Regards

picclock
Engaged in the art of turning large pieces of useful material into ever smaller pieces of (s)crap. (Ferndown, Dorset)

Offline hdo27

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2018, 03:57:45 AM »
Any updates regarding the keyboard mappings? I'm just curious.

Just got my DDCSV2.1 controller and also like to play around with an usb keyboard.

Offline hdo27

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Re: How many DDCSV external buttons ?
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2018, 02:39:02 AM »
There is an update with some very interesting information about the keyboard mappings!

http://bbs.ddcnc.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=43&extra=page%3D1