ProbeIt for UCCNC

[thegreatwaldo]

Hi Eric
I just checked it on the same computer just running win10 and all opened up ok although the can't can't find control message still pops up so the original problem must be a windows 7 scaling problem.
Cheers
Andrew

[CL_MotoTech]

I spent quite a lot of time using this today. Luckily I got laid off from work last week as a part of the closing of all non-essential business in my state.

As weird as it sounds, I can appreciate the 'luckily I got laid off' ... I was told last Friday to begin working from home this week, then Saturday I was called and told to get to work... needless to say, I was at work all day today, despite the state of Illinois being on an unenforced lockdown. Strange times!

Thanks also for your all your input CL_moto, I'll try and respond to your main points:

The biggest consistent issue I have is that I can crash the probing cycle if I click into a different piece of software while the probing operation runs. This was consistent with Opera web browser, but also Edge browser where I was viewing the ProbeIt manual. I was using almost exclusively the internal cylinder probing with Z touch off, Z height set, and drop set. I tried to figure out how to get a video but I can't watch the screen and the probe operation simultaneously. It's worth noting that dialog on the screen set says the probe operation completes, but generally it won't even touch any internal sides after switching to another piece of software. It just kind of stops and then heads back up to the Z+ height, but the probe will be way off concentric. This crash is resolved by not switching software. So some patience was required on my part.

FYI, this isn't a crash, it is a known issue I think I highlighted in the manual, and pointed out in this post: http://www.forum.cncdrive.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2385#p19109
Right now I don't have a way around it, and it would take help from CNC drive. If there was an option to allow UCCNC to maintain jog functionality on loss of focus, the plugin should work while multi-tasking. I can fully understand why UCCNC is the way it is, its safer the way it is. The other way to fix it would be if G31 was modified to allow multi-axis probing, then I could ditch what I did to make this plugin work, and go back to G31 calls which should work on loss of focus. Having been working on this plugin a while, I can understand how that may also possibly be a big job for CNC drive to do.... So all I can say for now, is don't multitask why probing

I think it would make more sense, IMO, if the Z clearance is in positive units and the Z Depth was expressed in negative units. I guess this is because I'm so used to touching off and setting Z-zero with the probe. Then down from there is a negative value. I got it to work obviously, so maybe it's just me being picky.

Thanks for your input. I'll put it on the list for to-do later. I appreciate that what I did doesn't make sense to everyone trying to use it, so I'm more than happy to try and improve it.

In the manual the language regarding the Diameter Mode LED and Diameter Mode Checkbox was confusing to me in that there is also the radio button in the center for circular pocket as well. After reading that section of the manual several times I realized that I didn't necessarily need the Diameter Mode Checkbox for what I was doing. So I left it unchecked and just changed the radio button to circular. I think an image in the manual clearly showing the Diameter Mod Checkbox would clear this up, I'm still not sure where the LED is?

Trust me, I know the manual needs work....Its just at lower priority than other parts of the actual plugin features I'm working on currently. To clarify; I'll just say that the 'pocket' routine is meant to quickly find centers and basic size of either rectangular or round pockets, the radio button for round/rectangle really only affects what is drawn into the DXF (doesn't affect how the probe routine works at all). The diameter mode is really meant for if you are trying to measure a bores actual diameter and roundness, using a bunch of points.

Thanks again for taking the time to give the plugin a test drive and give me some feed back. It definitely helps. Hopefully it provided a decent usable DXF file for your use.

regards
Eric

I appreciate the clarification on all points. For the record, I hope I didn't come across overly critical, if I have I apologize. More than anything I just wanted to provide constructive feedback. The plugin is pretty epic and I'm confident many will find it useful. I have an ongoing cylinder head project where it will likely continue to be used, if I find any issues i'll let you know.

[eabrust]

I appreciate the clarification on all points. For the record, I hope I didn't come across overly critical, if I have I apologize. More than anything I just wanted to provide constructive feedback. The plugin is pretty epic and I'm confident many will find it useful. I have an ongoing cylinder head project where it will likely continue to be used, if I find any issues i'll let you know.

Hey CL_moto

Everything was taken as excellent constructive feedback, no worries

I mainly wanted to clarify the plugins limitations again (such as the multitask issue), so that others reading along can have a reference as well.

regards
Eric

[eabrust]

Hi Eric
I just checked it on the same computer just running win10 and all opened up ok although the can't can't find control message still pops up so the original problem must be a windows 7 scaling problem.
Cheers
Andrew

Fingers crossed, I think I just finally turned the scaling problem on and off on one of my windows 7 PCs....

Go into the screen settings where you turn on the scaling factor, and hit 'set custom text size DPI', in the little popup box that appears, UNCHECK 'use windows XP style DPI scaling'. After logout/login, With that unchecked, I can run the scaling at 100, 125, or 150 with no load issue.

Hopefully it works for others.


regards
Eric

[thegreatwaldo]

Hi Eric
No Luck i'm afraid. I'll try checking out some other settings. use windows XP style DPI scaling not working tick box greyed out.

Cheers
Andrew

[thegreatwaldo]

Hi Eric
I got it to work when logged in as Administrator. However on my normal loggin the little dpi box is greyed out so i'll have to do some googleing to fix that.

Cheers
Andrew

[eabrust]

Hi UCCNC gang,

Plugin update, I just posted an updated version 1.005 of the plugin to download. This version has a few new tricks, like a 3D viewer to watch the progress of probing data!

V1.005:
3/27/2020
Increased DEMO trial limit to 60 days, increased amount of recordable data while in demo mode.
Added 3D viewer window (thanks to Jason Titcomb for providing source on CodeProject)
Ability to open numerous DXFs, preview, and merge/append probed data to them. Opened DXFs appear in preview.
Changes to Z surface/depth setting. Allows + / – probe z depth now. (Thanks CL_Moto for recommendation)
Made button graphics change with settings such as edge, diameter, rectangle/round modes.

Please note, there is an additional MG_BasicViwer.dll file that must get copied to the UCCNC directory! There is also a 'data' folder in the \plugins\probeit folder you need to copy in. I recommend you save your prior settings .xml file, overwrite all the existing items with those in the new zip file, and then put your old .xml file back.


I will make an installer file for this in the future. As always, please share comments, issues, bugs, etc.


Download location is same as before:
http://www.craftycnc.com/probeit-for-uccnc/, download link at the bottom of the page.


Some demo video of the version (please note, I've already fixed some of the glitches that appear in the video ):



regards
Eric

[CL_MotoTech]

It looks really good! I'll try to get into the updated version tomorrow or Sunday.

Honest question, on the circular pocket shape setting is there any advantage to doing the initial X hits, centering, doing the Y hits, and then doing a second set of X hits? The plugin doesn't do this currently, but fairly often I notice I just don't get all the close in Y while jogging the probe around, and that means the X hits can be on a fairly flat section of the circle relative to the motion. Theoretically it shouldn't matter, but in practice does it?

[eabrust]

Honest question, on the circular pocket shape setting is there any advantage to doing the initial X hits, centering, doing the Y hits, and then doing a second set of X hits? The plugin doesn't do this currently, but fairly often I notice I just don't get all the close in Y while jogging the probe around, and that means the X hits can be on a fairly flat section of the circle relative to the motion. Theoretically it shouldn't matter, but in practice does it?

Hi CL_Moto,

I guess it depends on your expectation of what you're trying to measure.

If the goal is to mainly find the center of the pocket and get a 'rough' size, I'd say that is what the pocket routine (in circle mode) is intended for. It does as few hits as possible to find the center location. Going back and repeating X after Y is centered won't change the x-center location (unless the hole is really not round at all). Right now, at the end of the pocket routine, diameter for the DXF drawing is calculated by averaging the x and y widths that were measured. I could just make it go off of y only, which would probably give a better result since the y-measurement is taken after x-center is found, so then x being 'off' wouldn't affect the result... I'll probably change that in the future!

Now if the goal is to measure diameter as close as possible, that is why 'diameter mode' is there, it truly centers on both x and y, prior to sampling a bunch of points around the ID (in effect, doing what you're asking about).


regards,
Eric

[eabrust]

Hi Eric
I got it to work when logged in as Administrator. However on my normal loggin the little dpi box is greyed out so i'll have to do some googleing to fix that.

Cheers
Andrew

Hi Andrew, thanks, are you confirming that unchecking the box fixed it also? If so, it seems like that is on the right track as being the issue!


regards
Eric