Bill: Have you figured out a way to map the xyz probe function to a keyboard shortcut, then the game controller?
I guess I didn’t think of doing it because my PC and mouse are located immediately to the left of the front left corner of my table so I’m right there placing the probe block anyway, but it does sound like a useful addition. There are unused buttons on the Controller, but I don’t think there’s a keyboard shortcut for the probe actions, only the probe module. I’ll have to look when I get home.
Bill: I’m using you. 
I don’t think that there is any way to assign a keystroke to the “find edges” command in probe, either. Without that, I can’t assign a button on my controller. I was just hoping that you were smarter than me and found a way. In the list of keymaps, I can only see one to bring up the probe module.
I was wondering if there is some way to program a macro to do it. Then we can assign a key to the macro???
Well, I gave up on the F310, Bill. It was just too glitchy. However, I’ve had a wired keypad kicking around since a former life keying in many numbers on a laptop. I used the map feature in UGS to map its keys to the Mill’s functions and it is working very well.
Other’s here may find this useful, and an very inexpensive way to be able to be up close and personal to your job while controlling the Mill.
An extra keyboard work well. You can also get small wired/wireless keypads so you don’t have to move the full size one around. I’ve been pretty satisfied with the game controller.
Gwilki, did you use JoyToKey like Bill did? Same or similar configuration? Or did you just straight map it to UGS? I just ordered a keypad like yours. Also downloaded JoyToKey. Any help appreciated. Tired of using a USB wired mouse and trying to watch a 17" monitor 4’ away. Definitely think this will help a lot.
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There is no need to use joytokey, since I’m not using a joystick. I just used the key mapping feature in UGS. It worked first time out. I did labels in photoshop, printed them to sticky labels and stuck them on. You can’t map the esc, tab, calc, numlock and enter keys. I didn’t map any keys with numlock turned off, but that would give you the same number again. I figure that I’m OK with what I have. So far, so good. If I can be of any help, just let me know.
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Thanks gwilki. I will give it a shot and see what happens when it gets here. Do you still have a regular full sized keyboard hooked up? If so does that affect using the remote keypad? I guess seeing as how it’s wireless USB it will operate independantly. Did you have to remap the keys or use the UGS defaults? I found some labels on one of the forums while researching using the pendant feature. I’ll attach a jpg but it’s a pdf so I can send to anyone that wants it. This person used some now defunct program to map the keys so some of them can’t be used. Also the black squares are for helping to hide the original keys so they don’t bleed through. Just glue it behind the keypad overlays before cutting out.
H: I didn’t use the UGS defaults. If I recall, they use ctrl+ characters, which don’t really lend themselves to a keypad. I started a new profile, deleted all the defaults and created my own mappings.
I do have a keyboard hooked up. I use the computer for more than just running UGS. I have a wired mouse, too. With the keyboard, I just need to remember that, if UGS is running, the keypad numbers are no longer numbers, they are UGS controls. I’ve goofed a couple of times.
I saw that set of stickers on Instrutables, but decided on my own. He did his on paper and used glue. I did mine on waterproof labels that I got on amazon. Each label is a full sheet, size A4. I did them big enough that I didn’t need a backing to black out the key character. The label itself does that. There are lots of ways to skin this cat. Have fun.
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Thank you sir. That helps considerably. I will check out the water proof labels. They should last longer than plain paper. It will be nice to not have to look back and forth to the computer screen to accomplish a simple task.
Here’s the one that I bought on amazon.ca, H.
Sticker Paper Quality Waterproof A4 White Matter Self Adhesive Sticky Back Label Printing Paper Sheet Inkjet Laser Printable (10 Sheets)
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G, a couple more questions. What are the 2 xy left and right keys for? I’m guessing, increase/decrease jog feed rate or distance. What is the “send” key for? Again I’m guessing, to send a command to grbl. Do you use it with num lock on or off? That brings up a thought, can num lock be used to alter the numeric key functions so there would be 9/10 more function capabilities? That’s it for now. Thanks.
H: You guessed it. The xy+ and xy- keys increase the step size of the two axes for manually jogging the machine.
The send key sends the tool path to the Mill, just as the send “arrow” icon does in UGS.
I almost always leave numlock on, but you are right. You could turn off numlock and get several more commands. Since doing the labels, I’ve added the command to multiply the xy step size by 10 and divide the xy step size by 10. These are mappable commands in the keymap feature of UGS. I mapped them to the same keys are the xy+ and xy- keys. It keeps it simple. I don’t use them much, usually when I am mounting a board, to get the gantry out of the way. But, they are handy to have.
Generally, though, I find that I don’t need any more commands and keeping numlock on keeps things simple. I just know that if I mapped more keys with numlock off, I would screw up and hit a key thinking something was going to happen and something else would. Really, the only time that I use a mouse now is to open the toolpath file and to use the probe. I wouldn’t mind being able to map the probe functions to the keypad, but they are not mappable in UGS.
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Thanks G. I guess the best thing to do now is play around with it and see what happens. Most likely without a bit in the router. Like you I don’t want to much confusion with too many key options. Using the KISS principle is always best.
Grant, looks like a great solution. Anything you can do to get away from the full size keyboard is a plus. I still keep the monitor close so I can see what the jg speeds and increments are.
Tks, Bill. Like you, I keep my monitor close - it’s on an arm. I like this keypad though. It’s handy to be watching the bit while moving it around. I wouldn’t have thought of it at all if not for your controller post. Many ways to skin a cat.
Grant, did my setup and testing. Sweet! I love the keypad. Thanks to you and Bill for posting this type of info. I think I need to move my monitor closer like you guys. My vision isn’t what it used to be. Did you buy or build your monitor arm? I tried putting it on the back side of the table but it’s too far away. Two choices - a much bigger monitor or on an arm or platform much closer. Oh well! One more thing to do.
H: I bought this one from Amazon
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07CHKWNKC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have spare monitors, so this was the only cost. My Mill sits close to my mitre saw bench, which has vertical panels to keep the dust contained. I was able to mount this arm on one of the panels. The monitor swings away when I want to use the mitre saw, but I can bring it in close so that my old eyes can see what I’m doing when I’m playing with the Mill.
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Another data point to this older thread… I tried today to use a new Xbox One Bluetooth compatible controller with the Longmill. Had to use a fairly recent version of UGS that has the Joystick option tab under Tools > Options > UGS > Joystick.
It worked great (after pairng my controller to the laptop) except it was skipping, like I was making repeated tiny inputs. It turns out there is a widely reported problem with Xbox One controllers having what is known as “stick drift” in one or more of the analog controllers. The problem is extremely well documented on the Internet, and one guy filed a lawsuit in Western Washington just a few days ago (class action) suit against Microsoft because they haven’t been fixing controllers outside of the 90 day warrant (which I am now outside of).
My controller is effectively brand news as I bought a new racing wheel with an Xbox One X just before Christmas and this controller has maybe been used for 5 minutes as I can do everything from the wheel. So I thought, wouldn’t it make a great pendant. And boy does it work smoothly and beautifully when it works. If I can get it repaired it will be brilliant to have, but right now I would say it is a major safety worry to having a drifting controller wirelessly connected to the system.
Anyone else seen this?
-Jeff
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