Show me your Custom VCP's!

All things related to the Centroid Acorn CNC Controller

Moderator: cnckeith

XYZgnomon
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat May 14, 2022 3:34 pm
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Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by XYZgnomon »

cnckeith wrote: Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:09 pm here is example of modified v4.99 vcp. using lower right for any use you want. (or any space on the vcp for that matter), with simple human readable text file (xml) edits

example vcp v4.99.png


<button row="1" column="1">spindle_plus</button>
<button row="1" column="2">spindle_auto_man</button>
<button row="1" column="3">spin_warm</button>
<button row="2" column="4">set_z0</button>
<button row="2" column="5">auto_z_plate</button>
<button row="6" column="1">rapid_over</button>
<button row="2" column="1">spindle_100</button>
<button row="2" column="2">spindle_cw</button>
<button row="2" column="3">set_xy0</button>
<button row="2" column="6">park</button>
<button row="3" column="1">spindle_minus</button>
<button row="3" column="2">spindle_ccw</button>
<button row="3" column="3">laser_set_xy</button>
<button row="3" column="4">m55</button>
<button row="3" column="5">goto_xy0</button>
<button row="3" column="6">limit_switch_defeat</button>
<button row="4" column="1">spindle_cancel</button>
<button row="4" column="2">spindle_start</button>
<button row="4" column="3">popup_pins</button>
<button row="4" column="4">goto_machine_xy0</button>
<button row="4" column="5">m58</button>
<button row="4" column="6">reset_home</button>
<button row="5" column="2">coolant_auto_man</button>
<button row="5" column="3">dust_collector</button>
<button row="5" column="4">hold_down_vac</button>
<button row="5" column="5">air_blow</button>
<button row="5" column="6">work_light</button>
<button row="6" column="2">incr_cont</button>
<button row="6" column="3">x1</button>
<button row="6" column="4">x10</button>
<button row="6" column="5">x100</button>
<button row="6" column="6">mpg</button>
<button row="7" column="2">4th_positive</button>
<button row="7" column="4">y_positive</button>
<button row="7" column="6">z_positive</button>
<button row="8" column="3">x_negative</button>
<button row="7" column="3">x_negative_y_positive</button>
<button row="7" column="5">x_positive_y_positive</button>
<button row="9" column="3">x_negative_y_negative</button>
<button row="9" column="5">x_positive_y_negative</button>
<button row="8" column="4">tortoise_hare</button>
<button row="8" column="5">x_positive</button>
<button row="9" column="2">4th_negative</button>
<button row="9" column="4">y_negative</button>
<button row="9" column="6">z_negative</button>
<button row="14" column="4">cycle_cancel</button>
<button row="10" column="3">single_block</button>
<button row="10" column="4">tool_check</button>
<button row="10" column="5">feed_hold</button>
<button row="14" column="6">cycle_start</button>
<button row="12" column="1" column_span="3" row_span="3">reset</button>
<button row="12" column="4">feedrate_negative</button>
<button row="12" column="5">feedrate_100</button>
<button row="12" column="6">feedrate_positive</button>
<button row="13" column="4">25_percent</button>
<button row="13" column="5">50_percent</button>
<button row="13" column="6">75_percent</button>
I've been playing around with it, and it's fantastic! Thank you for addressing the buttons issue.

Since I don't actually have an Acorn yet, I can't test something I just discovered. Is cycle cancel actually a reset button (like "Internal Stop" combined with "GoTo" & "0" in Heidenhain or "Cancel" in Haas), and feed hold is a separate button? I would be tempted to make the cycle cancel button SVG actually just the skin for feed hold and make cycle cancel a different SVG.

The attached graphic is just a late night doodle, but the idea is to start moving the often-tapped buttons to the far right and bottom edges of the screen, and use the center field for less often used buttons. Feedrate, rapids and spindle overrides will be physical controls, if that's even possible. I would likely omit the jog soft buttons too.

I have a 2'x3' Avid Benchtop Pro router just like Clough42, and it was a pandemic hobby project that outlived its original intended purpose, which is a long story. I decided to actually finish the machine itself, but then I ran into unforeseen issues like the very apparent difference between hobby CNC control software and the controls I use at work. Centroid seemed better than most in just about every way except for the bizarro placement of some buttons, which seems solved now! Now I have to figure out whether to drill out the NEMA34 mounting holes in the Clearpath axis motors I bought, or grind down the OD of some M6 hardware. Neither of these options seem especially attractive in what is turning out to be a US$10K investment. So... pardon my pettiness on the button issue.

There are still a few kinks I have to figure out, like how to remove the feedrate override window frame. I like the number display though, and I would like to see a similar box that has feedrate % override, spindle speed % override & rapids % override, all together. Not VCP-related, but I like to machine with feed-per-tooth and surface speed, since I used to run a lathe - and those are good data points anyway. You should consider integrating this if you are overhauling CNC12.

Screenshot 2022-12-04 212103.png
cnckeith
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Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by cnckeith »

Yes you can do all that.
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
cncsnw
Posts: 3763
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:48 pm

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by cncsnw »

"Feed Hold" means pause motion and G code processing, without interrupting the job. Press Cycle Start to resume motion and processing.

"Cycle Cancel" means interrupt the job, so that it is no longer running. Motion stops, spindle and coolant stop. Servo power remains on, with the axes holding position wherever they stopped.

"Reset" triggers a Fault condition. Job is cancelled, motion stops, spindle and coolant stop, and the emergency stop contactor opens so that the axes are no longer holding position.

Also: "Tool Check" is a lot like Cycle Cancel, even though it acts superficially like a "pause". When you press Tool Check, the job stops running, spindle and coolant are turned off, servo power remains on and the axes hold position. CNC12 automatically puts you on the "Resume Job" screen (F1/Resume under the F4/Run menu), so that pressing Cycle Start will start the job at the beginning of the move that was in progress when you interrupted the job, instead of starting at the beginning of the job.
Yelleke
Posts: 26
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Location: Belgium

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by Yelleke »

Because of the cold winter months ahead, my power cabinet and servos are moved from the wooden ched into the house, scared off condense

Work in progress
Power cabinet, needs relais board for the drive ok alarm
Power cabinet, needs relais board for the drive ok alarm
Door need wheels and bended plexi glass
Door need wheels and bended plexi glass
hate the blue background
hate the blue background

:oops: Yelleke
There are no stupid questions.
There are only stupid answers.
cnckeith
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Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by cnckeith »

cool thanks for posting. fyi..next version of cnc12 has a color picker so you can change the CNC12 colors to match your vcp (if you like)
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
cnckeith
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:23 pm
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DC3IOB: Yes
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Contact:

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by cnckeith »

XYZgnomon wrote: Mon Dec 05, 2022 1:51 am
like how to remove the feedrate override window frame.
borders and backgrounds are in the skin.vcp xml file at the top of the file.


<vcp_skin>
<border>
<column_span>2</column_span>
<column_start>1</column_start>
<fill>#00007F</fill>
<row_span>4</row_span>
<row_start>1</row_start>
<outline_color>#000000</outline_color>
<outline_thickness>2</outline_thickness>
</border>
<border>
<column_span>4</column_span>
<column_start>1</column_start>
<fill>Transparent</fill>
<row_span>1</row_span>
<row_start>5</row_start>
<outline_color>#000000</outline_color>
<outline_thickness>2</outline_thickness>
</border>
<border>
<column_span>3</column_span>
<column_start>4</column_start>
<fill>Transparent</fill>
<row_span>3</row_span>
<row_start>11</row_start>
<outline_color>#000000</outline_color>
<outline_thickness>1</outline_thickness>
<plc_word>
<number>31</number>
<color>#000000</color>
<fontsize>22</fontsize>
<font>Sergio UI</font>
<fontstyle>bold</fontstyle>
<verticalalignment>center</verticalalignment>
<horizontalalignment>center</horizontalalignment>
<marginbottom>100</marginbottom>
<marginright>20</marginright>
</plc_word>
</border>
<image>
<column_span>1</column_span>
<column_start>1</column_start>
<row_span>1</row_span>
<row_start>5</row_start>
<path>C:\cnct\resources\vcp\images\coolant.svg</path>
</image>
<image>
<column_span>3</column_span>
<column_start>4</column_start>
<row_span>1</row_span>
<row_start>1</row_start>
<path>C:\cnct\resources\vcp\images\acornlogo.svg</path>
</image>
<image>
<column_span>3</column_span>
<column_start>4</column_start>
<row_span>1</row_span>
<row_start>11</row_start>
<path>C:\cnct\resources\vcp\images\feedrate_override.svg</path>
</image>
<on_click>
<opacity>100</opacity>
<outline_color>#000000</outline_color>
</on_click>
<on_hover>
<opacity>100</opacity>
<outline_color>#ffffff</outline_color>
</on_hover>
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
Yelleke
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri May 20, 2022 6:53 pm
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CNC Control System Serial Number: Classified Information
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Belgium

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by Yelleke »

removed the led_off_color from my buttons
I want them to highlight when they are on
led off colors removed
led off colors removed
ledoff.png (85.92 KiB) Viewed 1938 times
cnckeith wrote: Mon Dec 19, 2022 4:16 pm
borders and backgrounds are in the skin.vcp xml file at the top of the file.

<vcp_skin>
<image>
<column_span>3</column_span>
<column_start>4</column_start>
<row_span>1</row_span>
<row_start>11</row_start>
<path>C:\cnct\resources\vcp\images\feedrate_override.svg</path>
</image>
I guess this is from the newer version, as I have searched a lot to change the font color of this override image.
There are no stupid questions.
There are only stupid answers.
Yelleke
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri May 20, 2022 6:53 pm
Acorn CNC Controller: Yes
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DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: No
CPU10 or CPU7: No
Location: Belgium

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by Yelleke »

Voila, my VCP is finished.


the orange square is where my mouse floats
the orange square is where my mouse floats

jog_slow.png

:ugeek: Yelleke
There are no stupid questions.
There are only stupid answers.
cnckeith
Posts: 7166
Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:23 pm
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Contact:

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by cnckeith »

nice thanks for posting!
Need support? READ THIS POST first. http://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1043
All Acorn Documentation is located here: viewtopic.php?f=60&t=3397
Answers to common questions: viewforum.php?f=63
and here viewforum.php?f=61
Gear we use but don't sell. https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... _gear.html
Chipwelder
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 12:16 am
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CNC Control System Serial Number: 102139, 20D7787D9392-0817226460
DC3IOB: No
CNC12: Yes
CNC11: Yes
CPU10 or CPU7: No

Re: Show me your Custom VCP's!

Post by Chipwelder »

Trying to customize basic VCP.
1. Have read and searched every link in install manual, have pvc programming manual bookmarked for access and search and I read it. I am trying to program the spindle on and off buttons to an output relay. I cannot find any info on the skin event numbers and how they implement a button[/color][/b] [/color][/size]parameter hardware action. i.e. How do I get the green button to toggle output 5 on and off to run my spindle? There is a SV PLC function to do that but how do you do that?

2. How does the control software know which vcl file to load. There are 4 in the folder.
3. What happened to the CNTR I I-O diagnostic screen?
4. The reset button is very confusingly similar in color and and location to the e-stop button on my Centroid lathe control. Documentation says it is not and should not be used as e-stop, but under axis trouble shooting it cautions to make sure it is not tripped. What does it do?

Unrelated to VCP issues but none of the font editing features work on my computer. If I try to sue them I get a code description i.e. if I try to change a color I I get this. Very interesting. In the preview mode the font changes color color =#80 gibberish doesn't show.
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