Re: My MiniGcode creator software
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
I may still have the barebones of a conversational programming C# project on my computer somewhere.
I started one a few years ago, mostly to force myself to learn how to code desktop apps, so there is lots I'd do differently now.
Although IIRC I wrote it using the older WinForms (Windows Forms) GUI. If I was to do something now, I'd use WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) which uses XAML for the GUI.
Interesting - I was waiting for visual studio to download and went to browse this thread so good timing! Now it has finished installing I’m sat here looking at the myriad of coding options and I feel a bit overwhelmed. I can see the WPF option and it offers both Visual Basic and C#.
Given that I would want to release a standalone executable at the end with a GUI to create custom gcode is there a preference? I’m looking at the WPF with VB option and my existing code out of Excel VBA would pretty much drop straight in at first glance, whereas C# would need rewriting. Sorry for the question but do you have experience of any downside to WPF with VB as I’m leaning that way now?
Also apologies to the rest of the users as this thread is going quite deep!
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
You can code the backend in pretty much whatever language Visual Studio supports, but some will be better supported than others.
I knew a bit C. and quite a bit C++, and have a good understanding of OOP, so C# was the natural choice for me.
I did do a Udemy C# course, as although I'd done lots of embedded coding, I'd never written a desktop app.
Udemy courses can often be had for not much money, and some of them are very worthwhile.
If you want to see what I did, send me your email, and I'll send a zip file across.
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
Quote:
Originally Posted by
m_c
You can code the backend in pretty much whatever language Visual Studio supports, but some will be better supported than others.
I knew a bit C. and quite a bit C++, and have a good understanding of OOP, so C# was the natural choice for me.
I did do a Udemy C# course, as although I'd done lots of embedded coding, I'd never written a desktop app.
Udemy courses can often be had for not much money, and some of them are very worthwhile.
If you want to see what I did, send me your email, and I'll send a zip file across.
OK great. Will do when I get back from work tonight.
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
1 Attachment(s)
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
Here is the followup video showing the updates to the Mini Gcode creator, and how you can download the BETA version of the modules to import into your copy of Excel. You need to extract all 3 files from the zip but only need to manually import 2 of them (the .frm is the form and the .cls is the workbook code, the .frx is loaded automatically by Excel).
The video explains how to import the files into Excel.
Lee, if you feel this is better in the Open Source section as a thread then feel free to move the whole thing there. Just let me know if you do that as the Youtube video currently points to this thread for others to download the modules.
https://youtu.be/tNKDaSjpq70
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
I will have to look out my dreadful attempt and share it with you, I covered PCD and peck drilling. I started out using GRBL but due to its limited G & M command set i couldn't use any canned cycles so i was trying to develop code in dot net to run in the background behind the grbl panel Gui. I'm a little spoilt as i now have a Haas Mini Mill but the concept of being able to quickly write conversational code is interesting. It might be worth considering the possibility of offering both full fanuc standard GCode commands and an option to do a hard coded version for hobby machines. I found it hard to aquire examples of hand coded functions of canned cycles, I couldn't understand why in the dark ages of machining that it wasn't common to have something like peck drilling written in G01s and X,Y,Z moves instead of G81, G73, G83 commands etc. It has to have a feeds and speeds calculator and an area which no one else covers Drill speeds, tapping and facemills. Ive searched for ages to find a decent calculator to help find the right feeds and speeds for multi-flute indexed facemills. Ill look my code out over the next few days and message it to you.
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
Hi Jason
OK pm it over and I’ll have a look.
Re: My MiniGcode creator software
This has just reminded me that I never replied to your email.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JasonT
I will have to look out my dreadful attempt and share it with you, I covered PCD and peck drilling. I started out using GRBL but due to its limited G & M command set i couldn't use any canned cycles so i was trying to develop code in dot net to run in the background behind the grbl panel Gui. I'm a little spoilt as i now have a Haas Mini Mill but the concept of being able to quickly write conversational code is interesting. It might be worth considering the possibility of offering both full fanuc standard GCode commands and an option to do a hard coded version for hobby machines. I found it hard to aquire examples of hand coded functions of canned cycles, I couldn't understand why in the dark ages of machining that it wasn't common to have something like peck drilling written in G01s and X,Y,Z moves instead of G81, G73, G83 commands etc. It has to have a feeds and speeds calculator and an area which no one else covers Drill speeds, tapping and facemills. Ive searched for ages to find a decent calculator to help find the right feeds and speeds for multi-flute indexed facemills. Ill look my code out over the next few days and message it to you.
Ultimately because of memory limitations.
When you only had 128k of memory available to store programs, all those G01 blocks add up.
Plus for hand coding, and repetitive cycles, a canned cycle makes much more sense.