Tech support for Javascript Macros in CONTROL

As per Peters post above the link to function JobNeedsHoming is already built in to the control software.
so couldn't you just call it before the run of pop up window and it will flash a message.



function jobNeedsHoming() {
if (editor.getValue().lastIndexOf("G53") != -1 || editor.getValue().lastIndexOf("g53") != -1) {
if (laststatus !== undefined) {
if (laststatus.machine.modals.homedRecently == false) {
var dialog = Metro.dialog.create({
clsDialog: 'dark',
title: "<i class='fas fa-exclamation-triangle'></i> Job uses Machine Coordinates:",
content: "<i class='fas fa-exclamation-triangle fg-darkRed'></i> Tip: The GCODE file you loaded contains G53 commands. Please make sure to HOME the machine to establish the Machine Coordinate (G53) System properly to prevent crashes.",
actions: [{
caption: "Close",
cls: "js-dialog-close",
onclick: function() {
//
}
}]
});
}
}
}
}

 

Hey Misterg, I was testing this again after setting the macro to run on startup which it did fine.
homed the machine, ran the macro from the button, and it didn't have the reference tool populated so I did a manual probe, reran the macro and the reference tool had it set. moved to tool change location, then hit the new tool button and it moved back to G30 and proceeded to dive into the probe.. not sure what changed because it worked fine the other day. now getting alarm 2 and alarm 9.

excerpt from serial log here
[12:35:30] Tool Offset Dialog Opened
[12:35:40] [ G21 ] ok
[12:35:40] [ $G ] [GC:G38.3 G54 G17 G21 G90 G94 M5 M9 T0 F50]
[12:35:40] [ $G ] ok
[12:35:40] [ G53 G0 Z-5 ] ok
[12:35:40] [ G30 G91 X0 Y0 ] ok
[12:35:40] [ $G ] [GC:G0 G54 G17 G21 G91 G94 M5 M9 T0 F50]
[12:35:40] [ $G ] ok
[12:35:40] [ JOB COMPLETE ] Job completed in 00h00m
[12:35:40] [ G30 G91 Z0 ] ok
[12:35:40] [ $G ] [GC:G0 G54 G17 G21 G91 G94 M5 M9 T0 F50]
[12:35:40] [ $G ] ok
[12:35:49] [ G21 ] ok
[12:35:49] [ $G ] [GC:G0 G54 G17 G21 G91 G94 M5 M9 T0 F50]
[12:35:49] [ $G ] ok
[12:35:49] [ ALARM ] ALARM: 2 - G-code motion target exceeds machine travel. Machine position safely retained. Alarm may be unlocked. [ G38.3 Z-50 F200 ]
[12:35:50] [ ] ALARM: 2 - G-code motion target exceeds machine travel. Machine position safely retained. Alarm may be unlocked. [ G38.3 Z-50 F200 ]
[12:35:50] [ G38.3 Z-50 F200 ] ALARM:2
[12:35:50] [ G38.3 Z-50 F200 ] [MSG:Reset to continue]
[12:35:50] [ G38.3 Z-50 F200 ] ok
[12:35:50] [ G4 P0.4 ] Grbl 1.1h Evolution 4 ['$' for help]
[12:35:50] [ G4 P0.4 ] [MSG:'$H'|'$X' to unlock]
[12:35:50] [ ] error: 9 - G-code locked out during alarm or jog state [ G4 P0.4 ]<hr>This error may just be a symptom of an earlier event:<br> ALARM: 2 - G-code motion target exceeds machine travel. Machine position safely retained. Alarm may be unlocked.
[12:35:50] [ ERROR ] error: 9 - G-code locked out during alarm or jog state [ G4 P0.4 ]
This error may just be a symptom of an earlier event:
ALARM: 2 - G-code motion target exceeds machine travel. Machine position safely retained. Alarm may be unlocked.
[12:35:50] [ G4 P0.4 ] error:9
[12:36:00] [ ] Grbl 1.1h Evolution 4 ['$' for help]
[12:36:00] [ ] [MSG:'$H'|'$X' to unlock]
[12:36:00] [ ] [MSG:Caution: Unlocked]
[12:36:00] [ ] ok
[12:36:01] Tool Offset Dialog Exited

had a look at the console log as well
Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'expand')
at probezplatetab (probev2.js:254:55)
at probetype (probev2.js:305:5)
at openProbeDialog (probev2.js:62:5)
at HTMLButtonElement.onclick ((index):234:104)
websocket.js:407 error: 3 - Grbl '$' system command was not recognized or supported. [ $J=G91G21Z5F1000 ]
websocket.js:369 ALARM: 4 - Probe fail. The probe is not in the expected initial state before starting probe cycle, where G38.2 and G38.3 is not triggered and G38.4 and G38.5 is triggered. [ G38.3 Z-7 F50 ]
websocket.js:407 error: 9 - G-code locked out during alarm or jog state [ G4 P0.4 ]<hr>This error may just be a symptom of an earlier event:<br> ALARM: 4 - Probe fail. The probe is not in the expected initial state before starting probe cycle, where G38.2 and G38.3 is not triggered and G38.4 and G38.5 is triggered.
websocket.js:369 ALARM: 3 - Reset while in motion. Grbl cannot guarantee position. Lost steps are likely. Re-homing is highly recommended. [ undefined ]
VM134:258 New Tool Probe
VM134:259 Measured Tool Offset-57.673
VM134:260 Current WCS Z offset -77.74
VM134:261 Previous Tool Offset -57.023
VM134:262 Previous WCS Offset -77.76
VM134:263 New WCS Offset -78.390
websocket.js:253 jobComplete
Object
websocket.js:269 Completed: complete / Filename: / Estimated Runtime: 00h:00m / Streaming Runtime: 00h00m / Start Date: Sat Apr 01 2023 12:35:39 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) / End Date: Sat Apr 01 2023 12:35:40 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Ok so after reading this over , I think it boils down to the g38.3 is not finding the probe because I reset the g30 location and stopped it to high above the probe block. gonna reset g30 and try again.
I apologize for any issues. I am really trying to get this to work for me, and I will, just a bit slow......

 

I did as you suggested and reset G30 higher than it was. I had come to the same conclusion after the errors using the macro. As for my earlier comment about setting the reference tool with the regular probe macro it was done after canceling your macro. It did retain reference tool settings. so after making sure it had the 50mm or so. Everything worked well. I had an issue with consistent measurements of the tool. Which I think is due to my placement of the probe. I had earlier milled a spot on the wasteboard to accurately place the probe but I am getting inconsistent results measuring the same tool multiple times. Several thou differences each time. Tomorrow I will try a few things short of permanently fixing the probe to a spot. Much the same as a bit setter would be set up. Stay tuned. And I am glad I’m able to help shake this out.

 

So part of my consistency problem was the acme nut is worn out on my Zscrew. I had about 3 mm play along the z. I have it torn apart and waiting for a new one. Will get back to it after new nut and re-tram.

 

I am new to Macros so I tried this one but when it ran, the units were in inches (which was fine) but there were 15 decimals! Is there a way to round it off to 2 decimal places or even a fraction?

 

I appreciate your quick reply, but I am still a little lost. From the little I recall about JAVAscript, you said that with the toFixed() method, I need to set the output variable to a fixed # of decimals but I am not sure what the variable is or where to add the function in the macro.

 

Hi. I've been using the Control software for a few months now, and I started thinking about some usability improvements. One thing that I would love to have is a button to reload the last g-code file. However looking at the source code I don't see it being stored anywhere - just the name and extension.

This will be a trivial change to the software's source code, but I'd like to have it as a macro if possible. My idea is to clone the readFile function with one that actually stores the full file path. This requires copying the socket.on("openFile") handler as well.

And that's where I hit the first snag (possibly of many more to come) - I can't figure out how to get dialog.showOpenDialog to work. I tried multiple syntaxes inside a macro, and nothing worked.

I am not an expert in Javascript, and completely new to electron and node.js. So as anyone would do in this situation, I turned to StackOverflow. I found a simple example of a message box, that also didn't work inside a macro:

Code:

const { dialog, BrowserWindow } = require ("electron");

dialog.showMessageBox (BrowserWindow.getFocusedWindow(), {
  type: "warning",
  message: "You have been warned.",
  buttons: ["OK"]
});

I get the error "Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'showMessageBox')"

Is there a trick to getting the dialog library to work from a macro?

Also, is my goal doomed to fail? I'd really like to avoid editing the source code if possible.

 

No, I don't mean across sessions. Just to improve the iteration loop - tweak something in Fusion, post-process, then click a button to reload.

I will pour over the examples. Thanks!

P.S. I am using your tweak to remove the dropdown menu from the file button, which saves me a click when reloading. Thanks for that!

 

So it is true that even if I solve the file dialog issue, there is no way I would be able to do operations like fs.readFile and such?

Out of curiosity, is there a way to get the dialog module to work inside a macro? That's not directly related to accessing the file system.

 

Yeah, I ended up modifying index.js. It works perfectly. The hardest part was figuring out which icon to use for the button.

 

Hi misterg, I just tried your new version and the only comment I have is. It always resets back to z0. If I had previously set z0 to top of stock. The machine coordinates are not remembered correctly. It saves x and y 0’s but goes back to the waste board z 0. So as a tool change procedure in the middle of a job it requires you to reset using the probe again, and if your original settings were top of stock if kinda fails. The offset seems to work correctly. Have a think. Let me know if it’s possible to save the machine z setting as well.

 

Maybe. Having said all that I think I just realized that I was doing this without an actual piece of stock. Give me a few minutes and I’ll get back to you.

 

Ok my apologies. It does work. I’m not not sure what I was thinking. Hit the top of stock perfectly. Not enough coffee I guess. Keep up the good work. I am gonna try with the homed status set to yes.

 

well I'm almost there. As i said before my machine was out of service for a couple of weeks. so just getting back to it. Thanks for your patience. I'm gonna share this macro with my group of cnc-ers at BobsCNC. you get all the credit.