QUESTION? what sender is needed for embroidery mode?

[Ams-Laser]

what UI or sender shall be used for embroidery mode?
Thanks

[terjeio]

Any sender that can list files and start streaming a selected one from the SD card -> most?
If it does not have a SD card UI then if $F lists the files in the console you can copy/paste the desired path to a $F= command in the MDI to start streaming?

[gwcSoftware]

I have tried using iosender with grblHAL ESP32 to access the sd card on an ESP32-Wrover but the sd card initialization always fails. I can access the card using SDMMC mode tutorial provided by Freenove the mfr of the Wrover controller that I have.

I want to test out the embroidery plugin but I can not get the sd card to mount.

Any info on how to get access to the sd card?

[terjeio]

I just downloaded a Web Builder build to my test board and the SD card works with that.
Which board are you using?
Which version of grlHAL ($I output)?

[gwcSoftware]

I just downloaded a Web Builder build to my test board and the SD card works with that. Which board are you using? Which version of grlHAL ($I output)?

What was the board you used?

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [VER:1.1f.20241016:]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [OPT:VNSL,100,1024,3,0]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [AXS:3:XYZ]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [NEWOPT:ENUMS,RT+,REBOOT,SED,RTC,WIFI,SD]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [FIRMWARE:grblHAL]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [SIGNALS:RHSP]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [FREE MEMORY:190K]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [DRIVER:ESP32]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [DRIVER VERSION:241003]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [DRIVER OPTIONS:v4.4.3-dirty]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [BOARD:BlackBox X32]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [AUX IO:1,0,0,0]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [WIFI MAC:cc:7b:5c:98:8d:59]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [IP:192.168.5.1]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [ESP-NOW Initialized]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [PLUGIN:SDCARD v1.13]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [PLUGIN:FS macro plugin v0.09]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] [PLUGIN:EMBROIDERY v0.06]

[18:33:02] [ $I ] ok

I have the Blackbox X32 Controller from Openbuilds and it has an sd card but it does not mount using the default build of grblHAL on that controller. The .map file is set to use SPI. This controller has the ESP32-WROOM-32 chip.

I have a FREENOVE ESP32-WROVER- that has an SD Card and trying to use it for testing instead of using the BlackboxX32 Controller directly. As stated above, if I use SDMMC config, then the SD Card mounts on my test board. But the BlackboxX32 is configured for SPI and when using that mode the SD Card fails to initialize. I have tried both sets of pins on the test board for configuring SPI but have had no luck getting the sd card to initialize. I've also tried adding pull-up resistors on the pins as recommended.

[terjeio]

Have you tried cards of different brands?
FYI both my test board and my Blackbox X32 works so I assume the firmware is ok. I am using a 32GB Sandisk card:

[gwcSoftware]

Ok, thanks for your response. I'll keep trying on my end. It's good to know you are working on the X32.

[gwcSoftware]

Ok, I used WebBuilder to create the firmware. I selected the sdcard and the embroidery plugin to be included in the build. I installed the firmware on my BlackboxX32 and was able to get the sdcard to initialize and list the files. However, it still is not woring on my ESP32 test board. But since it works on the BlackboxX32, I can use it to test the embroidery plugin. One question I have is: Does the WebBuilder use the same source as is available for download from github for a local build?

Also, I am a little confused as to how to use the embroidery plugin though.

I see the embroidery plugin listed when the controller starts but how do I submit a job for the embroidery plugin to process?
Does the $f= command only work with the embroidery plugin? Is that the method to submit a job to the embroidery plugin? Is there any other configuration needed to enable the plugin?

[terjeio]

Does the WebBuilder use the same source as is available for download from github for a local build?

Yes, but it sometimes lags a little behind when changes are mostly inconsequential for web builds.

I see the embroidery plugin listed when the controller starts but how do I submit a job for the embroidery plugin to process?

By running it from the SD card with the $F command, e.g. $F=\myfile.pes. More info here. You can not send .pes or .dst files via the serial port!

Does the $f= command only work with the embroidery plugin?

No, it works with regular gcode as well. The embroidery plugin kicks in when a .pes or .dst file is opened on the SD card and translates the commands directly to motion, bypassing the gcode parser.

Is there any other configuration needed to enable the plugin?

Yes, see the readme.

FYI ioSender can be used to start the files, and has a download and run option that gets a gcode version of the translated file that it uses for displaying before running it from the SD card. See this discussion for some background.

[gwcSoftware]

Thanks for your response.

I have been able to use iosender to submit a .dst and it runs my x/y steppers. So I am confident that is working now. I just need to get the machine connected to test out the next steps and actually get it stitching.

[gwcSoftware]

I spoke too soon I'm afraid!

When I submitted the DST file from the sdcard the first time it appeared to be processing the dst file and was activating the x/y steppers but the size of the initial results was very small. After making sure the steps/mm settings were correct for my lead screws, I tried submitting a dstfile again from the sdcard but I only get movement for 30.7 mm on my y-axis. This just happens to be the sum of the first 3 movements on the y-axis! Then there is an alarm set on the controller. No limits have been exceeded and resetting the alarm does not allow the job to proceed. The gcode file for the same file will run just fine. Only when submitting a dst from the sdcard fails. I tried multiple dst files and get the same type of results. So looks specific to the embroidery plugin. I tried reinstalling the firmware but that has not helped.

[terjeio]

Please add your DST file to a comment so I can have a look.

[gwcSoftware]

I found what was causing the alarm after moving a short distance on the y-axis. The grbl settings for the embroidery plugin had the sync option enabled. After setting this to 0, when submitting the dst file from the sdcard, the job continues to run. However, the rate that each stitch is being submitted is very slow. Only about one stitch/second! I only have the x/y steppers connected to my controller at this point. What controls the rate of the stitches being read from the sdcard. Even if a gcode file is submitted from the sdcard the rate is the same. If you submit a gcode file that does not reside on the sdcard, it runs at proper speed.

The $450 setting is set to 4000.

Edit: Changing $450 to 1200 corrected my problem.

Edit 2: Tried it again after turning x32 off and it is back to running the job slow again as stated above! Settings are the same but only processes a stitch about every second!

Edit 3: Got it working at proper speed again by setting the Z travel setting for the plugin to 0 for now. I don't have the Z input connected at present.

[petervanderwalt]

Edit 2: Tried it again after turning x32 off and it is back to running the job slow again as stated above! Settings are the same but only processes a stitch about every second!

Sorry to jump in, but just gotta say, I love hearing that is an X32 being used for this machine conversion, and we would love it if you to post a Build on https://builds.openbuilds.com/ when you have it going - would be a great advantage if others if could learn from your work! If you need any additional help from our side, don't hesitate to tag me in! This is going to be an awesome project

[terjeio]

@gwcSoftware If your "spindle" is PWM controlled try this.