Size circuit

[arthurwolf]

A common feature on laser cutters is when the machine is ready to cut, you can press a button and it will move the head in a rectangle around the exterior size of the job, so users can check if the job they set up fits within their workpiece.
This is very hard to implement in a host/controller software as it would need to read the whole Gcode file and try to determine the boundaries.
However, in Visicut ( at least for Smoothie users ) this would be fairly easy to implement: have a "check area" button next to the "execute" button. When the button is pressed, Visicut uses ethernet ( which it already supports ) to talk to the Smoothieboard and give it a few G0s, to make it go around the work area. It's just one HTTP request. This would be very helpful to our users, this is very often requested.
Thanks a lot!

[mgmax]

Sounds doable and helpful for many other machines. We need to be careful regarding usability:

• one more button
• it needs to be very clear that this button actually moves the machine -- for example, "check area" may be misunderstood as some software-only operation

By the way, if you use a camera (e.g. with VisiCam) you don't need these manual checks most of the time, and it is a lot more intuitive.

[t-oster]

I remember that this is already possible. You have to define a profile with 0% power and use the 'cut outline' feature.

[arthurwolf]

On Sun, Dec 8, 2019 at 10:26 PM Thomas Oster ***@***.***> wrote: I remember that this is already possible. You have to define a profile with 0% power and use the 'cut outline' feature.

Yes, but that's really not convenient enough to do for every job as some users do, nearly as a reflex. Would really need a button. It can be a disablable option ( or be disabled if some info like the IP for the control board is not given ) so the button is hidden if this isn't enabled.

…

— You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#553?email_source=notifications&email_token=AAA2SFN5M7FFC3UWF4PHIALQXVRAPA5CNFSM4JYAEBA2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEGHKHXY#issuecomment-562996191>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAA2SFOPO7A3XSQVNSSQ45TQXVRAPANCNFSM4JYAEBAQ> .

-- 勇気と気分

[mgmax]

duplicate of #181