H4 - Show limit values with "settings" button and set Z and X backlash with numpad

[ilmarietto123]

Hi,
I'm not a programmer, the code works on the bench but is definitively not so elegant.
So take that as a starting point.
If someone is interested and worth it, it could be nice to clean up and optimize this modifications or part of them (@kachurovskiy, @kotovasia5120).
There are 2 main modifications:

1. the setting button (the "nut" button), actually unused, will show the limits of Z, X and A1 axis and the backlash values of Z and X.
2. the backlash of X and Z is saved in memory instead of hardcoded, so it is possible to change them with numpad, instead of recompile the code.

ATTENTION!!! I tested this modification only with my setup:

• encoder on spindle
• motor on z axis
• motor on x axis
• motor on a1 axis (to use the spindle as divider head)
• no additional encoders
• connector A2 not used
• the backlash of A1 is assumed to be 0

Note: it is possible to do only the limit page modification, but if you want the backlash modification, better to have both in order to have the possibility to check what value of backlash is stored.

1 - Limit page description

I thought it could be nice to have a check what stops are set before starting a job.
So, as long as the setting button is pressed it shows what is visible in the following image.
When the button is released, the display comes back to the previous screen.

If the limit is set there is a number, if the limit is not set, it shows only a "-".
For example, in the image, Z stop right is set to 0, X upper stop is not set.
"C" is the name of my A1 axis.
"b" stands for backlash.

2 - Backlash modification description

To change the backlash, just type the value with numpad and hold the relative button ("A" for X or "B" for Z) for at least 3 seconds.
When the button is released, it beeps and saves the new value. The memorized value can be checked with the setting button.
The long press to store the backlash is used:

• to avoid error of distraction because backlashes are sensitive parameters and can mess all
• because A button and B button already have different functions for short press:
  • pressing A button from a numpad value, sets the X zero to the minus half of the input value.
  • pressing A button or B button when not in numpad, enable or disable the relative axis

1 - Limit page modifications

After line 2271 add this:

void buttonSettingPress() {
  lcd.clear();
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  if (!z.disabled) {
    lcd.print(NAME_Z);
    lcd.write(customCharLimLeftCode);
    z.leftStop == LONG_MAX ? lcd.print("-") : printDeciMicrons(stepsToDu(&z, z.leftStop + z.originPos), 2);
    lcd.setCursor(10, 0);
    lcd.write(customCharLimRightCode);
    z.rightStop == LONG_MIN ? lcd.print("-") : printDeciMicrons(stepsToDu(&z, z.rightStop + z.originPos), 2);
  }
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);

  if (!x.disabled) {
    lcd.print(NAME_X);
    lcd.write(customCharLimUpCode);
    x.leftStop == LONG_MAX ? lcd.print("-") : printDeciMicrons(stepsToDu(&x, x.leftStop + x.originPos), 2);
    lcd.setCursor(10, 1);
    lcd.write(customCharLimDownCode);
    x.rightStop == LONG_MIN ? lcd.print("-") : printDeciMicrons(stepsToDu(&x, x.rightStop + x.originPos), 2);
  }
  lcd.setCursor(0, 2);
  if (!a1.disabled) {
    lcd.print(NAME_A1);
    lcd.write(customCharLimUpCode);
    a1.rightStop == LONG_MIN ? lcd.print("-") : printDegrees(stepsToDu(&a1, a1.rightStop + a1.originPos));
    lcd.setCursor(10, 2);
    lcd.write(customCharLimDownCode);
    a1.leftStop == LONG_MAX ? lcd.print("-") : printDegrees(stepsToDu(&a1, a1.leftStop + a1.originPos));
  }
  lcd.setCursor(0, 3);
  lcd.print("b Z");
  printDeciMicrons(z.backlash, 3);
  lcd.setCursor(10, 3);
  lcd.print("X");
  printDeciMicrons(x.backlash, 3);
}

After line 2343 add this:

void processB_A_B_BPressRelease(bool fromNumpad, int keyCode, long x0FromDiam, long numpadResult) {  
  if (!fromNumpad) {
    if (keyCode == B_A) {
      x.disabled = !x.disabled;
      updateEnable(&x);
    } else if (keyCode == B_B) {
      z.disabled = !z.disabled;
      updateEnable(&z);
    }
  } else {
    if (millis() - resetMillis < 3000) {  // if long press
      if (keyCode == B_A) {
        x.originPos = x0FromDiam;
      }
    } else {
      if (keyCode == B_A) {
        x.backlash = numpadResult * 10;
        Serial.print("x.backlash = ");
        Serial.print(x.backlash);
        beep();
      } else if (keyCode == B_B) {
        z.backlash = numpadResult * 10;
        Serial.print("z.backlash = ");
        Serial.print(z.backlash);
        beep();
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace lines 2461 and 2462 with this:

  if (keyCode == B_A || keyCode == B_B) {
    processB_A_B_BPressRelease(true, keyCode, -(a->pos + pos) / 2, numpadResult);

Replace line 2511 with this:

  bool numpadResult = ((isPress && (keyCode != B_A && keyCode != B_B)) || (!isPress && (keyCode == B_A || keyCode == B_B))) ? processNumpad(keyCode) : false;
  if (isPress && numpadResult) {

2 - Backlash modifications

Line 22 and line 34 can be removed or commented because no more used, but is not mandatory.

After line 194 add this code:

#define PREF_BACKLASH_Z "blz"  //  backlash name in pref
#define PREF_BACKLASH_X "blx"  //  backlash name in pref

After line 347 add this 2 lines:

  long backlash;              //  backlash (long decimicrons)
  long savedBacklash;     //  backlash saved in pref (long decimicrons)

After line 354 add this line:

long numpadBacklash;    //  backlash saved temporarly to wait for button release (long decimicrons)

After line 409 add this 2 lines:

  a->backlash = 0;           //  
  a->savedBacklash = 0;  //

After line add this function:

void calculateBacklashSteps(Axis* a) {  //  calculate backlash in steps after reading pref or after modification
  a->backlashSteps = a->backlashSteps * a->motorSteps / a->screwPitch;
}

Modify lines 1662 and 1663 replacing BACKLASH_DU_Z and BACKLASH_DU_X with 0 like this (I commented both out and added 0 to both function:

  initAxis(&z, NAME_Z, true, false, MOTOR_STEPS_Z, SCREW_Z_DU, SPEED_START_Z, SPEED_MANUAL_MOVE_Z, ACCELERATION_Z, INVERT_Z, NEEDS_REST_Z, MAX_TRAVEL_MM_Z, /*BACKLASH_DU_Z*/ 0, Z_ENA, Z_DIR, Z_STEP);
  initAxis(&x, NAME_X, true, false, MOTOR_STEPS_X, SCREW_X_DU, SPEED_START_X, SPEED_MANUAL_MOVE_X, ACCELERATION_X, INVERT_X, NEEDS_REST_X, MAX_TRAVEL_MM_X, /*BACKLASH_DU_X*/ 0, X_ENA, X_DIR, X_STEP);

After line1676 add this:

  z.savedBacklash = z.backlash = pref.getLong(PREF_BACKLASH_Z);  //  get backlash from pref in decimicrons
  calculateBacklashSteps(&z);                                                            // calculate backlash in steps

After line1683 add this:

  x.savedBacklash = x.backlash = pref.getLong(PREF_BACKLASH_X);  //  get backlash from pref in decimicrons
  calculateBacklashSteps(&x);                                                            // calculate backlash in steps

After line 1782 add this:

  if (z.backlash != z.savedBacklash) {
    pref.putLong(PREF_BACKLASH_Z, z.savedBacklash = z.backlash);  //  save backlash in pref
    calculateBacklashSteps(&z);
  }

After line 1798 add this:

  if (x.backlash != x.savedBacklash) {
    pref.putLong(PREF_BACKLASH_X, x.savedBacklash = x.backlash);  //  save backlash in pref
    calculateBacklashSteps(&x);
  }

After line 2537 add this:

  } else if (keyCode == B_SETTINGS) {
                                       //  if (isOn) {  // uncomment if don't want settings menu while nanoELS is ON
                                       //    beep();
                                       //  } else {
    if (isPress) {
      buttonSettingPress();
      return;
    } else {
      lcdHashLine0 = LCD_HASH_INITIAL;
      return;
    }
  }

  if (keyCode == B_A || keyCode == B_B) {
    if (isPress) {
      resetMillis = millis();
    } else {
      if (!numpadResult) processB_A_B_BPressRelease(false, keyCode, 0, 0);
    }
    return;

Comment lines from 2568 to 2572

Comment line 2576

That's all. Hope it can be usefull.
=)

[kachurovskiy]

Hi @ilmarietto123, super cool, thanks for sharing this! Can you please also attach your entire h4.ino file so that people wouldn't have to piece it together? Many thanks.

[ilmarietto123]

Ok, I started from H4V12.
Added some correction from latest Pull Requests.
Included new driver/pulse_cnt.h (not full quadrature but half quadrature as in PR).
Not included the I2C display mod in PR.
It compiles in Arduino IDE 2.3.4 with Board ESP32 version 3.1.0 with no warning.

NOTE: tested only on bench!

h4_limit_backlash.txt

[kotovasia5120]

You could paste a file. It takes up infinite space on the screen.

[ilmarietto123]

Actually you are right 🤣
I modified the post

[kotovasia5120]

what this?

[ilmarietto123]

When compiled with Bxxxxx instead of 0bxxxxx I get a warning for every byte of customCharXX, this is the first:
h4_limit_backlash.ino:500:3: warning: 'B11010' is deprecated: use 0b11010 instead [-Wdeprecated-declarations]
500 | B11010,
| ^~~~~~
Maybe you have File->Preferences->Compiler warnings set to "none" in Arduino IDE?

[kotovasia5120]

Yes it was disabled