BeagleBone PnP: Qt app update, PS1 Monday night (tonight)?

[Drew Fustini]

Hi - Bonnie and me worked on getting Ed's mouse motion to gcode Python Qt (PyQt) program working on the BBB.  It turned out to be an issue that the program seems to use Qt3 classes.  It worked on Bonnie's Fedora laptop with Qt3 installed.  However, neither Angstrom, Debian 7 (www.armhf.com) or Ubuntu 13 (www.armhf.com) had Qt3 available in their repos.

So we ended up rewriting the program for Qt4 based on various PyQt for Qt4 examples (using Debian 7 as it was last distro we tried when still search for Qt3):

https://github.com/misterbonnie/bbqt/blob/master/pnpcntrl.py

The code is messy right now, but it will write Gcode to the serial port (via PySerial) per mouse movement.  At first I thought there was a problem, as it was really slow, but I realized after awhile it was because I running it remotely via X.  I put my LCD touchscreen cape on the BBB and installed LXDE desktop env into Debian on the BBB.  It then drew at a normal speed no problem - d'oh ;)  You can also draw using your finger on the touchscreen.  The photo attached looks crude as I was drawing points with a large pen at that point before going to drawing lines with a finer pen.

I'm still at the office, so I wanted to check if anyone was there or planning to be there.  Unfortunately, I don't have the extra pre-production BeagleBone Black with me that I said I could let Dan D use.  I could bring it tomorrow though.

Next step for the PyQt app is to hook the TinyG up to the BeagleBone's USB host port and see if the gcode PyQt is sending works ok.

thanks,

drew

773-710-7131

Thanks,

Drew

On Thu, Jul 4, 2013 at 2:53 PM, Dan Dumitrescu <dumi...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have already built a small board with 2 Darlington transistors for driving the solenoids which can be controlled from either the TinyG (original intent) or from the BBB if that's desired, and that board is already in the black box with the TinyG.  I'd like to test-drive the BBB, I think I'll buy one on Monday if the contest one is not available.
Drew, let's sync on when we can meet at the space.

Cheers,
Dan

---

From: Drew Fustini
Sent: 7/4/2013 1:45 PM
To: Dan Dumitrescu
Cc: Ed Bennett; Jason Crittenden; Michael Norman; Shawn Blaszak; Ste Kulov; ps1...@googlegroups.com; Jay Hopkins

Subject: Re: FW: Hackspace Challenge - Extension

Sure, thanks.

My goal right now is to get Qt python running on the Bone so that it will output Gcode per mouse movement to the USB serial port [to which tiny g will be connected].

Did you ask Ed if there is electronics that will need to be controlled beyond?  Like nozzle selnoids or limit switches?  I'm not sure if TinyG handles all of that directly or if it will require some handling via the BeagleBone's GPIO to trigger mosfet or relays and read digital inputs from switches.

Another task I have meant to finish: I had started a layout in EAGLE layout to have a simple board with 0603 LEDs and resistors and DC barrell jack.  It would spell PS1 like:

= = =  = = =  = =

=   =  =        =

= = =  = = =    =

=          =    =

=      = = =  = = =

I was then going to send it off to OSH Park to get made.  Prob still time for that given the 19th.  Regardless it would be good to have a completed EAGLE board layout file which can be run through the EAGLE to Centroid ULP (https://github.com/boardforge/boardforge/blob/master/eaglecentroidgenerator.ulp).

I still need to figure out how to translate that from Centroid file to Gcode (open to ideas).

Thanks,

Drew

On Thu, Jul 4, 2013 at 12:06 PM, Dan Dumitrescu <dumi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Cool Drew, let me how I can help, talked to Ed last night and he said that maybe I can help with the auxiliary electronics.
Cheers,
Dan

---

From: Drew Fustini
Sent: 7/3/2013 11:32 AM
To: Michael Norman
Cc: Stephan Kulov; ps1...@googlegroups.com; Ed Bennett; Jay Hopkins; Shawn Blaszak; Dan Dumitrescu
Subject: Re: FW: Hackspace Challenge - Extension

no worries, Ste and Michael.  I'm glad there has been an extension for the challenge, but as I was discussing with Ed, I think we should just look at the challenge as a motivation to get the PS1 PnP rolling again... but not get too stressed out about it.

As for late night assembly coding Ste mentioned ;),  I think sticking with TinyG and writing a UI with Python QT on the Beaglebone Black like Ed had been doing is a good idea.  The PRU is sexy but complicated.  We can show the value of the BeagleBone Black a cheap & complete Linux computer that lets us create a UI and talk to the TinyG (and in the future allows us to use USB webcam and OpenCV).

Cheers,

Drew

On Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 8:49 AM, Michael Norman <michael....@gmail.com> wrote:

Ya sorry I have not been around much also.  It has just been busy as anything with work and have had 0 free time.  And now with me in Japan for 2 weeks I can do even less.

Hopefully when I get back we can meet up and start on V2 of the PnP

Thank you,

 

Michael J. Norman

Chicago, IL 60622

803.603.8101

On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 11:37 PM, Stephan Kulov <lordst...@gmail.com> wrote:

That's cool.  Sorry I haven't really had time to help too much.  It might continue to be that way too.  If it's crunch time and you need me to hammer out some assembly code, then let me know.  I might have an all-nighter left in me.

Oh, and who's Andrew?

On Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 12:54 PM, Drew Fustini <pdp7...@gmail.com> wrote:

fyi - for those interested, the deadline is now July 19th.

thanks,

drew

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Fustini, Andrew <afus...@premierfarnell.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 2, 2013 at 11:54 AM
Subject: FW: Hackspace Challenge - Extension
To: pdp7...@gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Jones, Stuart
Sent: Tue 7/2/2013 11:14 AM
To: Christopher Stanton; Fustini, Andrew; Taggart, Angus
Subject: Hackspace Challenge - Extension

Hi guys.



After speaking with you both, it would appear we need to give you more time to complete the challenge. This is fine, so please can you now make your final submissions on element14 by Friday July 19th?



Does this help? Let me know if you're both ok with this.



Many thanks



Stuart





Stuart Jones

Global Social Media Manager



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[Drew Fustini]

I used have now used Robert C Nelson's Ubuntu 13.04 eMMC flasher to
update my BeagleBone Black. It includes fix for the LCD cape buttons
which the armhf.com Debian 7 & Ubuntu 13 SD card images from June 6th
did not. I'm waiting for LXDE to install and then I'll install the
packages needed for the Qt Python app to control (currently works in
Debian 7.0 but the LCD capes buttons do not).

After that, it would be ready to test with the TinyG via the the USB host port.

I have flashed the latest Angstrom onto the pre-production BeagleBone
Black. I'm planning to give it to Dave D if the BBB for the challenge
isn't at the space.