Z axis not functioning correctly

[Kees Hessels]

V8.98 Beta : The z height defaults to the configured height, instead of the selected height.
The expected behaviour is working correctly in 8.97 This has cost me an 40$ end mill.

[Kees Hessels]

FYI: it looks like the selected height does not stick and reverts back to the original height (as specified in the config) when changing from geometry to the gcode screen

[Marius Stanciu]

Hi Kees,

I’m sorry for your loss but it does help to check things a bit before actually doing the job. There are some online CNC simulators that may help also. At the least check the file header where the parameters are listed.

Regarding the reported issue, can you please tell me what were the steps you followed to get the result? Add anything that might help me reproduce the issue. In the mean time I will also make some verification's on my own but I will need your input.

Thank you for the report,
Marius

[Kees Hessels]

I have seen this behaviour on my windows machine, however on the linux version it seems to be working fine.
As repeating steps, it is very simple (just a regular workflow):

1. import gerb, change parms and hit full geometry button
2. in the geometry screen change cut-z (post proc grbl11) and hit generate
3. create the g-code.

in a gcode viewer (i use openpilot) you can see the different z-heights between the versions
I should have checked the z height on that moment, but i have come to rely on it after so many times …
My point is that although i should have checked, it is a change in behaviour that i didnt expect with some nasty consequences, and that to me warrants the critical tag

[Marius Stanciu]

You need to be more specific with what parameters you used, in Gerber Object UI and Geometry Object UI.
I need a whole set (post a picture if it is too much to write it here) of parameters that when used can create the issue.

When you say “different z-heights” are you referring to the “Travel Z” parameter (which is the so called Clearance Height in machinist-language and labeled in the G-code header with Z_Move)?

There is no difference between Linux and Windows “versions” except that in Windows the software makes an association between the Gerber/Excellon/GCode files and the FlatCAM application allowing to open a say Gerber file by double clicking the file.

[Kees Hessels]

Ill send you a screen recording tonight so you can see for yourself. Would that help ?

[Marius Stanciu]

Yes, I think so. Please make it as detailed as possible. Thank you!

[Alberto]

Maybe it’s the decimal separator thing I suffered? It made the settings not work. Not just the z-heights but everything.

[Marius Stanciu]

Well, if you use the coma as decimal separator instead of the dot then, yes, I would say so.

[Kees Hessels]

so that was a delivery…. i could not replicate it until i changed the settings, and there seems to be the issue. I changed in my settings all settings from inch to mm plus selecting grbl11 as preprocessors.

bad version 8.98
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1p-0QBjIwibQGRWbCOYEcFZvzue6Wm0tH

‌

Good version 8.97
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1m0T-BzijYs5NAuds0dj97_cpAjSfm0cQ

i did uninstall between the versions but left that out of the vids, also they are wmf and not avi… sorry

The main problem is that the bad version has the z plunging to the default -2.54mm instead of the selected -0.15mm

[Marius Stanciu]

Hi Kees,

You could try to modify the operating system settings temporarily to use the dot as the decimal separator. Report back if this solved the issue (temporarily until I release the next build where I solved this).

‌

“For the moment you can change the decimal separator in Windows (although I don't think you'll want to change it but it is worth to mention it) from comma to the dot.
It is done in Control Panel -> Region -> Additional Setting -> Decimal symbol

or using the weird new style of Windows 10:
Settings -> Time & Language -> Region -> Additional date, time & regional settings -> Region -> Additional Settings -> Decimal symbol
”

[Kees Hessels]

Thanks for the workaround, i wont be needing it since i reverted back to the 8.97 version. I just want to work bleeding edge when possible
Thanks for picking it up. Honestly I love what you guys have done. pretty darn impressive and a joy to work with. Good luck.

[Marius Stanciu]

Hi,

I was travelling abroad and I just saw the movie that you posted. The issue is that you did not confirmed the data entered (Z Cut) by pressing Enter. You just typed something in the box and then moved elsewhere and that indeed created the problem. I will try to see what can be done, perhaps I will use the editingFinished signal.

[Marius Stanciu]

OK, it’s fixed now and it will be available in build 8.99.

[Marius Stanciu]

FCDoubleSpinBox GUI element rely on returnPressed signal to save the value entered into the lineEdit. I've added a line to emit the returnPressed when the editingFinished signal is emitted therefore if the user does not press Enter to confirm data entered but hover away the data is still used.

Issue solved. Will be available in the next build.

[Kees Hessels]

Thank you.