emcprobe status

["Dean L. Hedin" <dlh2001-at-comcast.net>]

Ray, List

I am finally getting around to finishing off emcprobe.
For those who are unfamiliar, this is an add-on to emc that 
take better advantage of the probing feature.  It takes a
configuration file as input to "scan" an item and then outputs
a point cloud and some usable g-code that can be used to
re-create the part. 

Overall the program works very well and is stable.  My platform 
is a 3 axis router.  I have milled 3-d contours produced by
emcprobe with 1/2" ball router bits as well as with 1/4" cylindrical
bits.  

I have also written a few command line utilities that transform
g-code files,  they include:
1) shiftcnc -  shift a g-code file in the X,Y,Z axis.
2) rotatecnc - rotates a g-code file by n degrees.
3) deltafix - takes g-code produced emcprobe and inserts
                   feed rate commands where the z-axis changes quickly.
                   (this is a workaround that I need for my machine, you may
                    or may not need this)


Open issues:

1) Emcprobe won't work with the freqmod.o module, it works fine with
steppermod.o,  have not tried it with others.   Maybe someone can find the 
problem with this.  My workaround is to use steppermod.o while probing, 
and then switch to freqmod.o for machining.  I'll include the two emc.ini 
files that I use in the documentation.

2) Documentation.  I am working on this presently.  The intent is html 
documentation with graphics suitable for inclusion with the emc handbook.

3) Better error handling in the .ini file read routines.  (Presently the 
program aborts if it does not  find an ini entry,  which is'nt too bad but it 
would be nice if it continued on with a reasonable default value.)

I am on a business trip for the next few days and intend to finish the 
documetation in the hotel room on my laptop.

I should have it wrapped up by Wednesday or Thursday.

Dean