Hi all. I am new to Maslow, built a wall mount and finally taught myself Solidworks so I can send G-code to it. Since starting my project, it was advised to move from GroundControl to WebControl. I opted the route to have a Pi 3b+ control my Arduino, then remote in from another computer. I really wanted to be able to display the same WebControl (all the cuts as their happening) on a monitor mounted off the frame of the Maslow, connected to the Pi by HDMI. Right now all it displays is the login script of the premade Pi image, with webcontrolcnc login: as the final phrase on the bottom. is there a way to log into this and display WebControl, and have it mirror what I am cutting from my remote computer? Hopefully this makes sense. It looked like MadDrizzle had this setup in his video, but I could not tell. Also is there an iphone app which can have WebControl so can log in that way as well? Thanks for anything you can offer. bryan
If you have the pi set up to display a web page from //localhost:5000 in a browser. It should display it’s own web page, but it may struggle to keep up. I had mine set up to do it at one point then made a program to display sled position and total run time on the terminal display. It is likely if all you see is a terminal window that your operating system distribution is the “lite” version that doesn’t have the graphical interface installed, so you may need to manually install that or download a new image and reinstall webcontrol. Both will be some time to accomplish.
Thanks Orob! So essentially the premade Pi image is a “lite version” only meant to physically log into the Arduino and setup a host per say for WebControl. Is that in my own words sort of what is happening? I think what you are recommending is to install Raspbian on another SD card, then manually download WebControl to that image using the directions on Wiki? So you can display from yours, as WebControl (the entire Program) boots. Now I assume I need to add some script or something to make WebControl launch automatically and display so that I do not have to do that on the Pi…then log into WebControl on my laptop. Is this essentially what I need to do? Thanks !
Yes, I think you got it. the image / docker is with Buster lite, so you can install the GUI or reimage. Depending on your download speed it is likely that the download may take a little longer but be easier and would be my recommended install option. There are guides in the wiki section of this site that will help you get the auto starting service running. As far as the web page autostart, I used the chromium browser in kiosk mode (I don’t recommend that) and it was difficult to do anything else with it including restart.
the thing about webcontrol is it serves the same web page to each of the clients running, so the all see the same thing. to use your phone, you need to know the IP address of the rpi. load a browser on your phone and in the address bar, put in http://192.168.100.5:5000. change the IP numbers to match the raspberry pi and keep the :5000 or it won’t work. any smart phone on the same local network as the rpi will attach to it. I’ve used a kindle, pixel, linux desktop, windows laptop. all connect just fine. I find the chrome browser works well. When I was calibrating, I used my phone and a laptop in the same room and they worked fine both on the same web page showing the same thing. Check out the wiki writeups on webcontrol. An easy add would be a kindle with the web page loaded. I always got frustrated when the display switched to mobile mode on my phone and I had to scroll to the buttons and scroll to the display, but for calibrating and chain resets it is awesome.
you can do either, but the problem is that a Pi 3 runs short on cpu to both run
WC and the browser. A Pi 4 is significantly more powerful.
David Lang
I wanted the same thing, so I set up mine with the 7” touchscreen and case mounted on my frame. I installed raspbian desktop on my pi, and then installed webcontrol that way. I do think that using the pre-made image and then downloading the desktop would be a bit simpler. (My post showing my setup: Calibration Woes - #22 by Spenc )
As far as the usability, I have not had any noticeable issues as far as cpu usage goes. However, I configured mine to run in kiosk mode on start-up and not load the entire desktop, and removed several packages and such that come pre-installed with the desktop image. I added commands in webcontrol to shut down the pi so I’m not pulling the plug every time. I’ve not seen my cpu usage in the webcontrol monitor go over 65% so I haven’t fully taxed it out.
Usability wise, you need a keyboard to make any changes. I like the touchscreen, but I have no way to type. This is an issue if I wanted to move an axis a set amount. I have found that it is mainly good just as a process monitor for now.
If your phone is connected to the same network as your pi, you can open webcontrol on your phones browser (same address you’d use to access from your computer). This is super hand for re-zeroing the z axis, and making quick adjustments without running inside to get my laptop.
Thanks Orob and dlang! This is extremely helpful information and will work on this tomorrow morning. I do have a few pi4’s kicking around, so thinking will now put this image on one of my smaller Gb Pi 4’s. As much as I really do not absolutely need to display the cuts by the machine, it would be nice to view things away from sawdust getting near my computer keyboard. I do design custom arcade cabs as a hobby that previously were made by hand with templates. My hope is Maslow can make them for me as it is a very tedious process, as much as it’s a labor of love. My 11 yr old helps me, and he is the tech guy who found me the world of Maslow. I find designing in Solidworks so much more efficient. Will be sure to post some pics, and you 2 are more than welcome to my G code when complete. One version was for a project started working with Epic games on (Epic themselves loved it!), until their marketing company thought I only wanted right to their artwork (which was not the case!) Fools.
You can cut yourself a nice machine Epic original wanted and will now never get 
Thanks again so much for your help, really appreciate the quick response. I do enjoy Amazon products, so I may invest in a Kindle based on your advice.
Thank you Spenc! I will check out your post tomorrow morning. Is it difficult to run in Kiosk mode? I am going guess that your post explains this. I do have a touchscreen, but it is for the older Pi3’s. I had a spare monitor kicking around, and purchased one of them swivel mounts so figured why not use it. yeah I would love to get the phone working w/ Maslow, so will try that info you all have provided on entering the same info in a web page. I am sure your post will help me as well, so your on the list for my G code I have so many ideas for creating things on Maslow, can’t wait to figure this final display step out. Will make sure I post my Arcade style gaming desk when I convert it to CAD. Arcade sides, huge lit marquee with a shelve above for the kids reading materials. Flip up arcade controls for when their done doing the homework and want to play some games. Will post eventually as do not think any items like this are in the Garden. Thanks so much for all your help, this forum is wonderful and want to give back with some cool plans for you all.
I have been doing pretty much exactly what you are wanting to do. I have a 5" touch screen monitor on the pi but when I pull up the webcontrol page the workspace for the router is upside down. It shows up correctly on tablets and computers connected to the pi over wifi.
Well, I didn’t quite do a full write up of what all I did. Although I guess I should, I could see it being beneficial. I had a lot of prior experience doing similar setups on the pi’s, but I know not everyone else does. Honestly I fully intended to, but I finally got my setup working and then spent all my free time making files to cut instead of writing documentation 
.
That desk sounds awesome! One reason I wanted a Maslow is to use restoring old arcades. I currently have 30 or so in my garage that need work. (I found an awesome deal on a storage unit full of them that the owner didn’t want to have to haul and clean up to sell, so I got a steal on buying him out 
)
I believe that happens on all the touchscreens. You can easily rotate the screen through a command prompt. If you can’t figure out let me know
first of all 30 arcades, that is awesome! My best friend has about 12 we restored, and I thought that was a lot. I started myself by making him some replacement panels and matching the paint w/ my HVLP sprayer. It was not until showing some of that work to my executive director when he told me “you know you can make these yourself?” 100’s and 100’s of hours later research a nd learning, I made my son an arcade for his birthday. Then friends wanted, and it goes on and on. i wish I had room for a huge arcade in my house someday. Yeah it was difficult to find a one doc fits all for how to install GroundControl. The Wiki is great, but it doesn’t explain the difference between the premade image and downloading it yourself on raspbian. I know what you mean, you get it working, and next thing it is all about time to make. For me it was the opposite, I made this awesome wallmount, designed a second wallmount that can slide flat to maybe run a quicker gantry setup (never tried to make it though, nor probably will I), then Covid hit. I tested Maslow, and it moved making test cuts, then I figured I better learn how to use CAD and design some G code or the only thing she will do is make test cuts
This is all great info, thank you all, and I will start soon on getting Raspbian on an SD card. Will go from there and see if can get things to fire up. Sounds like once I do, main thing to do is get the pi to run in Kiosk mode. Without research, I can only deduct that runs a single program for you and hides the main desktop (as if Pi was in a store or something), but will find out soon enough
the iphone app is your web browser
David Lang
Now I get it, no need for an app…it is all about the browser! Let me as you this, sounds like you may know. My son, as young and techy as he is, without my help actually got a full blown version of windows 10 on ARM working on one of my Pi4’s. Do you think it may be just easier to see if WebControl would access the Arduino when plugged in since there is not really an “app” needed for it?
So it would be a Windows machine (on Pi 4) with Arduino plugged into its USB, then my second Windows 10 laptop remoting in to send the code
I am willing to try that as well to see if it works if you feel there is a chance it could work. That would be another option for folks, get windows 10 on ARM on your pi, connect and remote in. I am comfortable enough with Linux to build the new image, but for some they may have zero linux experience. Just a thought, since I have one laying around somewhere in his room.
great so this may work, I am going to give it a try. Thank you!
webcontrol on win 10 ARM is not well explored territory. The usual thing is
webcontrol on the default pi linux (raspian), accessed via a browser (which can
be on the same system or a different system)
it should be possible to do it on Win 10, webcontrol is written in python, it’s
just not the norm.
David Lang