# Ground Control QoL additions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ground Control\ **Created:** [May 5, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756 "2018-05-05T12:56:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrfugu](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrfugu/32/22_2.png) [@mrfugu](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/mrfugu)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/1 "2018-05-05T12:56:27Z")
Hey, I wanted to propose some GC quality of life additions, just off the top of my head in no particular order (there might be similar requests in the repo already, if so, excuse me) 1. Text alert, warning, comments, errors via full screen ‘flash’ + large popup window. something that can’t be missed, big clear messages, but still easily dismissed. 1b) Full Screen flash/pulse (still easily disabled) if position/intended position falls behind some amount. 1. More Macros! at least 8, with larger buttons to write a phrase (ex: “Sled to Stowed Position”, “Sled to Tool Change”, “to Work Offset (position#)”) (maybe a macro popup window? maybe some ‘special-danger’ macros have an exclusive ability to ask the sled to move beyond the workspace?) 2. MacOS: has anyone else been able to get GC to remember folder locations? or add shortcuts/favorites? I cannot, and have to dive in from my homedir every. single. time. 3. Nice PDF Keyboard Commands Cheat Sheet, suitable for framing. cheers, ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2018, 2:33pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/2 "2018-05-05T14:33:14Z")
> [@mrfugu](#): > > MacOS: has anyone else been able to get GC to remember folder locations? or add shortcuts/favorites? I cannot, and have to dive in from my homedir every. single. time. I find that GC remembers the location of the .nc file that you have open, and starts from that folder. If it can’t find that file, then it starts from the home folder. The Kivy file chooser is suboptimal, though 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Keith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/keith/32/1332_2.png) [@Keith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Keith)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/3 "2018-05-06T23:15:57Z")
> [@mrfugu](#): > > More Macros! 🙂 I second this (8 is probably more than I need, but I am sure I could figure out how to fill them) ---
**Author:** ![jake](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/jake/32/4742_2.png) [@jake](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/jake)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/4 "2018-05-07T02:06:49Z")
What are the keyboard commands? I was told there were none! I’d love the numeric keyboard to have the same action as the mouseable arrow buttons ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/5 "2018-05-07T16:51:42Z")
What if we had keyboard driven macros? That way the UI wouldn’t get too cluttered with buttons and we could have 8 macros easily available. These are the keyboard commands currently supported: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/2X/7/71e085e88ef7645a58e7959390569bf8c32390ff.png) They are under Ground Control Settings. My todo list is lengthy right now so I might not get to this right away, but I fully support it! ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/6 "2018-05-07T17:45:06Z")
> [@jake](#): > > I’d love the numeric keyboard to have the same action as the mouseable arrow buttons One issue is that the keypad numbers get used for numeric inpuyt as well, see [here](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/joystick-for-my-maslow/3154/26). Haven’t come up eith a way to tell which way they should respond in different parts of the program, yet. ---
**Author:** ![mrfugu](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/mrfugu/32/22_2.png) [@mrfugu](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/mrfugu)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/7 "2018-05-07T18:01:05Z")
I still see the Macro window most easily as a pop-up window, with labels/names large enough to display at least 24 chars or so, most of our menus are similar, and we need some interface to input and display at least a few lines (~6-10?) of G-Code. for Keyboard Shortcuts, the Macro Menu above should be mapped to a Fn key and then accept numerical input (1-8) as to select the macro, Enter to execute, and esc to close… It would free up the 2 existing macro buttons too, (into a single small button because it no longer has to display anything but ‘Macro’ or ‘M’) ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/8 "2018-05-07T18:46:15Z")
you aren’t responding to keypad numbers in different ways, respond to numbers one way and arrow keys the other way and let the user hit numlock as needed (assuming they don’t have a keyboard with separate arrow keys) ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/9 "2018-05-07T21:21:30Z")
> [@dlang](#): > > let the user hit numlock as needed Also need to work with keyboards that lack ‘numlock’… ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/10 "2018-05-07T21:37:23Z")
I disagree, if a keyboard doesn’t have arrow keys, we should not try to outsmart the computer by changing numbers to arrows. If it lacks numlock, it probably doesn’t have a separate number pad ---
**Author:** ![blurfl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/blurfl/32/9_2.png) [@blurfl](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/blurfl)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/11 "2018-05-08T01:18:19Z")
> [@dlang](#): > > keyboard doesn’t have arrow keys, Many keyboards have the cardinal arrows but lack the diagonals. > [@dlang](#): > > If it lacks numlock, it probably doesn’t have a separate number pad Numeric keypads with numlock are not uncommon in the Apple realm. The issue isn’t assigning a key or combination to select the mode, but a way to indicate the current mode. Some low-end keyboards that do have numlock don’t provide an LED to indicate mode; they are integrated same boat. ---
**Author:** ![dlang](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/dlang/32/859_2.png) [@dlang](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/dlang)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/12 "2018-05-08T04:37:27Z")
> > [@dlang](#): > > > > keyboard doesn¢t have arrow keys, > > Many keyboards have the cardinal arrows but lack the diagonals. I actually don’t have any keyboardsthat have diagonals, they all havee home/end/pgup/pgdn for 7/1/9/3 > > [@dlang](#): > > > > If it lacks numlock, it probably doesn¢t have a separate number pad > > Numeric keypads with numlock are not uncommon in the Apple realm. The issue isn’t assigning a key or combination to select the mode, but a way to indicate the current mode. Some low-end keyboards that do have numlock don’t provide an LED to indicate mode; they are integrated same boat. my point is that every computer has arrow keys, every computer has numbers (although sometimes you really have to fight to get at them, like on mobile devices) arrow keys are different key codes than numbers, even when they share the same physical key. don’t try to outsmart the keyboard and the user, have functionality that depends on arrows, and have functionality that depends on numbers. Don’t worry about making it context sensitive to do different things in different parts of the program when they press the same key, look for arrows and numbers. Leave it up to the user to select appropriate hardware. If it doesn’t give them an indication of if hitting a button will generate an arrow or a number, that’s up to them. Don’t cripple everyone else with unexpected behavior to try and accomodate broken-by-design hardware. No other software trys to out-guess the hardware. Just don’t go there. ---
**Author:** ![Keith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/keith/32/1332_2.png) [@Keith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Keith)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/13 "2019-02-04T19:19:13Z")
> [@bar](#): > > What if we had keyboard driven macros? That way the UI wouldn’t get too cluttered with buttons and we could have 8 macros easily available. > > These are the keyboard commands currently supported: > [@mrfugu](#): > > More Macros! at least 8, with larger buttons to write a phrase (ex: “Sled to Stowed Position”, “Sled to Tool Change”, “to Work Offset (position#)”) (maybe a macro popup window? maybe some ‘special-danger’ macros have an exclusive ability to ask the sled to move beyond the workspace?) Did anything ever happen with increasing the number of available Macro slots? ---
**Author:** ![Gero](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gero/32/17487_2.png) [@Gero](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gero)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/14 "2019-02-04T19:51:25Z")
Not that i know, a terminal ‘slot’ to type commands in (or copy paste) would delete the need for 1000 macros. ---
**Author:** ![Keith](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/keith/32/1332_2.png) [@Keith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Keith)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/15 "2019-02-04T20:05:01Z")
Thanks. I was just about to implement aux 1 and aux 4 for automated zeroing and spindle power control. I have a macro set up for zeroing, but would also like one for each of M03 and M05. Keyboard shortcuts would be fine with me, but I think you are right that a terminal for direct input would be very valuable. I suppose for now M05 is most important for me (in case I need to stop the spindle mid program for some reason) ---
**Author:** ![Gero](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/gero/32/17487_2.png) [@Gero](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Gero)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/16 "2019-02-05T14:27:35Z")
> [@Gero](#): > > a terminal ‘slot’ to type commands in (or copy paste) would delete the need for 1000 macros For linux i found a crude but simple method to send commands to the serial port with a separate terminal: echo ‘$$’ \> /dev/ttyACM0 (lists all settings only in the log.txt) echo ‘B05’ \> /dev/ttyACM0 (lists FW/GC version in GC and log.txt) and g-code works as well echo ‘G91 G0 X-3.94 G90’ \> /dev/ttyACM0 (“the left arrow” moves the sled 3.94" to the left) Careful, as I really don’t know what i’m doing, however, i could not be fast enough sending commands in a row to notice any disruption with the GC connection. ---
**Author:** ![c0depr1sm](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/c0depr1sm/32/9614_2.png) [@c0depr1sm](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/c0depr1sm)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:17pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/17 "2019-02-05T23:17:28Z")
According to the firmware notes [here](https://github.com/MaslowCNC/Firmware/blob/e1e0d020fff1f4f7c6b403a26a85a16546b7e15b/cnc_ctrl_v1/Config.h#L46) there is a limit to the number of characters and number of lines you can send at once. ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/ground-control-qol-additions/3756/18 "2019-02-06T02:20:20Z")
I am fully in support of an addition to make this possible if anyone wants to take it on!