Is an offline gcode parser / emulator available for the DUE / makermade hardware?

Software
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1

Hi,

I have tried using a FreeCAD workflow to create jobs for my Maslow, which is based on the MakerMade Arduino Due kit.

I found half way through the job that the Due’s gcode parser did not support FreeCAD gcode related to support tabs on my work piece.

In future, I want to do dry runs with the Maslow’s gcode parser. What options are there?

  • Does makerverse have a “simulation” mode?

  • Has anyone implemented an emulator for the Due firmware that I can send jobs to?

  • Is there some other software that can parse my gcode for compatability with the maslow’s gcode parser?

2

Are you using the grbl post processor setting in freecad? What command is it choking on?

3

I don’t think there is a simulation mode. I’m not too familiar with Makerverse, tried it, but like webcontrol more.

For simulation, I just do an “Air Cut,” remove the bit, zero the router high enough to not run into the work piece when it moves, keep router off and push play.

If you find the line of gcode where the tabs are, I would start it near that line so you don’t have to sit through the whole program if you don’t want to.

4

Sorry for the late reply, this got lost. It turned out to be bad gcode due to a buggy path generator in FreeCAD. That is great software but the 0.20 version changed enough to make their support tag generation brittle and I suffered from this. I switched to the development weekly snapshots (0.21) and was able to work around the issue.

5

Having said all of this, I do think an emulation mode would be very helpful. I can’t find a due emulator, if someone could point one out that would be a start. The only other option would be a second DUE with modified firmware. Not desirable as modifications could pollute things.

6

the mega firmware includes a ‘fake servo’ mode for exactly this sort of testing.

David Lang

7

The due developers and Makermade are the ones who can help you with this. If you need a hardware emulator… you might consider a tool like estlcam though that will “play” your gcode in a simulator after it is generated so you can verify it does what you want or maybe gcodeclean to remove any unwanted or unuseable gcode commands. However that is often the function of the gcode post-processor in the gcode generating software. it only uses commands valid for the target system.

9

See if ncviewer will do what you want

10

These are all helpful suggestions, thanks all.

I think my question was borne out of wanting to know if my particular board (the due) would fall over with some given gcode. After poking around it turns out that that makermade use the gnea grbl gcode parser. The landing page mentions that a simulator was added in Ver 0.9, so I can dig around and figure out how to get that going to solve my original issue

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