grblTouch is a webUI optimized for 6 to 10 inch touch displays for grblHAL.
grblTouch is written in plain html, css and javascript. This makes it a very lightweight webUI. This webUI is updated in line with latest modifications in grblHAL where flash memory can be utilized to host webUI. A single webUI file in the form of "index.html.gz" is hosted from either littlefs or sdcard. This makes it simple, easy to use and easy to modify without any complex software requirements. Some parts of UI are inspired by "Shopfloor Tablet" UI by Mitch Bradley.
This is a basic but working webUI project based on websockets protocol. If you want to use grblTouch as is, then simply download "index.html.gz file from the source or releases section and put it to root of littlefs or sdcard. If you want to edit any part of this webUI, do the necessary modifications in "index.html" file and gzip it to make it "index.html.gz" and put it to root of littlefs or sdcard. We strongly recommend to use "FTP" (as there is no file upload/delete feature as of now in grblTouch) for any file transfer to and fro SD card by a suitable free software like "FileZilla".
A webUI is not a "sender" software. It runs a gcode file from SD card only. For mostly all other aspects, it acts same as sender softwares to communicate with grbl controller.
A raspberry pi 3 or 4 (recommended) with 7 inch display and combo case should be ideal for grblTouch. For MDI entries, user may require keyboard on raspberry pi and similar OS. A mini generic wireless keyboard (with USB dongle which is to be inserted to PC/raspberry pi) is highly recommended to get full benefit of this software as it will work like a pendant and mostly there will be no need to touch the screen!
Folders/Directories are now supported and they will be highlighted in yellow in files table. One can further go inside those directories to select files to run.
grblTouch also facilitates keyboard shortcuts as per following table.
This is a major upgrade which enhances features as well as user interface. Some of the features are highlighted as under:
- Automatic tool change support with tool touch off probe using macro. For this make a macro named "P301.macro" with code suitable to your machine and put it in littlefs or sdcard root.
- ATC supported with tc.macro.
- Toggle spindle and coolant on/off functionality when machine is idle. default spindle rpm is 6000. You may change as per your requirements.
- For probing, make a macro named "P100.macro" and enjoy workpiece probing.
- For easy workpiece centre top zero, jog the machine towards X axis left edge of the workpiece precisely (tool just touches edge, one can use thin paper). Make that edge zero using X=0 button (this is temporary as a part of process), then lift the axis in Z to clear workpiece and jog it to opposite edge of workpiece and make the tool touch that edge precisely then lift the Z to clear workpiece without moving X axis (Be 100% sure to clear up to this point before proceeding) click/touch on X axis work-coordinate to open a calculator like interface. On the right side there are 3 buttons in sequence namely "Get", "Half" and "Go". The Get button will copy X work-coordinate to calculator console, the Half button will calculate half of it and Go button will actually move axis to go to the centre of workpiece (this is why one needs to use caution nothing is in between tool and the point where it goes). Now you can use X=0 button again to make X zero at this point. Repeat this process for Y axis also. As a result, you will find X and Y zero in workpiece centre very easily without using any maths manually or by calculator.
- "$#" command in MDI will return all the tool heights in UI console for better visibility. For full details, one can use chrome console of dev tools.
- Screenshots shown under are from older version with less functionality, so please ignore it till they are updated.
Key: Function
R: Reset
U: Unlock
H: Home
P: Probe
9: Program Start/Resume
0: Feedhold
Right Arrow: X plus jog
Left Arrow: X minus jog
Up Arrow: Y minus jog
Down Arrow: Y plus jog
Page Up: Z plus jog
Page Down: Z minus jog
Tab + X: Set X work coordinate to zero in active coordinate system (e.g.G54)
Tab + Y: Set Y work coordinate to zero in active coordinate system
Tab + Z: Set Z work coordinate to zero in active coordinate system
Tab + A: Set A work coordinate to zero in active coordinate system
Tab + B: Set B work coordinate to zero in active coordinate system
F1: Switch to Jog Tab
F2: Switch to Run Tab
F5: Reload page (browser function. Don't use it when file is running. It resets websocket connection as well as controller)
F6: Decrease screen brightness by 10% (minimum 50%)
F7: Increase screen brightness by 10% (maximum 100%)
F8: Coolant On
F9: Spindle On at 6000rpm (for testing purpose)
F10: Coolant and Spindle Off
1: Select first jog distance (at present 0.002 mm)
2: Select second jog distance (at present 0.01 mm)
3: Select third jog distance (at present 0.1 mm)
4: Select forth jog distance (at present 1 mm)
5: Select fifth jog distance (at present 5 mm)
6: Select sixth jog distance (at present 25 mm)
Esc: Jog Cancel
Q, W, E: Feedrate overrides -10%, Reset, +10% respectively
A, S, D: Spindle RPM overrides -10%, Reset, +10% respectively
Z, X, C: Rapid overrides 25%, 50%, 100% respectively
-: Jog distance decrease to one level
+: Jog distance increase to one level
Jog Tab Screenshot:
Run Tab Screenshot:
Running a program from SD screenshot: