I think the original problem of providing a better manual tool change is 
possible by writing an EMC2 component and adjusting some hal files. It 
shouldn't be too difficult. I've read the hal developers guide, but I am not an 
expert.

I just got into the hal integartion to add the Logitech Dual Action USB 
joystick controller to EMC2. Oh man, I love joystick control! So much better 
than the keyboard. I can quickly jog the machine and then hit *slow button* to 
dial the location in precisely. Anyway...

In the process, I really discovered how well EMC2 is programmed under the hood. 
I can see so many possibilities the way hal works. I may even take hal itself 
and adapt it to a robot hexapod of mine as I think it's programmed abastract 
enough to perform the motion control of a six legged robot. Anyway...

Here is how I would think a component would work...I suspect some hal event is 
triggered when a tool change is requested. The tool changer saves current 
position then moves the tool to TOOL_CHANGE_POSITION, then prompts, afterwhich 
it does a rehoming of the Z axis using a detect switch. Then it returns to the 
save position. Obviously, you would have to wire a detect switch, but pretty 
easy. I think the component logic would be pretty easy, but wiring it in hal 
might require some *magic*. The motion module (motmod) is wired to the stepper 
output module. Can the tool changer component feed axis commands to the motmod 
while it is in auto mode? If so, then this should be simple. If not, it would 
probably have to feed the stepper module directly, ouch!, the tool changer 
would have to output steps and dir signals, and make sure it gets back to where 
it started. This is redoing much of motmod. The motmod and tool changer could 
be wired to the same stepper mod though using MUXs.

Disclaimer: I don't have a complete understanding of the different hal modules 
yet.

I would also like such a tool change functionality. I use a Taig spindle, so 
it's not too bad to get the tool length the same with little tool stops on the 
bits but it would come in handy none-the-less.

Colin



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