movement panel for stepper motors

Question

Can you please write the code in Blockly for me for a stepper motor movement panel using V21 and V22? I will be inserting it into Auto position movement panel.

Athena · Answer

To create a Blockly script for controlling a stepper motor using the Custom Movement Panel v2 with digital ports V21 and V22, you'll need to define the movement actions (forward, left, right, stop, reverse, etc.) and associate them with the corresponding stepper motor control commands. Here's a basic example of how you might set up the Blockly script for the forward and stop actions. You will need to adjust the script based on how your stepper motor driver interprets commands and how you want the motor to behave for each action. 1. Open ARC and navigate to the Blockly workspace. 2. Add the necessary blocks to define the forward and stop actions. 3. Use the "Custom Movement Panel v2" control commands to send the appropriate signals to the stepper motor driver connected to ports V21 and V22. Here's an example of what the Blockly script might look like: xml   V21 V22   ControlCommand("Custom Movement Panel v2", "Forward")   Digital.Set("V21", True)   Digital.Set("V22", False)   sleep(1000)   ControlCommand("Custom Movement Panel v2", "Stop")   Digital.Set("V21", False)   Digital.Set("V22", False)                This Blockly script is a simple example that sets the digital ports V21 and V22 to specific states to control the stepper motor. The sleep(1000) block is used to create a delay, simulating the motor running for a certain period before stopping. You will need to replace the Digital.Set() commands with the actual commands required by your stepper motor driver. Please note that this is a basic example, and you will need to customize the script based on your specific stepper motor, driver, and how you've wired the motor to the EZ-B v4. Additionally, you may need to add more blocks for other directions and actions as required by your project.

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena Can you please write the code in JavaScript for ARC for me for a stepper motor Movement Panel using V21 and V22? Break the code down into what I will have to insert in each different category Forward, Reverse, Left, Right, Stop, Pause.

Athena · Answer

Certainly! Below is an example of JavaScript code for ARC that you can use to control a stepper motor using digital ports V21 and V22. This code is broken down into sections that correspond to the different movement actions of the Custom Movement Panel v2. Forward: javascript // Set V21 high and V22 low to move the stepper motor forward digital.set(D21, true); digital.set(D22, false);  Reverse: javascript // Set V21 low and V22 high to move the stepper motor in reverse digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, true);  Left: javascript // Example code to rotate the stepper motor to the left // You will need to define what "left" means for your stepper motor // This is just a placeholder and should be replaced with your motor's specific command digital.set(D21, true); digital.set(D22, true);  Right: javascript // Example code to rotate the stepper motor to the right // You will need to define what "right" means for your stepper motor // This is just a placeholder and should be replaced with your motor's specific command digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false);  Stop: javascript // Set both V21 and V22 low to stop the stepper motor digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false);  Pause: javascript // Pause the stepper motor // This might be the same as stop for some stepper motor drivers // If your motor driver supports a pause feature, use that command here digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false);  Please note that the actual commands to control your stepper motor will depend on the specific stepper motor driver you are using. The above code assumes a simple driver where setting one pin high and the other low causes movement in one direction, and reversing those pin states causes movement in the opposite direction. If your driver requires a different control scheme, you will need to adjust the code accordingly. To insert this code into the Auto Position Movement Panel, you will need to use the ControlCommand() function to call the respective JavaScript functions from the Custom Movement Panel v2. Each function should be associated with the corresponding action in the Auto Position Movement Panel's configuration.

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena pertaining to your last answer from this page I think you may be incorrect because you are only turning on a switch which is not taking into account the variable speed associated with the potentiometer of a joystick, or is that already being handled by the acceleration and deceleration which was programed in the Arduino code. Can you please write javascript code that will take care of the variable speed of the stepper motors.

Athena · Answer

To handle variable speed control of stepper motors using JavaScript in ARC, you'll need to adjust the speed based on input from a potentiometer or another control method. Since you mentioned using a joystick, I'll assume you have a joystick control that sets a global speed variable based on the joystick's position. In ARC, you can use the global speed variable to determine the pulse rate for the stepper motor. The pulse rate will control how fast the stepper motor steps. A higher pulse rate means faster movement, and a lower pulse rate means slower movement. Here's an example of how you might write JavaScript code to control the stepper motor speed using digital ports V21 and V22, taking into account a global speed variable: javascript // Function to pulse the stepper motor function pulseStepper(directionPin, pulsePin, speed) { // Set the direction digital.set(directionPin, speed >= 0); // Determine the pulse rate based on the speed var pulseRate = Math.abs(speed); // Convert speed to a positive value for pulse rate // Pulse the stepper motor for (var i = 0; i < pulseRate; i++) { digital.set(pulsePin, true); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond digital.set(pulsePin, false); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond } } // Forward movement function forward() { var speed = getVar("$Speed"); // Get the global speed variable pulseStepper(D21, D22, speed); } // Reverse movement function reverse() { var speed = getVar("$Speed"); // Get the global speed variable pulseStepper(D21, D22, -speed); } // Stop movement function stop() { // Stop pulsing the stepper motor by not calling the pulseStepper function } // Add additional functions for left, right, and pause if needed  In this example, the pulseStepper function takes three parameters: the direction pin, the pulse pin, and the speed. The speed variable is used to determine the pulse rate. The forward and reverse functions retrieve the global speed variable and call pulseStepper with the appropriate direction. Please note that the sleep function is used to create a delay between pulses. You may need to adjust the delay based on your stepper motor's requirements. The actual implementation will depend on how your joystick control sets the global speed variable and how your stepper motor driver interprets the pulses. Remember to replace the placeholder getVar("$Speed") with the actual global variable that your joystick control sets. If your joystick control does not set a global variable, you will need to create a mechanism to read the joystick's position and set the speed accordingly.

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena can you follow up last answer with the Javascript code for ARC for the left, right and pause of V21 and V22 (virtual ports V21 and V22).

Athena · Answer

Certainly! Below is the JavaScript code for ARC to control the left, right, and pause actions for a stepper motor using virtual ports V21 and V22. This code assumes that you have a mechanism to set a global speed variable based on the joystick's position or another input method. javascript // Function to pulse the stepper motor for left/right movement function pulseStepper(directionPin, pulsePin, speed, steps) { // Set the direction digital.set(directionPin, speed >= 0); // Determine the number of steps to pulse based on the speed var pulseSteps = Math.abs(steps); // Pulse the stepper motor for the specified number of steps for (var i = 0; i < pulseSteps; i++) { digital.set(pulsePin, true); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond digital.set(pulsePin, false); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond } } // Left movement function left() { var speed = getVar("$Speed"); // Get the global speed variable var steps = getVar("$Steps"); // Get the global steps variable or define the number of steps for a single movement pulseStepper(D21, D22, -speed, steps); // Negative speed for left direction } // Right movement function right() { var speed = getVar("$Speed"); // Get the global speed variable var steps = getVar("$Steps"); // Get the global steps variable or define the number of steps for a single movement pulseStepper(D21, D22, speed, steps); // Positive speed for right direction } // Pause movement function pause() { // To pause the stepper motor, you might simply stop pulsing it // If your stepper motor driver has a specific pause command, implement it here // For this example, we'll just call the stop function stop(); } // Stop movement function stop() { // Stop pulsing the stepper motor by not calling the pulseStepper function // Ensure both control pins are set to low to disable the motor digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false); }  In this example, the pulseStepper function is used for both left and right movements. The direction of the movement is determined by the sign of the speed variable. For left movement, the speed is negative, and for right movement, the speed is positive. The pause function is designed to stop the stepper motor. If your stepper motor driver supports a specific pause command, you should replace the content of the pause function with that command. Please ensure that the global variables $Speed and $Steps are correctly set by your input mechanism (e.g., joystick control). The $Steps variable represents the number of steps the motor should move for a single left or right command. If you don't have a variable for steps, you can define a constant value within the left and right functions. Remember to adjust the sleep duration and the number of steps according to your stepper motor's specifications and the responsiveness you require.

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena Thankyou this information should take care of it.

Athena · Answer

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you have any more questions or need further assistance as you work on your project, feel free to reach out. Good luck with your robot, and have fun building and programming!

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena Following along in same previous conversation I have inserted the script in these phots into Forward, Reverse, Stop. I am having a problem stopping the Virtual Servo V21 and V22 when in Stop Mose in the movement panel. It also currently only goes in reverse all the way down to zero when in Forward or Reverse. I have also tried to put in $JoystickY1 where $Speed is located in the script but V21 does not move. Which variable am I supposed to use $JoystickY1 or $Speed ? Is there a multiplier in the script where it is supposed to take the value of $JoystickY1 to turn it into pulses? I would like to have the output pulses to be about 500 pulses per second how do I write the code to do that.

Athena · Answer

To control the virtual servos V21 and V22 with variable speed based on joystick input and ensure proper stopping, you need to use the correct variable that represents the joystick's Y-axis value. In ARC, joystick values are typically stored in global variables like $JoystickY1, which you can use to determine the speed and direction of the stepper motor. The $JoystickY1 variable will range from -1 (full down) to 1 (full up), with 0 being the center position. You'll need to map this range to your stepper motor's speed range and convert it into pulses. Here's an updated JavaScript code snippet for ARC that includes mapping the joystick value to a pulse rate and ensuring the stepper motor stops correctly: javascript // Function to pulse the stepper motor for movement function pulseStepper(directionPin, pulsePin, speed) { // Set the direction based on the sign of the speed digital.set(directionPin, speed >= 0); // Calculate the pulse rate based on the absolute speed value var pulseRate = Math.abs(speed) * 500; // Adjust the multiplier to get the desired pulse rate // Pulse the stepper motor at the calculated pulse rate for (var i = 0; i < pulseRate; i++) { digital.set(pulsePin, true); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond (adjust as needed for your stepper driver) digital.set(pulsePin, false); sleep(1); // Wait for 1 millisecond (adjust as needed for your stepper driver) } } // Forward movement function function forward() { var joystickValue = getVar('$JoystickY1'); // Get the joystick Y-axis value var speed = map(joystickValue, -1, 1, -500, 500); // Map joystick value to speed range pulseStepper(D21, D22, speed); } // Reverse movement function function reverse() { var joystickValue = getVar('$JoystickY1'); // Get the joystick Y-axis value var speed = map(joystickValue, -1, 1, -500, 500); // Map joystick value to speed range pulseStepper(D21, D22, -speed); } // Stop movement function function stop() { // Stop pulsing the stepper motor by not calling the pulseStepper function digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false); } // Map function to convert range function map(value, fromLow, fromHigh, toLow, toHigh) { return (value - fromLow) * (toHigh - toLow) / (fromHigh - fromLow) + toLow; }  In this code, the map function is used to convert the joystick value to a speed range suitable for your stepper motor. The pulseStepper function is then called with this speed to move the stepper motor. The stop function sets both control pins to low to ensure the stepper motor stops moving. Regarding the pulse rate, the pulseRate variable is calculated by multiplying the absolute speed value by a factor that determines how many pulses per second you want to achieve. Adjust the multiplier to match your stepper motor's capabilities and the desired pulse rate. Please note that the sleep duration in the pulseStepper function may need to be adjusted to achieve the correct pulse rate for your stepper motor. The current setup with sleep(1) is a placeholder and may not provide the exact timing you need. Make sure to test this code and adjust the parameters to match the behavior of your stepper motor and driver. If your stepper motor driver has specific requirements for pulse width or timing, you'll need to modify the sleep duration accordingly.

Automation Man · Answer

@Athena continuing on this previous conversation, this is very helpful information but could you refer to the StepperServo skill and revise your answer  // Stop movement function function stop() { // Stop pulsing the stepper motor by not calling the pulseStepper function digital.set(D21, false); digital.set(D22, false); because it is sending the information to the Arduino for pin 2 and pin 3 for pulse and direction.

Athena · Answer

Certainly! If you're using the StepperServo skill and need to control the stepper motor using virtual ports V21 and V22, you'll want to send commands to the Arduino that is managing the stepper motor. The Arduino will interpret these commands to control the pulse and direction pins. Here's a revised version of the JavaScript code snippet for ARC that sends the appropriate commands to the Arduino through the StepperServo skill: javascript // Function to control the stepper motor speed and direction function controlStepper(speed) { // Map the joystick value to a speed range and send the command to the StepperServo skill // Positive speed for forward, negative speed for reverse var command = (speed >= 0) ? 'Forward' : 'Reverse'; var absoluteSpeed = Math.abs(speed); // Ensure the speed value is positive // Send the speed and direction command to the StepperServo skill ControlCommand('Stepper Servo', command, absoluteSpeed); } // Forward movement function function forward() { var joystickValue = getVar('$JoystickY1'); // Get the joystick Y-axis value var speed = map(joystickValue, -1, 1, -500, 500); // Map joystick value to speed range controlStepper(speed); } // Reverse movement function function reverse() { var joystickValue = getVar('$JoystickY1'); // Get the joystick Y-axis value var speed = map(joystickValue, -1, 1, -500, 500); // Map joystick value to speed range controlStepper(-speed); // Negate the speed for reverse direction } // Stop movement function function stop() { // Send the stop command to the StepperServo skill ControlCommand('Stepper Servo', 'Stop'); } // Map function to convert range function map(value, fromLow, fromHigh, toLow, toHigh) { return (value - fromLow) * (toHigh - toLow) / (fromHigh - fromLow) + toLow; }  In this code, the controlStepper function sends a command to the StepperServo skill with the desired speed. The forward and reverse functions map the joystick value to a speed range and call controlStepper with the appropriate speed. The stop function sends a 'Stop' command to the StepperServo skill to halt the stepper motor. Please ensure that the ControlCommand syntax matches the actual commands accepted by the StepperServo skill. The command variable should be set to the correct command names that the StepperServo skill expects for forward, reverse, and stop actions. The map function is used to convert the joystick value to a speed range suitable for your stepper motor. Adjust the map function parameters to match the speed range that your stepper motor and Arduino code can handle. Remember to replace 'Stepper Servo' with the actual name of your StepperServo skill in the project if it's different. The absoluteSpeed variable should be calculated based on how your Arduino code interprets speed values. Adjust the mapping range accordingly to ensure the stepper motor operates within its capabilities.

DJ Sures · Answer

The question doesn’t make any sense so she can’t help you. It’s an impossible question.  Such as, can you make an engine into a car so I can use it in a car?  To make a movement panel, you need to make a robot skill. The manual to do so is in the support section and does not use JavaScript. JavaScript is not a complied programming language for making software - it’s a scripting language.  you cannot make a movement panel that works in a movement panel. Those two things are the same thing and even I don’t understand for question ill probably be best to answer this by saying a stepper motor robot skill CANNOT be used in a movement panel because it works as a servo. A servo has a finite range of movement - which is why you’re experiencing what you’re experiencing - that's by design.  your best option is to connect a stepper driver to an ezb digital port. Then, write a loop in a custom movement panel v2 to move the steppers for each direction. This has been discussed many times in previous duplicate questions that you’ve asked. I think you’re stuck assuming a different response or maybe you’re not fully sure what the question is hehe cause I’ve been there before.  but the answer is so what Athena had said in the last twenty times youve posted about this AND she’s even gave you code for it the past to control a stepper directly from an ezb in a custom movement panel v2.  please read what a movement panel is before continuing. Click on the word movement panel from anywhere you see it highlighted.

Automation Man · Answer

This is the first time that I have seen this statement   ill probably be best to answer this by saying a stepper motor robot skill CANNOT be used in a Movement Panel because it works as a servo. A servo has a finite range of movement - which is why you’re experiencing what you’re experiencing - that's by design. Now that I know that it won't work like this and since I have been poking around asking question and found the proper variables to work with I think can now write the loop that you are talking about. Sometimes I ask similar questions on purpose so that I can find hidden answers in her answers. Bear with me it's a process.

Automation Man · Answer

As soon as I heard "you cannot make a Movement Panel that works in a movement panel." it clicked. I figured it out and now I have the movement panel working great.

DJ Sures · Answer

Haha that’s usually how it happens

How did you end up doing it?

There’s probably a way to offload the loop to the ardunio with an option to "set as continuous rotation servo" but I’d have to figure that out. I think Athena’s past suggestion of a JavaScript loop in a custom Movement Panel v2 is the easiest so far.

Automation Man · Answer

I already had stepper movements with keys and with joystick buttons, just had to have movement panel give me something, that something is either joystick variable value or a direction. Cheers!!

Automation Man

Movement Panel For Stepper Motors

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