H5 and Touch Screen

[AlanMerry]

Just wondering if the new touchscreen can be utilised as a touch screen in place of the keyboard?

[kotovasia5120]

Just wondering if the new touchscreen can be utilised as a touch screen in place of the keyboard?

Maybe, but if you miss the screen, you break the tool or something. The screen is too small for precise clicks.

[demsarmatjaz]

Hi kotovasia5120,
My opinion is that using a touchscreen in an industrial environment is not the smartest choice and I can't imagine using it with greasy hands. It could still be used to enter settings or other parameters but not to control basic functions. Personally I'm more inclined to use bigger industrial grade dedicated buttons on the lathe control panel connected to the ELS via a ps2 encoder, which is probably what I'll do in my case.

[kotovasia5120]

I worked on a machine with such a control system. It is quite convenient, but it is a milling machine, a different specificity.

[demsarmatjaz]

Hi, almost forgot, Happy New Year to everyone!
Yes, that's it. Keys like STOP - the most important key, START, X/Z manual feed and maybe some more, should be accessible without searching the screen, everything else could be accessible via the touch screen or an additional ps2 keyboard. I'm even more inclined to modify the ps2 keyboard to contain only the necessary keys than using 5 inch touch. Since I have a screenprinting machines at home, I'll probably make a customized foil keyboard, which is the most resistant to vapors, liquids, grease..., similar to what you did for the H4 version, except that it will be a standalone device with a ps2 connection.
While I'm writing, I got an idea about parameterizing the device..., it would be nice if it were possible to enter the basic parameters of the device, such as the lead screw pitch, the number of motor steps per revolution and, most importantly, the backlash, which increases with use, via some kind of settings menu.
Btw, I'm still testing the functionality of the H5 and would be very grateful for some answers to my questions. Do you prefer to respond via this portal or via private email?
BR, Matjaz D.

[kachurovskiy]

As you know there are quite a lot of parameters and entering them on screen would be pretty hard, especially since many need comments to understand what to enter. I think it's also important to get into the habit of modifying the source code. I do understand that some people are not comfortable uploading the firmware but the project is not ready to support them yet. Please post any questions in the discussions or issues sections so that it would be discoverable for others.

[kachurovskiy]

We will make the keyboard optional but today it's required.

[AlanMerry]

Now that I have completed my H5 and am desk testing, I can see the value in using a normal keyboard. The screen size is probably too small for adding keyboard functions.