Hi @RobertMatusiewicz,
I hope you don’t mind me chiming in here.
Quick tip:
In the future, when you want to take a screenshot, try these… (they are faster and save out images that are easier on the internet)
Use the “Command + Shift + 4” keys together to get some cross hairs. Then drag over the part you want to screen capture. This will save a screenshot to your desktop that you can upload here and everyone will be able to see.
As an extra tip, if while you have the cross hairs you tap the space bar, it will switch your cursor to a camera and you can take a screenshot of a specific window when you click on said open window.
Now for the matter at hand. I am guessing that you have already got Easel up and running with your X-Carve. If that is the case, then follow along. If not, then please let us know so we can back up a few steps. Having your X-Carve working with Easel first is an important step to setting up your machine and was included in the instructions.
• First thing you want to do before launching ChiliPeppr is to alway make sure that you have no other control software like UGS or Easel running. For that matter, make sure your VM isn’t running as well, just to rule out any variables or other things that might take control of the port you are trying to use. Also… plug in your USB from the X-Carve and turn on the X-Carve if you haven’t already.
• Next is to make sure you are running the JSON Serial server each time you want to start ChiliPepper. Do this by double clicking “serial-port-json-server” found in the zip file that they have you download located here: http://chilipeppr.com/downloads/v1.80/serial-port-json-server_macosx_v1.80.zip Leave this running in the Terminal in the background.
• Now it is time to navigate to the correct ChiliPeppr workspace. Make sure that you are going to ChiliPeppr - Hardware Fiddle and not any of the other workspaces.
• To connect your workspace to the hardware, you need to tell it where your hardware is. In your ChiliPeppr workspace on the right bottom you should see a widget called “Serial Port JSON Server” and it says connected or disconnected. If is says you are disconnected, click the little button with circular arrows to reconnect.
• Once it is connected you should see a list of ports available from the JSON Server. The one you want looks like the one in green in this pic:
For me it is almost always at the bottom of the list that I have to scroll down through. Tick the box next to it and ChiliPeppr will try and connect to it.
• If all has gone smoothly up until now then you should hear your steppers engage as it connects and puts your machine into an alarm state. (Alarm state just means that your machine has lost reference to where the tool head is at on the grid.) The widget referred to should now register as being connected.
• Above the JSON widget you should see a GRBL widget. In that widget it should look like this:
Just click where it says “Click To Unlock” in the red. Then when you are ready, go up to the Jog widget and home your machine by clicking the little home icon.
• You should be good to go now. You’ll be able to jog your machine, load and run g-code file… etc.
Another Tip: to avoid problems, it might be easier in the long run if you work in metric and make sure your files are metric. I learned this the hard way.
@ErikJenkins et all… please correct me if I’ve missed anything.
