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Jog Dialog

The Jog Dialog provides manual control over your laser cutter's position, allowing you to precisely move the laser head for setup, alignment, and testing purposes.

Accessing the Jog Dialog

You can access the Jog Dialog in several ways:

  • Menu: Machine → Jog Controls...
  • Toolbar: Click the jog button (joystick icon)
  • Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+J

Connection Required

The jog controls are only available when connected to a machine that supports jogging operations.

Dialog Layout

The jog dialog consists of three main sections:

  1. Homing Controls: Home individual axes or all axes at once
  2. Manual Jog Controls: Directional buttons for precise movement
  3. Jog Settings: Configure speed and distance for jog operations

Homing Controls

The homing section provides buttons to home your machine's axes:

Button Function Description
Home X Homes X axis Moves X axis to its home position
Home Y Homes Y axis Moves Y axis to its home position
Home Z Homes Z axis Moves Z axis to its home position
Home All Homes all axes Homes all axes simultaneously

Homing Sequence

It's recommended to home all axes before starting any job to ensure accurate positioning.

Manual Jog Controls

The jog controls provide a visual interface for moving the laser head:

Directional Movement

The jog controls are arranged in a grid pattern:

  ↖  ↑  ↗
  ←  •  →
  ↙  ↓  ↘
Button Movement Keyboard Shortcut
↑ Y+ (Y- if machine is Y-flipped) Up Arrow
↓ Y- (Y+ if machine is Y-flipped) Down Arrow
← X- (left) Left Arrow
→ X+ (right) Right Arrow
↖ (top-left) X- Y± (diagonal) -
↗ (top-right) X+ Y± (diagonal) -
↙ (bottom-left) X- Y-/+ (diagonal) -
↘ (bottom-right) X+ Y-/+ (diagonal) -
Z+ Z axis up Page Up
Z- Z axis down Page Down

Focus Required

Keyboard shortcuts only work when the jog dialog has focus. Click anywhere in the dialog to ensure it has focus.

Visual Feedback

The jog buttons provide visual feedback:

  • Normal: Button is enabled and safe to use
  • Warning (orange): Movement would approach or exceed soft limits
  • Disabled: Movement is not supported by the machine or machine is not connected

Jog Settings

Configure the behavior of jog operations:

Jog Speed

  • Range: 1-10,000 mm/min
  • Default: 1,000 mm/min
  • Purpose: Controls how fast the laser head moves during jog operations

Speed Selection

  • Use lower speeds (100-500 mm/min) for precise positioning
  • Use higher speeds (1,000-3,000 mm/min) for larger movements
  • Very high speeds may cause missed steps on some machines

Jog Distance

  • Range: 0.1-1,000 mm
  • Default: 10.0 mm
  • Purpose: Controls how far the laser head moves with each button press

Distance Selection

  • Use small distances (0.1-1.0 mm) for fine-tuning
  • Use medium distances (5-20 mm) for general positioning
  • Use large distances (50-100 mm) for quick repositioning

Machine Compatibility

The jog dialog adapts to your machine's capabilities:

Axis Support

  • X/Y Axis: Supported by virtually all laser cutters
  • Z Axis: Only available on machines with Z-axis control
  • Diagonal Movement: Requires support for both X and Y axes

Machine Types

Machine Type Jog Support Notes
GRBL (v1.1+) Full Supports all jog features
Smoothieware Full Supports all jog features
Custom Controllers Variable Depends on implementation

Safety Features

Soft Limits

When soft limits are enabled in your machine profile:

  • Buttons show orange warning when approaching limits
  • Movement is automatically limited to prevent exceeding bounds
  • Provides visual feedback to prevent crashes

Connection Status

  • All controls are disabled when not connected to a machine
  • Buttons update sensitivity based on machine state
  • Prevents accidental movement during operation

Workflow Tips

Initial Setup

  1. Connect to Machine: Ensure proper connection
  2. Home All Axes: Establish reference position
  3. Set Jog Speed: Choose appropriate speed for task
  4. Set Jog Distance: Choose appropriate distance for task

Precision Positioning

  1. Use large distance for rough positioning
  2. Reduce distance for fine-tuning
  3. Use keyboard arrows for precise adjustments
  4. Watch for warning indicators near limits

Testing and Alignment

  1. Position laser over test area
  2. Use low speeds for test cuts
  3. Verify alignment with workpiece
  4. Adjust position as needed

Troubleshooting

Jog Controls Not Working

Possible Causes:

  • Machine not connected
  • Machine doesn't support jogging
  • Machine is in alarm or error state
  • Soft limits preventing movement

Solutions:

  • Check connection status in main window
  • Verify machine supports jog commands
  • Reset machine if in alarm state
  • Check soft limit configuration

Keyboard Shortcuts Not Responding

Possible Causes:

  • Dialog doesn't have focus
  • Another window is active
  • System shortcuts intercepting keys

Solutions:

  • Click on the jog dialog to give it focus
  • Close other windows that might capture keys
  • Check system keyboard shortcut settings

Movement Direction Reversed

Possible Causes:

  • Y-axis direction configured incorrectly
  • Machine orientation different from expected

Solutions:

  • Check Y-axis direction in machine profile
  • Adjust "Y-axis down" setting if needed
  • Test with small movements first

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