Console Panel

Console Panel

The Console Panel displays communication between ncSender and your CNC controller in real-time. It shows all commands sent, responses received, and provides a manual command input for direct controller interaction.

Screenshot: Console panel showing command history and input

Overview

The Console Panel is located in the right-side panel and includes:

• Command history display: Scrolling log of all communications
• Command input field: Send manual commands to controller
• Clear button: Clear the console history
• Auto-scroll: Automatically scrolls to show newest messages

Console Display

Message Types

The console displays different types of messages with visual distinction:

Screenshot: Different message types in console

Sent Commands (typically blue or accent color):

• Commands sent from ncSender to controller
• Includes jog commands, G-code lines, settings changes
• Prefixed with > or →

Controller Responses (typically standard text color):

• ok: Command executed successfully
• error:X: Command failed (X is error code)
• Status messages from controller
• Alarm notifications

System Messages (typically muted/gray):

• ncSender internal messages
• Connection status changes
• File loading notifications
• Progress updates

Error Messages (typically red):

• Connection errors
• Parsing errors
• Failed operations
• Alarm codes with descriptions

Status Reports

Real-time status reports appear periodically:

<Idle|MPos:0.000,0.000,0.000|WPos:0.000,0.000,0.000|FS:0,0>

These show:

• Machine state (Idle, Run, Hold, Alarm, etc.)
• Machine position (MPos)
• Work position (WPos)
• Feed rate and spindle speed (FS)

Note: Status reports update automatically. You don't need to request them manually.

Sending Manual Commands

Command Input Field

Screenshot: Command input field with example command

Located at the bottom of the console:

1. Click the input field
2. Type your command
3. Press Enter to send
4. Command appears in console history

Common Commands

Status and Information:

• ?: Request status report
• $$: View all settings
• $#: View coordinate offsets
• $G: View parser state
• $I: View build info

Control Commands:

• $H: Run homing cycle
• $X: Unlock (clear alarm)
• Ctrl+X or \x18: Soft reset
• ~: Resume from feed hold
• !: Feed hold (pause)

Coordinate Systems:

• G54 through G59: Switch work coordinate system
• G10 L20 P1 X0 Y0 Z0: Set current position as work zero in G54
• G92 X0 Y0 Z0: Set current position as zero (temporary)

Movement:

• G0 X10 Y10: Rapid move to position
• G1 X10 Y10 F1000: Linear move at feed rate
• G90: Absolute positioning mode
• G91: Incremental positioning mode

Warning: Manual commands directly control the machine. Ensure you understand the command before sending.

Command History

Press Up Arrow to recall previous commands:

• Navigate through command history
• Edit and resend previous commands
• Useful for repetitive operations

Auto-Scroll Behavior

Screenshot: Auto-scroll behavior when enabled

When Enabled (default):

• Console automatically scrolls to bottom
• Always shows newest messages
• Stays current during active jobs

When Disabled:

• Console stays at your scroll position
• Useful for reviewing older messages
• New messages still appear (scroll down to see them)

How to Toggle:

• Scroll up manually to disable auto-scroll
• Scroll to bottom to re-enable
• Or use setting in Settings > Application

Clear Console

Screenshot: Clear console button

Clear Button:

• Located at top of console panel
• Clears all messages from display
• Does not affect controller state
• Command history still available (up arrow)

When to Clear:

• Console becomes cluttered
• Starting new operation
• Troubleshooting specific issue
• Looking for specific recent messages

Use Cases

Debugging G-code

Watch commands execute line-by-line:

1. Load G-code file
2. Watch console during execution
3. Identify problematic lines
4. Note error codes and messages

Screenshot: Console showing G-code execution with error

Troubleshooting Connections

Monitor connection status:

• Connection established messages
• Communication errors
• Timeout warnings
• Reconnection attempts

Setting Work Offsets Manually

Instead of using buttons, send commands directly:

G10 L20 P1 X0 Y0 Z0

• Sets G54 work offset to current position
• Useful for scripting or macros
• More control than button interface

Viewing Machine State

Check detailed machine state:

1. Send $G to see modal states
2. View active G-codes (G54, G90, G21, etc.)
3. Understand current parser state
4. Useful before starting job

Screenshot: Machine state response showing modal groups

Emergency Operations

Quick access to critical commands:

• Type $X and Enter to unlock alarm
• Ctrl+X for immediate soft reset
• ~ to resume from hold
• Faster than finding buttons

Error Codes

When errors occur, console displays error codes:

Screenshot: Error message with code and description

Common Error Codes:

• Error:1 - G-code command letter not found
• Error:2 - Missing G-code number
• Error:3 - Invalid $ setting number
• Error:9 - G-code locked (alarm state)
• Error:20 - Unsupported command
• Error:24 - Jog target exceeds machine travel

Full error code reference available in GrblHAL documentation.

Alarm Codes

Alarm codes indicate machine safety states:

Screenshot: Alarm message with explanation

Common Alarms:

• Alarm:1 - Hard limit triggered
• Alarm:2 - Soft limit triggered
• Alarm:3 - Abort during cycle
• Alarm:4 - Probe fail
• Alarm:5 - Probe fail (probe not triggered)
• Alarm:9 - Homing fail

Clearing Alarms:

1. Identify cause of alarm
2. Fix the problem
3. Send $X to unlock
4. Or use Unlock button in toolbar

Console Filtering

Currently, ncSender displays all messages. Future versions may include:

• Filter by message type
• Hide status reports
• Show only errors
• Search/find in console

Performance

Large Command Logs:

• Console history has size limit
• Oldest messages removed automatically
• Doesn't affect controller communication
• Clear console if performance degrades

High-Speed Operations:

• Messages may appear rapidly during jobs
• Auto-scroll keeps up with new messages
• Some messages may batch together
• Does not impact job execution

Tips and Tricks

Copy Messages

Screenshot: Selecting and copying console text

Select text in console:

• Click and drag to select
• Ctrl+C or Cmd+C to copy
• Paste into text editor or support request

Timestamped Logs

Enable timestamps in Settings:

• Shows exact time of each message
• Useful for troubleshooting timing issues
• Helps correlate events

Command Shortcuts

Create macros for frequently used commands:

• See Macros page
• Save common command sequences
• One-click execution

Monitor During Probing

Watch console during probing operations:

• See probe commands sent
• Monitor probe trigger
• Verify correct behavior
• Catch errors early

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Enter: Send command
• Up Arrow: Previous command
• Down Arrow: Next command (if navigating history)
• Ctrl+C / Cmd+C: Copy selected text
• Ctrl+L / Cmd+L: Focus command input (if supported)

Integration with Other Panels

The console works with:

• Control Panel: Shows commands from button clicks
• Jogging Controls: Displays jog commands
• Probing: Shows probing sequence
• 3D Visualizer: Commands correlate to visualizer movements

Troubleshooting

Commands not sending

Check:

• Controller is connected
• No alarm state (unlock if needed)
• Valid command syntax
• Console input field is focused

Console not updating

Try:

• Check connection status
• Restart application
• Clear console and retry
• Verify controller is responding (send ?)

Can't see recent messages

Solution:

• Scroll to bottom
• Enable auto-scroll
• Clear old messages
• Increase console buffer size in settings

Too many messages

Solutions:

• Clear console regularly
• Disable auto-scroll when reviewing
• Copy important messages before clearing
• Use filtering when available

Related Topics

• Control Panel - Machine control buttons
• Troubleshooting - Error code explanations
• Firmware Settings - Sending firmware commands
• Macros - Automating command sequences