HAL User Interface

1. Introduction

Halui is a HAL based user interface for LinuxCNC, it connects HAL pins to NML commands. Most of the functionality (buttons, indicators etc.) that is provided by a traditional GUI (mini, Axis, etc.), is provided by HAL pins in Halui.

The easiest way to add halui is to add the following to the [HAL] section of the ini file.

HALUI = halui

An alternate way to invoke it is to include the following in your .hal file. Make sure you use the actual path to your ini file.

loadusr halui -ini /path/to/inifile.ini

2. Halui pin reference

Abort

  • halui.abort (bit, in) - pin to send an abort message (clears out most errors)

Axis

  • halui.axis.n.pos-commanded (float, out) - Commanded axis position in machine coordinates

  • halui.axis.n.pos-feedback (float, out) - Feedback axis position in machine coordinates

  • halui.axis.n.pos-relative (float, out) - Commanded axis position in relative coordinates

E-Stop

  • halui.estop.activate (bit, in) - pin for requesting E-Stop

  • halui.estop.is-activated (bit, out) - indicates E-stop reset

  • halui.estop.reset (bit, in) - pin for requesting E-Stop reset

Feed Override

  • halui.feed-override.count-enable (bit, in) - must be true for counts or direct-value to work.

  • halui.feed-override.counts (s32, in) - counts * scale = FO percentage. Can be used with an encoder or direct-value.

  • halui.feed-override.decrease (bit, in) - pin for decreasing the FO (-=scale)

  • halui.feed-override.increase (bit, in) - pin for increasing the FO (+=scale)

  • halui.feed-override.direct-value (bit, in) - false when using encoder to change counts, true when setting counts directly. The count-enable pin must be true.

  • halui.feed-override.scale (float, in) - pin for setting the scale for increase and decrease of feed-override.

  • halui.feed-override.value (float, out) - current FO value

Mist

  • halui.mist.is-on (bit, out) - indicates mist is on

  • halui.mist.off (bit, in) - pin for requesting mist off

  • halui.mist.on (bit, in) - pin for requesting mist on

Flood

  • halui.flood.is-on (bit, out) - indicates flood is on

  • halui.flood.off (bit, in) - pin for requesting flood off

  • halui.flood.on (bit, in) - pin for requesting flood on

Homing

  • halui.home-all (bit, in) - pin for requesting all axis to home. This pin will only be there if HOME_SEQUENCE is set in the ini file.

Jog

<n> is a number between 0 and 8 and selected.

  • halui.jog-deadband (float, in) - deadband for analog jogging (smaller jogging speed requests are not performed)

  • halui.jog-speed (float, in) - pin for setting jog speed for minus/plus jogging

  • halui.jog.<n>.analog (float, in) - analog velocity input for jogging (useful with joysticks or other analog devices)

  • halui.jog.<n>.increment (float,in) - pin for setting the jog increment for axis <n> when using increment-minus or increment-plus to jog.

  • halui.jog.<n>.increment-minus (bit, in) - pin for moving the <n> axis one increment in the minus direction for each off to on transition.

  • halui.jog.<n>.increment-plus (bit, in) - pin for moving the <n> axis one increment in the plus direction for each off to on transition.

  • halui.jog.<n>.minus (bit, in) - pin for jogging axis <n> in negative direction at the halui.jog.speed velocity

  • halui.jog.<n>.plus (bit, in) - pin for jogging axis <n> in positive direction at the halui.jog.speed velocity

  • halui.jog.selected.increment (float,in) - pin for setting the jog increment for the selected axis when using increment-minus or incremet-plus to jog.

  • halui.jog.selected.increment-minus (bit, in) - pin for moving the selected axis one increment in the minus direction for each off to on transition.

  • halui.jog.selected.increment-plus (bit, in) - pin for moving the selected axis one increment in the plus direction for each off to on transition.

  • halui.jog.selected.minus (bit, in) - pin for jogging the selected axis in negative direction at the halui.jog.speed velocity

  • halui.jog.selected.plus (bit, in) - pin for jogging the selected axis in positive direction at the halui.jog.speed velocity

Joint

<n> is a number between 0 and 8 and selected.

  • halui.joint.<n>.has-fault (bit, out) - status pin telling the joint has a fault

  • halui.joint.<n>.home (bit, in) - pin for homing the specific joint

  • halui.joint.<n>.is-homed (bit, out) - status pin telling that the joint is homed

  • halui.joint.<n>.is-selected bit (bit, out) - status pin a joint is selected* internal halui

  • halui.joint.<n>.on-hard-max-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling joint <n> is on the positive hardware limit switch

  • halui.joint.<n>.on-hard-min-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling joint <n> is on the negative hardware limit switch

  • halui.joint.<n>.on-soft-max-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling joint <n> is at the positive software limit

  • halui.joint.<n>.on-soft-min-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling joint <n> is at the negative software limit

  • halui.joint.<n>.select (bit, in) - select joint (0..8) - internal halui

  • halui.joint.<n>.unhome (bit, in) - unhomes this joint

  • halui.joint.selected (u32, out) - selected joint (0..8) - internal halui

  • halui.joint.selected.has-fault (bit, out) - status pin telling that the joint <n> has a fault

  • halui.joint.selected.home (bit, in) - pin for homing the selected joint

  • halui.joint.selected.is-homed (bit, out) - status pin telling that the selected joint is homed

  • halui.joint.selected.on-hard-max-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling that the selected joint is on the positive hardware limit

  • halui.joint.selected.on-hard-min-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling that the selected joint is on the negative hardware limit

  • halui.joint.selected.on-soft-max-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling that the selected joint is on the positive software limit

  • halui.joint.selected.on-soft-min-limit (bit, out) - status pin telling that the selected joint is on the negative software limit

  • halui.joint.selected.unhome (bit, in) - pin for unhoming the selected joint.

Lube

  • halui.lube.is-on (bit, out) - indicates lube is on

  • halui.lube.off (bit, in) - pin for requesting lube off

  • halui.lube.on (bit, in) - pin for requesting lube on

Machine

  • halui.machine.is-on (bit, out) - indicates machine on

  • halui.machine.off (bit, in) - pin for requesting machine off

  • halui.machine.on (bit, in) - pin for requesting machine on

Max Velocity

The maximum linear velocity can be adjusted from 0 to the MAX_VELOCITY that is set in the [TRAJ] section of the ini file.

  • halui.max-velocity.count-enable (bit, in) - must be true for counts or direct-value to work.

  • halui.max-velocity.counts (s32, in) - counts * scale = MV percentage. Can be used with an encoder or direct-value.

  • halui.max-velocity.direct-value (bit, in) - false when using encoder to change counts, true when setting counts directly. The count-enable pin must be true.

  • halui.max-velocity.decrease (bit, in) - pin for decreasing max velocity

  • halui.max-velocity.increase (bit, in) - pin for increasing max velocity

  • halui.max-velocity.scale (float, in) - the amount applied to the current maximum velocity with each transition from off to on of the increase or decrease pin in machine units per second.

  • halui.max-velocity.value (float, out) - is the maximum linear velocity in machine units per second.

MDI

Sometimes the user wants to add more complicated tasks to be performed by the activation of a HAL pin. This is possible using the following MDI commands scheme:

  • The MDI_COMMAND is added to the ini file in the [HALUI] section. 

[HALUI]
MDI_COMMAND = G0 X0

  • When halui starts it will read the MDI_COMMAND fields in the ini, and export pins from 00 to the number of MDI_COMMAND’s found in the ini up to a maximum of 64 commands.

  • halui.mdi-command-<nn> (bit, in) - halui will try to send the MDI command defined in the ini. This will not always succeed, depending on the operating mode LinuxCNC is in (e.g. while in AUTO halui can’t successfully send MDI commands). If the command succeeds then it will place LinuxCNC in the MDI mode and then back to Manual mode.

Joint Selection

  • halui.joint.select (u32, in) - select joint (0..8) - internal halui

  • halui.joint.selected (u32, out) - joint (0..8) selected* internal halui

  • halui.joint.x.select bit (bit, in) - pins for selecting a joint* internal halui

  • halui.joint.x.is-selected bit (bit, out) - indicates joint selected* internal halui

Mode

  • halui.mode.auto (bit, in) - pin for requesting auto mode

  • halui.mode.is-auto (bit, out) - indicates auto mode is on

  • halui.mode.is-joint (bit, out) - indicates joint by joint jog mode is on

  • halui.mode.is-manual (bit, out) - indicates manual mode is on

  • halui.mode.is-mdi (bit, out) - indicates mdi mode is on

  • halui.mode.is-teleop (bit, out) - indicates coordinated jog mode is on

  • halui.mode.joint (bit, in) - pin for requesting joint by joint jog mode

  • halui.mode.manual (bit, in) - pin for requesting manual mode

  • halui.mode.mdi (bit, in) - pin for requesting mdi mode

  • halui.mode.teleop (bit, in) - pin for requesting coordinated jog mode

Program

  • halui.program.block-delete.is-on (bit, out) - status pin telling that block delete is on

  • halui.program.block-delete.off (bit, in) - pin for requesting that block delete is off

  • halui.program.block-delete.on (bit, in) - pin for requesting that block delete is on

  • halui.program.is-idle (bit, out) - status pin telling that no program is running

  • halui.program.is-paused (bit, out) - status pin telling that a program is paused

  • halui.program.is-running (bit, out) - status pin telling that a program is running

  • halui.program.optional-stop.is-on (bit, out) - status pin telling that the optional stop is on

  • halui.program.optional-stop.off (bit, in) - pin requesting that the optional stop is off

  • halui.program.optional-stop.on (bit, in) - pin requesting that the optional stop is on

  • halui.program.pause (bit, in) - pin for pausing a program

  • halui.program.resume (bit, in) - pin for resuming a paused program

  • halui.program.run (bit, in) - pin for running a program

  • halui.program.step (bit, in) - pin for stepping in a program

  • halui.program.stop (bit, in) - pin for stopping a program

Spindle Override

  • halui.spindle-override.count-enable (bit, in) - must be true for counts or direct-value to work.

  • halui.spindle-override.counts (s32, in) - counts * scale = SO percentage

  • halui.spindle-override.decrease (bit, in) - pin for decreasing the SO (-=scale)

  • halui.spindle-override.direct-value (bit, in) - false when using encoder to change counts, true when setting counts directly. The count-enable pin must be true.

  • halui.spindle-override.increase (bit, in) - pin for increasing the SO (+=scale)

  • halui.spindle-override.scale (float, in) - pin for setting the scale on changing the SO

  • halui.spindle-override.value (float, out) - current SO value

Spindle

  • halui.spindle.brake-is-on (bit, out) - indicates brake is on

  • halui.spindle.brake-off (bit, in) - pin for deactivating spindle/brake

  • halui.spindle.brake-on (bit, in) - pin for activating spindle-brake

  • halui.spindle.decrease (bit, in) - decreases spindle speed

  • halui.spindle.forward (bit, in) - starts the spindle with CW motion

  • halui.spindle.increase (bit, in)- increases spindle speed

  • halui.spindle.is-on (bit, out) - indicates spindle is on (either direction)

  • halui.spindle.reverse (bit, in)- starts the spindle with a CCW motion

  • halui.spindle.runs-backward (bit, out) - indicates spindle is on, and in reverse

  • halui.spindle.runs-forward (bit, out) - indicates spindle is on, and in forward

  • halui.spindle.start (bit, in) - starts the spindle

  • halui.spindle.stop (bit, in) - stops the spindle

Tool

  • halui.tool.length-offset (float, out) - indicates current applied tool-length-offset

  • halui.tool.number (u32, out) - indicates current selected tool