Sure Cuts Alot - Laserpoint 1

[AshComputers 197]

Is it true that Sure Cuts Alot isn't compatible with the Laserpoint I ??

I've installed it, align everything to home, design my cut, go to cut, it moves across the cutter about a foot to the left from home position and then starts cutting. Am I missing something here?

[BearlyRich 167]

Not that I would know, but I have read previously here that only the Laserpoint II was supported. I didn't even know there was a "II"?

Try politely complaining direct to Craftedge and maybe they're fix it. Seems we're all being beta tested of scalp now. Well, except me anyways since my shop computer blew and I've been too busy to set things up again. (Yes guys, with the Ham radios! )

[TomasB 23]

I have been cutting lately with it and no issues...........UNTIL I tried the print cut (contour cut)

and it does nothing, can't calibrate laser or even if I pass on that and try to cut the cutter wont move to any of the reg marks, the display on my Laserpoint shows 'waiting'. I have contacted Craftedge and they responded with "did you install the latest virtual port adapter?"

I responded with "why would I need that if I am running serial?" The response to that was try running it USB !

What USB well then thats when my head started hurting again (SBE flashbacks lol) . Ohh and welcome back Ash , I know use a keyspan adapter

Any way to make a longer story even longer......isn't serial a much better connection for the cutter than usb?

[AshComputers 197]

I have been cutting lately with it and no issues...........UNTIL I tried the print cut (contour cut) and it does nothing, can't calibrate laser or even if I pass on that and try to cut the cutter wont move to any of the reg marks, the display on my Laserpoint shows 'waiting'. I have contacted Craftedge and they responded with "did you install the latest virtual port adapter?" I responded with "why would I need that if I am running serial?" The response to that was try running it USB ! What USB well then thats when my head started hurting again (SBE flashbacks lol) . Ohh and welcome back Ash , I know use a keyspan adapter Any way to make a longer story even longer......isn't serial a much better connection for the cutter than usb?

To me, USB is the "only" way to go.... saying that though, serial is more stable, but I don't use serial ports, and they are almost a non exsisting thing these days.

I can't get this thing to communicate at all with this LP, guess I'll have to wait for a fix, don't have time to break the software apart and fix it. That would be me going in and learning their code, and there's not enough time in a day for all that lol

I'm not upset since this is in the beta stage and they will work it out sooner or later.

Thanks, I've been here, just not posting much these days, to busy trying to make a living hehehehee

[Ninja 16]

The following message has been sent to the Developer of Sure Cuts A Lot Pro: 

 

"Contour cutting and auto laser calibration does not work for the LaserPoint I. For the laser calibration, it draws the target, but then the cutter wont accept any other input and "Waiting...." is displayed on the screen. This seems to be a result of the way that the cutter accepts commands; being that it needs an "end of data transmition" / "ready for next transition" (something to that effect) before it will accept input for these functions. For example: When you press the "test connection" button nothing happens, until you press it again. When aligning to the reg marks on a print/cut image, you have to give it 5 key strokes (arrow keys in any direction) before it will move at all. It will allow you to align and moves to each successive mark as normal, but when you finish and click "Cut", nothing- and LCD shows "Waiting..." Normal cutting works fine." 

 

CraftEdge is pushing out fixes and improvements almost as fast as we can log the requests, and then we update the latest releases on our support site... so if you're using SCAL pro, be sure to check for the latest version every week or two for at least the next couple months. The latest release 3.043 can be downloaded here.

[AVRC 1]

I bought this specifically for contour cutting versus buying a month or week license of SignCut every time I need it, a few time a year.

 

To help speed things along, I did some port sniffing and research on the protocol.

Here is what I found:

 

When doing laser offset alignment, or "Test connection", nothing is actually sent to the plotter and the software usually locks up.

 

When doing contour cutting (print and cut), the alignment goes OK, but between alignment and cutting, it sends a new page command which sometimes leaves it saying "Waiting", or more often reboots the plotter.

If I capture the serial data from this whole process and remove new page command, "; !PG;" from the data and send the whole thing to the plotter, it duplicates all the registration mark alignment moves, then cuts the design as it should. The alignment is off though because the laser offset is not set. I can manually enter offset values, but it does not work as expected.

 

As for the 5 keystrokes before it moves, that is a plotter issue. Scalp3 is sending data for the keystrokes when the keys are pressed. Signcut did the exact same thing as well.

 

The CraftEdge folks have been doing an excellent job of resolving issues so far, hopefully they can use this info to get us LaserPoint 1 folks get up and running sooner.

 

Edit: This testing done with version 3.044

[lueman 19]

I bought this specifically for contour cutting versus buying a month or week license of SignCut every time I need it, a few time a year.

 

To help speed things along, I did some port sniffing and research on the protocol.

Here is what I found:

 

When doing laser offset alignment, or "Test connection", nothing is actually sent to the plotter and the software usually locks up.

 

When doing contour cutting (print and cut), the alignment goes OK, but between alignment and cutting, it sends a new page command which sometimes leaves it saying "Waiting", or more often reboots the plotter.

If I capture the serial data from this whole process and remove new page command, "; !PG;" from the data and send the whole thing to the plotter, it duplicates all the registration mark alignment moves, then cuts the design as it should. The alignment is off though because the laser offset is not set. I can manually enter offset values, but it does not work as expected.

 

As for the 5 keystrokes before it moves, that is a plotter issue. Scalp3 is sending data for the keystrokes when the keys are pressed. Signcut did the exact same thing as well.

 

The CraftEdge folks have been doing an excellent job of resolving issues so far, hopefully they can use this info to get us LaserPoint 1 folks get up and running sooner.

 

Edit: This testing done with version 3.044

Nice work with the serial capture,  what program did you use? I used to program in "c" and vreated several, but non since Windows XP

[AVRC 1]

It's a free utility and can be found here:

http://www.serial-port-monitor.com/free-serial-port-monitor-downloads.html

 

Unfortunately it doesn't work on Windows newer than XP, so I had to use an old laptop.

For easiest copy/pasting, use it in "Console" mode.

 

To send a file to the plotter, I use https://sites.google.com/site/terminalbpp/

Be sure to set it to 9600:8:N:1 and RTS/CTS for flow control.

[AshComputers 197]

Thanks for the help guy's, it's working great since this last update!!! WWWooooooo HHHoooooo

 

Love the weed line feature alot!

[AVRC 1]

Thanks for the help guy's, it's working great since this last update!!! WWWooooooo HHHoooooo

 

Love the weed line feature alot!

 

You don't mean contour cutting, do you?

They are still working on that and I sent them more test info they requested with 3.046.

 

I am focusing on contour cutting, but regular cutting seems OK in the small amount of testing I've done there.

[pwade 0]

Hey AVRC,

 

How is the contour cutting going with that Laserpoint II

after the SCAL 3.048 up date?

[AVRC 1]

Got an email from Craft Edge on Wednesday, informing me they got their hands on a Laserpoint-1 to debug on, with a link to a new program version.

 

Finally got a chance to try the new 3.051 today and I'm happy to report that it seems to be working perfectly.

 

Kudos to the Craft Edge folks.