Of Itself So - Projects

Listed below are some projects I have been working on. Many of the software ones are still undergoing active maintenance and updates. If a project seems suitable for more than one category it may well be listed more than once in the Projects by Category section.

Move your mouse over the link associated with each project to see a quick pop-up which provides a slightly more lengthy summary of what each project is about. Interestingly, these pop-ups are entirely done with CSS and HTML (no Javascript or Flash). No, I did not think up this technique, the About page contains the credits.

Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

Line Grinder Line Grinder
 
A software program to read Gerber and Excellon files and to output GCode suitable for the isolation milling of printed circuit boards (PCB's). The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Can convert Gerber files to isolation GCode.
 · Can convert Excellon drill files to GCode suitable for a CNC mill.
 · Can generate other useful types of GCode also useful for the creation of PCB's.
     For example: Edge Milling, Reference Pin and Bed Flattening GCode.
 · Graphical user interface displays the Gerber and GCode plots.
 · Very configurable with individual settings for each GCode type.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - Creates Isolation Routed PCB GCode from Gerber Plots, can also generate GCode from Excellon Drill Files.

Wellity CNC Router The Wellity CNC Router
 
A discussion of the repair and conversion of a 1980's vintage Gerber System 48 CNC sign cutting router to use modern CNC drive and control mechanisms and the addition of other useful accessories (such as a dust shoe, touch probe and console) to it.
 
 · Discusses how the router came to be purchased quite cheaply.
 · Discusses the physical structure of the router.
 · Discusses the repairs to the mechanical structure to get it operational.
 · Discusses an innovative and inexpensive power supply design.
 · Discusses the design and build of the new control electronics.
 · Discusses the CNC controller software chosen and the control electronics interface.
 · Discusses the CAD and CAM software tool chain used.
 
This documentation is offered under the terms of the the MIT License. Complete source code is offered for any software implemented. - A discussion of the repair and conversion of a 1980's vintage Gerber System 48 CNC sign cutting router to use modern CNC drive and control mechanisms.

Microcontrollers

Prop Script Bit Inspector Prop Script Bit Inspector
 
A binary file viewer and Propeller Assembly Language Disassembler for the Parallax Propeller Chip written in CSharp. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Interprets the binary header bytes and presents them on the display
 · Can display the file contents in hex format.
 · Optionally can display the file contents in binary format.
 · Optionally can undo the Little Endian byte order when presenting the file
    contents.
 · Optionally displays PASM code in a disassembled manner with forward and
    back label references.
 · Moving the edit carat over lines in the display panel will dynamically
    update a display showing the disassembled PASM opcodes for that line split
    out into the various instruction components.
 · Contains a handy converter which enables a user to enter four hex bytes
    (assumed to be a binary PASM instruction) in various formats such as hex,
    binary, little endian hex, little endian binary and to see the output in a
    variety of formats.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - Displays the contents of .binary and .eeprom files which are intended to be loaded and executed on the Propeller Chip.

Robotics

SRV1 CSharp Console SRV1 CSharp Console
 
A console for the SRV1 Robot written in CSharp. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Connects to the SRV1 Robot via TCP/IP.
 · Buttons can be pressed to send shortcut motor control commands.
 · Arbitrary user defined text and hex commands can be transmitted.
 · Image information from the SRV1 Robots camera can be received and
    displayed.
 · Interpreted C programs can be sent to the SRV1 robot and executed.
 · Runtime errors in interpreted C programs are displayed.
 · A comprehensive log of all data transmitted and received from the SRV1 is
    kept.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - A CSharp version of the Surveyor SRV1 Robot console application including some extended capabilities.

Software (Misc.)

CoDocker CoDocker
 
Generates HTML web pages from the solutions, projects and source code files created by the Microsoft Visual Studio CSharp software. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Reads CSharp solutions, projects and files and converts them to HTML web
    pages.
 · The output files are all written to the same directory in a flat structure.
 · Certain elements of the Visual Studio syntax highlighting are output.
 · All output files are linked together in a tree like structure.
 · The visual appearance of the output files are highly customizable.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - A CSharp solution, project and source code to HTML page converter. (sample)

CoDocker CoDocker
 
Generates HTML web pages from the solutions, projects and source code files created by the Microsoft Visual Studio CSharp software. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Reads CSharp solutions, projects and files and converts them to HTML web
    pages.
 · The output files are all written to the same directory in a flat structure.
 · Certain elements of the Visual Studio syntax highlighting are output.
 · All output files are linked together in a tree like structure.
 · The visual appearance of the output files are highly customizable.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - A CSharp solution, project and source code to HTML page converter. (sample)

Line Grinder Line Grinder
 
A software program to read Gerber and Excellon files and to output GCode suitable for the isolation milling of printed circuit boards (PCB's). The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Can convert Gerber files to isolation GCode.
 · Can convert Excellon drill files to GCode suitable for a CNC mill.
 · Can generate other useful types of GCode also useful for the creation of PCB's.
     For example: Edge Milling, Reference Pin and Bed Flattening GCode.
 · Graphical user interface displays the Gerber and GCode plots.
 · Very configurable with individual settings for each GCode type.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - Creates Isolation Routed PCB GCode from Gerber Plots, can also generate GCode from Excellon Drill Files.

Prop Script Bit Inspector Prop Script Bit Inspector
 
A binary file viewer and Propeller Assembly Language Disassembler for the Parallax Propeller Chip written in CSharp. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Interprets the binary header bytes and presents them on the display
 · Can display the file contents in hex format.
 · Optionally can display the file contents in binary format.
 · Optionally can undo the Little Endian byte order when presenting the file
    contents.
 · Optionally displays PASM code in a disassembled manner with forward and
    back label references.
 · Moving the edit carat over lines in the display panel will dynamically
    update a display showing the disassembled PASM opcodes for that line split
    out into the various instruction components.
 · Contains a handy converter which enables a user to enter four hex bytes
    (assumed to be a binary PASM instruction) in various formats such as hex,
    binary, little endian hex, little endian binary and to see the output in a
    variety of formats.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - Displays the contents of .binary and .eeprom files which are intended to be loaded and executed on the Propeller Chip.

SRV1 CSharp Console SRV1 CSharp Console
 
A console for the SRV1 Robot written in CSharp. The basic functionality and features of this software are:
 
 · Connects to the SRV1 Robot via TCP/IP.
 · Buttons can be pressed to send shortcut motor control commands.
 · Arbitrary user defined text and hex commands can be transmitted.
 · Image information from the SRV1 Robots camera can be received and
    displayed.
 · Interpreted C programs can be sent to the SRV1 robot and executed.
 · Runtime errors in interpreted C programs are displayed.
 · A comprehensive log of all data transmitted and received from the SRV1 is
    kept.
 
This software is offered as a binary and with source code under the terms of the the MIT License. - A CSharp version of the Surveyor SRV1 Robot console application including some extended capabilities.

Wellity CNC Router The Wellity CNC Router
 
A discussion of the repair and conversion of a 1980's vintage Gerber System 48 CNC sign cutting router to use modern CNC drive and control mechanisms and the addition of other useful accessories (such as a dust shoe, touch probe and console) to it.
 
 · Discusses how the router came to be purchased quite cheaply.
 · Discusses the physical structure of the router.
 · Discusses the repairs to the mechanical structure to get it operational.
 · Discusses an innovative and inexpensive power supply design.
 · Discusses the design and build of the new control electronics.
 · Discusses the CNC controller software chosen and the control electronics interface.
 · Discusses the CAD and CAM software tool chain used.
 
This documentation is offered under the terms of the the MIT License. Complete source code is offered for any software implemented. - A discussion of the repair and conversion of a 1980's vintage Gerber System 48 CNC sign cutting router to use modern CNC drive and control mechanisms.