Editing Control WaterColorBot
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== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
− | + | "Control WaterColorBot" is the main WaterColorBot extension for Inkscape. This is the tool to use when you are ready to "print" your drawing, assuming that you wish to do so from within Inkscape. It is your painting "control panel". In addition to painting, you will also use it to adjust settings for your WaterColorBot. For example, to control how high to raise or lower the brush. | |
The Control WaterColorBot extension has a number of tabs, each of which is described in its own section below. When opening the extension the first time after launching Inkscape, the selected tab will always be the "Paint" tab. However, during a working session, Inkscape remembers which tab you last selected and will automatically select that tab upon re-opening the extension. | The Control WaterColorBot extension has a number of tabs, each of which is described in its own section below. When opening the extension the first time after launching Inkscape, the selected tab will always be the "Paint" tab. However, during a working session, Inkscape remembers which tab you last selected and will automatically select that tab upon re-opening the extension. | ||
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== Paint == | == Paint == | ||
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The function of this tab is straightforward: send your Inkscape drawing to your WaterColorBot. Once you've adjusted the Inkscape control values with the other tabs, you will mostly use this tab and the "Setup" tab in order to set up the robot and paint your drawings. | The function of this tab is straightforward: send your Inkscape drawing to your WaterColorBot. Once you've adjusted the Inkscape control values with the other tabs, you will mostly use this tab and the "Setup" tab in order to set up the robot and paint your drawings. | ||
− | Simply click the "Apply" button, and plotting will begin (assuming, of course, that your WaterColorBot is powered, connected via USB to your computer, and that the carriage is | + | Simply click the "Apply" button, and plotting will begin (assuming, of course, that your WaterColorBot is powered, connected via USB to your computer, and that the carriage is in the upper-left START corner). If you wish to close the extension, click the "Close" button. To select another tab, just click on the desired tab. |
− | + | If you wish to plot only a portion of your drawing, consider instead using the "Layers" tab. To resume a paused plot, use the "Resume" tab. | |
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− | + | '''Setting up your file''' | |
− | + | If there are multiple layers in your Inkscape Drawing, they will be printed in the order from '''bottom to top'''. | |
− | + | To take advantage of automatic paint color changes, the different parts of your drawing that will be painted in different colors need to be separated into different layers as described below. | |
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− | + | '''Behavior with automatic paint color changes enabled''' | |
+ | To do so, make sure that you are using one of the "AutoChange" modes (e.g., Watercolor, Tempera, or manual with AutoChange selected) in the "Modes" tab. | ||
− | + | To paint with multiple colors, and have Inkscape automatically change the paint color as it goes, create one or more layers in Inkscape and assign them names that begin with integers. The integer can be in the range from 0 - 100, and that integer can be followed by any name or description that you like. | |
− | + | Only layers that begin with an integer in the range 0-8 will be painted with AutoChange enabled, and for each of those layers, the paint color will be determined by that leading integer, as follows: | |
− | + | : 0 - Water wash (no paint) | |
+ | : 1 - Top paint pan (normally black) | ||
+ | : 2 - Second from top (red) | ||
+ | : 3 - 3rd from top (orange) | ||
+ | : 4 - 4th from top (yellow) | ||
+ | : 5 - 5th from top (green) | ||
+ | : 6 - 6th from top (blue) | ||
+ | : 7 - 7th from top (violet) | ||
+ | : 8 - bottom paint pan (brown) | ||
+ | : 9 or higher: ignored | ||
+ | For example, if you create four layers with the names: | ||
+ | : 2 - circles | ||
+ | : 2 - rectangles | ||
+ | : 5 - triangles | ||
+ | : 62 - zigzags | ||
− | + | Then, the two layers that start with the "2" (the circles and the rectangles) will be painted in red, the triangles will be painted in green, and layer 62 (zigzags) will not be painted. | |
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− | + | The order in which the layers will be painted is from '''bottom to top'''. You can add additional layers of any of the colors, and you can re-arrange the order of the layer to change the order in which the different colors are painted. This means that you can switch back and forth between two or more colors as desired. | |
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− | + | '''Behavior with automatic paint color changes disabled''' | |
+ | To turn off automatic paint color changes, make sure that none of the "AutoChange" modes (e.g., Watercolor, Tempera, or manual with AutoChange selected) is enabled in the "Modes" tab. | ||
− | + | Then, every layer of your drawing will be plotted when you click "Apply." | |
− | + | == Setup == | |
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+ | == Timing == | ||
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− | + | == Options == | |
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+ | == Mode == | ||
− | + | The "Mode" tab allows you to select the painting behavior of the WaterColorBot. | |
There are six presets for different behaviors plus a manual mode that allows custom configuration. | There are six presets for different behaviors plus a manual mode that allows custom configuration. | ||
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(This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting AutoChange, Re-Ink, Pre-Dip, and Post-Dip.) | (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting AutoChange, Re-Ink, Pre-Dip, and Post-Dip.) | ||
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In "WaterColor Pencil" mode, the brush is "re-inked" with water only. It can be used for drawing with Watercolor pencils or a "Buddha board" type drawing surface that darkens when painted with water alone. No paint will be used. There is no brush-cleaning step, nor any ability to automatically change between colors. The pencil (or brush) will occasionally be dipped in water (alone) to keep the tip wet. | In "WaterColor Pencil" mode, the brush is "re-inked" with water only. It can be used for drawing with Watercolor pencils or a "Buddha board" type drawing surface that darkens when painted with water alone. No paint will be used. There is no brush-cleaning step, nor any ability to automatically change between colors. The pencil (or brush) will occasionally be dipped in water (alone) to keep the tip wet. | ||
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:A.) Initial Sequence: | :A.) Initial Sequence: | ||
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::2. Continue painting | ::2. Continue painting | ||
− | :C.) Color change sequence: | + | :C.) Color change sequence: |
− | + | ::* N/A | |
There is no automatic color changing sequence. To create multiple-color drawings with WaterColor pencils, use the "Layers" feature to print a single layer at a time, and change pencils between printing individual layers. If you print from the "Paint" (leftmost) tab, all layers will be drawn. | There is no automatic color changing sequence. To create multiple-color drawings with WaterColor pencils, use the "Layers" feature to print a single layer at a time, and change pencils between printing individual layers. If you print from the "Paint" (leftmost) tab, all layers will be drawn. | ||
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(This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting Re-Ink and Re-Ink w/ Water) | (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting Re-Ink and Re-Ink w/ Water) | ||
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(This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting only Re-Ink.) | (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting only Re-Ink.) | ||
+ | ==== Pencil (No ink, no water) ==== | ||
− | + | This mode is for drawing with a pencil or pen. There are no color changes, and no dipping in water or paint. | |
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− | This mode is for drawing with a | ||
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:C.) Color change sequence: ''None'' | :C.) Color change sequence: ''None'' | ||
− | + | When starting from the "Paint" tab, ''all layers'' will be printed. To create multiple-color drawings with pens or pencils, use the "Layers" feature to print a single layer at a time, and change drawing implements between printing individual layers. | |
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==== Manual Mode Config ==== | ==== Manual Mode Config ==== | ||
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If the manual option is selected, you can set up the WaterColorBot for other, unanticipated behavior types. | If the manual option is selected, you can set up the WaterColorBot for other, unanticipated behavior types. | ||
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== Manual == | == Manual == | ||
− | + | The "Manual" tab is so named as it allows you to manually send select, basic commands to the WaterColorBot. Most of these commands are intended to aid in fine tuning your WaterColorBot setup, or to allow you to perform operations that are not otherwise automatically supported. Note that the Wash Brush command assumes that the carriage begins in the upper-left (START) corner. | |
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− | The "Manual" tab is so named as it allows you to manually send select, basic commands to the WaterColorBot. Most of these commands are intended to aid in fine tuning your WaterColorBot setup, or to allow you to perform operations that are not otherwise automatically supported. | ||
+ | The "Check EBB Version" command allows you to check the firmware version of the EBB. | ||
− | + | The "Strip WCB data from file" command is an "advanced" command that removes WaterColorBot position data from your SVG file. (This may come in handy, in some obscure but important sets of circumstances.) | |
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== Resume == | == Resume == | ||
− | + | The Resume feature allows you to resume a plot that was paused. | |
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− | The Resume feature allows you to resume a plot that was paused | ||
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== Layers == | == Layers == | ||
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By default, from the "Paint" tab, the Control WaterColorBot extension will plot your entire drawing. | By default, from the "Paint" tab, the Control WaterColorBot extension will plot your entire drawing. | ||
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Any numbered layer (0 - 100) can be plotted in this way. | Any numbered layer (0 - 100) can be plotted in this way. | ||
− | + | == * == | |
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This final tab is the Control WaterColorBot's "About" page and shows the version of the extension which you currently have installed. Also, it lists any known requirements, limitations or problems with the extension. | This final tab is the Control WaterColorBot's "About" page and shows the version of the extension which you currently have installed. Also, it lists any known requirements, limitations or problems with the extension. | ||
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