Control WaterColorBot - Revision history

Windell at 03:42, 18 November 2013

2013-11-18T03:42:50Z

Windell at 03:42, 18 November 2013

2013-11-18T03:42:27Z

Windell at 19:26, 14 November 2013

2013-11-14T19:26:11Z

Windell: /* Paint */

2013-11-14T19:21:35Z

‎Paint

Windell: /* Paint */

2013-11-14T18:22:26Z

‎Paint

Windell at 18:04, 14 November 2013

2013-11-14T18:04:22Z

Windell: /* * */

2013-11-14T17:36:52Z

‎*

Windell: /* Manual */

2013-11-14T17:36:15Z

‎Manual

Windell at 13:32, 14 November 2013

2013-11-14T13:32:09Z

Windell: /* Paint */

2013-11-14T13:25:57Z

‎Paint

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:42, 18 November 2013
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	If you need additional assistance, please request technical support in [http://forum.evilmadscientist.com/categories/watercolorbot our forums].		If you need additional assistance, please request technical support in [http://forum.evilmadscientist.com/categories/watercolorbot our forums].
−
−
−
−	~~== For Developers ==~~
−
−	~~=== Repository ===~~
−	~~The WaterColorBot extensions for Inkscape are maintained at [https://github.com/evil-mad/wcb-ink/ our github repository].~~
−
−	~~=== Bugs and feature requests ===~~
−
−	~~Please use the [https://github.com/evil-mad/wcb-ink/issues issues page] at our repository to report bugs and request new features for the WaterColorBot extensions for Inkscape.~~
−

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:42, 18 November 2013
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	<img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/Resume.jpg">		<img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/Resume.jpg">

		+	The Resume feature allows you to resume a plot that was paused by pressing the "PRG" button while painting. There are two options, to either resume from where it was paused, or to simply return the carriage to the home corner. If you use this tab to return the carriage to the home corner, you can resume painting from that location as well.
		+
		+
		+	The Resume feature makes an assumption that you should be aware of: That the last-known position of the carriage is accurate. When you pause a plot, Control WaterColorBot saves the following information in your SVG file:
		+	* The most recent physical location of the WaterColorBot carriage
		+	* The "segment number" in the painting where you paused
		+	* The physical location in your painting where you paused


−	~~The Resume feature allows you to resume a plot that was paused by pressing the "PRG" button while painting.~~


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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.
		+
		+
		+
		+	== Known issues ==
		+
		+	While the Control WaterColorBot extension is running, Inkscape will present to you an option to "cancel" that does not actually work; the "cancel" button does nothing. (This is a known bug in Inkscape and fixing it is unfortunately outside the scope of WaterColorBot software.)
		+
		+	To pause a plot in progress, press the "PRG" button on the EBB. This will stop the plot after the end of the current segment. The plot can be resumed by using the "Resume" tab, described above.
		+
		+
		+
		+
		+	== Troubleshooting ==
		+
		+	If Control WaterColorBot cannot connect to the WaterColorBot for any reason (which most commonly turns out to be a disconnected USB cable) you will get the message "I couldn't find the WaterColorBot. :("
		+
		+	If you get this message (and everything appears to be plugged in correctly), always try clicking "Apply" again at least once; the first attempt to connect in any given session is most prone to failure.
		+
		+	For additional hints, please see [[WaterColorBot_Troubleshooting#Computer_cannot_find_WaterColorBot\|our troubleshooting page]].
		+
		+
		+	If you need additional assistance, please request technical support in [http://forum.evilmadscientist.com/categories/watercolorbot our forums].
		+
		+
		+
		+	== For Developers ==
		+
		+	=== Repository ===
		+	The WaterColorBot extensions for Inkscape are maintained at [https://github.com/evil-mad/wcb-ink/ our github repository].
		+
		+	=== Bugs and feature requests ===
		+
		+	Please use the [https://github.com/evil-mad/wcb-ink/issues issues page] at our repository to report bugs and request new features for the WaterColorBot extensions for Inkscape.

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 {{WaterColorBotDocs}}
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 For use with media that require manual paint color changes-- for example colored pencils or permanent markers -- do not use the "Paint" tab.  Instead, use the "Layers" tab.  (And, make sure to select a painting mode in the "Modes" tab that does not have "AutoChange" enabled.
 == Setup ==
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 The Options tab lets you adjust options about WaterColorBot behavior.  Most importantly, you can set the distance (in inches) after which the WaterColorBot will go to get more ink, when configured in a mode that does re-ink the brush.
 == Mode ==
@@ Line 126: / Line 130: @@
 (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting AutoChange, Re-Ink, Pre-Dip, and Post-Dip.)
@@ Line 172: / Line 175: @@
 (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting Re-Ink and Re-Ink w/ Water)
 ====Dip Pen (Re-Ink only)====
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 (This behavior can also be generated in Manual mode by selecting only Re-Ink.)
 ==== Pen/Pencil (No ink, no water) ====
@@ Line 207: / Line 212: @@
 If you print from the "Paint" (leftmost) tab, all layers will be drawn.   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.
 ==== Manual Mode Config ====
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 '''Important note about Wash Brush:'''  Only execute this command if the carriage is actually located the home (START) corner.
 == Resume ==
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 Any numbered layer (0 - 100) can be plotted in this way.
 == The "*" Tab ==
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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.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 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 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.
+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 already in the upper-left START corner).  If you wish to close the extension, click the "Close" button.  To select another tab, click on the desired tab.
-=== Modes with Automatic Paint Color Changes ===
+=== Painting with Automatic Paint Color Changes ===
+=== Painting without Color Changes ===
 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."
+Then, start your painting by clicking "Apply" with the "Paint" tab selected.  All paths, in every layer of your drawing will be plotted, regardless of which layer(s) they appear upon.
-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.
+For use with media that require manual paint color changes-- for example colored pencils or permanent markers -- do not use the "Paint" tab.  Instead, use the "Layers" tab.  (And, make sure to select a painting mode in the "Modes" tab that does not have "AutoChange" enabled.
 == Setup ==

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
-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.
+=== Modes with Automatic Paint Color Changes ===
-If there are multiple layers in your Inkscape Drawing, they will be printed in the order from '''bottom to top'''.
+=== Modes Without Color Changes ===
-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.
+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.
-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.
+=== Manual Paint Color Changes ===
-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:
+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.
 == Setup ==

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 == 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.
+This article is about "Control WaterColorBot,"  the most important of the [[Inkscape_and_WaterColorBot|WaterColorBot extensions 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.

@@ Line 255: / Line 255: @@
 <img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/manual1.jpg">
 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.
 <img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/manual2.jpg">
-The "Check EBB Version" command allows you to check the firmware version of the EBB.
+'''Important note about walking the motors:''' Motor walking is a manual command, and assumes that you know what you're doing. You can walk the motors with either the brush in the up or down position.  The motion is strictly relative to the starting point-- and no limit checking is performed.  It can walk the carriage right into the wall, if you're not careful.
 == Resume ==

@@ Line 81: / Line 81: @@
 == Timing ==
 == Options ==
 == 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.
@@ Line 226: / Line 238: @@
 ==== Manual Mode Config ====
 If the manual option is selected, you can set up the WaterColorBot for other, unanticipated behavior types.
@@ Line 239: / Line 252: @@
 == 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.
 The "Check EBB Version" command allows you to check the firmware version of the EBB.
@@ Line 249: / Line 270: @@
 == Resume ==
-The Resume feature allows you to resume a plot that was paused.
+<img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/Resume.jpg">
 == Layers ==
 By default, from the "Paint" tab, the Control WaterColorBot extension will plot your entire drawing.
@@ Line 291: / Line 319: @@
 == * ==
 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.

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:25, 14 November 2013
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	== Paint ==		== Paint ==
		+
		+	<img src="http://evilmadscience.s3.amazonaws.com/wiki/watercolor/inkex/paint.jpg">

	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.