Fixed issue 45 by providing Option to turn off position query

README

@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ Enhancements
   https://github.com/LETARTARE/Grbl_with_Arduino/tree/master/Grbl84Mega2560
   which is the A axis grbl variant.
 - LETARTARE: Added UVW axes
+- #45: Added ability to completely or partially turn off querying position from grbl to
+  help improve responsiveness. Partial means to turn it off during jog or manual control
+  which will result in light-greyed LCD numbers. A button to query the position has been
+  added, which will provided up-to-date position at the time the button is pushed.
+  Look in Options | Display tab for new button options. You can also set the rate
+  at which the query takes place from 0.5-10 seconds, if it is enabled. Also, the 
+  current position dot on the Visualizer turns from red to green when the position
+  is not accurately known to match the color of the path.
+  NOTE: The default will turn off getting position during manual/jog which means the
+  LCDs will go into their light grey state. If you don't like this, change in Options.
 Bug fix
 - Fixed fourth axis adjust buttons and coordinate display greyed out when they shouldn't
   be (under specific operating circumstances).

controlparams.cpp

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ ControlParams::ControlParams()
             useAggressivePreload(false), filterFileCommands(false),
             reducePrecision(false), grblLineBufferLen(DEFAULT_GRBL_LINE_BUFFER_LEN),
             useFourAxis(false), charSendDelayMs(DEFAULT_CHAR_SEND_DELAY_MS),
-            fourthAxisType(FOURTH_AXIS_A)
+            fourthAxisType(FOURTH_AXIS_A), usePositionRequest(true),
+            alwaysRequestPosition(false), postionRequestTimeMilliSec(DEFAULT_POS_REQ_FREQ_MSEC)
 {
 }

controlparams.h

@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ class ControlParams
     bool useFourAxis;
     int charSendDelayMs;
     char fourthAxisType;
+    bool usePositionRequest;
+    bool alwaysRequestPosition;
+    int postionRequestTimeMilliSec;
 };
 
 #endif // CONTROLPARAMS_H

definitions.h

@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@
 #define FOURTH_AXIS_B   'B'
 #define FOURTH_AXIS_C   'C'
 
+#define PREQ_ALWAYS           "always"
+#define PREQ_NOT_WHEN_MANUAL  "notWhenManual"
+
+#define DEFAULT_POS_REQ_FREQ_SEC    1.0
+#define DEFAULT_POS_REQ_FREQ_MSEC   1000
 
 extern AtomicIntBool g_enableDebugLog;
 

gcode.cpp

@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@ GCode::GCode()
       incorrectMeasurementUnits(false), incorrectLcdDisplayUnits(false),
       maxZ(0), motionOccurred(false),
       sliderZCount(0),
+      positionValid(false),
       numaxis(DEFAULT_AXIS_COUNT)
 {
     // use base class's timer - use it to capture random text from the controller
     startTimer(1000);
+    // for position polling
+    pollPosTimer.start();
 }
 
 void GCode::openPort(QString commPortStr, QString baudRate)
@@ -195,46 +198,59 @@ void GCode::sendGcode(QString line)
 // keep polling our position and state until we are done running
 void GCode::pollPosWaitForIdle(bool checkMeasurementUnits)
 {
-    bool immediateQuit = false;
-    for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
+    if (controlParams.usePositionRequest
+            && (controlParams.alwaysRequestPosition || checkMeasurementUnits))
     {
-        bool ret = sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
-        if (!ret)
+        bool immediateQuit = false;
+        for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
         {
-            immediateQuit = true;
-            break;
-        }
-
-        if (doubleDollarFormat)
-        {
-            if (lastState.compare("Run") != 0)
-                break;
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            if (machineCoordLastIdlePos == machineCoord
-                && workCoordLastIdlePos == workCoord)
+            GCode::PosReqStatus ret = positionUpdate();
+            if (ret == POS_REQ_RESULT_ERROR || ret == POS_REQ_RESULT_UNAVAILABLE)
             {
+                immediateQuit = true;
                 break;
             }
+            else if (ret == POS_REQ_RESULT_TIMER_SKIP)
+            {
+                SLEEP(250);
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (doubleDollarFormat)
+            {
+                if (lastState.compare("Run") != 0)
+                    break;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                if (machineCoordLastIdlePos == machineCoord
+                    && workCoordLastIdlePos == workCoord)
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                machineCoordLastIdlePos = machineCoord;
+                workCoordLastIdlePos = workCoord;
+            }
 
-            machineCoordLastIdlePos = machineCoord;
-            workCoordLastIdlePos = workCoord;
+            if (shutdownState.get())
+                return;
         }
 
-        if (shutdownState.get())
+        if (immediateQuit)
             return;
-    }
 
-    if (immediateQuit)
-        return;
-
-    if (checkMeasurementUnits)
+        if (checkMeasurementUnits)
+        {
+            if (doubleDollarFormat)
+                checkAndSetCorrectMeasurementUnits();
+            else
+                setOldFormatMeasurementUnitControl();
+        }
+    }
+    else
     {
-        if (doubleDollarFormat)
-            checkAndSetCorrectMeasurementUnits();
-        else
-            setOldFormatMeasurementUnitControl();
+        setLivenessState(false);
     }
 }
 
@@ -340,9 +356,10 @@ bool GCode::sendGcodeInternal(QString line, QString& result, bool recordResponse
     bool sentReqForSettings = false;
     bool sentReqForParserState = false;
 
-    if (!line.compare(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS))
+    if (checkForGetPosStr(line))
     {
         sentReqForLocation = true;
+        setLivenessState(true);
     }
     else if (!line.compare(REQUEST_PARSER_STATE_V08c))
     {
@@ -939,7 +956,7 @@ void GCode::parseCoordinates(const QString& received, bool aggressive)
 			maxZ = workCoord.z;
 
 		emit updateCoordinates(machineCoord, workCoord);
-		emit setLivePoint(workCoord.x, workCoord.y, controlParams.useMm);
+        emit setLivePoint(workCoord.x, workCoord.y, controlParams.useMm, positionValid);
 		emit setLastState(state);
 
 		lastState = state;
@@ -1049,9 +1066,6 @@ void GCode::sendFile(QString path)
 
         parseCoordTimer.restart();
 
-        QTime pollPosTimer;
-        pollPosTimer.start();
-
         int currLine = 0;
         bool xyRateSet = false;
 
@@ -1129,19 +1143,7 @@ void GCode::sendFile(QString path)
             float percentComplete = (currLine * 100.0) / totalLineCount;
             setProgress((int)percentComplete);
 
-            if (!aggressive)
-            {
-                sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                int ms = pollPosTimer.elapsed();
-                if (ms >= 1000)
-                {
-                    pollPosTimer.restart();
-                    sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS, false, -1, aggressive);
-                }
-            }
+            positionUpdate();
             currLine++;
         } while ((code.atEnd() == false) && (!abortState.get()));
         file.close();
@@ -1170,7 +1172,7 @@ void GCode::sendFile(QString path)
             }
         }
 
-        sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
+        positionUpdate();
 
         emit resetTimer(false);
 
@@ -1705,7 +1707,9 @@ QStringList GCode::doZRateLimit(QString inputLine, QString& msg, bool& xyRateSet
 
 void GCode::gotoXYZFourth(QString line)
 {
-    pollPosWaitForIdle(false);
+    bool queryPos = checkForGetPosStr(line);
+    if (!queryPos)
+        pollPosWaitForIdle(false);
 
     if (sendGcodeLocal(line))
     {
@@ -1735,7 +1739,8 @@ void GCode::gotoXYZFourth(QString line)
             //emit addList("No movement expected for command.");
         }
 
-        pollPosWaitForIdle(false);
+        if (!queryPos)
+            pollPosWaitForIdle(false);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -1852,7 +1857,7 @@ void GCode::checkAndSetCorrectMeasurementUnits()
             setConfigureInchesMode(true);
         }
         incorrectMeasurementUnits = false;// hope this is ok to do here
-        sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
+        positionUpdate(true);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -1888,15 +1893,15 @@ void GCode::setConfigureMmMode(bool setGrblUnits)
     sendGcodeLocal("$13=0");
     if (setGrblUnits)
         sendGcodeLocal("G21");
-    sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
+    positionUpdate(true);
 }
 
 void GCode::setConfigureInchesMode(bool setGrblUnits)
 {
     sendGcodeLocal("$13=1");
     if (setGrblUnits)
         sendGcodeLocal("G20");
-    sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS);
+    positionUpdate(true);
 }
 
 void GCode::setUnitsTypeDisplay(bool millimeters)
@@ -1923,3 +1928,41 @@ int GCode:: getNumaxis()
 {
 	return numaxis;
 }
+
+GCode::PosReqStatus GCode::positionUpdate(bool forceIfEnabled /* = false */)
+{
+    if (controlParams.usePositionRequest)
+    {
+        if (forceIfEnabled)
+        {
+            return sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS) ? POS_REQ_RESULT_OK : POS_REQ_RESULT_ERROR;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            int ms = pollPosTimer.elapsed();
+            if (ms >= controlParams.postionRequestTimeMilliSec)
+            {
+                pollPosTimer.restart();
+                return sendGcodeLocal(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS) ? POS_REQ_RESULT_OK : POS_REQ_RESULT_ERROR;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return POS_REQ_RESULT_TIMER_SKIP;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return POS_REQ_RESULT_UNAVAILABLE;
+}
+
+bool GCode::checkForGetPosStr(QString& line)
+{
+    return (!line.compare(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS)
+        || (line.startsWith(REQUEST_CURRENT_POS) && line.endsWith('\r') && line.length() == 2));
+}
+
+void GCode::setLivenessState(bool valid)
+{
+    positionValid = valid;
+    emit setVisualLivenessCurrPos(valid);
+    emit setLcdState(valid);
+}

gcode.h

@@ -96,8 +96,10 @@ class GCode : public QObject
     void setLastState(QString state);
     void setUnitsWork(QString value);
     void setUnitsMachine(QString value);
-    void setLivePoint(double x, double y, bool isMM);
+    void setLivePoint(double x, double y, bool isMM, bool isLiveCP);
     void setVisCurrLine(int currLine);
+    void setLcdState(bool valid);
+    void setVisualLivenessCurrPos(bool isLiveCP);
 
 public slots:
     void openPort(QString commPortStr, QString baudRate);
@@ -116,6 +118,14 @@ public slots:
 protected:
     void timerEvent(QTimerEvent *event);
 
+private:
+    enum PosReqStatus
+    {
+        POS_REQ_RESULT_OK,
+        POS_REQ_RESULT_ERROR,
+        POS_REQ_RESULT_TIMER_SKIP,
+        POS_REQ_RESULT_UNAVAILABLE
+    };
 private:
     bool sendGcodeLocal(QString line, bool recordResponseOnFail = false, int waitSec = -1, bool aggressive = false, int currLine = 0);
     bool waitForOk(QString& result, int waitCount, bool sentReqForLocation, bool sentReqForParserState, bool aggressive, bool finalize);
@@ -139,6 +149,9 @@ public slots:
     void sendStatusList(QStringList& listToSend);
     void clearToHome();
     bool checkGrbl(const QString& result);
+    PosReqStatus positionUpdate(bool forceIfEnabled = false);
+    bool checkForGetPosStr(QString& line);
+    void setLivenessState(bool valid);
 
 private:
     RS232 port;
@@ -162,6 +175,8 @@ public slots:
     int sliderZCount;
     QStringList grblCmdErrors;
     QStringList grblFilteredCmds;
+    QTime pollPosTimer;
+    bool positionValid;
 
     int sentI;
     int rcvdI;