LAOS Laser

h1. Software overview

From LAOS wiki

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h2. Status

Nothing is (officially) released yet. There is just a "last known good" with no specific definition of _good_..

If you just need something to run on you laser, download the "last known good" combination of versions from the list below. If you want to develop and modify things, or need new features take the latest version of the components from the subversion repository at "https://tuxic.nl/laos":https://tuxic.nl/laos. For commit access, contact "User:Jaap":/index.php/User:Jaap

h2. Last known Good

Download these packages:

* Firmware V0.3 (Dated 7-7-2012, SVN rev410) - ["Download":https://tuxic.nl/laos/firmware/mbed/laoslaser/laoslaser_LPC1768.bin?rev=410] and save to your MBED.

* Configuration file for your laser - HPC 3020 version . ["Download":https://tuxic.nl/laos/firmware/config/config.hpc3020.txt] and save to your MBED as *config.txt*

* pstoedit - Laos version (Dated 7-7-2012) ["Download":https://github.com/jrv/pstoedit/zipball/laos], and *install using "these instructions":/index.php/Install_ubuntu11*.

* CUPS Printer Driver (SVN rev410) - ["Download":https://tuxic.nl/laos/cups-laos/?rev=410] and install.

* Visicut V1.3.4 ["Download":http://visicut.wordpress.com/download/] and install (Java required, does not need pstoedit or CUPS)

* A Drawing program: ["Inkscape":http://www.inkscape.org/] version 0.47 (Linux). See below for other suggestions

h2. Development

If you want to develop the software, read along.

h3. Components

The software consists of various parts:

# "CUPS printer driver":/index.php/PrinterDriver to convert application output to the laser cutter and provide printer settings

# "Firmware":/index.php/Firmware

# Optional: Thomas Oster's "VisiCut":http://visicut.orgStand-alone JAVA driver software (does not require printer driver)

h3. Printer driver

The CUPS printer driver is described "here":/index.php/PrinterDriver.

Follow "these instructions":/index.php/Install_ubuntu11 to build and install ps2edit and CUPS printer driver.

h3. Firmware

The "Firmware":/index.php/Firmware is the code that controls the motor and laser. It is installed on the mainboard. Installation of the firmware on the controller, and configuration of the firmware for your system is described "here":/index.php/Config.txt_this. To test the hardware, a separate test program is written. Its use is described "here":/index.php/Mainboard_Rev2#Testing_the_board

The firmware uses a simple instruction language that is described "Here":/index.php/SimpleCode. These instructions are used to instruct the laser to move, cut and mark.

h3. Download compiled versions

The compiled firmware file is here (save to your MBED):

p(((. https://tuxic.nl/laos/firmware/mbed/laos_server_menu/laos_server_menu_LPC1768.bin

The configuration files are here (download, modify for your machine, and save on MBED):

p(((. https://tuxic.nl/laos/firmware/config

More versions of the "Firmware":/index.php/Firmware are available on the "Firmware":/index.php/Firmware page.

h3. Drawing program

Any program can be used to make drawings and images that are sent to the laser cutter. Your favorite word-processor or image editor can be used. However: Consider that some programs are better suited for some task than others. Some examples:

* If you want to laser text: Use a text editor (like word, or open-office writer)

* If you want to laser images: Use GIMP or PAINT

* If you want to laser cut technical drawings: use a CAD program

* If you want to design PCB's: Use KiCAD

* ["InkScape":http://www.inkscape.org] is a generic open source drawing program, that can be used for various tasks.

h3. VisiCut software

This software is optional, but provides a stand-alone way to control the laser, independent of a printer driver. An installation and end users guide can be found on the ["LaOS Visicut User Guide":http://redmine.laoslaser.org/projects/laos/wiki/VisiCut]. VisiCut is not a drawing program, you need some other program to make the drawings and images you want to laser. No administrator rights are required to install Visicut. Background is on the "VisiCut":http://visicut.org page. The settings for a LaOS HPC3020 are "here":/index.php/VisiCut_settings.