handibot Forum - Handibot App Developers Forum For ongoing discussion related to Handibot App and software development (also see ShopBot Tools Github site).https://handibot.com/forum/list.php?1Tue, 19 May 2026 21:33:00 -0400 Phorum 5.2.22 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,3006,3006#msg-3006 Set up environment for testing OpenSBP code (Mac/OSX) (1 reply)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,3006,3006#msg-30060.0.0.0], but not any more. Any help would be much appreciated.

npm -v currently shows 5.7.1]]> CBGroves2001 Handibot App Developers ForumWed, 11 Apr 2018 13:34:29 -0400 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1843,1843#msg-1843 Need Info/Suggestions on how to set up a Developer environment for creating Handibot Apps (25 replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1843,1843#msg-1843
Are the tinyG2 board and stepper motors also required just to develop an App for the Handibot or can I get by without a complete system? I understand it would be best to have a complete system for checking the App but I am looking for a minimal system just to get familiar with building an Handibot App prior to getting the Handibot V2.

Would like to also know if the binary files for the FabMo Engine, G2 Core and Fabmo-Edison-Image could be provided for setting up the system for app development only. I'm not interested in changing anything in the core system software.

Again, it would be nice to have a step-by-step guide as to how to setup a development system and get all the correct images installed.

As I understand it, in order to get a development system setup it is required that I build the Intel Edison Image and install it, build the Fabmo-Engine and install it, and get the G2 Core built and installed on the Arduino Due. All this requires linux vm in order to build the component pieces as I understand it. I do not us Linux on a regular basis for any sort of development.]]> gclayton Handibot App Developers ForumWed, 14 Dec 2022 23:04:41 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1834,1834#msg-1834 Developing Apps for Handibot V2 question. (2 replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1834,1834#msg-1834
In particular, I would like to know if anyone (general user) outside of Shopbot Tools has developed any Apps just using the info that is provided on github.

I've been looking over the fabmo-example-app on github that is supposed to be the template (I guess) for creating new apps and have revisited javascript and jQuery, etc to better understand how to put together an App but it is still unclear as to what exactly is needed in order to develop and install an App to be used with the Handibot. I haven't done any web development in quit some time so I'm a little rusty with html, css, javascript, jQuery, etc.

I have also looked at fabmo.js and the API documentation on the functions available but think a little more detailed documentation with an example of how a particular function in the API should be used could be provided.

I've reveiwed several of the provided apps and looked at the code in the index.html and other files provided with the examples.

What are the .fma files and how are they created?

I think there needs to be a App Development Guide with general steps on how the App should be developed and installed. In the "Introduction to Handibot Software and Handibot Apps" github file there is mention of a FabMo App Developer website but none of the links in the doc are active. I think this link is just referring to gofabmo.org though.]]> gclayton Handibot App Developers ForumThu, 20 Oct 2016 14:30:37 -0400 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1529,1529#msg-1529 Macros (1 reply)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1529,1529#msg-1529 rcneal-now Handibot App Developers ForumTue, 05 Jul 2016 13:19:41 -0400 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1406,1406#msg-1406 Auto Bed Leveling (no replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,1406,1406#msg-1406
I was hoping to get some direction as to what is involved in applying autoleveling g-code such as applied to 3D printers here to our Handibot control software, is the FabMo-Leveler a step towards this?

It would be great to reliably use the Handibot for large scale engraving projects and i think this would have a high benefit to cost value.

Thank you in advance,

Ahmed.]]> elalfy296 Handibot App Developers ForumFri, 19 Feb 2016 11:10:23 -0500 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,786,786#msg-786 calibrating? (6 replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,786,786#msg-786
Is there a way to calibrate how far the axis move to so many pulses? This way when I build the bighandi or what ever and it uses a slightly different drive setup it can still work right? Hidden in the ini file perhaps?]]> Mark Evans Handibot App Developers ForumWed, 01 Jul 2020 07:34:07 -0400 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,751,751#msg-751 New Guts (18 replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,751,751#msg-751
Forgive me if I do a little copy and pasting here ... and also into the new forum area, so all interested in software development can follow.

Quote
Tim Flugum
Does this mean we handibotters are going to need to replace the guts of our handibots at somepoint to be "up-to-date" on hardware like we had to do with the new base for the large material jig?

I have no problem with this. It is actuallly pretty exciting. In the interest of transparency and "open-whatever", I learned in the military, "Bad news does not get better with time!"

I look forward to learning more about the guts of the machine as I teach math and physics. I am not truly a programmer, however, my goal is to have my students using the handibot as a true 3D graphing machine. Instead of creating a 3D surface in virtual space, it is much better to create the actual plot in handibot real space. Students are very demanding. I have it working right now with Microsoft Excel to handibot, but it is a bit of a stretch.

YES ... on replacement. We've tried to be clear all along (see discussion of "roadmap" in ShopBot and Handibot developer areas) that the ShopBot Contol Card is a bit of a legacy item and does not have the micro-controller power for going forward, either for Handibots or ShopBots in general. However, the new Control Card will have the same pin-outs as the existing card, will be very modular, and will just plug right in to the existing CNC board on your Handibot (the larger board with drivers, isolation, etc) [and we will make new cards available to Handibot owners at cost]. It will be backwards compatible with all ShopBots and Handibots.

The new Control Card will be a 32bit ARM similar to the Atmel SAM on the Arduino DUE (if not the same; the DUE is the development board for all our current work). As described in the "Introduction to Handibot App Development", G2 will reside on the Control Card and provide the Core Motion substrate for the new system.

In addition, we will be adding a small SBC (with basic and minimal specs, such as a Raspberry Pi or Beagle Bone) to provide for management, connectivity, and additional features of a Digital Fabrication Motion Platform (FabMo for short). Originally, we had hoped to do all of our higher level work on the Control Card uC. But as time went by, we realized that by the time we added additional hardware for connectivity and storage, and developed the required functionality, it would be more expensive and less straightforward than just adding the SBC. The SBC, in the end will make for a much more developer-friendly system and has allowed us to already be pretty far along in terms of the overall FabMo platform now emerging on the Github site. So yes, we have added a bit of hardware here to what we had planned ... but in the end it will probably not add much to the cost but have a huge impact on flexibility.

Tim, I look forward to hearing more about your 3D graphing project with the Handibot. I think there would probably be some interest here (and on the 100kSchools website) in learning about what you are up to ... even in the Excel stages.

Ted Hall, ShopBot Tools]]> Ted Hall, ShopBot Handibot App Developers ForumSun, 08 May 2016 18:36:48 -0400 https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,746,746#msg-746 Handibot App Developers Forum (2 replies)https://handibot.com/forum/read.php?1,746,746#msg-746
Resources

Introduction to Handibot App Development
- a discussion of the general concepts for Apps and the hardware and software underlying them (includes a preliminary App simulation)

ShopBot Github pages
- where you can find the evolving components of the general Digital Fabrication Motion Platform (FabMo) as well as the Handibot software repository which will eventually contain examples and other resources for App developers and the Handibot hardware repository with tool and accessory plans

Handibot Open Innovation
- outline of the project

Components and Availability:

FabMo SDK -- high-level developer resource and libraries; will be important for Handibot App Developers // TBA
FabMo Linker -- runs on user device; identifies and links with tools; manages Apps // work underway, available on Github
FabMo Engine -- runs on SBC; manages tool-path, instruction and configuration files; handles flow and interactions with G2; serves up the API // work underway, available on Github
FabMo G2 Core -- runs on Control Card; provides extensive motion system for digital fab and robotics]]> Ted Hall, ShopBot Handibot App Developers ForumSun, 23 Nov 2014 22:15:31 -0500