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Move Window

Use the Move Window to:

Jog the tool around the work area
Activate optional hardware features
Home the axes
Get tool position
Establish project origins when zeroing out each axis
Move the tool to saved positions

Accessing the Move Window¶

By default, the Move Window is docked behind the Operations Window on the upper right side of your screen. Click the Move tab to bring the Move Window to the front.

If you have closed the Move Window go to Window → Move to re-enable it. To restore it and all other windows to their default positions, go to Window → Reset to Default Layout.

Tip

The layout of MillMage is highly customizable. For more information on enabling and disabling windows and toolbars, or rearranging the default layout, see Customizing the MillMage Window.

Move Window Options and Settings¶

Most options in the Move Window are always presented, while other options are only available when you have selected one of window's three tabs:

Jog: move the tool around the machine's work area.
Go To: home and zero your machine, get current positions, and move to specified locations.
Override: adjust travel speeds, spindle speeds, and optional hardware accessories like coolant and vacuum while a job is in progress.

Click any option or tab in the image below to jump to more information, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.

Shared Settings and Features¶

These tools and settings are available regardless of which tab is active in the Move Window.

Machine Coordinates¶

The first line of the Move Window shows the tool position relative to the entire work area of the machine, known as machine coordinates, in metric or imperial Control Units.

Workpiece Coordinates¶

The second line of the Move Window shows the tool position in the workspace coordinate system. Zero the axes with the buttons below this line to set the Workpiece Origin.

Probing¶

Click this button to open the Probing Wizard.

Zero Workpiece X/Y/Z¶

Use these buttons to set the current location of the tool as the origin for the workpiece coordinate system. You can use Zero Workpiece to home all three axes at once, or Zero Workpiece X, Zero Workpiece Y, or Zero Workpiece Z to zero out one axis at a time.

See Setting Project Origin for more information: Controlling Your CNC Machine: Setting Project Origin

XY Speed¶

Set the jog speed for the X and Y Axes. You can click the preset speed buttons or manually enter a speed in the number entry box.

Z Speed¶

Set the jog speed for the Z Axis. You can click the preset speed buttons or manually enter a speed in the number entry box.

Control Units¶

Use this dropdown to switch your device's control units between mm/sec, mm/min, and in/min.

By default, control units — the units used for speed and distance when controlling your device — are linked with design units — the units used when designing in MillMage. Changing either one will change the other unless you unlink them with the Unit Linking Toggle.

Unit Linking Toggle¶

When the Link toggle is enabled, changing either control units or design units will change both. To control them separately, turn off this setting. With the toggle disabled, the two unit types can be changed independently.

Jog Tab¶

Use the Jog tab to move the tool head around the machine's work area. Click any option in the image below to jump to more information, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.

XY Jog Controls¶

Use the arrow buttons to move the tool in X (left and right) and Y (forward and backward). With each click, the tool will move the distance set in the XY Distance controls, at the speed specified in XY Speed.

Use the Stop button to send a Cancel and M9 command to quickly — but not instantly — cease tool movement.

Jog Control Keyboard Modifiers¶

Change the jogging increment for individual jogging button presses by holding down the appropriate keyboard button while clicking on the jog arrow.

500%: Shift
20%: Ctrl/Cmd
10%: Shift + Ctrl/Cmd
0.2%: Alt

You can also use the number pad on a keyboard to jog X and Y as shown in the diagram to the right. Make sure Numlock is enabled on your keyboard and the Edit Window/Workspace — the area where you create and edit graphics — is in focus.

What does it mean for a window to be in focus?

There are several Windows and Toolbars in MillMage that accept user input — when a window is clicked on, it is in focus and accepting input.

If a window other than the Edit Window is in focus, click anywhere in the Workspace to bring it into focus.

Alternate Jogging Hotkeys

If your keyboard doesn't have a number pad, you can use the following shortcuts for jogging the X and Y axis:

Jog Left: Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmd + [
Jog Right: Alt/Option + Ctrl/Cmd + ]
Jog Forward: Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ]
Jog Backward: Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + [

XY Distance Controls¶

The distance controls determine how far the tool will move when jogging. Click the buttons or type in a distance to set an appropriate distance.

Movement Length Increments
Metric	0.1 mm	0.5 mm	1 mm	5 mm	10 mm
Imperial	0.01 in	0.1 in	0.5 in	1 in	4 in

Z Jog Controls¶

Use the arrow buttons to move the tool in Z (up and down). With each click, the tool will move the distance set in the Z Distance controls.

To jog the Z (up/down) Axis:

Set your Z Speed, either by entering a value or clicking one of the preset buttons.
Set your Z jog interval under Z Distance. As with the jog speed, you can enter a value manually or use one of the preset buttons.
Use the up and down arrows to the left of Z distance to raise and lower the tool.

Z Distance Controls¶

The distance controls determine how far the tool will move when jogging. Click the buttons or type in a distance to set an appropriate distance.

Continuous Jogging Toggle¶

Enable Continuous Jogging by activating this toggle. Press and hold down on the jogging controls to jog in that direction until the button is released.

Be careful when jogging!

Before jogging your machine, check the following:

Your jog speed is set to an appropriate value for your machine.
The jog interval is set to a reasonable value.
The tool has a clear travel path.

Jogging Backwards?

Check your machine origin location in Device Settings: Basic Settings.

Go To Tab¶

Use the Position tab to home and zero your machine, get current positions, and move to specified positions. Click any option in the image below to jump to more information, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.

Start In MillMage, Move With MillMage

Always use MillMage to perform any movement, homing, or project zeroing/Workpiece Coordinate Offset setting after your CNC machine is powered on and has been homed to Machine Zero.

Movements or Work Coordinate Offset changes driven through hardware-based accessories like pendants or onboard jogging controls may cause unexpected machine behavior before, during, or after jobs.

Home Axes¶

Use the machine's limit switches to home one or more axes. The tool will return to its homing location and reset the machine origin. This requires that limit switches are installed and configured on your machine.

Warning

Some machines have firmware that does not allow for homing individual axes. If you get an error in the Console Window regarding invalid GCode commands while attempting to home an individual axis, try using Home All.

Error When Homing?

If your CNC machine firmware does not have endstops or does not have homing activated, you may receive a GRBL error in the Console window when connecting or when the homing buttons are pressed.

MillMage will consider the position of the tool when powered on to be 0,0,0 on machines with homing disabled. Jog the tool to the appropriate origin point for your CNC machine and power cycle your controller to realign your Machine Coordinates zero point to the physical machine zero point.

Behavior may vary by controller.

Get Position¶

Gets the current position of the toolhead for a selected axis or all three axes and enters it into the position entry boxes to the right.

These buttons will use either Workpiece Coordinates or Machine Coordinates, depending on the setting of the Workpiece Toggle.

Workpiece Coordinates Toggle¶

When turned on, the Get and Go To buttons will use Workpiece Coordinates. When turned off, they will use Machine Coordinates.

Position Entry and Display¶

Set values here and use with the Go To buttons to go to a specified location.

Use the Get buttons to insert the current position into these boxes.

Go To Position¶

Move the toolhead to the position specified in the boxes to the left.

These buttons will use either Workpiece Coordinates or Machine Coordinates, depending on the setting of the Workpiece Toggle.

Saved Positions¶

The Saved Positions dropdown displays a list of previously stored positions. Use Saved Positions for jogging to known locations on the work area — for example a specific corner or commonly used jig. Manage the contents of this list by clicking the Manage button.

Selecting a saved position will enter it into the Position Entry Boxes, allowing you to move to that location with the Go To buttons.

Manage Saved Positions¶

Use the Manage button to add, modify, and delete saved positions. All saved positions are stored in Machine Coordinates.

Add new positions to the Saved Positions list by pressing the Add New button and entering the desired coordinates.
Activate Z Axis movements by toggling the Enable Z Axis option and updating the Z Axis coordinate.
Optionally, press the Sort by Name to sort the position list alphabetically.
Press OK to save the list.

Remove saved positions by highlighting the position to remove and selecting the Delete button.

Override Tab¶

The Override tab allows you to adjust travel speeds and spindle speeds while a job is in progress. Click any option in the image below to jump to more information, or scroll down for a list of options and descriptions.

Feed Speed Override¶

Note

Each Overide option adjusts settings as a percentage of the original values — not by absolute values.

Use these buttons to adjust the feed (too travel) speed up or down, or use the Reset button to return to the speed specified in GCode.

Spindle Speed Override¶

Use these buttons to bump the spindle speed up or down, or use the Reset button to return to the speed specified in GCode.

Spindle Speed RPM¶

Enter a numeric value into the Spindle Speed RPM box and activate that speed with the Spindle button.

Accessory Buttons¶

Use the accessory buttons to turn on and off individual accessories, if your machine and firmware has this capability. Each button acts as a toggle. The first press will send the accessory on GCode command for that item. The next press will send the accessory off GCode command for that item.

See Custom GCode for more information on controlling add-on hardware and features.

Error 20

If your hardware accessory does not turn on, or you see "error: 20 Unsupported or invalid g-code command found in block" in your Console window output when Show all is enabled, consult with your CNC manufacturer to check on firmware enabled and supported IO pins and their GCode assignments.

Spindle¶

The first click of the Spindle Button will send the M3 S(RPMs) (Spindle On) command. A second click will send the M5 (Spindle Off) command. Use the numeric entry box above the button to set the spindle speed.

Coolant¶

The first click of the Coolant Button will send the M8 (Coolant On) command. A second click will send the M9 (Accessory Off) command. See Coolant Accessories | Custom GCode for more information.

Vacuum¶

The first click of the Vacuum Button will send the M7 (Vacuum On) command. A second click will send the M9 (Accessory Off) command. See Vacuum Accessories | Custom GCode for more information.

Stop Spindle and Accessories¶

Clicking the Stop Spindle and Accessories button will always send the M5 Stop Spindle command. If coolant and/or vacuum accessories have been turned on through MillMage, the Stop Spindle and Accessories button will send both the M9 Stop Accessory and M5 Stop Spindle commands.

For more help using MillMage, please visit our forum to talk with MillMage staff and users, or email support.