Fixing MDI

One of the things about PP that really frustrates me is the limit to a single MDI command.
One can't even type in the next command while the first one is running as any space bar puts it in feed hold.

So I was home sick yesterday and spent the whole day fixing this issue.
I have a modification to 2.4.1 on the Mill that supports multiple MDI.

Before you use this realize its provided as is with no warranty.
Your likely to put this on a machine tool that can be hazardous.
It can kill you and it will probably hurt the whole time your dying.
Given the disclaimer :

Here is a drop box link to tormach_mill_ui.py

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rcijrsxow...77yGkecSa?dl=0


Code changes should all have Paul MDI nearby in comments.

Basic operation/modifications:
1)Modified the key handling for spacebar such that when the MDI line has focus it does not feedhold.
2)Created a queue of MDI commands. No commands are executed when they are entered...
The 50msec process looks to see if commands are queued and then executes them.

3)I replaced the gcodelisting_buffer in the main view with another variable MDI_TextViewBuffer
This gets swapped back and forth in the code using self.sourceview.set_buffer(
So that the Gcode display gets repurposed for MDI display when MDI commands are active.

4)Stop,Reset Error all call the function MDI_Abort that swaps the display back and clears the MDI queue
so these things are handled correctly.

5)I have not yet gotten the display highlighting to work correctly for the MDI display.

I just created a 'scratch.nc' file instead.

Whenever I need to whip out a dozen or more gcode lines, the file MRU combo box flips me over to scratch.nc. Then a quick Alt-E brings up gedit on it automatically, I type a few lines (or ctrl-a, del to remove any old stuff in it), save, run. Done.

Also easy to 'set start line' then on some of them and I have a little history.

This is one of the frustrating things with PP that I found right away. I frequently use just two or three line "programs" to face or drill or slot something and it was handy to type in the few lines so they executed without the cutter stalling at the end of a slot waiting for my to type in the next line.
I'll have to try this out next weekend
Thanks for posting
M