I have multiple lasers, including a CO2 laser and a fiber laser. As I understand it, the fiber laser always works in absolute coordinates, so there is no “Start From” option shown in the laser window.
On the other hand, for the CO2 laser, my workflow is generally to align the laser with a jig (which may be a multiple-item panel or the corner of a single item) and then “Start From: Current Position”. I don’t trust absolute coordinates to be precise enough for some of the things I do, as there are always mechanical tolerances that can stack up.
The fun arises when I’m playing around in the shop and going back and forth between the lasers. For example, take something like this:
Start working on CO2 laser with “Start From: Current Position”, say burning a tray of 16 cork coasters.
While that’s running on the machine, switch LightBurn to the fiber laser and start playing around engraving some rocks.
Once the tray of coasters is done, switch LightBurn back to the CO2 laser to run the coaster backs, but it’s now switched to “Start From: Absolute Coordinates” instead of “Start From: Current Position”.
It appears as if the “Start From:” setting is supposed to be a property of the device. I have my CO2 laser set as the default device, and whatever “Start From:” setting I have when I close LightBurn is restored when next I open LightBurn. It does not seem to be restored when switching back to the CO2 laser from the fiber laser, so I’m assuming that is likely unintended.
It’s only an issue (and certainly a minor one) when you’re switching back and forth between devices in the same window. Usually, I have one LightBurn window for the fiber and one for the CO2 (and sometimes one for the diode laser, too…), but I figure it’s likely a glitch.
I’m certainly in no hurry, but if I wait until people might be around, I’ll certainly forget to mention it. As it stands, I’m done playing for today. It’s currently 94°F in my shop (with the AC out – part arrives next week), and my motivation is apparently thermally moderated.
Okay, I wanted to document the distilled details of this one. I’m running LightBurn 1.6.03, and here are my setup details and stepwise instructions for replication.
The setup:
Default device: “the CO2”, as a Ruida (DSP), with “Start From:” set to “Current Position” (or “User Origin” – the concept is unchanged)
Additional device: “the Fiber”, as a JCZFiber (Galvo)
The glitch:
Open LightBurn.
LightBurn starts up with the default device, the CO2.
“Start From:” is set to “Current Position”
Switch the device to the Fiber.
Switch the device back to the CO2.
“Start From:” is now “Absolute Coords”
If you close LightBurn now, it will save the setting and you will still be in Absolute Coords when you next open LightBurn.
Having the “Start From: Absolute Coords” stick when switching from the Fiber to the CO2 instead of restoring the mode set in the CO2 seems like a bug, and even more so since you can switch to the CO2 and close LightBurn without any other input and have the coordinate system switch stick.
Anyway, seems like just a parameter got overlooked in the device switching code, but since it managed to bite me a couple time already, I figured I should be as precise and concise as possible in outlining it.
Would anyone happen to be in the intersection of “people with multiple lasers, one of them galvo” and “people currently running the 1.7 release candidates”? I’m in the former, obviously, but I’ve got a couple running projects that have me holding of on RC versions for a moment.
I’m just wondering if this bug still exists in the latest release.
