Random writings for future reference
1 Egg
1-1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Mustard
2 Teaspoons Cornflour
1/2 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Stock from the Corned Beef
Beat egg,sugar,mustard and cornflour until smooth.
Whisk in the vinegar and stock. Cook in a double boiler or tip into a heavy based saucepan Microwave and stir continuously until the mixture thickens. Simmer slowly 15 minutes or longer.
Add freshly ground pepper.
Pico de Gallo is a chopped relish-like salsa. It’s pretty simple recipe but tasty. This version doesn’t contain jalapenos. It was from a food delivery service so doesn’t contain any amounts but you get the idea.
Dice the tomato into 1 cm chunks; mince the garlic; coarsely chop the coriander, including the stems.
Combine in a salad bowl with your desired amount of finely diced red onion, (the remainder is spare), then squeeze over the juice from the lemon and season with salt and pepper.
If needed, add a splash of white vinegar for a little extra bite.
We run Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM at work and I’m trying to get our 3CX phone system to do phone number lookup against it. Unfortunately users are putting all sorts in the 3 phone number fields we run, including cutting & pasting from other sources.
I wanted some way of just making it easy to end up with the number in E.164 format as the input mask options offered on the forms don’t give this ability.
Since I haven’t written any Javascript inside of Dynamics I really struggled to find any good basic tutorials to get it up and running.
The trick appears to be to create a new solution and add your JavaScript to that as a Web Resource. Then “Add Existing” entities; in my case I added the Account and the forms I would be checking the OnChange event of a field.
In the form properties, under Events, add the new piece of script as a Form Library and in the properties of the field under Events, Event Handlers add the library to the OnChange Event.
One of the best bits of documentation I referenced is here as it showed how to check off the “pass execution context as first parameter” as shown.
function formatPhoneNumber(context) {
//Establish which of the 3 phone numbers changed and get its name.
var phone = context.getEventSource().getName();
var phoneNumber = Xrm.Page.getAttribute(phone).getValue();
if (phoneNumber == null)
return true;
//strip everything out apart from digits. Regex FTW.
var fixedNumber = phoneNumber.replace(/[^0-9]/g, '');
//check for NZ number
var regex = /^0([2-9]\d{7,9})/g;
if (fixedNumber.search(regex) >= 0 ){
fixedNumber = fixedNumber.replace(regex, '64$1');
}
// Then add the plus symbol back for E.164 compliance.
fixedNumber = "+" + fixedNumber;
// Set the field to the newly formatted and fixed number
Xrm.Page.getAttribute(phone).setValue(fixedNumber);
return true;
}
I built a CNC machine in my garage. I sent the below email to some people wanting to know about my build and then thought I’d post it here for future reference or for anyone googling similar. Probably the links to AliExpress below will break over time but here you go…
To create a shape for cutting on your new CNC machine first you draw this shape up in a computer program that creates G-Code. There are many of these about and some very specialised but I choose to use Autodesk’s Fusion 360 because it’s a very high end product that is free to use for non-commercial use. I watched loads and loads of YouTube videos on how to use it and then create the toolpaths in the ‘Manufacturing’ module that you then export G-Code from.
Once you have some valid G-Code you need to open it up in an interface to send it to your CNC controller. Again there are loads of programs to do this and loads of users swear by purchasing something like Mach3 (or Mach 4) but I was choosing to go as cheap as possible and am using OpenBuilds CONTROL Software which does the trick.
Initially I was getting weird errors when running my G-Code and found that there was a much better G-Code post-processor which can you install in Fusion 360 to send more compatible G-Code for the ‘GRBL’ Controller I use. More info and download here – https://github.com/Strooom/GRBL-Post-Processor
OpenBuilds CONTROL Software communicates with your CNC Controller – it was here that I deviated from a standard OpenBuilds CNC kit as I already had an Arduino UNO lying about, but they are super cheap anyway
I also got a prototyping screw board to sit on top of it to allow easy access to screw connect wires to the Arduino.
The software (firmware) that gets installed on the Arduino is called GRBL – it takes the G-Code you send it and converts it into electrical signals for the motor controllers. You can find out all about it and download it from https://github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki
You flash it to your Arduino and you are good to have a play – having only spent about $8 at this point.
Once you are ready to commit to the machine you need to spend some real money.
The machine I have created is based upon an OpenBuilds WorkBee, of which you can find full details of here – https://openbuilds.com/builds/openbuilds-workbee-1510.7189/. Even within this machine design there are many options along the way including size, how it’s driven (belt or screw), and things like the controller, motor drivers etc.
Mine is a 750×100 Screw driven unit from these guys https://www.aliexpress.com/store/3881013 who I found to be very good. It included the instructions from these guys in the UK who sell a whole kit but it’s friggin expensive to consider getting it to NZ from them. The assembly manual can be found here https://ooznest.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/WorkBee-Screw-Assembly-Manual-01-02-2019.pdf which will give you a really good idea of what’s involved.
Rather than purchase a full kit I opted for what they call an upgrade kit as it came with free shipping. While the exact link for mine has gone I believe it to be this.
A lot of my purchasing decisions were based around the cost of the freight as (for instance) purchasing the whole kit came to more than purchasing individual items with free freight and it gave me the flexibility to use my own controller and motor drivers for a much more powerful machine.
The Arduino UNO (CNC Controller) gets connected to the motor controllers of which you’ll need four – 1 for the Z axis, 1 for the X axis and 2 for the Y axis as you drive both sides.
For the motor controllers I elected to go with much higher power units than are generally used in the kit meaning that my motors will have much higher torque etc – I purchased 4 of these.
You need a power supply to supply voltage to the motors via the motor controllers and I got a 36V 10A one from here.
To connect things up I got a few other items such as…
To cut something like wood you’ll need a router and I purchased a Makita from Mitre10 – https://www.makita.co.nz/products/model/RT0700C
To mount your router or whatever you are going to use to cut with you’ll need a z-axis Router mount of the correct diameter for your router – my Makita is 65mm for instance – Obviously mounting the Plasma Cutter on there will be quite different but I’ve seen people do it with cable-ties etc. Google is your friend here.
To tidy up all the cabling I purchased a 2 Piece pack of these later on. It’s not necessary to run it but it does make things tidier
Also the build kit doesn’t come with limit switches so I ordered these – I didn’t use them initially but they make a significant difference so just do it.
I think that’s about it. Let me know if you have any questions.
I run the Unifi Controller software on a Raspberry Pi and every now and again it dies. Through various googling I’ve found that the below generally cures it.