1.7.0-Edge-1

gSender 1.7.0-Edge-1 is now publicly available for testing. If you haven’t seen our recent blog post, this contains most of the features described. You will find a number of new features, improvement to features, and fixes that we’re excited to get your opinion on.

As always, gSender Edge is beta software - if you are afraid of something going wrong, do not opt into using it. That said, we're always grateful for anyone who does use it and reports issues or improvements they want to see.

gSender Edge is able to be installed alongside gSender 1.6.x so feel free to use both and compare.

Plugin System

One of the hardest parts of developing software such as gSender is determining which features we want to add next. Sometimes, functionality is so commonly requested that working on adding it just makes sense. Other times, it’s determined by engineering projects in-house, such as the ATC, which lead to a host of features in gSender. The hard part is determining how and when to tackle the lesser requested features – because not every feature is useful to every user and we don’t want to stray too far from the core value of gSender as an easy-to-use sending software.

Plugins are a new feature coming to gSender, allowing both Sienci and our user base to make new features outside the boundaries of major or minor releases.

The sky is the limit - make some simple CAM, a dashboard, add a webcam - you’re only limited by time and your skills as a developer.

Installing plugins is as easy as importing a folder - gSender handles the rest once you’ve pointed it to the plugin you want to add.

For this build, we’re mostly interested in your feedback on importing, using, any nitpicks with the UX for plugins. We’re also somewhat interested in the developer experience, and will have some resources for how to start writing a gSender plugin.

We ship with 1 plugin by default, but have a second available for users to install.

We’re very interested in seeing what people come up with.

Notes

• Added plugin tool to Tools page to allow managing and adding plugins
• Installed plugins appear on tool page
• Added Plugin SDK to simplify access between gSender features and plugins
• Added theming
• Added plugin bridge with permissions gate to prevent calls of unauthorized functions and inform the user of what a plugin has permission to do ahead of time
• gSender 1.7.0-Edge-1 ships with Basic Cam by default as an example plugin
• Simple-signs is an external plugin that can be installed to test that process and is a bit more involved/feature complete

Remaining features to come:

We have a design doc of some more advanced features related to plugins we’d like to add. These will be coming in later iterations of the plugin system.

• Improved installation (install zip or folder)
• Shared component library for consolidated UX library
• Plugin-specific store access/memory to save settings
• Consistent theming
• Update notification
• Dock on visualizer for quick access
• Dock on visualizer to add plugin-specific UI buttons
• Registered message queue to subscribe to events on gSender startup

Visualizer

The visualizer has long been the centrepiece of the gSender UI and helps inform how the user interacts with the machine. We’ve completely re-written the visualizer into a shared library with a number of improvements and options and we’re excited to hear the feedback.

Notes

• New visualizer with updated camera controls, animations, materials and improved performance
• Camera cube is now fully 3D and still allows snapping to faces
• Improved SVG visualization in light mode, including basic positioning and toolpath origin/zero position
• Added optional bounding box and dimension labels
• Added several new colour themes, available in Config
• Added follow tool during runtime option to update camera position when a job is running
• Added several config options related to machine bed and limit switches.
  • Trim grid to machine bed limits the WCS grid to the bounds of the machine size configured
  • Show Machine bed indicator outlines the machine bed size - use these two together for a very close represenation of your physical machine inside gSender

Remaining Features to come

• Planning lines (yellow)
• Custom/more themes
• 3D mesh stepthrough

Pendant/Touch UI

gSender has been a Raspberry Pi-friendly application since inception. That said, it’s primarily a desktop application, and has historically required a fair amount of processing power to run well.

With recent optimizations, we’re looking at exploring alternative ways to interact with gSender, and are working on a pendant-style view. Designed from the ground up with touch focus in mind, this new pendant view is an entirely new user experience that runs well on integrated CM4 modules.

Featuring noticeably larger buttons, a SVG visualizer, and newly reorganized tools in expandable drawers, it’s the same old gSender in an all new responsive, and touch-forward view.

We are internally exploring providing a bespoke CM4/touchscreen offering as a more affordable alternative to the gControl panel computer in the future using this specific application. That said, the application itself will always be free – and installable/usable on the gControl if you already own one and prefer this form factor. One day the gPender will be real.

The pendant UI will likely ship as a separate application at some point - but for now can be accessed by enabling it in Config under the general section and restarting the application.

Notes

• Added opt-in pendant UI available in Config
• The pendant view is also available over remote mode at [configured address]:[port]/pendant
• All new responsive layout and structure with a touch focus
• Tools are now located in expandable drawers with quick actions available in the partially expanded state and more functionality in the fully expanded state
• Some reorganization of functions into new drawer tools (like Move for rapid position and go to)
• New touch friendly connection widgets removes need for hover, hold to disconnect
• Updated machine status indicator
• New rapid position corner selector
• SVG-based visualizer using our new library
• a pendant-view only version of the application is also available for Mac, Windows, and Pi

Remaining features

• Tool access
• Helper and notifications
• UX improvements
• Standalone application

UI Updates

• Updates to dark mode for better visibility in dusty conditions or glare.
  • This is mostly a feedback test - we have the capability to revert to the old theme but feel this is a vast improvement for the gControl and other devices with respect to readability and usability
• Removed corner probe selector
  • This is technically a loss of functionality but we have our reasons. Primarily, it causes a significant amount of support tickets where users select the incorrect corner despite the warning banners when on a non-default corner. Also, metrics show that 99% of probes are sent using the left corner so the impact should be small.
• Helper - new look and feel and capability to share links/QR codes for resource links
• Updated toast theming and branding
• Pass-through of UI for consistency in colours/branding and sizing/text contrast
• Colour coded and synchronized some elements (like workspace)

Behaviour updates and Small features

gSender is up to date (and even further beyond!) with gSender 1.6.3 with respect to features and fixes.

• Click to move added to visualizer - clicking the target button to enter click-to-move mode and hold on your location to move there.
• Helper - more integrations, look and feel updates, better integration with Sienci resources
• Split job stats into separate file and API to improve application load time
• Remote mode - now better syncs connection state across desktop and any remote clients so you no longer need to manually connect to a device when visiting remote on phone or desktop if it’s already connected to a machine
• Added “Jump to line” in the g-code editor
• Fixed tool changes pausing job progress in UI
• Added Custom jog preset to jog controls
• Consolidated wizard controls to be consistent across Accessory Install and main page wizards

What’s coming:

This list is just what’s available for the current Edge version, but we have more in the works. A subset of things we’re actively working on and just couldn’t make into this first beta includes:

• Accessory recognition and auto-config on new accessory installation
• Complete configuration tools for all Sienci accessories
• File step-through and 3D mesh visualization
• Integrated and updatable tool database
• Expanded 3D probe options
• Fixes and UX improvements
• Much more!

We’re looking forward to your feedback and any bug reports, and to continue to share other upcoming features.

v1.6.3

• Added LongMill MK3 profiles.
• Added flashing path for new SLB-Lite using $UF2.
• Added TLS installation wizard to the accessory installation tool.
• Added ability to specify feed rate on final probe movements — default 0 continues to use G0; any other value uses G1 Fx where x is the configured value.
• SD tool now allows uploading multiple files at the same time.
• Added pending toolchange state to the toolchange wizard while already-planned lines finish their motions, and delayed wizard appearance until closer to the actual M6 command.
• Updating the toolchange passthrough setting now updates the controller without reconnecting or reloading a file.
• Updating the passthrough setting in Config updates that option without requiring a file reload or reconnect.
• No longer swaps spindle min/max for grblHAL, so PWM can be used as a laser without issues.
• pos{axis} and mpos{axis} feeder variables are now always returned in mm, regardless of report-in-inches ($13) status.
• Homing status on connect for already-homed grblHAL devices is now more consistent.
• Tool probe status now allows positive values — only 0 is considered unprobed.
• Probe status badge in the tool timeline now only shows when using grblHAL with ATC=1 (tc.macro exists).
• Added background to job progress line count for readability when the visualizer is disabled.
• ATC options tool is now disabled if no SD card is mounted.
• Improved reliability of Config Store truncation.
• Added various updates to prevent the ConfigStore file (sender_rc) from becoming corrupted.
• Corrupted ConfigStore files no longer block application startup.
• Various firmware updates for the latest grblHAL core version.
• Updated grblHAL profiles for the new firmware release — mostly related to laser/PWM2 behaviors.
• Entering laser mode on grblHAL no longer swaps $30 and $31 with the laser equivalents.
• Fixed tool timeline not reflecting the remapped tool number after minimizing.
• Fixed issue where opening the run probe dialog with connectivity would cause all future connectivity tests to pass immediately.
• Fixed issue where restoring an altered EEPROM value in Config without applying wouldn't update the UI with the correct value in the Config tool.
• Fixed toggling single-axis homing on and then off in the on-state not showing the original "go to" buttons.
• Fixed backwards logic on the park shortcut, allowing usage when homed.
• Fixed job progress not updating correctly after a tool change was handled via one of the wizard strategies.

v1.6.2

Data collection and analytics

You may also notice that gSender prompts you again about analytics/data collection preferences after updating. If this feels familiar, you may have already responded to this prompt quite a while ago and simply forgotten about it. We've recently changed analytics providers, so we wanted to give everyone another opportunity to review and update their preferences.

The data collected is primarily general usage metrics, operating system information, and tool usage data that helps us understand what parts of the application are being used most often and where issues may be occurring.

As always, analytics participation is completely optional and can be enabled or disabled at any time in the Config section of the application.

General Fixes and updates

• Updated firmware defaults to better account for TLS/probe misconfiguration scenarios
• Various firmware default updates and compatibility improvements for newer firmware versions
• Uploading to SD cards over ethernet is working correctly again
• Laser power slider now behaves as expected on newer firmware
• Spindle selector now works correctly on newer firmware
• Laser offsets now map correctly to the updated Config key structure
• Flash utility will now automatically select grblHAL firmware when SLB_DFU is detected
• Exiting rotary mode will once again properly restore previous machine values
• Non-enabled spindles will no longer appear in the spindle dropdown list
• Spindle dropdown will now attempt to refresh itself automatically if empty in the Spindle/Laser drawer

UX and Visual

• Numerous visual and workflow improvements to the tool change wizard
• Tool change wizard will now resume the spindle before returning to the previous XY position
• Tool change wizard and tool timeline now display annotation comments when no ATC nickname is set
• Removed probed/unprobed status on firmware versions without a tool table
• ATC Config will now send default values on first install instead of stored values
• Squaring and motor tuning workflows now share the same jog popover for a more consistent experience
• Spindle delay behaviour has been updated and is now an explicit configurable option for forced insertion when needed

Functionalities

• Macros can now send realtime commands

v1.6.1

• Added option to skip first tool change on fixed strategy or prompt use if they want to skip
• Added application scaling for larger monitors and devices - in accessibility section in Config
• Rapid Position and Park buttons now properly enabled after homing on grbl devices
• Spindle Delay config should now be reading $392 correctly on older firmware versions
• Go To Flyout widget can now move in machine coordinates if homing enabled - check out the new MCS option
• Go To Flyout widget now uses the same safe height logic as several other Go To functionalities
• Machine defaults selector will prompt to apply where necessary
• Macro keybinds should persist
• Gamepad - Park shortcut works as expected
• Gamepad - Rapid position shortcut calculation fixed to not use stale position data
• Macro keybindings should persist again
• Further tweaks to rotary time estimation
• Fixed issue where tool table was assumed to exist on PRB: output which is not the case for some grblHAL compilations
• Laser test now calculates max values using $30 (grbl) or $730 (grblHAL) instead of depending on local state
• Added application icon for IOS devices
• Added Config option to let user toggle probe type selection directly in Probe drawer
• Updates to Automations editor to include variables dropdown and general UX improvements
• Config option - now possible to disable power saving on Electron to allow screen blanking
• Lite mode toggle feather should be more obvious when it’s enabled or disabled
• Macros again show on remote mode
• Updates to 3d Probe text instructions to be more relevant to that probe type

v1.6.0

After several months of Edge releases, testing, and community feedback, gSender 1.6.0 is here.

This release represents a large step forward for gSender. Much of the work throughout the Edge cycle focused on building out deeper tooling workflows, expanding controller capabilities in order to support newer versions of grblHAL, and improving performance and stability across the application.

A huge thanks goes out to everyone who tested the Edge builds and provided feedback along the way — many of the improvements below came directly from that input.

Below is a look at the biggest changes that made it into 1.6.0.

Firmware Compatibility

This release expands compatibility with newer grblHAL firmware cores. Updates were made across the communication and configuration layers to better align with recent firmware changes and ensure gSender can properly take advantage of all new features in more recent grblHAL versions.

These improvements help maintain compatibility as the grblHAL ecosystem continues to evolve, allowing gSender to work more reliably with newer controller firmware, updated settings structures, and additional capabilities exposed by newer firmware releases.

Performance and Infrastructure Improvements

Several foundational improvements were made for 1.6.0:

Faster Startup Times

Startup performance has been significantly improved in this release.

A number of internal optimizations were made to the application initialization process, reducing the amount of work that needs to happen before the UI becomes usable. These changes include improvements to module loading, background initialization, and general application startup flow.

In practical terms, this means gSender launches noticeably faster, especially on systems where startup time was previously a concern.

For many users the application should now feel much more responsive when opening, getting you connected to your machine and ready to work sooner.

Build System Improvements

The internal build pipeline was updated, resulting in:

• Faster development builds
• Smaller packaged application size
• Improved overall maintainability
• Mac silicon version now provided and added signing for both Mac releases

Built-in G-code Editor

gSender now includes a built-in G-code editor for inspecting and modifying files directly inside the application.

The editor includes:

• Syntax highlighting
• Search functionality
• Quick navigation to specific terms or lines
• Basic editing and saving capabilities

The editor also acts as an additional progress indicator while running jobs, highlighting which lines have been processed.

SD Card File Management

SD card functionality has been expanded significantly.

gSender can now interact directly with files stored on the controller’s SD card for grblHAL devices. It uses yModem protocol for USB connections, and FTP when connected over ethernet.

You can:

• View files on the SD card
• Upload files
• Run files
• Delete files

Files can be uploaded using drag-and-drop or file selection, making it easy to move jobs onto the controller.

When running jobs from the SD card, gSender now displays progress feedback similar to streaming jobs directly from the application.

Automatic Tool Changer (ATC) Support

One of the largest areas of work this cycle was full ATC workflow support.

gSender now includes an integrated system for managing tools, tracking tool changes, and working with the Sienci ATC more easily.

Tool Table

A new Tool Table allows you to manage all tool-related information in one place.

You can now:

• Store tool offsets
• Assign nicknames to tools
• Probe individual tools or complete racks

This makes it much easier to maintain consistent tool setups across jobs.

Tool Timeline

Tool changes during a job are now represented in a Tool Timeline, giving a clear view of when tool changes occur and which tool is currently active.

This helps users quickly understand multi-tool programs and track job progress more easily.

Tool Remapping

Tool remapping allows you to adapt a G-code file’s tool numbers to your machine setup without editing the file itself.

This is particularly helpful when:

• CAM tool numbers don’t match rack positions
• You want to run the same job with a different tool configuration
• Tool racks change between jobs

Remapping can now be configured directly inside gSender before running a job.

ATC Workflow Controls

New controls were added to support day-to-day ATC operation.

You can now:

• Load tools - both manually and using the rack
• Unload tools - both manually and using the rack

These actions tie directly into ATC macros and make managing tool states much easier during operation.

Accessory Installation Tool

To make getting started with an Automatic Tool Changer easier, gSender now includes an ATC setup tool that helps guide users through the initial configuration process.

The setup tool walks through the core steps required to configure an ATC system, including importing macro templates, defining rack size and behaviour, and writing the required configuration files to the controller’s SD card. This removes much of the manual setup that was previously required and helps ensure the necessary macros and configuration files are installed correctly.

The goal of the setup tool is to simplify the process of bringing an ATC system online, reducing the chances of configuration mistakes and making it easier for users to get up and running with automated tool changes.

We've already also implemented a spindle install tool, to help users with setting up their spindle accessory on arrival.

Improved Visualization

Visualization has seen several improvements in this release.

Rotary Visualization Improvements

Rotary jobs are now visualized more accurately, with fixes to geometry rendering and preview alignment. This provides a much closer representation of the final machined result.

Tool-Based Visualization

Tool changes are now visually separated by colour, making it easier to follow complex multi-tool jobs directly in the visualizer. What colour represents which tool is indicated in the tool timeline.

Processed Line Display

A new option allows you to hide processed lines entirely instead of greying them out.

For long jobs this can make the preview significantly easier to read.

Improved visualization speed

Visualization parsing had significant improvments on both speed and memory usage. The end result is that users should be able to visualize larger files faster.

Benchmarks indicate about a 50% increases in visualization and a 35% reduction in memory used.

EEPROM Editor

Advanced users now have access to a new EEPROM editor.

This tool allows you to:

• View EEPROM values
• Modify configuration parameters
• Search for specific settings

This replaces the older legacy firmware tool and provides a more flexible interface for working with controller settings. You can find it in the Config section of gSender.

Check Mode File Validation

A new Check Mode automation feature makes it easy to validate jobs before running them.

With this option enabled, on job load, you will be prompted if you want to check. If you select yes, gSender will:

1. Enable GRBL check mode
2. Run the loaded file
3. Report any errors found

This helps catch issues before starting a real job.

Additional Improvements

Alongside the major features above, this release also includes a wide range of smaller improvements and fixes.

Some highlights include:

• Custom Ethernet ports are now supported
• Improved outline behaviour and new outline options (Rapidless square - generate a square that ignores G0 movements and just reflect cutting movements)
• Ethernet auto-reconnect improvements
• Better portrait mode space usage (larger buttons!)
• Remote mode - config is now accessible, settings are now synched between the main app and remote clients
• Config tool performance adjustments
• Improved job time estimates when feed overrides are active
• Improved rotary job time estimation
• Option to backup settings over specific time periods.
• M0 / M1 pauses now properly display associated comments
• Better application responsiveness on small resolutions
• Better application responsiveness/use of space on portrait mode
• Remote mode configuration access improvements
• Updated library dependencies
• Numerous bug fixes and stability improvements
• Better Config reactivity when updating options that allow new options.
• File associations so you can load a gcode file by double clicking it in your file explorer of choice.
• Functions that require the machine to have been are disabled until homing is reported by the firmware for grblHAL devices.
• Gamepad options and configuration updates - some new behaviours related to jogging.

Changelog:

• Expanded compatibility with newer grblHAL firmware, improving reliability with updated controllers and settings
• Significantly faster startup times through optimized initialization and module loading
• Build system improvements resulting in faster builds, smaller install size, and Mac silicon support with signing
• Added built-in G-code editor with syntax highlighting, search, navigation, and inline editing
• Expanded SD card file management with upload, run, delete, and progress tracking (yModem/FTP support)
• Full Automatic Tool Changer (ATC) workflow support including tool table, timeline, remapping, and controls
• Introduced ATC setup tool to simplify initial configuration and macro installation
• Introduce Spindle setup tool, supporting sienciHAL and grblHAL...

1.6.0-Edge-5

A quick release with a handful of updates. Most of the changes are smaller fixes and quality-of-life improvements, but there are also some larger updates focused on improving screen reader accessibility and adding scheduled settings backups.

A big thanks to @ashleycox for the work on accessibility improvements.

• Network timeout handling restored
• Added redundant validation issues in remote mode configuration so the app will still start if the port or IP is incorrect
• Major accessibility improvements for screen readers (via @ashleycox)
• Stats page responsiveness and chart sizing issues resolved
• Updated grblHAL core machine profiles
• Added migrations for previous AltMill spindle configurations
• GoTo A-axis commands now check AXS options to determine whether the axis should be included instead of relying only on controller type
• Settings can now be scheduled to back up automatically on application update, or on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule
• Config: fixed several hybrid setting bugs
• Improved responsiveness in remote mode
• Machine information popover moved back to its previous location
• Config: bitmask inputs now display their numeric values below the available options
• Fixed ENOENT errors that could occur during application startup
• Remote mode: added a border to the QR code for better visibility
• Dark mode improvements across several tools
• Functions that require homing are now disabled until the machine is homed
• Config: improved reactive behavior for options that enable other related settings

1.6.0-Edge-4

Visualizer parsing improvements

This release includes a major rewrite of the file parsing and visualization worker used when loading G-code files.

Performance gains:

• ~55% faster visualization time for most files
• ~75% faster visualization for rotary files
• ~35% less memory usage for typical files
• ~86% less memory usage for rotary files

What this means in practice:

• Bigger files load faster
• Less RAM usage while previewing
• Much better handling of large jobs

For reference, we successfully loaded an 85 MB / 5.5 million line file, which wasn’t possible in previous versions.

If you want the full breakdown of what changed:

https://brash-elf-7d6.notion.site/gSender-Edge-4-Visualizer-Parsing-Improvements-30979195bff08056abcaf978c3db5cee

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Connection and Alarm handling flow improvements

• Connection process is generally smoother and more reliable
• Better handling of reconnect scenarios
• No resets in the connection workflow
• Should reduce Alarm 14 and error 1s on connection and clearing alarms
• We no longer assume ethernet is always grblHAL, so fluidNC/non-vanilla grbl users connecting over ethernet should properly fallback to grbl if configured as such

Responsiveness

• Better support for smaller screens
• Wide-but-short resolutions (like ~13xx × 7xx) should no longer cut off UI elements
• Fixed some Remote Mode responsiveness regressions
• Cleaner spacing in the top bar on smaller displays

Packaging

• Fixed slow startup on AppImage builds caused by ASAR compression
• Continued build pipeline cleanup
• Smaller installs overall
  • Example: Mac .app size reduced from ~550 MB → <400 MB

ATC - status updates and other

• Probed, unprobed, and off-rack/manual states are now separate statuses
  • You can always see both offset status and manual/off-rack state when applicable
• Tool Timeline received a visual refresh for better clarity and information layout
• Tool nicknames are now included anywhere a tool number is shown in the UI
• Config and Templates moves into Accessory Installation Wizard
• Extremely professional placeholder images added to ATC Installation wizard while we wait for marketing

New machine profiles & grblHAL Core support

• Updated AltMill 4×8 machine profile
• Added support for new/remapped firmware values and keys for grblHAL Core
• Config automatically adapts based on firmware version
• Affects EEPROM-related areas including:
  • Restore Defaults
  • Config Tool

Outline improvements

• Outline process improved - should be faster, should work better for all types of files. Travel direction is always consistent.
• Added new option - Rapidless Square - which computes a bounding box of only the cutting movements (G1/G2/G3) and ignores G0.
• Can now configure outline to use custom feed rates and G1 rather than G0 (Thanks, kieraneglin)
• Inner islands no longer considered when generating hulls for details outline - so file outline should be more consistent overall

Config updates

• Various logic changes to config area to improve performance
• You should notice the population of entries and search to be more performative

Various improvements & fixes

• Selecting the current jog preset now resets values back to configured defaults
• Config imports are validated before being applied
• Diagnostic PDF now clearly shows when disconnected data isn’t available
• Improved Run Check on Load workflow:
  • Prompts before enabling check mode and running the file
• Probe corner can now be changed directly in the Run Probe dialog
  • Warning shown when using a non-default corner (no more probing the wrong spot)
• Improved grblHAL flashing UX
• Spindle selection now updates correctly when configurations change
• Fixed connection widget interaction issues when dropdown menus are open
• Alarm descriptions now pulled directly from grblHAL firmware
• Various Dark Mode polish improvements
• Fixed diameter parsing for DeskProto rotary files (for real this time). This must be toggled on inside the config section
• grbl Rotary - can now pass A through natively rather than always hijack Y when rotary mode switched off. This is mostly for compatibility with fluidNC/non-standard grbl variations that natively support A axis commands.
• Camera cube added to visualizer in surfacing and rotary surfacing tools

1.6.0-Edge-3

gSender 1.6.0-Edge-3 is rolling out with a solid set of improvements and long requested fixes.

We are approaching the feature freeze for 1.6.0, so most remaining work before the March release will focus on stability, polish, and small behaviour adjustments. It's likely we have one more Edge release that'll prioritize various bugs and remaining improvements. If you have been waiting to try Edge, this is a good moment to jump in. As always, reports from early testers are extremely valuable.

This update includes several notable enhancements, including major gains in load time and improvements to remote mode.

Faster load and install times

Significant changes to the packing system and build process have produced much faster startup across all tested devices.

A load time of roughly 25 seconds has been reduced to about 4. Similar improvements appear on every device, including gControl.

This has been one of the most common complaints about gSender, so we are pleased with the progress and expect further gains.

Installation is also noticeably faster.

Silicon Mac builds, Mac Signing, and new Electron version

We've updated the Electron version for packaging to the latest release, which means dropping support for earlier macOS versions. The minimum OS requirements are now as follows:

• macOS: Monterey (v12, released 2021) and up
• Windows: Windows 10
• Linux:
  • Ubuntu 18.04 and newer
  • Fedora 32 and newer
  • Debian 10 and newer

• We are building and providing both an Intel (universal) build and now a Silicon (ARM64) version of gSender for macOS. Silicon users should notice a performance improvement.
• We are now also signing our macOS builds, so hooray! Coming soon to an app store near you!

Better portrait mode

We continue refining layout behaviour to make better use of space across different display configurations.

• Larger, clearer buttons in portrait mode and elsewhere
• Improved spacing and alignment
• More adjustments planned throughout the Edge cycle

ATC installation tool / Accessory Installation Tool

A new guided installation tool walks users through setting up supported CNC accessories.

• First supported workflow is ATC setup
• Future plans include spindle, laser, and first time CNC setup guides

ATC configuration

The ATC configuration tool has been streamlined.

• Combined and reorganized options
• Improved flow and clarity
• Updated interface for a smoother configuration experience

ATC Visualization and Tool Table

• Updated colours to a designated set of 12 for better toolpath distinction. It's now funky fresh.
• Tool table tool nicknames are now selectable from a database of common bits, which includes search and still the ability to type in a custom note for a specific T command.

SD and FTP support

• FTP support added, allowing uploads over Ethernet instead of USB only
• Simplified workflow with a single refresh/list button
• Automatic SD mount attempts when the tool opens
• Dark mode and portrait mode updates
• Progress bar improvements
• Safety checks to disable the tool when connected to grbl or grblHAL devices without Ymodem or FTP support

EEPROM and configuration improvements

• Added support for new settings in the upcoming grblCore release
• EEPROM tool now handles all reported EEPROM settings, not only those surfaced in Config

Rotary time estimation

Time estimation for rotary jobs is now more accurate. Travel distance calculations now correctly account for A axis rotation, bringing estimates closer to real world results. Accuracy is approaching within 10 percent, with more refinement planned.

Visualization for rotary files has also improved. DeskProto typically sets Z to the surface and stores workpiece diameter in comments. gSender now uses that information to produce correct visualizations. Most gcode viewers cannot do this without explicit diameter data, so this is a meaningful improvement.

Remote mode

• Updated look and feel
• Settings now sync between desktop and remote clients, ensuring consistent preferences such as jog speeds, probe type, and units

Gamepad Updates

• Fixes to certain shortcuts on gamepad firing twice, specifically the park button and probe popup
• Added a new feature to disable dynamic speed and use a fixed value for thumbstick jogging
• All these changes were done by a community member. Thank you for your contribution Kesmit13!

Various fixes and improvements

• ATC functionality updates
• Fixed issues where tool offset was being incorrectly zeroed out on board reset
• $SpindleESH now sent correctly on spindle select for core firmware
• Gamepad jogging improvements, including fixed speed jogging
• TLO probe offsets captured mid toolpath to keep UI elements current
• Error and Alarm descriptions populated by grblHAL firmware
• Helper accessible across all gSender tools, not only the carve page
• Optional prompt on program close to prevent accidental exits
• AltMill 4X8 machine profile added
• AltMill ZxY plus Spindle configurations removed
• Added probe profile for BitZero 2 probe block (thanks Krudoy)

v1.5.7

• Fixed issue with start job shortcut not firing in some situations.
• Park shortcut now persists between sessions.
• Unlock button now has same logic as large Alarm unlock button for Alarm 10 and 17 where it will reset and unlock for you.
• Corner selection hidden for Z-only probe type.
• Squaring tool calculations for custom distances are now correct.
• Added support for Teensy boards in recognized devices.
• Error line reporting mismatch fixed.
• Stopping on start event codes should now correctly clear the planner and reset the board.
• Added cut depth validation to Surfacing tool.
• Auto-reconnect should work for Ethernet again.
• Added import/export functionality for gamepad profiles.
• Homing location now shows correctly on stats page.
• Fixed issue with terminal history order.
• Added new config option to run check on a file when it's loaded in.
• Fixed issue with rapid position shortcuts not memoizing positions.
• GRBL spindle max/min again correctly updates the eeprom on change.
• Config search behaviour updates to be more consistent with modified flag enabled.
• Probe shortcut no longer causes an error 2 due to stale distance modal.
• Rapid position shortcut no longer has a stale homing location value.

v1.6.0-Edge-2

Plumbing

• Numerous support updates for newer grblHAL core
• Entirely new build system resulting in quicker builds, quicker dev work, and smaller bundles
• Various default updates for newer grblHAL versions

Updates to G-code Editor

• Added syntax highlighting
• Added search and the ability to jump to/back to specific terms
• Various look/feel updates and reorganization

Visualizer Updates

• Added new config option to hide processed lines, which entirely removes lines instead of greying them out.
• This is available in the visualizer section of config
• This should be seamless with the new toolpath colour differentiation.

Check mode Option

• Added new safety option to run check mode automatically when a file is loaded
• It turns on check mode, runs the file, and reports any errors.

SD Card Progress indicator

• Running files from SD card now shows the progress bar, and should be a similar experience to running a file directly from gSender.

ATC functionality updates

• Various safety updates (warn if not homed, warn on no tool, etc.)
• Look/feel cohesion
• Base macros updated
• P100 and P200 are now run on update
• Keepout plugin support

Other fixes and changes

Some of these are fixes that are coming to main in the new year, but are merged in here ahead of time.

• Can now specify custom ethernet port if connecting to ethernet over something other than port 23
• Small unlock button now has the same behaviour as the large alarm unlock button for alarms 10 and 17, in that it resets and unlocks.
• Fix for start shortcut issues
• Removed fancy console logging, to revisit later
• Error line mismatch fixes
• Stopping a start event M0 will now stop the job from running
• Fix for intermittent error when loading file
• Comments shown in M0 dialogs again