CFW for KSGER/Quicko STM32 Soldering Stations

[DavidAlfa]

No worries. Yep, still much cheaper than a $300 soldering station.

I've been thinking on adding languages for a long time.
While english is ok for most people, I know it's very different for russians and other slavic countries.
However, you can see yourselves the available space, everything is really tight.
I know nothing about these languages and their symbols, except that "Bomb" (бомба) is very similar to spanish "Bomba"
I would need to find a proper russian font that fits and looks good in the screen, which is not easy.
It's ok to add other languages too, there's plenty of space.

So, if you want translations, help a bit by seeking the menu labels/buttons/messages and finding something that would fit in there!

I think the fw is actually pretty finished, but I might give it a last push for a proper ending.

[wickated]

BTW so you know how these Chinese vendors work. They normally won't actually send you the unit directly. They send you an Amazon gift card or Paypal you the money to order off amazon so that way they get a sold item on amazon, they normally expect a review on amazon also.

my country is nearby china so ppl just write on ali/tao directly with starting words "send me free item_name"

So, if you want translations, help a bit by seeking the menu labels/buttons/messages and finding something that would fit in there!

i can make direct dictionary style translation, how can i make proper font? cuz we actually have weird symbols like Ф Э Ы Я Ю Щ 
im still too dumb to load even load a project in ide, not even compile it
so i renamed menuitmes with stlink direct fw editing 

I think the fw is actually pretty finished, but I might give it a last push for a proper ending.

stand bug still there since 8-04 ?

[ricktendo]

It's ok to add other languages too, there's plenty of space.

Even if you did not have enough space, you could do what they do with IronOS and generate separate language bins.

What I think would be great is if they did a similar thing with this firmware as it did with IronOS (Ralim firmware,) it would be nice if a member of the forum developed a new open source controller board to better replace the KSGER chinese soldering stations (like the $25 Pinecil did to the $50 TS100)



Maybe something cool looking like this!

[DavidAlfa]

The stand bug was fixed some buils ago.

Manually building 10 bins for each model, 50 builds everytime? No way!

Just make the translations, and I'll do the rest.
Changing the font is a child's game. The problem is finding one that isn't too big, too small, too wide and doesn't look terrible when downscaled.

[wickated]

Changing the font is a child's game. The problem is finding one that isn't too big, too small, too wide and doesn't look terrible when downscaled.

is it coded same as on symbol displays ?

[DavidAlfa]

The font could be seen as pack of icons.
Each ASCII code number retrieves a different glyph and that's what it draws.
Don't worry about that, just help with the translation 

[wickated]

looks cool
i just have to translate stringnmae in \gui\menu.c etc and zip them or add commentary lines or how?

[DavidAlfa]

But is that ok? Without russian symbols?
Modify the files from drivers/graphics/gui/screens/, once done Zip everything and send it to me.

[wickated]

But is that ok? Without russian symbols?
Modify the files from drivers/graphics/gui/screens/, once done Zip everything and send it to me.

just a quick try. symbols are needed. im limited in screen width only ? (words in russian are much longer)
and big signs like NO IRON on main screen are text too ?

p.s. possibly confirm stand bug fixed. got some HUGE overshoot, tweaked PID a bit. imax 0,85 is overkill for jbc, it blasts 50c over settemp on liftoff. i got imax 0,4 for stable little_underload, 0,5 overshoot little

[DavidAlfa]

I think it was fixed. It's you who must test it and confirm it's no longer happening
I found a font that might do nice. As I said, you know the available space. If it won't fit, then it's better to leave it as it is...
For testing, type the settings screen options in russian (IRON, SYSTEM, DEBUG, EDIT TIPS, CALIBRATION, EXIT).

[wickated]

For testing, type the settings screen options in russian (IRON, SYSTEM, DEBUG, EDIT TIPS, CALIBRATION, EXIT).

(ОБЩИЕ,СТАНЦИЯ,ОТЛАДКА,БАЗА ЖАЛ,КАЛИБРОВКА,ВЫХОД)

found some code example for arduino for u8g2 with good font, dunno if utf8 enable is also needed here

https://github.com/olikraus/u8g2/blob/master/tools/font/build/single_font_files/u8g2_font_unifont_t_cyrillic.c

[DavidAlfa]

Yes utf8 needs to be enabled (Already done on my tests)

[wickated]

Yes utf8 needs to be enabled (Already done on my tests)

very nice u have my cat, now feed him 
i counted 15 symbols in line with selector, 16 without, small symbols looks weirdm so CAPS FTW

[DavidAlfa]

The characters are not fixed width, so will vary.

This font seems ok for both. There are only few cyrillic fonts!

[wickated]

very good. so im running in translation

sent in pm. tried to fit everywhere

[DavidAlfa]

The fw layout is not designed to be randomly changed, everything is carefully placed, so using a different font causes slight cosmetic bugs.
There are very few fonts supporting cyrillic, so there isn't much I can do.
Still lots of text overlapping, need fixing by changing the labels to something shorter, or reducing the russian font size further.

I still need the translation for calibration screen error:

Code: [Select]

     .CAL_Error = "ERROR DETECTED!",
     .CAL_Aborting = "Aborting...",

Check the attached file 

[wickated]

nvm. errors were caused by overrun protection 
test fw dont work with tip/handle disconnected

everything else work good. need some fixes to avoid overlaps and better word meaning for SAVE OK buttons etc, some more CAPS for clear view and "strings" translation

[AndyC]

I translated v1.0 to Swedish earlier this year, so I made an attempt again with the new version. Seems to work well so far. Some tweaks had to be made of course, like adding 'ÅÄÖ' etc.

I added/replaced some caps on a 3.x board which had been acting weird previously. (Random wakeups)
The mod (like suggested earlier in the thread) got rid of some noise on the 3.3V, but the PSU noise still gets through. See attached photos.

Made a mini setup with a KSGER 2.1 + 3.1 controllers. Added audio jacks since I expect MP3 support soon
Easy to work with and portable.

And as you can see, the KSGER 3.1 is completely flatlining

[wickated]

Made a mini setup with a KSGER 2.1 + 3.1 controllers. Added audio jacks since I expect MP3 support soon

so u can flash only when powered wth psu? seems ok cuz i dont have any suitable ports in local shops for backplating.

[DavidAlfa]

nvm. errors were caused by overrun protection 
test fw dont work with tip/handle disconnected

What errors are you talking about?
Is that a proper error reporting?
"Don't work"? No problem,  I'll fix the "no work" problem
Currently the big NO IRON text won't be displayed because there's no russian symbols, but all others, yes.
Else than that, it should be working normally.

Some tweaks had to be made of course, like adding 'ÅÄÖ' etc.
Made a mini setup with a KSGER 2.1 + 3.1 controllers. Added audio jacks since I expect MP3 support soon

Jokes aside, there a lot of blind people using the firmware, or at least they don't know how to read the instructions, asking the same things again and again, so the MP3 could be for voice guidance  .
If you modified the existing bdf fonts to add these characters, then why don't commit the changes?
For a few characters it's ok, but as it needs to be done by hand, it's extremely time consuming if you have to add a lot.
But that's what needs to be done here.
Currently I'm using a different font for russian, it would be much better to modify the current fonts instead.
But ain't just normal letters with accent marks...
Wickated, seems you'll have some work to do.
Time to start compiling and trying the translations,. it's very easy, It just takes a lot of trial to fit everything nicely .
Will post some guidelines later.

[wickated]

nvm. errors were caused by overrun protection 
test fw dont work with tip/handle disconnected

What errors are you talking about?
Is that a proper error reporting?
"Don't work"? No problem,  I'll fix the "no work" problem
Currently the big NO IRON text won't be displayed because there's no russian symbols, but all others, yes.
Else than that, it should be working normally.

Time to start compiling and trying the translations,. it's very easy, It just takes a lot of trial to fit everything nicely .
Will post some guidelines later.

sorry for that, ill make vid for that.

https://youtu.be/tVBiQWcIcTo

i think i can make project in ide with current guides. but abcolutely no clue how to conpile .elf in .bin

[AndyC]

Made a mini setup with a KSGER 2.1 + 3.1 controllers. Added audio jacks since I expect MP3 support soon

so u can flash only when powered wth psu? seems ok cuz i dont have any suitable ports in local shops for backplating.

Yes, but it was what I had.  It works ok though. Open to suggestions for proper SWD ports.

If you modified the existing bdf fonts to add these characters, then why don't commit the changes?

I don't even know what that means But of course I could share the modified files. I'll just zip'em if that's ok.

[ygi]

I realized something I'm kinda concerned about, so to speak. Since the controller remembers the last set t° after powering up, that means it stores it to flash every time it's changed, right? So wouldn't it be better if current set t° were simply stored in RAM and the default startup t° would be a user defined setting?
Admittedly, I have no idea how NAND durability is on those MCU but my guess is probably not that great. The thing is, I checked availability and price of STM32 yesterday and... it's scary. Now I look at my 1.5$ Chinese fake stlink from years ago like it's precious cause it has a "rare" 20K/128K F103 inside

[wickated]

settnigs are written to flash once per 5sec. in original fw with eeprom they are saved every encoder tick. if u really worrie about lifecycles u can just set longer timeout for write operations

[dark_hawk]

I've just tried the new version and things seem to be settling down for good.

I have a few good tips and 2 bad ones, the good tips seem to work fine using the default PID values with no change to system settings.
Good tip:


Recovering from a load:


Recovering from a bigger load:


Now for the bad tips, which used to flucuate like crazy in the original firmware:
Using the default PID values:


Reducing the KP, Ki and Kd:


PID= 30 20 10 (If I remember correctly) Starting up:


Stabilizing:


Problem is recovering from a load takes a lot of time and cycles:


So I decreased Kp and Ki further, increased Kd a little, here is a recovering from load PID (22, 10, 15):


I'm very satisfied with the current results, but if there is room for improvement specifically in the load handling part of things please point me in that direction.
Thanks david.