IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This is my personal project and has only been tested by me on my AltMill CNC. If you choose to run it, you do so entirely at your own risk.

ncSender is a lightweight, cross‑platform CNC controller with a clean UI and built‑in 3D toolpath preview. It connects to GrblHAL controllers over USB serial or Ethernet and can run either as a desktop app (Electron) or as a small local server you access from any browser on your network.

• Cross‑platform desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi).
• USB serial and Ethernet (telnet‑style) connectivity.
• Live console with command history and real‑time GrblHAL controls (hold, resume, soft reset).
• 3D toolpath preview with progress tracking.
• Workspace selection (G54–G59) and homing prompts.
• Metric and imperial units support with automatic conversion.
• Firmware settings browser for GrblHAL (read/submit, import/export).
• Safe job controls: pause before stop, resume.
• Dead-man switch safety feature for jogging operations.
• Headless mode: run just the server and use it from a browser.
• UI theme support (light/dark) and configurable accent/gradient colors.

• Limit Switches Required: Machines without physical limit switches are not yet supported, as some functionality relies on machine coordinate movement.
• GRBL Compatibility: Although ncSender may work with GRBL, it has not been thoroughly tested. Use with caution.
• Hardware Tested: ncSender has only been tested with the Sienci SLEB-EXT board (included with AltMill CNC) running grblHAL or sienciHAL firmware.

Download a release from the Releases page for your OS:

• macOS: open the .dmg, drag ncSender to Applications. If Gatekeeper warns about an unknown developer, right‑click the app, choose Open, then Open again.
• Windows: run the .exe and follow the prompts (you may see a SmartScreen warning for an unsigned app).
• Linux: use the .AppImage or .deb (depending on your distro). Mark the AppImage as executable.
• Raspberry Pi: use the ARM64 .deb or .AppImage package.

1. Connect your controller

• USB: plug your controller via USB. Default baud is 115200.
• Ethernet: ensure you know the controller's IP and port (default GrblHAL telnet‑style ports are often 23 or device‑specific).

2. Launch ncSender

• On first launch, a setup dialog guides you to choose USB or Ethernet, pick the port, and confirm baud/IP/port. Save to connect.

3. Load a G‑code file

• Use the Visualizer panel to upload or load a file. You’ll see a 3D preview, line count, and file name.

4. Prepare the machine

• Home (if required), set work offsets, and verify workspace (G54–G59) from the toolbar.

5. Run the job

• Click Run. The status shows Running with progress tracking. Use Pause/Resume as needed. Stop safely pauses briefly before soft‑reset to reduce marks.

Theme and colors

• Toggle light/dark from the toolbar sun icon.
• Change accent/gradient colors under Settings → Application Settings.

Run the embedded server without the Electron window and access ncSender from any browser on your network.

• macOS: /Applications/ncSender.app/Contents/MacOS/ncSender --headless
• Windows: "C:\\Program Files\\ncSender\\ncSender.exe" --headless
• Linux/Raspberry Pi (AppImage): ./ncSender-*.AppImage --headless or ncSender --headless if installed in PATH

Then open http://<this-computer-ip>:8090 in a browser (replace with your machine's LAN IP). The port is configurable in Settings (Remote Control Port) and requires an app restart to take effect.

ncSender stores its data per‑platform:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/ncSender/
• Windows: %APPDATA%/ncSender/
• Linux / Raspberry Pi: ~/.config/ncSender/

These folders are created automatically and contain G‑code files and settings. Files persist across updates and are easy to back up.

• Can't find the USB port
  • Unplug/replug the device and reopen Settings. On Windows you may need the correct USB‑serial driver. On macOS, avoid Bluetooth ports.
• Connection fails
  • Confirm baud rate (115200 is common). For Ethernet, confirm the IP/port and network reachability (firewall). Try power‑cycling the controller.
• "Homing Required"
  • Home the machine first (per your controller/firmware) to clear the prompt.
• Alarm/Locked
  • Use "Unlock" or send $X from the console if you understand the risks. Review the last alarm code for details.
• Nothing moves when sending a job
  • Ensure the machine is Idle (not Alarm/Hold), correct workspace selected, and your file units/modes match the machine (G20/G21, G90/G91, etc.).
• Machine behaving unexpectedly
  • Try a soft reset by clicking the center button in the jog controls or send Ctrl+X from the console. This clears the command buffer and resets the controller state.

Everything runs locally. ncSender does not send your files or machine data to remote servers.

This is a personal, for‑fun project that I’m actively iterating on. I’m not providing support at the moment, and I’m not accepting new issue submissions yet. Once things are more stable, I may start accepting GitHub Issues for bug reports and feature requests.

Looking to build, contribute, or extend ncSender? See docs/DEVELOPER_GUIDE.md for:

• Project structure and architecture
• Development workflow (hot reload)
• Scripts and local packaging
• CI/CD and release process