External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?
 
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External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?  

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Ondřej Kabelka
(@ondrej-kabelka)
Member
External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?

Hi, how can I use a hackerboard (for example) to connect 5 buttons outside the enclosure and assign them the function of loading filament using G-code from M704 0 to M704 4? Is a hackerboard and 5 microswitches enough for this? Or do I also need an ESP32 or something else?

Posted : 25/06/2025 1:31 pm
_KaszpiR_
(@_kaszpir_)
Noble Member
RE: External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?

I guess it should be enough to have 5 buttons, hackerboard and tiny capacitors to keep the buttons from debouncing ( or just use buttons with such feature in them) and to trigger execution of the specific gcode file per key press.

Though with additional esp32 you would be able to do a bit more if needed.

See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.

Posted : 25/06/2025 10:57 pm
Ondřej Kabelka
(@ondrej-kabelka)
Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?

OK, I understand. But I don’t really want to use up 5 out of 7 pins on the Hackerboard just for buttons. Isn’t there a way to connect an ESP32 to the Hackerboard to get more options? The buttons should only be switches that trigger code in the ESP32, in my opinion. That way, I can also have the G-code stored directly on the ESP32.

Posted : 26/06/2025 8:56 am
Ondřej Kabelka
(@ondrej-kabelka)
Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: External Buttons for Filament Loading – Hackerboard, ESP32, or Something Else?

But i see whats really is GPIO board. It only puts GPIO pins from xBuddy to board. GPIO isnt comunication port for external purpose.

So i must put 5 micro buttons on pins and in printed set macro.

Posted : 26/06/2025 10:34 am
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