Mega 2560, Ramps 1.4, 8729 Stepper Cntr

Projects General Guidance
1

Total noob getting my feet wet in the Arduino enviroment for the first time.

I have a macro focus rail setup. Two Nema 17 motors working in sync to move a rig with a camera attached in micro steps. Made using parts I scavanged from a 3D printer. Currently controlled using 3D printer software, which isn't ideal for my use.

I've got the Arduino Mega 2560, a Ramps 1.4 board and a handfull of 8729 stepper controllers. What I want is to set the motors up as two X axis motors, which in itself is just plug and play. Then I want to be able to have a GUI on my PC (Win 10) with buttons for movement in steps and microsteps.

Which software should I start looking at to make a GUI that can send the commands I need to send? Matlab? Or am I reinventing the wheel here, and something like this already exists?

Any and all help greatly appreciated.

2

What you use to code up your program on the PC is really a matter of what you know. Any language will work just fine (python, C, C#, Matlab, etc.) All of them will ultimately have to open the serial port to communicate with the Mega 2560 and send commands