Warning

This is the dev documentation for an unreleased version of MPF!

This is the documentation for MPF 0.56, which is the “dev” (next) release of MPF that is a work-in-progress. Unless you’re specifically looking for this version, you probably want to use the version of documentation called “latest” which is for the latest released version of MPF. That documentation is at docs.missionpinball.org/en/latest.

steppers:

Config file section

Valid in machine config files YES
Valid in mode config files NO

The steppers: section of your config is where you configure steppers.

This is an example:

# main config
p_roc:
  use_separate_thread: true
  pd_led_boards:
    6:
      use_stepper_0: true
      stepper_speed: 1352400000  # Determine empiricall. Increasing slows pulsesrate
switches:
  s_stepper_home:
    number: 4/0/5
steppers:
  ramp_diverter:
    number: 6-0
    homing_mode: switch
    homing_switch: s_stepper_home
    homing_direction: clockwise
    pos_min: 0 # Default. (Neg values are behind home)
    pos_max: 100 # Default
    reset_events: machine_reset_phase_3, ball_starting, ball_will_end
    reset_position: 0 # Default
    debug: true
    named_positions:
      2: move_to_2
      25: move_to_25
      45: move_to_45
##! mode: base
# base mode
timers:
  test_diverter:
    start_value: 0
    end_value: 6
    start_running: true
    restart_on_complete: true
event_player:
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==1}: move_to_2
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==3}: move_to_25
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==5}: move_to_45
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested.
# main config
p_roc:
  use_separate_thread: true
  pd_led_boards:
    6:
      use_stepper_0: true
      stepper_speed: 1352400000  # Determine empiricall. Increasing slows pulsesrate
switches:
  s_stepper_home:
    number: 4/0/5
steppers:
  ramp_diverter:
    number: 6-0
    homing_mode: switch
    homing_switch: s_stepper_home
    homing_direction: clockwise
    pos_min: 0 # Default. (Neg values are behind home)
    pos_max: 100 # Default
    reset_events: machine_reset_phase_3, ball_starting, ball_will_end
    reset_position: 0 # Default
    debug: true
    named_positions:
      2: move_to_2
      25: move_to_25
      45: move_to_45
##! mode: base
# base mode
timers:
  test_diverter:
    start_value: 0
    end_value: 6
    start_running: true
    restart_on_complete: true
event_player:
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==1}: move_to_2
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==3}: move_to_25
  timer_test_diverter_tick{device.timers.test_diverter.ticks==5}: move_to_45

Required settings

The following sections are required in the steppers: section of your config:

number:

Single value, type: string. Defaults to empty.

This is the number of the stepper which specifies which stepper the it is physically connected to. The exact format used here will depend on which control system you’re using and how the stepper is connected.

See the How to configure “number:” settings guide for details.

Optional settings

The following sections are optional in the steppers: section of your config. (If you don’t include them, the default will be used).

ball_search_max:

Single value, type: integer. Default: 1

The maximum position to use during ball search for this stepper. During ball search the stepper will move between ball_search_min and ball_search_max.

ball_search_min:

Single value, type: integer. Default: 0

The minimum position to use during ball search for this stepper. During ball search the stepper will move between ball_search_min and ball_search_max.

ball_search_wait:

Single value, type: time string (ms) (Instructions for entering time strings). Default: 5s

How long should the stepper wait after moving to ball_search_min before moving to ball_search_max.

homing_direction:

Single value, type: one of the following options: clockwise, counterclockwise. Default: clockwise

In which direction should the stepper move to reach the home position?

homing_mode:

Single value, type: one of the following options: hardware, switch. Default: hardware

Some controllers support hardware homing which should be preferred. However, you can also define a homing_switch which will be used to determine whether the stepper is at the home position.

homing_switch:

Single value, type: string name of a switches device. Defaults to empty.

Switch to check if the stepper is at the home position when homing_mode is set to switch.

named_positions:

One or more sub-entries. Each in the format of number (will be converted to floating point) : string

This is a sub-section mapping of stepper positions to MPF event names. For example:

    named_positions:
      0: move_home
      999: move_to_999
      -500: move_to_-500 # Negative positions are behind home
This example is tested to be valid MPF config. However, it is not integration tested. Some parts are hidden. Click to show full config.
steppers:
  my_stepper:
    number: 1
    named_positions:
      0: move_home
      999: move_to_999
      -500: move_to_-500 # Negative positions are behind home

The values in this named_positions: list represent MPF events that, when posted, tell this stepper to move to a certain position. So in the example above, when the move_to_999 event is posted, this stepper will move to position 999.

platform:

Single value, type: string. Defaults to empty.

Name of the platform this stepper is connected to. The default value of None means the default hardware platform will be used. You only need to change this if you have multiple different hardware platforms in use and this stepper is not connected to the default platform.

See the Mixing-and-Matching hardware platforms guide for details.

platform_settings:

Single value, type: dict. Defaults to empty.

Platform specific stepper settings for this stepper. Check the documentation of your platform for details.

pos_max:

Single value, type: integer. Default: 1000

Maximum possible position.

pos_min:

Single value, type: integer. Default: 0

Minimum possible position. Negative values are left of the home position.

reset_events:

List of one (or more) device control events (Instructions for entering device control events). Default: machine_reset_phase_3, ball_starting, ball_will_end, service_mode_entered

Events to reset the position of the stepper.

reset_position:

Single value, type: integer. Default: 0

Reset position for this stepper. Usually this is the home position.

console_log:

Single value, type: one of the following options: none, basic, full. Default: basic

Log level for the console log for this device.

debug:

Single value, type: boolean (true/false). Default: false

Set this to true to see additional debug output. This might impact the performance of MPF.

file_log:

Single value, type: one of the following options: none, basic, full. Default: basic

Log level for the file log for this device.

label:

Single value, type: string. Default: %

Name of this device in service mode.

tags:

List of one (or more) values, each is a type: string. Defaults to empty.

Not used currently.