I need a circuit to build a joystick controlled bidirectional stepper clock generator for my lab. The output should be a pin (+zero pin) with the clock output and a pin with the direction signal, plus an enable pin.
This to drive a smart stepper with clock and direction input. If possible there should be a deadband setting across zero to stop creep. You used to be able to buy this sort of card, but most functionality is now built into the drives, and I need to provide a common clock for a set of motors.
Help appreciated. I could build the gear if I could find the relevant circuit.

 

I really do not know how to do this, but will throw this outline out to start discution. Joy stick is 10 k pot, which when centered will give +5V on either end. Comparators are biased at + 4.9 V on the neg inputs. At +5, centered, +- .1V, Enable will be hi; at any other V one or other comp. will be low, Enable is lo. [ should be resistor from Enable to +V ]. A single V out to VCO obtained with 4066 analog SW controlled by directional signals. Time to start throwing rocks?

 

This is not a relfection on Bernard's clever solution but maybe you could just simplify the task?

I just use a 555 timer with a "speed pot" and a toggle switch to set the motor direction. That's plenty for tesing a stepper motor and finding top speeds, resonant speeds etc.