Machine & control definitions (and posts) on network drive issues

[Chris Rizzo]

At my workstation I use a .mmd saved on the network drive. In that same folder is the .control for that machine. I program a part there and everything works fine. However I seldom post from my workstation.

 

I then grab my usb hasp and cruise into the shop, and proceed to open the file I just saved on a network drive. In the machine group properties window, the .mmd is there, however it looses the .control definition and in turn the associated post.

 

Click on the edit Machine-toolpath copy in an attempt to manually locate the .control, and the selection window is greyed out.

 

The point of my question is,

 

How does one work with machine, control defs, and posts from a network location? Multiple people programming for the same machine, but from different workstations, should be using the same .mmd, .pst, .etc ?

 

And to be thorough, how do the config file location pointers interact with the pointers in the Machine Group Properties window? Seems like the Machine Group Prop. trumps the config?

 

thx.

 

 

 

[ 09-26-2005, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Italian' stylin' ]

[jeff]

I find this very irritating.

I'd much rather have a V9 style where you can select ANY post instead of creating other crap to get what you want.

[DavidB]

Im with you 200% Jeff

[Chris Rizzo]

bump

 

for someone at cnc

 

advise needed on different programmers/workstations trying to utilize the same machine/control def (& post)

 

[heeler]

Working on the same issues here.

 

Hope that someone can help.

 

Glenn

[Paul Decelles]

Ok (cracks knuckles), let me see if I can help...

 

First off, the individual stations are going to have to see the server as the same path (i.e.- the drive mapped to the same letter on each).

 

You cannot create the control definition and machine definition locally and then move them (without editing them once they are moved), which is what I am betting you have tried to do. The path to the post processor file is stored in the control definition, the path to the control definition file is stored in the machine definition and they are not going to update on their own.

 

So, let's fix the paths so they work for you, and then modify your default machine so it looks at the server.

 

Make sure your CD, MD and post files are all where you want them on the server (we don't want to have to do this twice).

 

If you currently have X open and an active machine group, either close and reopen X or go to the Machine Type dropdown, select Design and then do a File - New.

 

Modify your control definition file -

 

Now go back to the Machine Type drop down and select Control Definition... Click the Open a control definition file button and browse to the control definition file on your server.

 

Click on the Post Processors: button and then Add Files... Browse to where your post lives on the network and select it. Green check to close the dialog.

 

Select your post in the drop down window (it will have a plus icon next to it).

 

Click one of the control topics and then right click on the right side of the dialog. Select import - all pages. Select this control file and then the post with the path on your local hard drive (we are importing the valid settings into the new control def). Green check to import the settings.

 

Go to the text control topic. If the post text is not there, right click on the right side and import it from the post.

 

Save the file. The plus symbol next to the post name in the drop down changes to a green check mark.

 

Click the Post Processors button, select the original post (with the path on your local hard drive) and then click the Delete Files... button (You may also want to select any other posts if there are others from fooling around previously in the CD file). Leave the Default settings there. Green check to get out and then save the control file again. We're done here, Green check at the bottom of the dialog to exit.

 

Modify your machine definition file -

 

Select the Machine Type dropdown - Machine Definition Manager...

 

Load the machine definition file on the server.

 

Click the Browse For Folder button in the Control Definition Frame - Select the folder on the server where your control definition file now lives. Your control definition will automatically appear in the dropdown if it is the only one in the folder. You will need to select it if there are more than one.

 

Save the machine definition file.

 

We're done here, green check to exit.

 

Modify your default machine setting -

 

This is an optional step that will make the Machine Type - Product - Machine list dropdown show the contets of the folder on the server. This step can be repeated at each station (or the config file can be copied over).

 

Select Settings - Configuration. Click the Files control topic. In the File Usage frame, select Mill Machine Definition (or Lathe Machine Definition - or Router Machine Definition). Click the File select button (the one with the filing cabinet on it) and browse to your machine def file on the server.

 

Save your settings and exit. Now when you go to the Machine Type dropdown your machine will appear in the right flyout when you select that product type.

[Slepydremr]

I've tried this and it seems to work for me.

 

That being said what you need to try is to change in your SCREEN-CONFIG-FILES set your defaults to the mmd, control and post on the network.

 

Then under MACHTYPE-MACHDEF change it to select the same post on the server.

 

****

While in this dialog click the save disk or it won't save your changes( gave me a headache figuring that out. I'm a little slow sometimes.)

****

 

Also you have to click the edit control icon and add your network post to the list by clicking post processor button then add post.

 

After you have done that you will be able to select it on the pull down menu to the right of the post proc button.

 

 

****

Then click the save icon on this screen( are you begining to see how much of a pain this is) click the check mark to close the control def window.

 

 

(you should still have the mach def window open behind it) make sure the post processor shows the network path above it and the correct post is selected.

 

click the save icon again just to be safe.

 

 

And now go do the same thing on all the other computers you want to use (quite the pain) I haven't tried this yet for more than one mach post. Just figured it out during lunch for ya.

 

But this should work when you open the same file on the other computer all should be the same.

I did try this on 2 different workstations and i was successful.

 

of course you need to check your machine group properties and make sure they are right before you close the file on the first workstation.

 

But as I have only tried this with one file. using one mach def. i can only hope it works for you.

 

 

Jeff

[Slepydremr]

I should have known someone would beat me to it while i was typing that all those instructions out.

 

Way to go Paul.. LOL

[Paul Decelles]

Another 20 minutes of my life I will never get back.... lol

[Slepydremr]

It does however look like I may have made a few more steps than necessary.

 

I guess that's what rookies do.

 

Well I tried.

 

lol

[chip]

Paul.....

YOU ARE THE MAN! This is good stuff!

[heeler]

I have bookmarked this topic and will give it a try.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Glenn

[Steve Zirtzman]

Paul,

I read your post last night, and even though I have not had this situation arise, I just wanted to come back and thank you for that excellent explanation. We appreciate the 20 minutes you gave to all of us!