changes to the V9 to X Functions PDF

[Colin Gilchrist]

CNC,

 

Could you update the V9 to X function guide to include some of the right click shortcut options for new folks?

 

Specificially I'd like you to add the information about Right-Clicking for "Change colors" and "Change Levels". Right now the PDF tells you to use "Analyze entity properties". Very cumbersome for anyone who needs to change the color or level of 100's of entities.

 

Something else that might aid the new folks would be a recommendation to turn off "Pre-selection". My thinking on this would be that Mastercam would open up the Screen Prompt as you use a new function. This would help people in making the transition.

 

Don't get me wrong, I LOOOVE pre-selection. Its just a little confusing for anyone who is making the transition.

 

Thanks,

[Thad]

quote:

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Something else that might aid the new folks would be a recommendation to turn off "Pre-selection".

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I would advise against this. This is standard Windows (computer?) functionality...select what you want and then what you want to do with it. It also adds mouse clicks.

 

Thad

[3R!< W3NG3R]

You can turn it off now. Configure>screen>allow pre-selection.

but I agree with thad, don't get used to something that is backwards technology.

[gcode]

I would have to agree about not turning off

preselection. I struggled with it when learning to use X, but decided to leave it on.

The software was designed to use preselection

and works very well once you get used to it.

Once you get used to it, you'll really miss it if you ever have to go back and do something in V9

[Thad]

quote:

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You can turn it off now.

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I think Colin's idea was to recommend that new users turn it off. If you want to turn it off, fine. I just disagree with recommending it.

 

Thad

[Troy Gossett Indepak Inc.]

I find pre-selection both frustrating and very usefull at the same time. I find that I use it both ways and sometimes something is pre-selected when I don't want it to be so then I have to back out > unselect then either select or enter function > select. I'm trying to use th QM more as they seem to save some steps. There are so many ways to skin a cat in X2 that creating good habits is very hard.

[Roger Peterson]

I think why Colin wants to recommend turning it off is due to the fact that you loose some interactive prompts when using pre selection which can be confusing to brand new users. For example, change the color of several entities. If you select the entities, then right click on the color it just opens up the color dialog and you the user needs to know why. If you do not use preselection and right click on the color, an interactive prompt comes up that says select the entities you want to change the color of, select your entities, hit enter, and then the color selection dialog pops up. Minor, yes, but it can still be confusing to new users to use preselection.

 

Personally I cannot live without it.

[Eileen Lumsden from CNC Software]

Regarding adding right-click info to the V9 to X2 Function Map, it sounds like a good idea and we'll consider it (or something like it). Thanks, and keep the ideas coming!

 

(Apologies if this is a double post.)

 

Eileen Lumsden

Technical Documentation Manager

CNC Software, Inc.