Screen selectable tool path?

[neurosis]

Does anyone have any idea if in the currently or in the future, the tool path that shows on the screen will be selectable? It would be nice to be able to click on toolpath that is displayed on the screen to set depths or even just to open a tool path and select a profile from the screen to edit.

[Guest]

Don't hold your breath

[Thee Rickster ™]

Toolpath lines are not geometry type entities.

 

I believe there is a way to save tool paths as geometry. But if you edit it I don't think you can change it back, also without losing associativity if you could.

 

Graphical tool path editing cannot exist in a software that uses full associativity.

Unless the geometry could update from the edited tool path for it to regenerate.

 

Pretty sure on this

 

Rick

 

[EDIT] like John said

[cobra95kev]

Impressive restraint shown by JP.

 

[neurosis]

quote:

---

Toolpath lines are not geometry type entities.

 

I believe there is a way to save tool paths as geometry. But if you edit it I don't think you can change it back, also without losing associativity if you could.

---

This I understand. I do know that the tool path displayed are not geometry and do understand that you can save the path as geometry if needed but if the tool path was selectable or if you were able to analyze it it would save a step of having to create even more geometry. I usually only wish that I could do this when I am programming roughing operations and dont want to have to go back to previously created operations to try to remember what depth I used or distance between steps etc. Especially on complicated parts that have 100's of operations.

 

 

quote:

---

Graphical tool path editing cannot exist in a software that uses full associativity.

Unless the geometry could update from the edited tool path for it to regenerate.

 

Pretty sure on this

 

Rick

---

I am also not asking to edit the path in the ?graphics? area, just be able to select it so that you dont have to weed through 100 operations to figure out which is the one im trying to edit. If you could un-blank all of the tool path and just select a profile on the screen and it would highlight in the operation manager it would be instant. Once again, if you were able to select the path and use it to set depths etc in other paths it would be very convenient. Just wishing.

[Guest]

quote:

---

just be able to select it so that you dont have to weed through 100 operations to figure out which is the one im trying to edit. If you could un-blank all of the tool path and just select a profile on the screen and it would highlight in the operation manager it would be instant.

---

You CAN already do this.

 

There is a button in the OP manager to shown the associative geometry.

 

Click on it, it will show which geometry is the driving geometry, the black circle with the red square icon.

 

 

and then after clicking on the button

 

Then you can find what geometry is driving which path

[Thee Rickster ™]

I see what you mean, now

 

would be nice

 

 

JP

 

He means (opposite) click on one of your displyed toolpath lines and it tells you which op it is. so you don't have to turn them all off and open 1 at a time just to find it in your group

 

Right Nuerosis?

 

Rick

[neurosis]

quote:

---

He means (opposite) click on one of your displyed toolpath lines and it tells you which op it is. so you don't have to turn them all off and open 1 at a time just to find it in your group

 

Right Nuerosis?

 

Rick

---

Exactly!

 

 

Even when you click the "only display associative geometry" button, you still have to open the operation to either check your depths, steps, etc (keep in mind im talking roughing operations only). Some times when I am 20 operations deep and in the middle of a new operation that I want to match a z depth to an old one, I have to close the operation and open a past operation to see my existing parameters (maybe there is a better way?) but if you were able to select the path in the graphics area to set z depths, angles of cuts, etc it would save a step. Even better, if you could have all tool path displayed at once and were able to just select the path itself and have it highlight the operation in the operation manager it would save some steps in figuring out which operation uses that geometry. Like I said.. wishing.

[Hardmill]

When your programmin just add comments to

your ops so you can Identify them.

 

Ill label Dims or DATUMS so I can find them.

 

 

PEACE

[chipman]

You can right click in op manager, choose "select" a window pops up click the arrow button by "geometry" it returns you to the screen, select the geometry you want,click the green "end selection button, the window comes back up with the number of ops using that geometry,click the green check mark and all ops in the op manager using that geometry are highlighted

[NeilJ]

"Graphical tool path editing cannot exist in a software that uses full associativity."

 

It can and does exist in software that uses full associativity. However, the associativity between tool path and geometry gets broken. It would be nice if the associativity never got broken between geometry and tool path but I don't know of a software than can do this right now. In any case, I'm not quite sure why full associativity is deemed to always be necessary between tool path and geometry. It's nice and it's very helpful but I don't think it's always necessary in every case.

 

When one uses Mastercam's Toolpath Editor doesn't the tool path to geometry associativity get broken? Isn't that why the lock appears on the toolpath to tell you that you can't regenerate it because your edits will be lost?

[neurosis]

quote:

---

When your programmin just add comments to

your ops so you can Identify them.

 

Ill label Dims or DATUMS so I can find them.

---

There is no doubt that if I were more organized in creating my construction geometry and spent more time labeling levels and keeping geometry seperated no only by machine and tool path groups, but by even operations, this wouldnt be an issue in the first place but some times there just isnt enough time to spare labeling every single thing that I do to make things easier to find in the end although once everything is done and I need to go back and make changes I regret not being more organized.

 

quote:

---

You can right click in op manager, choose "select" a window pops up click the arrow button by "geometry" it returns you to the screen, select the geometry you want,click the green "end selection button, the window comes back up with the number of ops using that geometry,click the green check mark and all ops in the op manager using that geometry are highlighted

---

This still requires more steps than I would like at times especially if I have levels hidden or geometry blanked out to clear the clutter but Im glad that you mentioned this. That is a tool that I often forget is there. That select tool sure is handy.

[Hardmill]

quote:

---

there just isnt enough time

---

Dont worry theres never enough time to do it

but theres always time to do it over.

 

 

PEACE

[Thee Rickster ™]

quote:

---

It can and does exist in software that uses full associativity.

---

Which software are you talking about?

I'd like to see the demo.

 

thanks

 

Rick

[gcode]

Select all the toolpaths in question.

Launch Backplot

Click on the Blue Arrow that points down

to expand the backplot window.

Make sure the Show all button is depressed

( the one that looks like a sideways "S")

Click on the operations folders one at a time

The operation will highlight on the screen..

Its not exactly what you're looking for , but it can help figure out which operation you're looking for..

[k turk]

what the heck, i'll put my flame suit on and go ahead and say it. what you are suggesting would be a good and useful feature. while the suggested other procedures are useful in getting to what you are after, they are not the one click point A to point B solution that you are looking for, and it strikes me as a little odd that only one person has added a small amendment to their statement that says, yeah, 'that would be nice.'

 

i've wished for this feature in mastercam as well for the same reason as yourself: to quickly locate depths for reference to other toolpaths. most certainly not trying to step on any toes or say that one is better than the other, but . . . eh, hemmmm . . . the version of surfcam i use allows for this.

 

k

[NeilJ]

I'll put my flame suit on as well and agree. In Featurecam, you can click on the tool path on the screen and the operation that does the tool path will highlight in the operation tree.

[Guest]

I don't believe anyone will get flamed for this.

 

This initial question certainly "sounded" like something a bit different than what you guys are talking about.

[Midwest]

 

 

[gms1]

When I need that type of info I can get it right from the backplot screen.

 

Select all the operations you want to backplot. I slide my mouse back and forth until it lands on the path I want to see. Click the info button in the backplot screen and all the info I need is there. Min/max x,y,z feeds, rapids. It even tells me what tool it is.

[Cuda84]

Yes it would be a nice feature. The software that I started (learned) CAM on had it. It was nice to be able to tell how deep your deepest cut actually was without jumping through hoops. It is something I would like to see, not editable, but selectable.

[Roger Peterson]

gms1 is almost there.

 

select all

 

backplot

 

click on the toolpath in the graphics area and it will be highlighted in the backplot's operation list (the backplot dialog will need to be expanded to see this list).

 

 

HTH

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Dave,

 

Roger hit the nail on the head. Backplot will be the easiest way to find the toolpath/depth you are hunting for.

 

There is also the option to use the "restrict drawing" button to clear away the preceding toolpaths from the backplot screen so you can work with just a portion of the backplot being displayed.

 

For another trick, once you've found the toolpath you are looking for, you can quickly save the toolpath 'as geometry' to a temporary level. This will allow you to be able to go into another toolpath and use the selection functions on the right click menu to quickly grab depths from this temporary geometry.

 

If you are interested we could do another short Saturday session and I could help you figure out the tricks and features that will make your programming life a lot easier.

 

Thanks,

[Thee Rickster ™]

quote:

---

the version of surfcam i use allows for this.

---

In 'reasonable discussion' an excellent feature in another software is a welcoming enhancement for any software including MC.(when In-house demo'd the software to us few years back, that was a big part of the sales pitch)

 

I held off getting MC until they allowed you to see the current line color/layer over top of others that were open. Two yrs later I had them demo X2 1 week before it came out and that feature(was applied) a few others convinced me to buy our 1st two seats of MC.

 

Turk, the best part about surfcam's toolpath when shown is that you can snap to every entity arc, line or spline and analyze each as well, midpoint, endpoint whatever.

 

I immediately ask for that enhancement as well as snapping to every part of a surface 'grid line' including/with analyse.

 

i have put in many enhancements request that I like from 3 different softwares that QC has logged in for 'us'.

 

Once X3 comes out I think we will see alot of new ones but they will be from a few yrs ago.

Get them in now so that QC can start working on them.

 

(like tuning off any visible paths so you don't have

to turn on/off each toolpath group to find the one you left on)

unless i'm missing something.

 

2c's

[Thee Rickster ™]

quote:

---

This initial question certainly "sounded" like something a bit different than what you guys are talking about.

---

that banqeer guy left us all riled (on

graphical toolpath whatchamacallit...)