post from network folder

[kkominiarek]

We have 8 users here.....all of us use our own post. (7 different machine styles x 8 )....gets a little crazy.

 

We'd like to have 1 post/CD/MMD for each machine stored on the network....then post from there. (not locally)

 

1)is this advisable?

2)what if 5 users access post at same time?

 

 

any other thoughts/concerns????

[Jack Neelands™]

4 machines....4 different posts....all on server in one folder.....copies on puter in the post file just in case....have to just in case im in the one of 2 offices or on the floor...carry the dongle with me all the time

 

Now if we had a network licence

[?Mark]

We're going that way as well. 5 users and a bunch of machines to program.

Word of advice though. Decide on location and naming procedures from the start, because moving or renaming machine def, control def and posts WILL give you problems...

Interesting thread

[gcode]

We're on a nethasp here..

4 desktops and 3 wireless portable stations

All posts and tool libraies are on the network

I don't know what would happen if 2 or 3

people tried to use the same post at the same time.. It may have happened here, but if it did, it wasn't a problem.

[?Mark]

quote:

---

All posts and tool libraies are on the network

---

Where do you keep your mach/control definitions?

[Zoober]

I created the same sub-directory structure on the network as it would be under MC local.

IE: cnc_machines and posts

I don't differentiate between mill and lathe for posts, but you could...

We have 19 different post/MD/CD machines and 6 programmers, and all works well.

As gcode says, I don't know if any have been used simultaneously, but I imagine so. No noticeable problems.

Net hasp.

[Chris Rizzo]

This is the very first thing I tried when X was released. I think I was one of the first trying to do it, and boy did I make a headache for myself.

 

Needless to say it works just fine and is pretty easy now. Just make sure all your file pointers are going into the proper directory on the network. Also have tool libs, configs, ops all on the network. Personally I don't like there being multiple copies of these files. Almost guaranteed that changes will get made on one copy and not any of the other copies. I do have a secure off-site backup. Goes without saying pretty soon everyone's working off something different squirreled away on their c: drive. If one person's "private" tool library has #49 a face mill, and someone else's library has #49 a 4-40 tap....and you always have the master library in the machine, watch out.

 

Everyone has their own posts? If you need a post change or update, you've got to make sure all 8 get changed? 56 different posts don't sound like fun.

 

Another favorite is when some clown labels a file "Use this.mcx" or "new.mcx". Then what, "no use this.mcx" and "newnew.mcx".

[Colin Gilchrist]

All of our files are on a network server. 27 full time programmers using the same MD/CD/Post files, never had a problem.

 

A word of warning: When you create a Mastercam MCX file, Mastercam stores a local copy of the Machine Definition and Control Definition in the file. This is the "File copy" of the MD/CD.

 

The post is only accessed when you actually press the "G1" post button and generate code. It is not stored in the MCX file.

 

Why does Mastercam do this? So that you can configure each job the way you like it.

 

For example, you might have one job with a lot of large toolpaths, so you want to turn off line numbers. Go into the MGP and press "Edit" on the MD and you can turn off line numbering for that file. When you open the job and re-post 6 months later, line numbering will still be turned off for that file...

 

HTH,

[Zoober]

Good point on the "file copy" thing Colin.

A point to to note, if you are making edits to a post that change Dialog stuff ie drill cycle prompts, is you need to do a "replace" of the MD to get the changes into the file copy you are working on, because the post populates the "text" fields in the CD.

[?Mark]

quote:

---

the post populates the "text" fields in the CD.

---

I thought it was the other way, edited text fields in control def updating the post in the "control section" ?

[Zoober]

I always make my changes in the post, reload the Md, and viola! They are there. Doing it today, with custom probe changes.

It could work the other way too. I have always done the post and reload, because to me it's faster.

[Mick]

I have to admit, I find the whole md/cd/pst def thing a bit frustrating. The old "pst/txt" days were a little easier.

 

We have four programmers, and keep the MD/CD/PST in their own respective folders on the network (MD/CD/PST for each machine, in its own folder).

 

Any changes made to these files are done on my machine, then when okay'ed, copied to the server, where each programmer copies them to his local drive. This seems to work fine.

[kkominiarek]

thanks for the guidance

[Zoober]

Update:

I never tried this till now (on accident), but to make the custom drill params update the dialog box, open the "files" in your MD properties where you would do a replace.

Don't even need to replace, just click the ok check, and the dialog box picks up the post changes. SWEET!