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Custom holders interface for Mastercam

David Colin

By David Colin,
in Industrial Forum

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David Colin Enthusiast

David Colin

Posted
Posted

I just made a little interface to work around a missing feature in Mastercam: To quickly manage several custom tool holders for backplot/verify with common toolpathes. You first need to indicate Mastercam tool directories, your custom holders directories and Mastercam filetype (MCX-5/MCX/MC9).

 

Framework4 is needed.

 

Select Mill/Lathe application radiobutton, then in the listbox just click on the file holder you want to backplot/verify. Program will automatically copy the file into your Mastercam tool directory, replacing original HOLDER.MCX file (back it up before). That's all.

 

Holders.jpg

Download here

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Jrygus Newbie

Jrygus

Posted
Posted

I updated to the latest .net and the program runs. I set the tool directory and to default to mcx files, and choose mill radio button. I cannot get anything to show up in my list. Then I get an unhandled exception error with these details.

--------------------------------------------------

See the end of this message for details on invoking

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

 

************** Exception Text **************

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

at Holders.Holders_Management.ListBox_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.ListBox.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

 

 

************** Loaded Assemblies **************

mscorlib

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3074 (QFE.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework64/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll

----------------------------------------

Holders

Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/mcamx/Holders_1_0_0_5/Holders.exe

----------------------------------------

Microsoft.VisualBasic

Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Windows.Forms

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

----------------------------------------

System

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Drawing

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Runtime.Remoting

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Configuration

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Xml

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3074 (QFE.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Deployment

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Deployment/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Deployment.dll

----------------------------------------

 

************** JIT Debugging **************

To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this

application or computer (machine.config) must have the

jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.

The application must also be compiled with debugging

enabled.

 

For example:

 

 

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception

will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer

rather than be handled by this dialog box.

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David Colin Enthusiast

David Colin

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I only tested it on XP PRO SP3 (32 bits). It should install .net framework 3.5.

 

If you encounter some bugs, please report. I will update.

 

->Jrygus: Did you set both directories: Mill custom and Mill mastercam?

 

To be sure software is up to date, run it twice. You should read 1.0.0.7 on tooltip for now if you move your mouse on status bar right corner.

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Superman Newbie

Superman

Posted
Posted

This will upset all ather applications that refer to to the holders in metric if I have to resave as inch

 

Vericut, Delcam and others that utilise a master set, this means another lot of models that have to be managed.

 

Can it not use the units that the file was drawn in as like using an "Undefined Tool", or some form of conversion factor using "Systom Config" to the units used in "Holder.MCX"

 

or should this be 1.0.0.8

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David Colin Enthusiast

David Colin

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This is Mastercam related... Mastercam lacks holders management. Until now, it only uses an inch file (Holder.mcx) and scales it if you are a metric user. This factor (*25.4) can't be altered to suit your needs. The other problem is that holder file must be in .MCX format, it's binaries and I don't know how to read/write that format. If I would, I would have temporarily converted it in my software.

 

I'm afraid the only way to achieve is to have holders copies saved as inch in another directory...

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Superman Newbie

Superman

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Posted

quote:
I'm afraid the only way to achieve is to have holders copies saved as inch in another directory...

Yes, I imagined that would have to be my only solution. Ta

 

Is there any way of having a warning pop-up indicating that the user has selected a metric drawing ?

I'm guessing that the unit setting can be interrogated on the file to owerwrite HOLDER.MCX

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acam Newbie

acam

Posted
Posted

Hello,

 

this is great tool, but its shortcoming is that it does not allow to connect a tool with a holder inside a tool library (of cours this is what Mastercam should have for 10 years).

 

I have an idea.

 

Could you extend the work of your c-hook so that it would read the string from the tools holder.

And then replace the appropriate files according to this string. This would mean that we would be able to set a holder name in the tools' properties and therefore would be able to make tool/holder groups.

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acam Newbie

acam

Posted
Posted

Sorry, I guess my question was a little bit silly. firebounce.gif

 

My idea was:

- before starting backplot we could export the "tool manufacturer" strings from selected operations.

- during backploting your chook would "somehow" catch the name of the current tool and replace the holder files according to "manufacturer" string previously read.

- this would allow totally automatic connection of tool holders and tools. In the tool parameters you would write the tool holder (in the "tool manufacturer" string for instance) and Mastercam would automatically set the holder accordingly.

 

I made some tests yesterday after I wrote my post and I found out this:

- If you change the tool holder when backplot is active, Mastercam does not update it. You must restart backplot in order to update holder.

 

so, once again, it was just an idea which can not be realized so easily (or maybe not at all).

 

Thanks for the your holder management anyway, it is great tool and I will certainly use it!

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