Editors: Cimco vs MasterCam

[Joeyls319]

Ok, with my recent trouble with my Cimco editor I had to change my editor to the Mastercam editor. I really like using Cimco. The Mastercam editor is going some getting use to but everything does. It looks like it's going to be pretty good.

 

Here's my question to everyong.

 

Which is better and what are you using?

 

Joey

[shazam/TPP]

cimco here, i feel it's better plus i can backplot my gcode, not sure of the mastercam editor.

[gcode]

I've used Cimco Edit for over a decade and purchased the full version of Cimco Edit

with backplot several years ago..I'd feel crippled without it so Mastercam Editor has never recieved a fair trial

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

I'm a PFE fan. My posts are so dialed I rarely even look at code except when it's blowing by on the control at the machine....

[Guest]

There is a reason why Cimco was brought back

 

'nuff said

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

... pretty colors?

 

I must confess though, when I am trying to condense a program I use CIMCO to remove the whitespaces. That is cool, but for everyday use it's overkill for me.

[Steve Hattori]

The biggest benefit to the full version of Cimco is the solid verify- its nearly 100000 times faster than X3's verify, and does NOT crash.... maybe its 200000 times faster. I lost count.

Too bad its only 3 axis...I'm hoping enuf people bug them that they get into 5x verify.

Its also very good for editting if you have to change something, like fix a gouge that mcam refuses to eliminate...and you can actually SEE it in Cimco, instead waiting an hour for mcam to crash while verifying...

OK, maybe I just don't like mcam's verify.

[Mick]

Overkill? Cimco is one of, if not the best, NC/Post file editor out there.

 

PFE? Ugh..

 

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

PFE returns to the last place I edited in the post. CIMCO does not do that. I REALLY like that feature.

[Joe788]

Ahhh James, you haven't used Cimco recently enough....I'm pretty sure the version that installs with the X3 CD hops right back to the last edit you made. I did a buttload of post editing in the last few weeks, so I'm quite fond of that function!

 

As you mentioned though, for code, the editor shouldn't be very important, since you should have a post dialed in close enough to just go.

 

The "Find XYZ Extents" function on the older Cimco editor seemed to work a lot better than the "Toolpath Details" function on the newer version of Cimco. That's one thing I always do if I'm posting out a massive program with a bunch of parts on one tombstone. It's a quick way to make sure I didn't miss any TPlane or WCS changes somewhere in the middle of the program.

[Watcher]

quote:

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The "Find XYZ Extents" function on the older Cimco editor seemed to work a lot better than the "Toolpath Details" function on the newer version of Cimco.

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Agreed. We have 12 seats of Cimco-Edit here. I worked with Cimco V4 and "Find XYZ Extents" used to be just fine to see at glance overtravels in the rotaries...

I reported this to the developer and he told me that he placed this functionality in his to-do list.

Cimco is working hard lately to improve the 5.5 version (And to make the maintenance very worthwhile ), as you may notice in the last releases, so I´ve no idea when this great tool will be back...

Hope that the list is not too long

[Watcher]

quote:

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PFE returns to the last place I edited in the post. CIMCO does not do that.

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Are you sure James? I could swear it does...

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

The older versions did not. I heard the new one does though.

 

Like I said before, PFE works great for what I use an editor for. I don;t need all the other stuff. I took the time to dial my posts in and I don't have code issues that I did not create myself

 

BTW, I use V4.20.4 because it does not require a my SIM to be plugged in to use it.

[gcode]

quote:

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PFE returns to the last place I edited in the post. CIMCO does not do that.

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Cimco has a switch in it preferences that turns

this off and on

I think its "Remember cursor position"

[Reverend Turk]

I have never even looked at Cimco until yesterday and I like it. I must say though, the Mastercam editor is pretty good. I just wish i had the Cimco backplotter....all in due time since we will be getting DNC very soon!!!