X4 MU2 "Chaining"

[Deleoan]

I have an issue with editing multiple chains once selected. If I for some reason selected the entities incorrectly, (some contours inside, some outside) I can not change them individually. If out of 9 chains, chain 5 is incorrect, when I highlight that chain in chain manager and change sides, all chains change sides.

The only work around I have found is to re-select geometry. I remember in the past being able to change them individually, I dont recall when this issue first started. X3? X4? I jumped from version 9 to X3. currently X4 mu2. anyone else have this issue?

 

I also believe that in the past, while selecting the entities, the green arrow would show which side and direction the tool path was oriented. Now it only shows direction, which means that I sometimes don't know there is an issue untill I have set and accepted all the parameters.

 

While I am ranting, I personally miss the single key hot keys! [ create/ line/ parallel/side/dist]

I used to just press "C,L,L,S" That took me a fraction of a fraction of a second to accomplish.

 

Your thoughts?

Is there anything that you miss from past versions?

[Mjölnir]

quote:

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Is there anything that you miss from past versions?

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The now defunct fixed bug list!

 

Are you sure you haven't inadvertently selected all chains in the chain manager? I was reversing some chains yesterday and didn't have any problems. I do wish Mastercam wouldn't flip the tool from left to right side in toolpath params when a chain is reversed though.

[Deleoan]

Seems to me that I can reverse chains, but not change sides individually.

[htm01]

quote:

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Is there anything that you miss from past versions?

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v9 delete would delete and stay active not select and accept.

[gcode]

quote:

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v9 delete would delete and stay active not select and accept

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Do you have "Allow preselect"

turned on?

System Config/Screen

With that turned on, you can

select as many enities as you want

then hit Delete (the key or the ico)

or hit the icon and start clicking

enities..

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

The times I've looked, I see the "side" arrow with the exception of when I select "face" to determine my contour. When having to change side on a contour, if you're chaining solids, you have to double click the "solid chain" icon and it will then show the individual loops. You can select a loop and change it's direction.

 

The only real thing I miss from past versions is the ability to create/modify the menus. That was a really cool feature.

 

The file mill.txt was where the menu structure was and it was truly user customizable. Other than that, I prefer X hands down and would basically need to be facing unemployment to even consider going back to V9.

 

JM2C

[Richard Thomas - Mastercam UK]

"Change Sides" changes the tool compensation side and as far as I remember, only ever worked on all chains at once (it's like changing from Left to Right inside the toolpath params). V9 works the same way (I just checked).

 

What you can do is right-click on the problem chain and choose Reverse Chain. That should do it for you.

 

I am getting both the larger and smaller arrows on each chain and I'm using MU2 too. not sure what could be the problem there - what make/model is your graphics card?

 

Most of the keyboard shortcuts are still in the system (search the inbuilt Mastercam help) but you have to press the "ALT" key first to for force Mcam into keyboard shortcut mode (like most other modern Windows programs). Hope this helps.

 

P.S. HTM01, When you are using Divide/Delete (X4 onwards), if you select an entity that isn't attached to anything else, it will get deleted

[Deleoan]

quote:

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what make/model is your graphics card?

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NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT

 

quote:

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but you have to press the "ALT" key first to for force Mcam into keyboard shortcut mode

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Thanks!

I was under the impression that I had to hold down the "ALT" key. that's why I hated it.

 

quote:

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What you can do is right-click on the problem chain and choose Reverse Chain.

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This works for the most part, but I believe that it has caused issues with toolpath climb/conventional in the past.

[Verndog]

quote:

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I do wish Mastercam wouldn't flip the tool from left to right side in toolpath params when a chain is reversed though.

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You and everyone else. I asked for that change way back on V8...there is NO REASON for reverse chain to flip comp. CNC does not understand opposite parts and that fact you mirror... then reverse chain but still want to climb cut. I've prob. changed that param back to left 5,000 times over the years on opp parts.

[Josh T™]

I personally miss how easy it was to change attributes in V9 (Color, Levels, etc.) Unless I'm missing something it's a pain to change entities individually instead of select all lines and move to a different level.

 

If someone knows a good method in X Versions please let me know.

 

Miss the hot keys too!

 

We really should start a thread on what we like about X versions or we're gonna give CNC a complex!

 

[Deleoan]

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We really should start a thread on what we like about X versions or we're gonna give CNC a complex!

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what do you like

would this fall under that catagory?

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

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... Unless I'm missing something it's a pain to change entities individually instead of select all lines and move to a different level.

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I think you may be.

 

Color: pick entity(ies). Right Click Color on the bottom, select color. Check OK.

 

Line Type: pick entity(ies). Right Click line type on the bottom, select linetype. Check OK.

 

Level: pick entity(ies). Right Click Level on the bottom, uncheck "use main level" if uyou want to put something on the level other than what is the main level, select move or copy. Check OK.

 

Selecting entities is easy. Click the "All..." or "Only..." button and select your criteria and check OK.

 

To chain something (in preselect), hold down the shift button, select an entity in the chain and it will go as far as it can.

 

HTH

[Tony35]

josh t

 

i have the icon up "change entity attributes" you can change color, line style, point style, level or apply ea manager

 

or you can go to screen > geometry attributes and change the same as above

 

or just analyze the geo and change there

 

HTH

[Deleoan]

quote:

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or just analyze the geo and change there

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yes.

hotkey: F4

I love hot keys!

[Chris Rizzo]

change sides has always worked that way. Changes all chains, basically switches comp from left to right (without you seeing it in the parameters). You want reverse chain for individuals.

[Josh T™]

WOW!

 

I can't believe I've missed out on that! Thanks James & Tony!

 

[htm01]

quote:

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With that turned on, you can

select as many enities as you want

then hit Delete

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back in v9 delete would remove as soon as you selected an entity and every entity after that. i liked that it was gone as soon as selected.

[Tony35]

quote:

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I can't believe I've missed out on that!

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WOW! and your teaching mastercam

 

 

j/k

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

[Colin Gilchrist]

Josh,

 

Get used to using the "Quick masks". There is a Quick Mask for: points, lines, arcs, splines, "wireframe", Group, Result, Color, Level, Drafting, "Invert", and Last.

 

If you Left-click on "lines" it selects "all" lines. If you Right-click, it sets the "only" mode to that type.

 

So you can Right-click on the "wireframe" quick mask, and you are now set to only select wireframe entities. If you Left-click, it would select "all" wireframe.

 

I use these Quick Masks religiously.

[Thad]

quote:

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To chain something (in preselect), hold down the shift button, select an entity in the chain and it will go as far as it can.

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Or download AI Utility and have ALL options in the chain manager available for preselect.

 

Thad

[Colin Gilchrist]

If you get used to preselecting chains with the shift key, don't forget to turn on "plane masking" in the general selection options in your config file. This ignores branches in Z and makes it very handy to preselect entities.

 

Thad,

 

I need to contact Takashi about AI. There are some bugs with VB scripts that occur when loading AI Utilities. Some of his .dll files conflict with some of the stuff we run.

 

I sure do miss the chain selection options and the Middle Click + Right click for Pan/Rotate toggle...

[Deleoan]

Thanks everyone for your input, as usual you have all been a great help.

[Thad]

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I need to contact Takashi about AI. There are some bugs with VB scripts that occur when loading AI Utilities. Some of his .dll files conflict with some of the stuff we run.

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Colin,

 

Takashi emailed me new .dlls that fixed the problem I was having with View-Fit.

 

Thad

[Colin Gilchrist]

Boom. I hope that is the fix. I sure miss his excellent program. Maybe we can get him to work up another installer package for X4 MU2...