A TSR VB-script ?

[Fig sign]

Hi , All.

 

First of all I want to say many thanks to Bryan314, Mick G. and Rekd that contributed to creation of such nice VBscript that I use much

But I want it to do more- to work like autosave in stand-alone mode :

To specify to make save say every 20 minutes in auto mode without my interferience like a sorta TSR .

 

Is it possible?

 

Iskander teh never having enough !

[Rekd™]

Can't do it.

 

That was one of my first thoughts. A TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident, i.e. when it is finished running, it doesn't unload itself) would be great for that. I suppose I shouldn't say 'can't', but I would be truly suprised if it could.

 

'Rekd

[Bullines]

If Mastercam was developed with COM in mind, life would be great. You'd be able to, from any COM capable dev environment (MS Visual C++, MS VB, Borland Delphi, Borland C++ Builder, VBS, etc), create a Mastercam instance, create a new document/connect to an existing one (I could say 'open an existing one' but COM is client/server and some folks are picky) and do what you like with it. Cross your fingers that X has this in mind.

 

From a VBS, you could perhaps modify the script so that it "goes to sleep". To do so from VBS, you would use Windows Script's Sleep() function like this:

 

code:

---

Public Const SNOOZE_TIME = 1200000 ' 20 minutes (in milliseconds)

 

' go to sleep

WScript.Sleep SNOOZE_TIME

---

If you want to modify the script in question, simply rename the Main() subroutine to something like, say, AutoSave(). Then create a new Main() subroutine, create an infinite loop (and a way to escape so that it's not all that infinite ) and have it call AutoSave() and then sleep. It's cheesy, I know, but just an untested idea that popped into my head Time isn't on my side, so I don't have a chance to try it out. If VBS scripts don't run in their own thread, this will freeze Mastercam. Should this idea work, I'd be surprised The COM way would be ideal since it's event-driven (Hypothetical Ex: when a onDocUnload occurs, end AutoSave()).

[Fig sign]

Rekd ?

 

And what about TSR c-hook ?

 

I know that it is close to impossible but ...

 

 

Iskander teh hopeful

[Bullines]

quote:

---

And what about TSR c-hook ?

---

Probably not since while a C-Hook is running, it has all of the focus. Which is why I mentioned that if VBS scripts work the same way, none of this would work.

 

Sign the COM petition that doesn't exist j/k

[Fig sign]

Bullines.

 

I thougt about a bit of hacking (oops,sorry!)

if it is possible to substitute the regular autosave procedure with some dll ?

 

Iskander teh steady

[Rekd™]

I haven't used the sleep function. I can imagine it will not allow normal interaction with MC while it's running, and even if it did, what would happen if you were crunching numbers and it 'woke up' ? System hang/crash, loss of toolpath etc.

 

It is a nice thought, and I'll try it if I get time today. If someone else has tried, please share the results.

 

'Rekd teh where there's a will, there's a bill

[Bullines]

quote:

---

I thougt about a bit of hacking (oops,sorry!)

---

Hacking = good

Cracking = bad

 

 

quote:

---

if it is possible to substitute the regular autosave procedure with some dll ?

---

Unfortunately, no. Well, I shouldn't say that because if you know your way around a hex editor, anything is possible. Mind you, if you modified any of Mastercam's program files, I'm sure that CNC Software wouldn't be pleased to hear about it, obviously.

 

The problem lies in the fact that you'd need to know the entry point into the main EXE from the DLL. From C-Hooks, we're given an entry point, but it only allows C-Hooks a certain "space" to work in and not free reign.

 

quote:

---

I can imagine it will not allow normal interaction with MC while it's running, and even if it did, what would happen if you were crunching numbers and it 'woke up' ? System hang/crash, loss of toolpath etc.

---

Ohhh yeah! Hence the need for good escapes (which would be insane the way it is now) or COM. Bah, I'll get off my COM soap box now

[Jody]

Bulliness

Not that I follow the rest of the thread but what is

quote:

---

COM capable dev environment

---

?

 

Thanks

Jody

[Günther Massimo - GMCCS]

quote:

---

I thougt about a bit of hacking (oops,sorry!)

if it is possible to substitute the regular autosave procedure with some dll ?

---

Why hacking? You can write a resident chook which does the job.

Either the chook does the job itself or it acts as a loader which loads every 20 minutes the script.

 

m_open()

{

create a timer

}

 

m_close()

{

delete the timer

}

 

timer_proc()

{

run a script or chook

}

 

[ 09-03-2003, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: Gismo ]

[Bullines]

Gismo, good point. I forgot that they added m_open(), m_close() and m_enter().

 

quote:

---

Bulliness

Not that I follow the rest of the thread but what is COM?

---

COM (aka: Component Object Model) is a component-based language-independant programming standard. Essentially, an app would be divided into separate components that can be used by other apps. In that case, a third-party app could use all of its own routines and functions but at the same time be able to communicate with the "server" (in this case, Mastercam) through its exposed components. The third-part app could be written i nany language that is COM-aware (Ex: Microsoft Visual C++ is COM-aware; COBOL is not). It's a lot kewler than it sounds

[Jody]

Thanks I knew that I would be sorry I asked.

 

I have so much to learn and only one lifetime to learn it in.

 

Jody

[crazy^millman]

Hey Gismo you mind bottling that brian of yours and selling it on the open market.

 

Crazy Millman

 

[ 09-03-2003, 01:21 PM: Message edited by: Millman^crazy ]