Creating new planes in VB-script?

[Bjorn Petersson AME AB]

Hello,

 

Since I haven't had the time to learn Visual studio and C++, I've made some simple VBscripts, and with Scriptlinker I find this really useful.

 

Customers doing 4-axis vertical machining tend to use the plane BACK or create another plane with one axis pointing in the wrong direction.

 

I've had them use a file with 36 new planes, merging every geometry into that file.

This so they don't need to create so many planes from scratch.

 

Questions:

How to create new planes in VBscript?

I'd like to pick an axis, angle increment and direction. Then have them named with the angle.

 

Maybe I should send this as an enhancement request to QC instead, and hope for a new command?

 

Anyone else thought about this?

[Colin Gilchrist]

Hi Bjorn,

 

I asked about plane functionality in VBScripts a while ago and got the word that they are unsupported in scripts, but are supported in the .Net framework. So I think you will have to create a Chook or a Nethook to get access to the plane creation functionality.

 

HTH,

[Bjorn Petersson AME AB]

Thanks Colin,

 

Then I won't spend more time looking:)

[Karl@CP PISTONS]

This is from the mastercam script help:

 

// set the current tool plane view to be perpendicular to a certain vector

 

Integer SetTPlaneNormal(

Real,(Input: X-Coordinate of vector perpendicular to new view)

 

Real,(Input: Y-Coordinate of vector perpendicular to new view)

 

Real,(Input: Z-Coordinate of vector perpendicular to new view)

)

 

 

I have never tried to use it, but it is possible to create a plane using VB!

 

Karl

[Bjorn Petersson AME AB]

Thanks Karl,

 

That would help:)

(Stupid me read the help yesterday and didn't try this, as my mind was locked on rotary commands)

[Jimmy Wakeford from Barefoot CNC]

Here is an example Taft sent me that creates two arcs on different planes:

 

 

code:

---

'////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

'//

'// Author: Rich Taft

'// Date: 8/16/05

'// File Name: geo_junk.vbs

'//

'// Description: sample from the "TaftMan" setting cplane

'//

'// Comments:

'//

'////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

 

Public CRect, Cline, CPoint, CArc

Public NewPlane,NewView

Call Main

Sub Main

'Call NewMC(False)

Call GetCPlaneNumber()

'Call SetWCSNumber(mcVIEW_ISO)

Call RepaintScreen (True)

 

'From Top Plane create line perpendicular to Z

' and 180 degree arc @

NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,0,1)

 

'NewView = 1

'Call create_line

'Call create_arc

 

'From 45 degree Plane create line perpendicular to Z

' and 180 degree arc @

NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,-.70711,.70711)

'SetCPlaneNumber(2)

'NewView = 2

Call create_line

Call create_arc

 

 

NewPlane = SetCPlaneNormal(0,-1,0)

'NewView = 3

Call create_line

Call create_arc

 

 

 

Call RepaintScreen (True)

End Sub

Sub Create_arc

Set Carc = New McAr

With Carc

.X = 2

.Y = 1

.Z = 0

.R = 1

.SA = 0

.SW = 180

.view = NewPlane

'.view = NewView

End With

If CreateArc(Carc, 2, 12) =mcENTITY_INVALID Then Exit Sub

Set Carc = Nothing

End Sub

 

 

Sub Create_Line

Set Cline = New McLn

With Cline

.X1 = 2

.Y1 = 1

.Z1 = 0

.X2 = 2

.Y2 = 1

.Z2 = 1

End With

If CreateLine(CLine, 10, 5) =mcENTITY_INVALID Then Exit Sub

Set Cline = Nothing

End Sub

---

[Bjorn Petersson AME AB]

Thanks Jimmy,

 

This is similar to what I did.

(SetCPlaneNormal)

My problem now is to set plane names and make it

easy to benefit from.

 

[Karl@CP PISTONS]

This may be a dumb question but.... Is there a simple formula for getting the normal for rotated and twisted planes i.e. from the top rotate z17.5 then rotate y12.9

Karl