Disappearing Toolpaths?

[Mick]

Ok, this has just started to happen to me, and I'm not sure why.

 

I either create a new file, or open an existing file (that has toolpaths). I modify the file, or in the case of a new file, add a machine group and create toolpaths. I save the file, post process etc etc. I may open this file a few times over several days.

 

Then, one day, I open a saved file, and the Machine Group and Toolpath group, are gone completely. However, the tools created when the toolpaths were created are there.

 

It is like someone has give the Operations Manager a wipe with a big eraser.

 

Has anyone encountered this?

[Jayson Kramer]

I have not. do you setup autosave at all?

[Mick]

Hah, I did have it set up with the last installation of X6, but I've definitely re-enabled it. I have a sneaking suspicion it might have something to do with the install of X7 Beta, as it started happening around that time...

 

It has happened to me four times now, both in lathe, and in mill. I know it isn't from me not saving before exiting, as the tools are all present in the file. It is just the whole machine group/toolpath and operations that are nuked.

[James Foster]

I had this same problem tonight. I saved a project earlier this evening, reloaded it later and all my tool path groups are there, but the tool paths themselves are gone. Also if I create a new toolpath all my custom tools are still there. So I've lost a weeks work.

Between this and the fact the text book I just purchased this semester is an older revsion that has almost completely unreadable blueprints makes me never want to use Mastercam once I'm out of the classroom.

[Mick]

Well, all my toolpath and machine groups are completely gone when I open the part. Do you have the X7 beta installed?

[rocheey1]

I have the beta installed, but this has been happening off and on for me since v5. Or sometimes, all the Toolpath Groups have been changed to MACHINE groups, but without any 'Properties' tab in them. Showed to my VAR, but he just shook his head.

[gcode]

I've heard of this but never experienced it myself.

One of the first things I do when installing Mastercam is turn on the backup system in System Config.

That has saved me more times than I can count.

Another thing I do is set up separate temp folders for each version of Mastercam on my machine and path the temp files there.

By default they go to your "user name" Temp folder and if you leave the default settings

you are saving multiple versions of temp files into the same folder.

In theory, this shouldn't matter.. but in practice, you never know.

On this machine I've got three folders

C:\X5_BAK

C:\X6_BAK

C:\X7_BAK

 

and respective temp and backup files go there.

It's easier to clean them out and I don't whave to worry about the idiocy we experience with

Windows username read write protocols from time to time.

[Mick]

I have the beta installed, but this has been happening off and on for me since v5. Or sometimes, all the Toolpath Groups have been changed to MACHINE groups, but without any 'Properties' tab in them. Showed to my VAR, but he just shook his head.

 

Now, I have had that happen on several occasions, but not for a long time. I do recall a fix for that, but I can't recall what it was.

 

As for the current issue, I have no idea how to fix it. What also scares me, is if I open an old MCX-6 file, perhaps to check something, and then I close it, will it blitz the toolpaths in it? This doesn't give me a whole lot of confidence.

 

I ran through a few tests last night, but I couldn't replicate it. It almost seems random.

[James Foster]

I'm running x5 HLE. Unfortunatly I can't upgrade to higher version since my school uses X5 and I had compatability issues with more recent verisions. BTW - X5 HLE isn't supposed to run past 2011, so I have to roll my system clock back a few years when starting, but once it loads I've been able to reset my clock to current year and everthing had been working fairly well..

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

if I open an old MCX-6 file, perhaps to check something, and then I close it, will it blitz the toolpaths in it?

 

Not if you don't save.

[betts]

Not if you don't save.

 

I don't believe that is accurate. We have experienced "permanent" loss when the file was not saved. The toolpath crap where machine groups get added and toolpath groups get hosed and your original machine def is changed always seem to be tied to a "file-merge" function. Whenever the possibility exists for this to happen, meaning a file with significant toolpath data, I try to use a non-Mastercam format to bring in what I need. This seems to help a great deal, but I can't say for sure it is 100% safe working from memory.

 

The other issue is solids with names, and certain other history items, that I have yet to be able to define. I have had instances where just removing the actual name in the tree that has been given to the solid will allow them to be merged without getting the "missing op file" and losing the solid. Other times I have to use "no-hist" to get rid of all history before merging in.

 

The situation is frustrating for sure, but as we have done for a couple decades we find a work around so we can be productive. Once in a while resorting and reorganizing the toolpaths is the only choice.

[melliott6]

For what it's worth, any time I merge a file I immediately go to the groups manager and delete the group. I was having trouble with a jumbled up ops manager and was told that there was a problem with merging files. Since doing this I rarely have a problem. And when I do have one I go to the groups manager and sure enough I forgot to delet a group. When working on other peoples files I will open this and there may be 7 or 8 different groups from merged files. Try deleting them and see if it helps your problem.