Chaining geometry

[Micromoldmaker]

This has been bothering me for some time. I'm trying to find a way to do partial chains for translating geometry, etc...Right now I'm picking individual lines and arcs by filtering by color when working with geometry that has surfaces. This seems very cumbersome and time consuming. I could swear I was able to do this in V9. Am I missing something? Like something really obvious? lol

[Guest]

Use the shift key

 

Hold the shift click the chain, first and then last

 

[Micromoldmaker]

That's not working for me, JP.

[Thad]

Yeah, the shift trick won't work on 3D chains. <--EDIT: when the chain has branch points, not necessarily 3D.

 

Micro, you used to be able to do this in V9 because you could use the chaining dialog box whenever you wanted to. For whatever reason, they didn't carry that functionality over to X and newer version. Using chaining for pre-selection is HUGE, in my eyes. If you don't have X+ installed, download and install it. There's an icon that you can add to your toolbars that will allow you to bring up the chaining dialog box whenever you want it. Then you'll have full chaining functionality to do what you want.

 

Thad

[Joe788]

It will work when there are branch points. Just click the "Only" button on the ribbon bar, and tick the "Plane Mask in chaining" radio button towards the bottom. (But once you do that, it won't work for 3D chains)

[Micromoldmaker]

Using chaining for pre-selection is HUGE, in my eyes. If you don't have X+ installed, download and install it.

 

I've learned to appreciate pre-selection, but I live in a 3-D world where I'm often building patches for my geometry. I'll look into X+. Where do I find it? I don't seem to remember.

[Thad]

http://www.emastercam.com/board/index.php?showtopic=67968

[Micromoldmaker]

Thanks, Thad.

[Micromoldmaker]

I downloaded X+ but I don't see a way of getting Mastercam to see it. I think some time in the past I had it in Toolbar State. The only way to get the 3-D chain is to run the .dll as a c-hook and I have to do it each time I use it. What am I missing?

[Reko]

Right Click in an open area of the toolbars, choose "Customize" and then under "Category" click the down arrow and find X+.

 

You can drag the icons to your toolbar.

[Micromoldmaker]

Got it. Thanks.