Convert library to text format not matching fields of X9 Tool Dialogs

[JCDFCM]

  If you define a new end mill with the taper style shank, the Taper angle and Taper length is not output 

to the converted text file. I read the commented section of the text file describing lines 1-11 and it appears that there is not a field designated for each textbox in the Define End Mill dialogs of X9. Is this where .NET HOOKS and C-HOOKS come into play?

I have a VB.Net routine that converts a record of a database into the text format that is output from MasterCams convert library to text and it's close but not close enough. Is the text file intended to be used in this manner?

 

Thanks, JCDFCM

 

[Rich Taft from CNC Software]

JCDFCM,

IMO, that legacy style text import really needs to be replaced. I really can't recommend using the old text for exporting data because it would be lossy. You would be far better off exporting XML from your VB.NET objects.

 

We have an improved API for the tool system on the way that will be available in the next major release of Mastercam. We are also working on some new text-based import / export functionality. I don't have a firm release date for that but once the new import / export format is ready we will be phasing out the old one. In the mean time I wouldn't recommend doing any new development around the old text format.

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

This post might be of interest:

 

http://www.emastercam.com/board/topic/82303-reading-tooldb-in-mastercam-x6-using-chooks/?p=1002101

 

 

[JCDFCM]

Thanks Rich,

 

I currently export  XML from my VB.Net tool object for ProEngineer (but we're phasing out ProE). I do feel comfortable working with XML...can Mastercam import an XML file to populate the X9 tool dialog boxes? I thought Mastercam could only import text and not XML. The reason I tried the import text route first is it allowed me to generate tool files for different CAM systems from an external application not tied into a specific CAM API...however, if I can accomplish the same result with Mastercam's API, I wouldn't mind venturing into the .NET-HOOK world.

 

Thanks, JCDFCM