Fast way to create points in the center of multiple arcs?

[Bill K]

Is there a way in Mastercam to create a point at the center of "all arcs"? As far as I can tell, I have to do it manually? If you have 200 arcs that need a point in the center, it becomes quiet task. Thanks for any help.

[robk]

Yes...

Run the Drillpt c-hook.

 

Rob

[mayday]

drillpnt chook does this i believe

[elbro]

Create, point, next menu, small arcs.

 

HTH

Scott

[cadcam]

Use the C-hook Drillpt.dll this will do what you want even if the arcs are at diffrent depths.

[Rekd™]

quote:

---

[Yes...

Run the Drillpt c-hook.

 

Rob/QUOTE]

 

drillpnt chook does this i believe

---

No, I think you need to use the drillpnt.dll c-hook for that.

 

'Rekd

[cadcam]

Wow what a tag team.

[robk]

Vultures I tell ya

 

Rob

[Bill K]

Create, point, next menu, small arcs.

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

[mayday]

quote:

---

Vultures I tell ya

---

 

kinda like bidding on e-bay

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Here is a script I had lying around that might be of interest. I believe SP2 is required to run this script.

 

code:

---

' -- Start Script

Call Main()

 

 

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

' Sub Declaration

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

Sub Main()

 

 

Dim bRet, intPoints

Dim CArc, CPoint

 

' -- Start our database search

bRet = StartDBSearch(mc_alive, mc_arctype)

 

Do While bRet

 

Set CArc = New McAr

 

' -- Get this arc properties

If GetArcData(GetEntityEptr, CArc) Then

 

Set CPoint = New McPt

 

' -- Assign this arcs location for the new point

With CPoint

 

.X = CArc.X

.Y = CArc.Y

.Z = CArc.Z

 

End With

 

' -- Create the point

If CreatePoint(CPoint, GetEntityColor, GetEntityLevel) = mcENTITY_INVALID Then

' -- Failed to create point....

Else

' -- Keeping score

intPoints = intPoints + 1

End If

End If

' -- Keep searching

bRet = NextDBSearch

 

Set CArc = Nothing

 

Loop

 

' -- How many points?

If intPoints = 0 Then

ShowString "No points created"

Else

ShowString intPoints & " points created"

End If

 

 

End Sub

---

[CNCme]

Good day,

 

Drillpt.dll is good

 

but small arcs has other options

 

like delete orig arc and size filter.

 

It never stops amaizing me that EVERYTIME

 

I TOUCH MasterCam I Learn something new

 

The only limits on this software are the

Parts and The people doin the programming.

 

Hoo-Ray for the forum and all you great

G code Heads

 

Thanks again...and again...

HTH

Tony G

Almost Employed Senior Programmer

N.E Massachusetts - Southern New Hampshire

_________________________________________

End mills and tooling are like The "AMMO"

And coolant and chips are like the enemy

Under your boots as you advance in the

Manufacturing Battle

--------------------------------------------------

 

[ 12-10-2003, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: CNCme ]

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

CNCme,

 

The little example script above could be edited to do add a whole lot more functionality too.

[CNCme]

Mick

 

I need to get more involved in Those scripts

 

they look interisting and useful

 

I've copied most of your script "posts"

 

and just need a little time to go over

them...Thanks again

 

Tony G

Almost Employed Senior Programmer

N.E Massachusetts - Southern New Hampshire

_________________________________________

End mills and tooling are like The "AMMO"

And coolant and chips are like the enemy

Under your boots as you advance in the

Manufacturing Battle

--------------------------------------------------

[kathy]

We have a job in here now where all of our holes are defined by points. How about the opposite?

Is there a way of putting an arc on a point?

 

Kathy

[Nominal]

quote:

---

We have a job in here now where all of our holes are defined by points. How about the opposite?

Is there a way of putting an arc on a point?

---

Well....

Lets say I've got 200 random points

I define an endmill with 0 diameter (yeah mc will warn you but you can still do it )

Then I go to toolpaths/next menu/circ tlpths/circle mill

window pts ( or however you want to select them )

turn off your retracts, clearance and feed planes

set the diameter you want, start and end angle at 0

hit ok

then backplot this toolpath with save as geometry selected and step mode set to endpoints.

hit ok

mc will warn you again about the 0 dia tool but its ok.

then just delete all color yellow or whatever your rapid moves come out as.

voilla arcs at every point you selected.

Thats one way to do it, one of the gurus may have a better way like a c-hook or something.

Happy Holidays.

[ProductDevelopmentGuy]

There's a PTS2ARCS C-Hook on the forum FTP site that'll do that. Something that we wrote a while back but haven't included in the product.

 

PDG

[robk]

PDG,

 

Could you pleeeaaase e-mail me that c-hook. I don't have access to the ftp.

[Zero]

check your mail rob

[robk]

Ezra,

 

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

[Mick from CNC Software Inc.]

Kathy,

 

NOTE: The latest release of mcamvb chook is required to execute this script, contact your dealer for more information.

 

code:

---

' -- Start Script

Call Main()

 

 

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

' Sub Declaration

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

Sub Main()

 

 

Dim bRet, intArcs, dblRadius

Dim CArc, CPoint

 

 

If Not askValue("Enter an Arc Radius", 0.1, 10.00, dblRadius) Then Exit Sub

 

' -- Start our database search

bRet = StartDBSearch(mc_alive, mc_pointtype)

 

Do While bRet

 

Set CPoint = New McPt

 

' -- Get this arc properties

If GetPointData(GetEntityEptr, CPoint) Then

 

Set CArc = New McAr

 

' -- Assign this arcs location for the new point

With CArc

 

.X = CPoint.X

.Y = CPoint.Y

.Z = CPoint.Z

.R = dblRadius

.SW = 360

.SA = 0

.VIEW = GetCPlaneNumber

 

End With

 

' -- Create the point

If CreateArc(CArc, GetEntityColor, GetEntityLevel) = mcENTITY_INVALID Then

' -- Failed to create arc....

Else

' -- Keeping score

intArcs = intArcs + 1

End If

End If

' -- Keep searching

bRet = NextDBSearch

 

Set CArc = Nothing

 

Loop

 

' -- How many points?

If intArcs = 0 Then

ShowString "No arcs created"

Else

ShowString intArcs & " arcs created"

End If

 

 

End Sub

---