For some reason, both my mill and lathe material libraries are missing, of all things, 6061 Aluminum. (I probably did something to screw up the libraries when I installed x4.) Is there a way to add a material to the library? Maybe copy one of the others and change values, then save? I've searched and cannot find the answer anywhere. I know it is a minor issue, but it's been bugging me for a while now. Thanks!

Yeah, I was thinking video driver issue as well. I loaded V9 as a "backup" while I learned X4, thinking that I might need a crutch. Turns out V9 not working was a blessing in disguise as I actually had to get up to speed quickly. As far as V9 sux, well, you got that right. I was messing with V9 lathe last week while I was waiting for my X lathe hasp to arrive in the mail, and I couldn't believe the limitations. I can't believe I used it for so long! /hijack.

Care to explain? I actually tried to load V9 on 3 different computers, all of them built within 3 months of each other. The video cards might have been different, I don't know or remember. V9 would open (so it wasn't a HASP issue in my case), but would freeze up for 30 seconds or so every time I moved the mouse. Doesn't really matter to be now, as I don't use V9. Sorry for the hijack OP, I was just relaying my experience.

I doubt very much that you will be able to run V9 on a new computer. I tried to load V9 on my new computer last year (nothing special: XP Pro SP3, 32bit, 2666Mhz, 4GB RAM, Quadra FX 1800) and couldn't get it to work at all. My computer guy said something about it being a DOS based program. You could check Craigslist for a used computer, or upgrade to X# like the rest of us.

Hi all, I've recently been tasked with taking over the programming for the two lathes where I work. (Actually, I volunteered ) Anyway, the lathes have always been hand coded, but I would like to start using Mastercam, for various reasons. Notably, the ability to have machine definitions, tool libraries, better program management, associativity with our CAD files, etc. The lathes are nothing special; single spindle, one turret, no live tooling, and just the standard X and Z axis. I got my start with CNC programming a decade and a half ago hand coding lathes, but I've been using Mastercam to program the mills for the last decade or so. Needless to say, I've lost a thing or two when it comes to the two axis machines. Basically, I want to start off on the right foot. I used StreamingTeacher when we upgraded from V9 to X4, and came to discover that I had taught myself some bad habits along the way. I think I am pretty proficient now on the mill side of things, but would like a seamless transition to the lathes. Any suggestions for books, online training, DVDs and the like? Anyone else gone from 3-4 axis work back to 2 axis work? FWIW, I had forgotten how little room there is in those things, and how fast they get from point A to point B! Makes the little Sharp 2412's look absolutely cavernous, and slow. Any help would be appreciated. (BTW, I am using X4 at the moment) Thanks.

Ive been racking my brain here! How do I create a line tangent to two arcs? Not parallel and tangent to an arc, not perpendicular and tangent to an arc, and nor tangent through a point. I simply want to create a line that is tangent to two arcs. I've gone through the help files and have come up with nothing. Help please!

Thanks for making me feel like an idiot, Leigh. Sheesh!

Thanks for the responses. As far as the "cut down" chain manager goes, that's precisely the problem: it is too cut down. I use partial chains almost exclusively, and that option is unavailable. The shift key also doesn't help for partial chains or when trying to select parts of 3d geometry. I'll have to look up AI Utility again, thanks for the reminder. I also just put the interrupt mode icon on my screen; Ill give that a try as well.

Would it be too much to ask of Mastercam for a "back" button? I get so tired of having to exit a function and start over whenever I mis-select something. My CAD software has this function (I set my right mouse button to be the "back" command) and it is SO useful. One more thing: give us back the chain manager for things like delete, xform, etc. /rant

Hi all, I just had Remote Desktop set up on my "prototype room" computer and am having a strange problem with Mastercam (and Keycreator, FWIW.) It seems that I can open all of my programs on the remote computer, but I cannot see whats in the graphics window of Mastercam. I can see the toolbars, operations manager, etc, but the graphics window appears to be "transparent," meaning that it shows the desktop or the last program I was working with. The host computer is running XP Pro and a Quadro FX1800 card, and the (older) remote computer is running XP Pro and a GeForce FX 5200. Any ideas? Jim

Thanks again guys. Thad, you hit the nail on the head. I guess I just didn't know how to properly describe the chain manager. (edit: I just found the AI Utility site. Will this work with X4 as well?) Tyler, no offense taken. One of the reasons this is so frustrating is that I did the online training offered by Streamingteacher, and think I have a pretty good handle on the software. It's just these little things (that should be so simple) that trip me up every once in a while. Overall, X4 is leaps and bounds ahead of V9, as it should be.

Best I can tell, it works "sometimes." Definitely not with transform, as I have tried it with different files. No duplicate entities here as I know how to create a solid model. One more question: assuming I could get this to work, how can I choose between a full or partial chain, and turn on/off the plane mask? This is seriously frustrating, as it is such a PIA to choose individual entities every time. Anyway, thanks to all for the advice. Looks like I'll be calling my reseller in the morning, and maybe emailing him some files. That is why I pay maintenance, right?

For the life of me, I can't get X4 MU2 to allow me to select entities with chaining. For example, I need to translate some entities: I select Xform, and the little yellow box says, "Translate: select entities to translate." No matter what I've tried, I can't get the general selection ribbon bar to allow me to chain entities. (I've turned on and off preselection in my config file, tried the shift key thing, and scoured the help files.) I even did a search on this site! Can anybody help? This was SOP in V9 (and pretty much any CAD or CAM package I've ever used) so why does it have to be so difficult with X4?

gcode, thanks, will look into it Monday morning. (I use a modified version of mpmaster.) Dave, I'll send you an email. BTW, that makes perfect sense. I use G54.1 P# for everything (and leave the offsets in the machine for specific jobs) and G54-G59 for "oddball" jobs. Unfortunately, this crash (I hate that word ) happened on an older VMC that I use for prototyping and tooling and the control only has G54-G59. I think my biggest problem is that I am really pissed at myself for allowing this to happen. I haven't crashed a machine in years, and, as the boss, I'm always telling my operators to watch each tool as it goes to each work offset. Of course, I didn't do that this time. (I did show my second shift operator my booboo. He laughed at me ) After a nice dinner and a glass of Zinfandel, I am over it. I do find myself wondering why I am checking the Mastercam forum at 9:00 on a Friday night, however. Thanks again, Jim

Makes sense Dave, thanks. I'll need to start paying more attention to the WCS. (I could never have my post like yours; too many years of 0=54, 1=55, etc. Besides, how do you handle G54.1 P21?)

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to set a default in Mastercam X4 so a new operation uses the same work offset as the previous operation? Here's the situation: I opened up a program I was working on yesterday so I could add an operation. (chamfer the outside) The previous operations were using work offset #5 (G59). On the added operation, Mastercam defaulted to work offset #0. Of course, I didn't notice, and since my work offset #0 is about 3 inches below work offset #5, I now have a wasted toolholder and a nice gouge in one of my Kurt doublethrows. I'm hoping there is no spindle damage. Yes, I know I should have double-checked the code before I ran it, but this shouldn't have happened. And, (flame suit on) I never had this issue with V9. I've checked through the System configuration settings and can't seem to find anything. Maybe something I can set in the machine or control definitions? While I know it is late on a Good Friday, any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim

Thanks, Dan. I actually figured it out just a minute ago (before checking the forum again) but I was getting pretty frustrated in the meanwhile. As it stands now, I am posting good, machine ready code!

Hi, I'm back with more silly questions Here goes: I've converted my V9 post processors using the convert post utility, and the code looks about how I want it to, except I cant get it to post an M8 to turn the coolant on. I've gone through the control definition and manually turned on the coolant for all operations, and I've turned on the coolant manually in the program itself. Still, I get no M8. Does this have something to do with the control or machine definitions? Is it in the post processor itself? I'm willing to send anyone who can help a copy of each to take a look at. Thanks for any help, Jim

Thanks gcode, I figured it was in the docs somewhere. I'm immersing myself in an X4 crash course so I'm no longer one of those "V9 guys."

Yes, I did a search. And yes, I should have converted to X a long time ago, but I don't write the checks. Anyway, just as the title says: Is there any way to convert my V9.1 tool libraries to X4? As you can imagine, since I've been using V9.1 for so long, I have a pretty extensive collection of tool libraries, and I'd hate to have to recreate them from scratch. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I promise to end the "V9 to X" questions soon.

Thanks, the OS is XP Pro, 32 bit. I searched but couldn't find much.

Before anyone says it's time for an upgrade, I just purchased a seat of X4 Anyway, here's the problem: I just purchased a new computer, a Dell T3400, Core 2 Duo, 4G RAM. Due to the learning curve associated with X4, I need to install V9 on the new computer and be able to use it for a month or two. Unfortunately, the new computer freezes up whenever I try to minimize V9, or when I try to load a file. The only way out is to control+alt+delete, exit V9, and the computer runs normally, but it simply won't run V9. Has anyone seen this problem? Dell suggested that the software might not be compatible with the processor, but couldn't say for sure. (FWIW, X4 seems to run fine, I just don't know what the heck I'm doing with it yet!) Thanks for any help, Jim

Thanks for the help. I did just get a new monitor and upgraded the video drivers, but the video card is the same. I have a nicer video card I can try though. When I remember to save before I regenerate, Mastercam does not seem to crash. The problem is remembering to save. (I hate auto save) Oh well, at least I only lost 45 minutes worth of work this morning. The bright side is that when you do the same thing a second time, it always always goes quicker.

Well, I am absolutely sick of this. My Mastercam V9.2 (I know, it's time to upgrade , but I don't write the checks) crashes on me at least once per day. This always happens when I regenerate the toolpaths. Mastercam will freeze, and then I'll get a message saying that Mastercam has encountered a problem and needs to close. My computer is a bit older, and runs a 2394Mhz Intel processor and 2048MB of RAM. I assume that this is not the problem because I've run this software on much less capable machines. Anyone have any insight? I've done a search, both here and on Google, and have found nothing relevant. Any and all help would be appreciated.

That may be the way I end up doing things. I was hoping to keep the machine operator out of my programs, (don't ask) but that may be my only alternative. Thanks, Jim