So I'm clear on this. You only need to flip the signs on the 'Y' & 'J' values? What about G02/G03? Anything else?

Bob, Just look at what you started! Some of the Wire posts do support Subs. MPWFANUC, MPW-FA10, MPWSDMK30 to name a few. What Wire machine do you have ? Here is sample output from (Sodick) MPWSDMK30.PST I did 1-Rough pass w/ a Tab cut on 2 identical shapes. code: (EDM2) H001 = .006 G20 G90 G92 X0. Y-1.70452 T91 T84 C101 H001 M98 P0001 T90 G00 X7. Y-1.70452 T91 C101 H001 M98 P0001 T90 M02 O0001 G91 G41 G01 Y-.25 X1.16365 X.5 Y.5 Y1.95132 G03 X-.5 Y.5 I-.5 G01 X-.51005 G03 X-.06983 Y-.02132 J-.125 G02 X-2.3679 I-1.18395 J1.75785 G03 X-.06983 Y.02132 I-.06983 J-.10368 G01 X-.39152 G03 X-.25 Y-.25 J-.25 G01 Y-2.45132 G03 X.25 Y-.25 I.25 G01 X2.14548 / M00 X.1 G40 Y.25 G90 M99 %

Sounds ike a classic modality issue. What does the PTAP postblock code look like in your PST?

*NOTE* If you downloaded FLIP.ZIP prior to 5:40pm (Eastern Time) there is a bug in that version of FLIP.VBS I’ve replaced the FLIP.ZIP on the forum FTP with the corrected version. The problem was here is this section of code... code: If intIminus > 0 Then strLine = Replace(strLine, "I-", "I") ElseIf intX > 0 Then strLine = Replace(strLine, "I", "I-") End If the line “ElseIf intX > 0 Then” should read “ElseIf intI > 0 Then”

Drop the FLIP.VBS into your MCAM91VB folder Fire up MC From Main Menu select -> Create, Next menu, Add-ins, Mcam_VB Select the FLIP.VBS and click RUN... To ease of use if your running a VBS a lot, you can assign it to a key (like F12). That's done in Screen, Configure, Toolbar/Key tab page.

plin is a pre-defined postblock and plinm is a user defined postblock, which means there must be calls to plinm within the PST.

Mark, I enhanced Mick's script to handle G02<->G03 (and the G2<->G3 format) and 'I's within the arc blocks. It's in FLIP.ZIP on the forum FTP in VB_Scripts folder.

Mark, I'm sure you could find a text editor with macro capability. But you could probably create a VB Script program (a more robust solution) in less time than it would take to figure out the macro programming for that editor. Also don't forget about the 'I' on the G2/G3 blocks if you are using that format. You may need to flip the signs on them.

Listen to our nonhuman friend. He is correct! RENAME your CFG file(s) and restart MC. If MC does not find a CFG, it will build a new one - with default settings. If your problem went away, now you know where the problem was - in your CFG. Now at least you know where to look for the solution. Just deleteing files and/or reinstalling can leave you with more problems than you started with!

Go to Screen->Configure and look in the lower-left corner of that dialog. Note the .CFG name. From the Main menu in MC do File->Edit->Other and enter that CFG filename. Look for this section in the file ->> [extensions] 502. Document (ASCII) extension? .doc 503. Toolpath (NCI) extension? .nci 505. Post customization extension? .pst 506. Plot extension? .plt 508. NC Program extension? .nc What are your settings?

quote: My inlaws live in Michigan's UP (Crystal Falls) Bulliness, Does this mean you get to poke fun - at da Yoopers, eh ?

What is the TITLE on the Error message box that appears on your screen when you post process? I'll bet it is -> MP This means the the MP.TXT (a system file) is missing. The MP.DLL (that runs the PST) cannot find the MP.TXT file that it requires. Both files should be in the CHOOKS folder.

gplush, quote: I want the information all listed at the top of the program, but I have the buffer incrementing in the lathe tool change routine. When I call the write command it outputs it after the tool change.....More data... This is do-able, but how (and how easy) it is really depends on where these values come from. Put another way... What are the specific values you trying to get to output at the top of the file?

Chef, quote: sextnc ".NC10" quote: be aware that if you type an extension as shown above the sextnc call will include all text that follows. It is not advisable to include the (dot). me thinksThe ".NC10" does work. I tested it. Note that MP.DLL (which runs the PST) prior to v9.16 did not handle extensions set with SEXTNC longer than 3 characters (4 if you include the leading '.', which you can). Since MP.DLL v9.16 you can specify longer extensions. The issue I saw was having the '.' within the SEXTNC string (having text on both sides of a '.') like -> .NC10.NC Having the '.' at the start of the string in not a problem.

You may want to check -> Mastercam Educational Division Web Site

This code will rename the file output from the PST. Assume that you have set in the is PST -> sextnc ".NC10" # Posting for Machine 10 The PST will create 'file.NC10' (You knew that!) The code presented here will tack on the '.nc' so you end up with -> 'filename.NC10.nc' This renaming MUST occur in the PPOST postblock! PPOST is called after the PST (actually MP.DLL) has closed all files. code: result : 0 # If RESULT is already declared in your PST, remove this line sprgname # String variable to hold the Current filename sprgnewname # String variable to hold the NEW filename (with '.nc' tacked on) ppost sprgname = spathnc + snamenc + sextnc sprgnewname = sprgname = ".nc" result = remove(sprgnewname) # In case our NEW filename already exists result = rename(sprgname, sprgnewname) #Rename the output file *Important to note* The PPOST postblock is a bit "special". Recall that all files have been closed. If you type someting incorrectly in the code in PPOST, instead of the PST giving you an Error message - the Post may crash. So do your PST testing on a toolpath file that you've already saved.

fastercam, Q? Do you really need the Group Name? You say you are posting out for a specific machine (NC10). Does this mean that you have a PST for each machine? -or- are you posting out just an indvidual Toolpath Group in your MC9 file out to a specific machine? Just trying to get a clearer picture (I'm slow - I know!) BTW, I've informed the Post Dept. about the filename extension thing.

quote: So I'm not crazy? I don't know 'bout that Rekd, but... This is definatley true -> You can't directly access the (toolpath) Group names from the .pst

In the MPFAN.PST you are using as a base for your post... Find this line -> stagetool : 0 #0 = Do not pre-stage tools, 1 = Stage tools and change it to -> stagetool : 1 #0 = Do not pre-stage tools, 1 = Stage tools Tools will now be staged. This is the start of the program using Tool#1 and the next Tool (#2) is staged on the end of N108 N104T1M6 N106G0G90G54X3.125Y-.625A0.S1500M3 N108G43H1Z.1M8T2 If you really need to have the staged Tool callout exactly as you show, you'll need to altered the PST in the PSOF and PTLCHG postblocks. That would entail finding the 'next_tool' calls in those postblocks and relocating it.

Jay, quote: Roger does Paul work in the same room as you? Which Paul? I assume you mean Paul D. NO! We try to not even let him up here to the 2nd floor. I'm not a member of the Post Dept. But if I see someone (Millman^Crazy ) leading someone down the path to aggravation, I'll jump in on Post questions.

if you can turn OFF canned pecking this way -> usecanpeck : no #Use canned cycle for Peck and program a peck cycle. The canned drilling postblocks DO NOT GET CALLED. Which is what you want! MP will now produce the drilling motions with calls to PRAPID and PLIN. I'd insert some diagnostics in those posblocks (be sure to turn off 'fastmode'). That way you can see when those postblocks get called and what is the 'Z' value they are getting. code: prapid #Output to NC of linear movement - rapid "*PRAPID* and Z = ", ~z, e # diagnostic

Steve, Definitely consider Wire! I've supported laser using both Mill & Wire over the years. Either will work, but Wire gives you a few features that work nicely for Laser (and Waterjets) What Glenn mentioned, plus a different lead-in/out capabilities that are useful for these applications.

quote: 1) Virgin install, virgin computer, 9.1sp2 August 2003 Disk. 2) Toolpath -> Drill -> Manual -> Picked a point ->Done 3) In tool Parameters page, right click -> get tool from library -> picked the first tool from TOOLS.TL9. 4)Second Tab, clicked clearance on, absolute, set to 3.00. Retract is already abs with value 0.1 Top of Stock abs 0.0 Depth is at abs I set to 3.00 5) Post -> yada yada yada -> mpmaster.pst Bryan, Are you using a 'virgin' PART file on each system? or a the same sample MC9 ? Check the Tplane/Cplane settings. Any odd plane in effect when doing this drilling?

Bringing in SoldisWorks data into MC? Mastercam Direct for SolidWorks Add-in Open New Machining Possibilities for SolidWorks Users. Check it thd latest news here! - www.mastercam.com/ENews/March2004 And download it from here -> www.mastercam.com/Support/downloads/default.asp Feb04SWorksDirect.zip Add-in for SolidWorks 2004 that allows a SolidWorks user to output part and drawing files directly to Mastercam, including the Feature design tree.

Lars, Can you supply some additional details of what you are trying to add? What the model of your Mits EDM? What are these functions you wish to add to the post? M016Q? does what. ? Sometimes, knowing the logic of the codes you wish to add allows using methods other than using Misc. Integers & Reals to achieve the required output.