Many Thanks!!

Could either of you help me with some "Chook Wizard for Dummies" setup instructions? I seem to be getting dumber by the minute.

Mick, Thanks for the response but I get a Variable is undefined 'CreateGroup' error ? my code: Call NewMC(False) Call SetActiveMachine("C:mcamxcnc_machinesCMTC MULTI-HEAD.RMD") Call CreateGroup also: How would I rename the newly created toolpath group?

Anyone know if there is a way to create toolpath groups using VB? CreateGroupFromName(strOP1) creates a machine group.

Anybody know if it's possible to lock a Mastercam X file when you're working on it to prevent others from writing it? Similar to other Windows applications: When someone has a file open, others get a "Open by another user" warning message and are allowed to open the file "read only".

This has always been done automatically in the post and my programmers are all spoiled. If I suggest either of the two (4) previous solutions I will be killed. We're converting from an APT based CAD/CAM system that used the FROM point as the origin.

Is there functionality in the posts to transform the program coordinates? I would like to make the home point XYZ zero. If the home point is at -30,0,3 a move to the origin would be X30.Y0.Z-3.0. Tranforming the tool paths before posting probably isn't a good option for us. We make lots of flat parts on big vacuum tables. The operator positions the machine to a pin location X-30,Y0,Z3.0 from the part origin and presses go. The programs start with a G92X0.Y0.Z0 which sets the current location as the program origin. I've been G92ing at the homepoint (G92X-30.Y0.Z3.0) but it's causing difficulties in some support programs and the operators heads.

Call SetActiveMachine ("C:mcamxcnc_machinesCMTC MULTI-HEAD.RMD") CreateGroupFromName(strOP1) CreateGroupFromName(strOP2) It doesn't seem like the two created Groups are completely set up with the machine.rmd? When I click properties/files it opens the "Open Machine Definition File" page defaulted to my machine.rmd name. I have to Open it and then click OK to complete the machine assignment? Then machine name now appears after Properties. also, I also attempt to delete the default machine group "Machine Group 1" with DeleteGroupFromName("Machine Group 1") at the end of my program. Doesn't seem to work?

If you name the Machine group before you select the machine, X trys to set the NC name to the group name. There is a reported bug in the naming. -'s are changed to _'s and a _ is added to the begining. So group 444X444-44 defaults to _444X4444_44.NC In the group Properites - Files page you can highlight the group name, copy it (cntrl C) and then paste it into the NC file name box. (cntrl V) Not a great solution but better then typing the name over. Check my post last week for more info.

I'm trying to figure this out in X. It looks like we have lost the ability to name the output files the same name as the op group. X is changing -'s to _'s and adding an _ to the front of the name? So Group 444X4444-44 becomes _444X4444_44.nc I have a VB that creates the op groups that I need from the part number. Everything works great in 9.1

EBAY! Do a search on carbide inserts. Maybe you can find someone who can use them.

I have a VB that creates the Machine Groups with the correct names for the programmers. They input the part number. For example: Part number = 444T8888-88 The VB creates the groups: 444T8888-88_1-1 for Operation one 444T8888-88_2-1 for Operation two In 9 I had the nci name set to the group name so the .nc files came out as: 444T8888-88_1-1.nc 444T8888-88_2-1.nc My post also checks to make sure that the group/nc name matches the current part's directory and file names. The above programs would have to be in this directory: C:Parts444T8888-88 and in this file: 444T8888-88.mcx or the programmer gets an error message. I have 20 programmers programming thousands of parts per year we need this to keep our files in some order.

In V9 I was able to default the .nci/.nc file name to the name of the operation group. I thought this was working in X but today I noticed the .nc file name is different. There's an _ at the front and -'s has been changed to _'s Group name: 444T8888-88_1-1 NC name _444T8888_88_1_1.nc S/B 444T8888-88_1-1.nc Our posts checks the NC name to make sure it matches the folder and file name to make sure the programmer is storing and naming their programs correctly. Any ideas?

Thanks

My post doesn't go into debug mode when I switch fastmode$ to no$. Is there another switch somewhere? fastmode$ : no$ #Posting speed optimizition bug1$ : 2 #0=No display, 1=Generic bug2$ : 30 #Append postline labels, non- bug3$ : 0 #Append whatline no. to each bug4$ : 1 #Append NCI line no. to each

Thanks for the help. I had copied some code from a similar machine prior to X conversion and had never debugged it. Sorry for the wise-cracking tone of the post it had been a long day. I'm getting several messages similar to this: CONTROL DEFINITION - - Post variable 'met_mtol$' was re-initialized from 0.000001 to 0.001 How do I get rid of them? I would prefer that no .err file gets created.

I'm getting the following messages in the post processing message window from a converted X post. "The Math Calculation/Formula has an error" followed by: "Successful Completion of Post Processing" Many, many, times in the past I've been successful at making errors but I'm not sure I want successful errors in my post. I definitely don't want to explain to my 20 programmers that they can just "ignore" the error message. It would be nice to know which calculation/formula has an error!

It was installed from a file server location so I guess the .NET and Direct X checks didn't happen. X does seem to be running OK? We're running Windows 2000, soon to be migrated to XP. We have X running on about 10 PCs and mine was the only one that had a problem. My machine was the only one with any development tools installed (VB6, Visual Studio .NET) Currently .NET is NOT installed on any of our machines??? DirectX 9 Hotfix -KBG839643 is installed Anyway, we'll start loading from the CD.

I uninstalled X. Deleted Microsoft .NET Framework, re-installed X. My .NET was version 1.0.3705 X Runs!

I have admin rights on this machine so I don't think its permissions. This PC was recently reloaded and they may have installed the wrong Windows image. It's a desktop and it thinks its a laptop. Corporate IS is wonderful thing.

I installed X on an "identical" PC and it runs so it doesn't appear to be a hardware issue.

I installed X on an "identical" PC and it runs so it doesn't appear to be a hardware issue.

I'm getting a "The memory could not be read" error when I try to run X. The message bar in X reads "Reading Key Map File" when it crashes. Any Ideas? My Hardware: IBM Z Pro dual Xeon 2.8ghz Dual monitors nVidia Quadro 4XGL 128 mb

I changed the line to use ascii values and ide didn't fix the problem. The variables (month, day,year) are command variables. Is this the problem? 9-10 in the post doc states they do not display their internal value. But .... why does it work in one post and not the other? The extra commas are required to upload the program to the mainframe database. This statement is replacing an APT PARTNO line used in mainframe APT processing. The ,, in the output is where a tool designation would go if required. I have to work within the computing framework of a LARGE company. Post code: ":", e month,e day,e year,e n, "(MSG",44,sname ,44,44,snumber,44,"CMEA",44, month,45,day,44,year,44, time, ")",e Output: : 08 day 2. year 5. (MSG,5AXISCONE-TEST,,1-1,CMEA,08-day 2.,year 5.,13:23)

Post Snippits: +++ non-working post pheader #Call before start of file ##### Custom changes allowed below ##### "%", e ":", e n, "(MSG,", sname ,",,",snumber,",CMEA,", month,"-",day,",",year, ",", time, ")",e n, "(MSG, ", sprogname, ")", e n, "(LOG,=",34, sname," ",snumber," START",34,")" n, "(MSG,PARTNO=", sname, ")", e n, "(MSG,MEDIA=", snumber, ")", e n, "(MSG,FWC=CMEA)", e # n, "(MSG,MCDTIME=)", e +++ working post pheader #Call before start of file "%", e ":", e n, "(MSG,", sname ,",,",snumber,",CMLC,",month,"-",day,",", year, ",", time, ")",e n, "(MSG, ", sprogname, ")", e n, "(LOG,=",34, sname," ",snumber," START",34,")" n, "(MSG,PARTNO=", sname, ")", e n, "(MSG,MEDIA=", snumber, ")", e n, "(MSG,FWC=CMLC)", e