I think you have to be careful here, because if you have multiple users, the config paths would have to be updated every time it's restored this way... Also, my mcamx.config file only has 883 lines in it... JMC - Glad to hear that script is still serving them well

Robert, As far as I can tell from my experimentation, it comes from the ether. I think it's created by Mastercam.exe itself at run time, probably from defaults inside of the program that we don't have access to. I believe this because the newer style configs have to individually tailor the config files to the username it's installed to (i.e. there's paths inside the mcamx.config that will read C:\Users\Robert\... for you, and C:\Users\Aaron for me). I could be wrong about how it's created though. My solution was to replace the hard coded paths (C:\Users\Aaron\...) with variables in a backed up configuration file, and then use a script to read the locations from the registry (stored at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\CNC Software, Inc.\Mastercam X6 ), then go and replace the variables with the appropriate path. It's unfortunately a hack that we have to do until they get around to putting relative paths in the config file. Feel free to email/message me for more details. Cheers, Aaron

JParis is correct, it's missing the PSB...

The directory will be created the first time he launches X6. When I wrote my custom config script that edits the config file, I had to specify to the user to run the config AFTER they have already ran X5 or X6, so that directory exists for my script to work..

YoDoug is on the right path, you need a parametric solid modelling (CAD) program. Solidworks and Inventor are the most popular, all of the higher end drawing programs have it as well, though you won't want to pay for them, like Pro-E. I think there's a few cheaper ones that may have it, like Alibre. I've even heard rumors of an unfolding add on for Google's Sketchup (a free basic 3d modelling program).

I don't think he wants a new WCS, because he doesn't want to reset his part 0 every time he rotates the B (if my understanding is right). Here's what I do on our 5 axis machines: Do NOT rotate the part at all, the part should be aligned to the original (B0, A0, C0, etc) alignment in WCS TOP. Now, rotate your view to match up how the part with Gview > Rotate Gview. Name and save that view with Gview > Name and Save Current Gview. NOW choose Planes > Planes = Gview and the plane that you're working on will match your view. When you make your toolpath, under planes, make sure it's set to WCS: Top, CPlane: B27, T:plane: B27. This will tell the Mastercam that everything is measured from the Top View zeros (X0,Y0,Z0,A(?)0,B0), and then rotated to where it needs to be. That should be all you have to do, when you post out that operation, it should give the B position in the initial move line. (i.e.: Xxx.xx Yxx.xxx B27.xxx) Other ways to do this: Use the Planes > Planes By Geometry or Dynamic Planes commands to set the plane you're working on, and you can always check if it's aligned right by using Gview > Gview = Planes or Gview > Named Views and pick it from the list.

TheePres - VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. In laymen terms, it means that you create a "private network" between you and your work server using a real network (in this case, the internet). This allows you to access your work network from home securely. This gives you all of the benefits you get when you're connected at work (access to printers, file servers, backup servers, CNC machines, etc). Because this becomes your one network connection on your home computer while you're connected, your internet browsing and such will go through your work computer, which is what GCode was complaining about, his home internet speed is faster, but he's limited by his works' speed when he's connecting through them.

Rickster - If you want to verify that you have the latest redistributables, you can get them by googling "microsoft visual c++ 2010 redistributable package x64" which will take you to http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=14632 where you can install it. I've run into that many times in my past lives as a network admin. It's an issue with Microsoft's Visual Studio (the programming/design environment that things like Mastercam are written in). I've never figured out a 100% reason why these failed to install sometimes, but not others..

Another handy trick for settings like this is to set them the way you want (Press ALT+T in this case), then go to Settings > Configuration and hit "Save" (or "Save as" and overwrite the existing file), that'll make sure you save all of your current settings.

MikronGuy - My laptop will do this if I put it into sleep or hibernate (close the lid or "temporary power down") and bring it back up a lot. Closing Mastercam usually fixes things. Does yours do this all the time, or only after a couple of hours, or what?

Ahoy!

Jayman - Most likely your screen resolution is not set correctly, and this isn't a problem on Mastercam. Right click on your desktop and go to Screen Resolution (on windows 7), and then use the Resolution slider to adjust it. If you're on an LCD screen, you will have to slide it all the way to the biggest numbers. As a side effect, your text will look much sharper now. If you're on windows XP, you have to right click on the desktop and go to Properties > Settings and adjust the resolution there.

Greg - I'll second the "any chance you can throw the part up on the FTP?" question.. I'll give it a shot if you put it up there. Cheers!

I'll echo what G and Rod have said, I've been using PortExpert since it's been available, and I love it! One of the main parts of our business is selling turn key packages to do 5 axis head porting for racing customers, and all of my customers are getting it without question, it takes SOOOOOoooo much effort out of getting a great & smooth cut it's unbelievable. I also agree that 99.9% of Mastercam customers don't need it, and there's no reason to make everyone pay extra to subsidize the .1% of customers that CAN make use of it. I'm absolutely certain that applications like this (port & blade experts) are being designed to compete with Hypermill, Delcam and friends, who are happy to completely customize an application for one use (like porting or turbines). Mastercam is going to stay one step ahead if they go a route like this, as their customers are still going to have basic machining capabilities, which is stripped out of a lot of their competitors customized apps.

Depending on how your post is set up (I haven't run a HAAS 5 axis setup), You may be able to get it to stop posting the message by editing the initial primary angle in the misc values. As was already mentioned, it's complaining because there's too many possible "starting" positions, and it doesn't know where it should start. I've seen this sort of things on toolpaths where it needs to rotate to say, +185*, and it physically must move in the positive direction due to rotational constraints. If you want it to go +, but it calculates it as faster to get to A-175 (360 - 180 = 175), it can ruin your day. What we do is use the "inital primary angle" to tell it "oh, hey, the machine is already at +90*, so you can calculate the first move from there," resulting in it saying, "well, if it's already at +90, it'll be faster to just the rest of the 95* in the + direction, instead of moving 265* in the - direction."

I beat that, I often have multiple sessions of X3, X4 & X5 open at the same time, supporting different people.. Never had a problem except for running out of the RAMs...

Chris - The only downside of that is that you can't use that config for any user other than "chrisri" or on a system other than windows XP. If you want it to be dynamic and work for any user, you have to actually read the path that X5 is installed to from the registry (the Hkey_Current_User\software\CNC Software, Inc.\Mastercam X5\ path) What I have my script to do is parse that key to a file, save it as a variable, then I search through the mcamx.config to replace that one token, like the "UserDir" installed directory. Then I repeat that for the Shared Directory and the Mastercam Install directory. It took me a while to get the script working right It's been a while since I did any scripting that hard core...

I wrote a bat file that will edit mcamx.config & Mcamxm.config to put in the proper paths and then copy all of my posts, configs, toolbars, etc to the proper users' folders. It's not the smoothest running thing in the world (takes about a minute and a half to parse through the config and replace the paths), but I'd be happy to share it with you guys. It works with either windows 7 or xp. I'm assuming it'll work with vista, too, but I haven't gotten access to any workstations to test that yet (luckily!) *EDIT* I've thought of a couple of ways to quicken it up, but I don't customize installs THAT often, and it's only usually once per install, so I haven't really pushed it. But I'm sure it could be optimized relatively easily.. However, there's a great chance to really screw up your config if you use it, so I'd prefer not to just post it up for the world to see and abuse. Send me a message on here or an email to aeberhard (AT) centroidcnc.com and I'll help you out over email with it if you want to see it.

Just an FYI: That file was originally done in the format that you need (probably made with Adobe Illustrator or something), you can tell by the shading and quality of the lines. Get the guy to talk to whomever he had make the logo originally and get them to send you the .ai or .dxf from the original, and it will look WAY better the results of using <any> Rastor to Vector converter.

We're something in the order of 98% FANUC compatible, so if you start out with a generic FANUC 3 or 4 axis post that should get you most of the way there. You may have to customize it if you're running a unique 4 axis combination, and you'll DEFINITELY have to customize if you're running a 5-axis config Let me know if you need any help with it. Cheers!

Mic6 - Try uninstalling any special mouse drivers. I've had that problem with a Microsoft mouse before, the software was "intercepting" the signal and catching it before mastercam could interpret it.

I have had this problem before, but I haven't found a resolution other than using one of the different editors. It's only happened on two systems I've run across and I couldn't come up with WHY..

The followup to this is what John Morris said above. Get your network admin to install software that will sync your desktop to a network location, and wha-la, instant backup without you having to do ANYTHING. Any backup that relies on a user is doomed to failure (I'm including myself in this)....

Rickster - I've found there's a few paths in the config file that will not update even when you specifically go and change them, your toolbar is another one. If you go to customize that, change to a different toolbar file (mastercam.mtb) and hit "save" it will revert to the old one when you reopen it. The only solution I have found was to edit the mcamx.config file (it's a text file) and change the path to wherever you want.

Gramby - Sorry in the delay, it took me that long to find an XP computer to test on We don't really have any laying around the office, and I realized my wife's laptop has it tonight.. All of that "run as administrator" stuff pertains to windows 7, so don't worry about that. Either way, I would like you to try something when you have a second. Using this code, xcopy “C:\junk my documents settings\%1.nc” Q:\Vol1\PROGRAMS Change the %1 to %%1.nc , sometimes that helps. The next step, could you post the entire code of your script? I'd like to see how/where %1 is defined. Thanks!