"VBJB, what remote access did you use?" I use Remote Desktop that comes with XP. Everything else I run, besides CAD, is very responsive. It's just CAD is very intensive as far as bandwidth.

I use remote desktop a lot at my job. My experience with CAD is it runs very slow on a remote desktop session. It felt like it took forever to get anything done. It's not going to be as fluid as working local. When I work with CAD at home, I bring my hasp home.

I am new to solids and have a question. How do the majority handle analyzing and programming toolpaths with solids? Do you create edge curves on everything and use the wireframe to analyze and program against or are you using the solids to do all interrogating and programming? My roots are in wireframe, so I always create edge curves to work with solids, but I am wondering if there is a better way. Let’s say I want to know the radius of a fillet in solids. How can I do this without creating wireframe? Also when I create toolpaths I always create the paths from wireframe. Do you guys suggest creating toolpaths from solids? Most of the toolpaths I do are two axis stuff.

I second this fix!! I have had the same problem. Every once and a while I delete operations, sometimes I can bring them back and sometimes I do not realize they are gone until later.

That was my problem, I needed expand the spacing to make it legible. I got bit by this bug. I was engraving some boat parts for the boss and this bug got me in the end. I didn't even try explaining it to my boss. I just told him it was my fault, which it was.

"Your issue is logged as defect # CNC 00026194."

Thanks..done.

This bug is still in X2.

AHHHhh! It doesn't have to do all the things I listed. These are feature I included in my program when I wrote it back in 2001. Let's say I never wrote an application and I am looking for an application that stores Part information like Part Number, Rev, Machine, and Program Number that will allow me to store and retrieve progams? And if you guys didn't buy software to do this how are you storing programs for future use are you using paper and pencil, excel,....

It would be nice if an off-the-shelf program could do this but it not a must. I am more interested in seeing what's out there. If you guys could point me to what you guys use I can look over it and see if it worth buying myself. I did some internet searching and came up with nothing.

What do you guys used to manage archiving your CNC programs? We have a Visual Basic application that was developed internally and it is showing its age. This leads me to the question, should I update our internal application or buy something that is already out there (which I cannot find yet). Some feature implemented in our application that I am sure will be hard to find: 1) With a click of a button a program is identified archived for future use to a particular machine. 2) When programs are downloaded the person’s name is attached to the NC file so we know who is responsible for any incomplete downloads. 3) After a person downloads a Mill program they can click a button to analyze the file to make sure it contains all it subs before they erase the program off the machine. 4) Our lathe programs can be interchanged between similar machines on the fly. If a person pulls a program for a particular machine and it ran on a different machine the time before it will pull the most current program and do all the necessary syntax changes on the fly (the setup person can decline this feature if he has reason to). 5) Our milling machines hold numerous programs with thirty plus subs each. It is a pain to separate each program when archiving is necessary. We have a feature that is called "Separate Program." It first checks and makes all programs are complete with subs. Then, it goes through the mass dump of programs and separates all programs in separate files to be put away. So my question is, what do you guys use and do you recommend it?

How do I fix this if I supposedly have the latest mpMaster post?

Well I downloaded the mpMaster post today so it should have the fix, right? McamNut if yours is working can you mail it to me?

I recently updated to X2 and now my speeds are all posting out as zero. I have downloaded and applied the mpMaster post update and ran the updatePost.dll. I also checked and made sure my machine definition has a spindle with a spindle range of 0-8000 RPM. What else do I need to check?

Can someone tell me why this is not working? If I use "d" the menu comes up waiting for a diameter; Great! Now I want to take it one step farther. I want the fields to be locked. The code below will not work; why? code: Sub Main() Call RunMastercamCommand("sketcher_arc_2") ' WSH Shell object Dim objShell ' create a WSH Shell Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell") ' Send some keys objShell.SendKeys "+(d)" ' imitates pressing SHIFT+D keys ' cleanupSet objShell = Nothing End Sub

That makes sense, because I was confused when I brought up the interface and it asked me for a VBScript. Thad said use the ScriptLinker to do what I asked. I was like "OK if you want a VBScript I'll give you one." All said and done it works. Now that the proper way is to create a FT file. How do I do that? Do I have to create one manually or is there something that will create one for me?

Yeah that is what I do not like. I need a kotkey, which John pointed out to me.

Thank you so much!

Has anyone found a way to use the lock feature on the ribbon bar without clicking on it? It is very disrupting to have to click on it. For example, when creating multiple arcs I use hotkeys to bring up my menu, but I cannot lock the radius/diameter. I always have to take my eyes off what I am drawing to navigate to the menu and click on the lock feature. very disrupting

Yeah I had to search for ScriptLinker to find it. The VBScript I used for the ScriptLinker was: ' -- Start Script Call Main() ' //////////////////// ' Sub Declaration ' //////////////////// Sub Main() Call RunMastercamCHook("DrillPt") End Sub

Is there a way to keymap into the DrillPt.dll? Right now I have to go to Settings>Run User Application and select DrillPt.dll to run it.

Does anyone know of any hotkeys to regenerate selected operations or regenerate dirty operations?

Cool thanks for the tip! I have been dragging them around.

It would be neat if we could place the red arrow in the list were we want to copy/move operations to and then go up the list and right click on the operations we want to copy/move and have an option that says copy/move to arrow location or something like that. This would be a great feature when the operation list gets very long. What da ya think?

quote: *Recently created operations totally missing (toolpath group, geometry, & tool strangely still there!) along with deleted operations re-appearing and a copied-then-modified operation reverting back to its previous parameters. I had this problem, but it was my fault. If you use a lot of hotkeys you have to be careful where your cursor is when you do your hotkeys. If your cursor is over the operation manager and you are hitting hotkeys for your graphics window you may be manipulating your operations. For instance, you might be deleting them. This was true in my case. I have ALT> mapped to create arc. However, if I do this same key press while my cursor is over the operation manager, it deletes any operation that was selected. Ever since I figured this out none of my operations have "disappeared."