When backplotting the toolpath save the vectors as geometry. Change from surfaces to lines under tool axis contriol and select only the necessary lines to drive the tool. Eliminate or delete any of the vector lines that can create a problem like at the dip areas and regen the toolpath. It will work nicely and process faster.

Ron I also feel your pain and operate similar to how you do. I asked a while back in this thread for these enhancements which I think are similar; Level Manager: Have the ability to set rows with a color. This would help to distinguish different sections or groups and make it easier to read. I would like to set up groups/ assemblies/sub-assemblies. This would behave like a typical tree structure except in a column format giving the user a way to control their levels better. List Levels: I would like to set multiple options. For example: Named Levels within the levels range of 300 to 400. Or Used Levels from Levels 10 to 50. (Ctrl + Click) Numbering Levels: I would like to see some right click options to renumber Levels.Renumber multiple levels Renumber Range of levels Have the ability to renumber to a set criterion: All selected levels based on the increment of 1, 10, 50, 100 etc. A column to show:Only the entities used in the toolpath Level set is good but needs more functionality: I would like to see a drop down that allows the user to select from the levels named. Like in excel when you create a list for a single cell and you get the drop down and select or deselect the box to have the item show or hide. I would like a way to lock a level. This could be for things like revision changes or construction geometry. Blanking is kind of a work around on this one.

Nice work Collin. It pays to get out of the box. A person gets so used to keeping their nose to the grind stone that we sometimes forget to lookup and see what's going on around us. I agree with Gracjan aka Pullo about the reference guide. Though I don't think it is necessary on every update, I do think when you get a major release like X8, that it becomes almost a mandatory item just to keep up with the new or "old" technology that has found it's way into our toolboxes. What a great find. I can't wait to use this.

Nice work and thanks for sharing!

As it turns out you are correct it did the same thing to me. The holders library works fine. Thanks.

I sent this to my reseller last week and they (MLC-Cad) were sending it in as a bug to CNC Software. In order to get my holders brought in I had to manually change the values. Only doing what I need. I played with it a little and tried to bring in the library, I tried to drag and drop to create a new library, and I tried to migrate the library but when you open any of them the holders show as metric. If you deselect the metric box still nothing changes. So I created a new holder library and opened the old one and manually create a correct holder one at a time. Hopefully somebody has a solution

^Ditto on this too! This was the first Error message: Display Driver stopped responding and has recovered Display Driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version 333.11 stopped responding and has successfully recovered. To be followed by: Windows detected that this program did not run correctly!

After Installing I found that the tool bar Icons for 'Name Points' and 'Gap Flush' are blank. I can select them and they seem to function but are missing the Icons. In the drop down 'Name Points' Icon is blank as well but seems to function properly. The 'Help File' appears to be empty. When I click the Icon nothing happens. It looks like it is trying to find something but then it never does. Is there any chance that you have a description of what everything is or does? For instance I noticed a new feature 'Gap Flush' and wondered what it does.

This was interesting. I learned something new today. I now understand the direction that Ron went. In the 3 axis mode only the surface is available. Which I am not sure why only have the surface as an option. My apologies...I was thinking in 5 ax mode and not in 3 ax mode. Thanks for following through and helping me to understand what you were after. Ron... good info!

I see that you got Ron's suggestion to work. Would any of the options in the attached file work for you? CURVE5AXIS.MCX-7

How about the Curve 5 axis toolpath. Under tool axis control create/select lines in the direction that you want to drive the tool.

That was quick. Thanks Roger!

Here's my 2 cents. If I have over looked something and there is a way to already do what I am asking for...even if it is a work around, I am open to learning something new. MC Changes That I would like to See fixed, changed or enhanced Level Manager: Have the ability to set rows with a color. This would help to distinguish different sections or groups and make it easier to read. I would like to set up groups/ assemblies/sub-assemblies. This would behave like a typical tree structure except in a column format giving the user a way to control their levels better. List Levels: I would like to set multiple options. For example: Named Levels within the levels range of 300 to 400. Or Used Levels from Levels 10 to 50. (Ctrl + Click) Numbering Levels: I would like to see some right click options to renumber Levels. Renumber multiple levels Renumber Range of levels Have the ability to renumber to a set criterion: All selected levels based on the increment of 1, 10, 50, 100 etc. [*]A column to show: Only the entities used in the toolpath Level set is good but needs more functionality: I would like to see a drop down that allows the user to select from the levels named. Like in excel when you create a list for a single cell and you get the drop down and select or deselect the box to have the item show or hide. [*]I would like a way to lock a level. This could be for things like revision changes or construction geometry. Blanking is kind of a work around on this one. [*]Planes Dynamic Planes: [*]View Manager Dockable, Dockable and Dockable!!!!!!! I would like the option to select a view and reselect geometry for that view/plane. When assigning a work offset for the view, I would like to use that work offset for all of the views. If you use a lot of views with the same work offset this can be time consuming. Once you change the value a dialog pops up and lets you know that X number of operations use this view, update all views? Click. X number of views have their work offset updated. X operation(s) require regeneration. Click. And Click to exit. Repeat for every view that you want to change. Wears me out just thinking about it. [*]Solids Associative: I would like the operation or toolpath to retain the solid or solid face when moving or transforming the solid part(s). Typically have to go in and re-select the solid or solid face. This requires creating surfaces from the solid just so that the drive surfaces will stay associated to the operation. [*]Toolpath Manager System Configuration: NC File /Append Values: I would like to have the option to have the operation number append at the beginning or at the end. We have a machine that doesn’t have a tool changer, so most of the time our toolpaths are presented with one tool for one toolpath. I would like to have the programs show in the order that they are created but….with a descriptive extension. For example: 1_Probe, 2_RUF , 3_Fin. This way the operator has a general idea right off the bat that there are so many roughing programs and so many finishing programs etc. I would also like a right click option to select multiple toolpaths and renumber/rename [*]Work Offset Number: I would like this to be an option under the Display Options for the Toolpath Manager and to show on the collapsed operation line with the other information. For Example: [WCS:TOP] – [Tplane:TOP] [WO: G54] “Comment” [*]When importing toolpaths: It would be nice if the toolpaths had the option to retain the NC file name if desired. For example: Certain parts are repeats or similar and share the same order, process and toolpaths so we just re-associate the necessary geometry to the imported toolpath. But….we now have to rename every toolpath in addition to the geometry association. (This can and usually takes longer than the geometry selection or required changes.) [*]Chaining Manager I would like to see an option that would allow the user to ‘add’ to the existing selection so that the user doesn’t have to reselect the chain from the beginning and can pick up where ever the user left off. IE; If using the curve 5 axis toolpath and cutting scribe lines and you didn’t go far enough or you selected a partial chain but didn’t go far enough. [*]MC Simulator I would like to select the stock that MC Simulator uses to run the toolpaths against. Stock under the Verify tab should allow the user to select the stock model, solid or part file. [*]Tool Selection Manager Search Function [*]Offset Contour: When offsetting a chain I would like the chain to consist of as many entities as the original. If the original is a single entity the solution should also be a single entity and not consist of 200 smaller entities. [*]Create Letters I would like to have a point at the center of the letters that can be used for positioning the letters. Similar to the options that you have for positioning a rectangle. OR: have different options for positioning. I would like it if letters allowed you to create a serialization when creating letters. Have a box for the Lettering or numbering that will remain constant and a box for the start number and end number. Plus a box to place the serialization at the beginning or ending of the constant. [*]Surface High Speed (Scallop) I would like to see the option “Order Cuts By Minimum Distance” as a choice for Cutting Method. When I use spiral the cut starts at the top or bottom and moves in to or out from the middle. This option would allow the toolpath to start at the beginning and continue to the end without the stop in the middle. (This would perform like the ‘old school’ constant scallop toolpath.) [*]Surface High Speed (Area Clearance) I would like to see an option for zone machining. Currently I think this is by level. I would like to see the toolpath cleanup an area or zone all the way down and then move to the next section instead of trying to clean up every level first. [*]I would like a more clearly defined auto cursor. It disappears in certain functions or processes and some of the icons are too indistinct being that small. [*]I would like a ‘repeat last function’ option. I would like to key map or button map this function. [*]Multiaxis Drill/Tool axis control: If I want to change surfaces associated to this operation I have to make sure that the surfaces that were selected have their level ‘on’ in order to deselect them. Otherwise…you can only add more surfaces. In other dialog windows (within MC,) the user has options to automatically deselect whatever entities are previously selected. Can this be added to this functionality be added? See dialog window below. When the multi-threading manager is running, I would like to see a bar that shows the over-all process status. Under the ‘status’ column it shows the individual process status but not the entire work load status. Number plus extension Same number plus extension Right click option for ‘Toolpath’ (when the operation is expanded.) to rename. Or left/right long click and rename. (Same as windows.)This would avoid the whole right click menu when you select the ‘operation’. (Currently left click opens the toolpath in backplot or if you right click it will open in verify.) There would be a button that the user could select to have geometry created that would represent the plane that the dynamic plane was creating. (Same as the Gnomon. Using the same color scheme (default) with the plane label would be a plus as well. This geometry is now associative to that plane and the view would update no matter where the geometry was translated to. This should also be applied to the Planes = GView and Planes by Normal Planes should also update when mirroring.

Thank you Glenn for the link to Modulework's help file. After changing the unblock permission, I also had to change file type to Microsoft® HTML Help. I wasn't able to open it any other way. On another note I have a question now....after looking at the Moduleworks's help file- why can't the Mastercam help file be more like this help file? The explanation is clear and concise. There are great pictures. There are interactive videos showing the topic. The only thing that I see is missing, is a link to a sample file that give the remaining pieces of the puzzle. This is an excellent help file compared to what I have become accustomed to seeing. Nice work Moduleworks! Anyone else think the same thing?

Not sure how related this is but I see this happen more when MC starts collecting folders in the Temp directory. MC is 'supposed' to delete them when you close but this is not always the case. If I clear out the temp folder and restart MC, the world is right again until I start collecting folders in the temp file again. I also notice that MC starts acting funny just before this happens....dialog windows that are visible but not selectable. Geometry that won't select and the random crashes. I am not sure why the files accumulate but some days I will open and close 10 to 20 files and I will end up with 5 or more files in the Temp folder and then the right click doesn't work anymore.

+1 Thad. I have used either ctl + a or used the select body button. Which gives me everything or allows me to choose the individual solids.

I can replicate this as well. (X7 MU1). Kind of annoying at times.

From what you are describing it is probably the surface that you are using. There will either be gaps or the toolpath follows too close to the edge of the surface. A couple of approaches would be to use lines instead of the surfaces. I can create these from using the drive surface to generate a bad toolpath, then simulate the toolpath and save only the geometry that you need for the lines. Then go back into the toolpath and select the lines to drive the toolpath. You can use the color mask to delete the red and yellow geometry as this will give you the control lines. The other solution might be to recreate the drive surfaces to allow you to extend them further away from the chain and remove any gaps.

Try McMaster-Carr: http://www.mcmaster.com/#nylon-conveyor-brushes/=oofrfv

Why not place it as an option under 'display options'? That way those of us that do use it can set it to be available and visable.

I would also like to see this as an enhancement. Please add my vote for the change.

I would also like to see this as an enhancement. Please add my vote for the change.

So check all of your values and make sure there isn't a stray character like a 'or` hiding somewhere

I would see this error when the minimum arc radius was smaller than the cut tolerance under the total tolerance button. The message would flash until the value was changed and it woouldn't let you do anything else.

Thanks headhunter. I will try this and see how it works.