Glenn, Done. I sent your requests into QC so let's see what kind of response we get. Hopefully we can get CNC to add these features in or purchase the code so that they can implement it in the X editor.

Personally I love the X editor, with the exception of the communications, but I do a lot of Post and VB script editing. If there are features in Cimco that you would like in the X editor, submit an enhancement request to [email protected] Besides communications, what does Cimco have that you can't live without?

Hi Rick, Take a few minutes and read through the section on WCS in the Mastercam Reference Guide PDF file. There is about 30 pages describing the WCS in detail. If you are doing horizontal machining, you would leave WCS set to TOP and only use rotated C planes. Some people do use WCS for horizontal programming, but I'm not one of them. I prefer to see my spindle coming in Z from the front plane just like it does in the real world. HTH,

daryl_y, Unless you like doing modifications to your post, it is well worth the money to get one done by In-House solutions. It is quick, it will post the code EXACTLY as you want it, and changes become very easy in the future should you desire it. Heidenhain posts require some unique formatting, but once it is done you will love getting clean code. We had a nice 3 axis Hermle at a company I worked for a while back. We got a custom Heidi post from our reseller. HTH,

Juan, Depending on which graphics card you have you probably do not need to change the drivers. You just need to configure them properly. Let us know what you've got. Thanks,

If you are setting multiple work offsets in the same plane, Top for example, you need to have two different planes, each with it's own offset. Here is how I do it: I open the WCS View manager, select the system Top view, and press the "copy" button on the left side of the dialog box. This will create a new copy of the top view. Then I rename this view to my first work offset so it would look like this G54 - Top Then I select the system Top view again, copy that view and rename it to G55 - Top Then in my view list I select the new G54 - Top view, activate the "Enable origin" button and then press the arrow button (select a new origin for the selected view) and click on my new origin. I do the same process for the G55 - Top plane as well. This gives you two T/Cplanes, each with a different origin. I also enable the "work offset" check box and enter 0 for G54, and 1 for G55 (this is post dependant). HTH,

Randy, Note that the dollar sign after tool_op($) is an addition for the X posts and indicates that tool_op is a pre-defined post variable. That means that you do not have to define or format that variable (usually!). HTH,

From the V9.1 MP Post Guide: Volume 2, Chapter 9 - How lathe canned cycles work Variables used in Lathe canned cycle processing tool_op In the MPLFAN.PST, the user-defined postblock pcut_type is called from the NCI pwrtt preread postblock. The pcut_type postblock (in addition to other functions) looks at the NCI variable tool_op. When a canned cycle type toolpath is read, the tool_op value is as follows: 201 = canned finish 202 = canned rough 203 = canned rough and finish 204 = canned rough face 205 = canned rough and finish face 206 = canned pattern repeat rough 207 = canned pattern repeat rough and finish 208 = canned groove rough 209 = canned groove finish

What kind of computer and graphics card do you have? We can help you with the graphics card settings to get you the best performance from your current setup.

.kmp - This file controls your custom keymap settings .mtb - This is your toolbar states file.

80% radial engagement limits your DOC considerably. Are you going for a "Waterline style rough pocket? There are some better options in the Surface High Speed toolpaths. The Area Clearance and Core Roughing toolpaths have some great options to limit radial engagement and increase your depth of cut considerably. This has the effect of maximizing your tool life because you utilize more of the flute of the cutter. What kind of tool, material, and depths are you working with?

Any time Tazzer, that's why we are all here. I love this forum!

Keith, I was able to successfully regen the re-machining toolpath after I modified the parameters a little. First, some recommendations: Always use the toolpath filter when machining a pocket. This will help clean up your code. I enabled the filter on toolpath #50 with a .001 tolerance. I also when into the "advanced" button and set the tolerance to 2% of the tool diameter (the default it 5%). The advanced button sets the re-machining tolerance. The reason your re-machine toolpath is failing is simple. In your rough pocket parameters, you have it set to rough only, the finish button is disabled. When you set up your re-machining toolpath you need to disable the roughing check box, and enable the finish checkbox. You also need to change the X,Y Stock to leave on OP #51 to 0.0, you left .006 in there. The problem was that Mastercam couldn't calculate any left over material for the re-machine because you gave it identical parameters as your rough toolpath. This just won't work and causes Mastercam to crash. You might also want to look at your step down and step over parameters for this one. If necessary, you might have to enable both Rough and Finishing, or set it to Finish, but enter multiple finishing passes at a given step-over amount. This is due to the fact that your rough tool leaves more material in the corners than on the straight walls. HTH,

Thanks for the info Roger, that is going to help me a ton. I had no idea those were pre-defined values. I'm going to start cutting and pasting right away!

From the V9.1 Post Guide, Chapter 18, Prompt Questions: quote: February 2004 Mastercam Version 9.1 MP Post Processor Reference Guide 18-1 18 How Prompt Questions Work Overview You can allow the operator to set or change variable values or strings during the posting operation by using prompt questions. Prompt questions are post questions that cause the post processor to display a screen prompt during the posting process. The questions may be used to prompt the user to enter in data, and can store that data into a variable in the post for use in post calculations or output. Defining a prompt question is a two-step process: 1. Define up to 20 prompt questions using the fq function. Each question can contain a maximum of 80 characters, including the question number, and may also contain variables. 2. Insert a call to a specific question (that is, ask the question) in the post by inserting the question name (q1, q2, q3, etc.) on a postline at the point where you would like the question to be asked. When the post is run and a question is encountered, the question is output to the screen and the post waits for a numeric or string reply. The reply will then be stored in a variable. Note: The result numeric variable or string variable must be defined before the question is defined. Format of a prompt question in the post- fq 1 seqno Enter starting sequence number. Where: fq 1 = Question number (FQ [space] number) seqno = Variable that holds the response to the question Enter starting sequence number = Question string A post variable can be used in the question itself if the variable is enclosed in double slashes (//variable//). For example: fq 1 ofs Enter tool //t// offset: If t = 3, the above code would display on the Mastercam prompt area when post processing: “Enter tool 3 offset:” and pass the response entered in the user-defined variable ofs. Note: The variable in the question is formatted according to the assigned format statement. Question definition for a numeric response- thdtype : 0 # Declare a numeric variable to hold response to question 1 fq 1 thdtype Thread Type (0=simple G32, 1=complex G76, 3=box G92) Question definition for string response- sextaux # Declare a string variable to hold response to question 1 fq 1 sextaux Aux file name extension = # Override Aux file extension Note: The result target variable must be defined before the question. Inserting a question into a postline- fq 1 seqno Enter starting sequence number # Define the prompt question psof # Start of file for postblock pinit !opcode, !coolant q1 # Ask the question defined by the ‘fq 1’ statement if tcnt = 1, stagetool = 2 "%”, e The q1 command calls the question defined by fq 1. Example- The following example shows adding a prompt question to a post. This example prompts the user to enter a part number, and then outputs the part number at the start of the NC output file. 1. Define a string variable (spartno) to store the part number retrieved through the post question. spartno #Define empty string 2. Add the question definition to the post processor. The fq function must begin in column 1. fq 1 spartno Enter the part number 3. Add the question call to post. (This depends on where you wish the question to be asked.) In this example, it is added to the pheader postblock pheader #Header postblock “%”, e q1 # Question ‘Enter the part number’ is asked here… 4. Add a postline to output part number information to the NC output file. psof #Start of file pinit progno spartno = ucase (spartno) # Make it all UPPERCASE (optional) “(Part Number: “, spartno, “)” # Output the part number that was entered at the question prompt Merging files through prompt questions- You can also use prompt questions to merge external ASCII files identified by the user into the NC program. In this example, the user will be prompted to enter the name of a file to merge into the NC output file. The predefined string scopyfile is provided to hold the contents of an external file. The mergeext function performs the merge operation by writing that external file’s contents to the NC file. For example: # Definition using ‘scopyfile’ as the target variable fq 2 scopyfile Enter name of file to merge # Define prompt question 2 pheader # Header postblock q2 # Display “Enter external file name” and read contents of response file into scopyfile. mergeext # Merge contents of file ‘scopyfile’ to NC file. HTH and happy post hacking ,

You got it Dave....

Take a look in the documentation folder for Mastercam. There is a file called Mastercam X Post Reference Guide. According to the guide, the parameters you will need to capture are: Stock Origin values- X - 19128 Y - 19129 Y - 19130 Stock size values - X length - 19125 Y Length - 19126 Z Length - 19127 Start reading on page 30 of the post reference guide. There is a whole section on capturing operation parameters.

Tazzer, This is certainly possible, but it will require require pre-reading the NCI file and extracting the operation parameters, holding this parameters in a buffer file, then formatting and outputting the values. I'll do some digging around and see what I can find.

Hi John, I think it got blocked somewhere, I didn't get it at home. Could you try [email protected] Thanks,

Thanks for the answer Roger, I was exploring the possibility of using the Tplane matrix to calculate the angles, but it looks like it will be unnecessary. Because the X,Y,Z coordinates that are output from the toolplane for each work offset are relative to that B angle, the operator just needs to plug them into the G54-59 offsets. The operator doesn't have to enter the B angle manually, just the delta X,Y,Z values for that angle/offset. As long as the programmer sets up the fixutre/workpiece correctly we shouldn't have an issue. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread, I've learned a lot more about using buffer files and parsing the NCI file. Thanks for putting that G10 vertical post up on the FTP Roger. I was able to cut and past the necessary post blocks, buffer read/write routines, and all the necessary initialization stuff and put it into MPMaster to get the output I need. Now I've got to help someone write a custom drill cycle to do deburring on through holes with a spring loaded de-burring tool. Thanks,

Bonjour, Il y a un bouton déjà disponible dans Mastercam. Allez - "Settings" - "Customize" - dans la zone de dialogue d'adapter aux besoins du client, choisissent la catégorie de la "géométrie" à partir de la baisse énumèrent vers le bas. Le dernier bouton dans la grille des boutons est le bouton "de frontière de silhouette". Ajoutez ce bouton à un de vos toolbars existants ou créez un nouveau toolbar avec ce bouton là-dessus. Alors économiser votre configuration toolbar avec "Toolbar énonce". Regardez du guide de référence de Mastercam pour plus d'information sur la façon dont configurer des toolbars si vous avez besoin d'aide. Ceci a été traduit par Babelfish, ainsi je fais des excuses s'il ne se comprend pas tout à fait. Svp faites-nous savoir si vous pouvez vous comprendre de lui. Respect,

What format statment should you use when you output the yada variable?

Satosan, Thanks for the snippet of code, we are trying it now. Pete Rimkus has this to add, I hope it might help you too. quote: The following (from CGui.H) can be used to get the extents of the current graphics view in ‘user units’ (“xh” = X high, “xl” = X low, etc) extern DllImpExp double get_xh_clip(); extern DllImpExp double get_yh_clip(); extern DllImpExp double get_xl_clip(); extern DllImpExp double get_yl_clip();

I really like Rast2vec as long as you do the manual bitmap tracing. Works like a charm. I've done some pretty interesting artwork from scanned images using Rast2vec. Some really intricate chocolate molds with japanese characters and woodblock carving. The biggest limitation is the resolution of the bitmap image. The more pixels the better.

Hi David, The null toolchange post block seems to be the culprit. Search in your post for ptlchg0$ and see what the logic looks like. There should be some kind of boolean "if" statement that compares the current toolplane to the last toolplane and looks for a change. If no change has occured, it should retract the tool to the Z retract or clearance of the current operation, then move to the next op with no toolchange. If you post a snippet of the null toolchange post block here I'll take a look. HTH,