I got it. You need to change the format statments from this. fs2 2 0.4 0.3 #Decimal, absolute, 4/3 place <<<<<<< fs2 3 0.4 0.3d #Decimal, delta, 4/3 place <<<<<<<< to this fs2 2 0.45 0.3 #Decimal, absolute, 4/3 place <<<<<<< fs2 3 0.45 0.3d #Decimal, delta, 4/3 place <<<<<<<< Thanks to all who have helped. Glenn

Changing the format statements cause it to output 5 decimal places. I just want to round everything to the nearest half a thousand of an inch. Thanks Glenn

Yes, that is one thing that I had to learn the hard way.

That is how I have it set. I have tried checking and unchecking the Truncate box, but I still get values that are not .0000 or .0005. Is there someplace else that is overriding this in the MPMaster post?

We are updating to X4 and I am trying to convert all of our machines to use the MPmaster post. I need to find a way to output xyz values rounded to the nearest .0005". Thanks Glenn

Thanks Ying, That is what I have done and it works perfectly except that you have to put it back after the drill cycle. quote: result = nwadrs(strz,zabs) result = nwadrs(strz,zinc) Otherwise all of your Z's will become I's after a drill cycle call. Glenn

I am trying to tweek the mpmaster post for a faagor control. The faagor wants to have the R-Plane to be output as a Z value, and the Z-Plane or depth to be an I value for example I post this quote: N116 G99 G82 Z-.0494 Z0. R.19 K1 F20. N118X-11.8701Y2.0509 N120X-10.6203Y2.049 and I need this quote: N120 G82 G99 Z.19 I-.0494 K50 F20. N122X-11.8701Y2.0509 N124X-10.6203Y2.049 The biggest problem I have is getting it to change the Z to an I. Thanks Glenn P.S. I had to put faagor because ***or looks like this.

John, The thing that I thought was most interesting for me is that there was no nethasp.ini file in the CimcoEdit folder to begin with, but it was still working fine before we went on the holiday break, updated our maintainence, and got into the new year. So why did it work before with no file, and now needs the file to work??? But as long as it is working the Troops and Generals are Glenn

Ployd, From the ***or manual, Look-Ahead (G51) Programming Format is G51 [A] E A(0-255) Is optional and it defines the percentage of acceleration to be applied. When not programed or programmed with a "0" value the CNC assumes the acceleration value se by machine parameter for each axis. E(5.5) Maximum contouring error allowed. We program ours as G51 E.0001 when cutting aluminum. As you see we don't even use the "A". The value is hard coded in our post in the contour control stuff. You could just manually change it at first and see what works best for what you are doing. HTH Glenn

I just got off the phone with CNC software tech support, and they had me copy the nethasp.ini file from the mcamX3 folder to the CIMCOEdit5 folder. This worked for me. They also had one more step for a customer for another work around, but they didn't have me try it as this solution seems to be working. Glenn

I am having this problem now as well. I have been able to use Cimco with the Mastercam net hasp until now. Nothing has changed except for a new year, and updating our mastercam maintainence agreement. Hope someone can help. Glenn

Many times I will save the file as a new name, and then just edit the existing geo if possible, then often times, you can just regenerate the tool path. For example say the part is .25" longer than the last part a radius on each corner. You can just transform/translate the arc for the corners, and the line for the end by the .25 and the trim the other lines to the arc. You could also edit the line, change the parameters of it, then move the arcs to the new line location(X isn't as nice for this as 9 was when you could just edit the arc and redifine it as a fillet ect). HTH Glenn

You could also use a manual entry toolpath at the end of your program. This will allow you to put different values for different machines. Glenn

quote: I would like to output cutter comp on a 2d or 3d toolpath driving tool center on the geometry. An option like "compensation type: off w/comp" From the help in Mastercam 2D contour quote: Wear - When this option is selected, Mastercam calculates the compensated tool positions just as if Computer was selected, but also outputs the G41/G42 codes. This lets the operator adjust for tool wear at the control. Enter the difference between the selected tool size and the reground tool size at the control as a negative number I think that were is what you want to use as long as your post is setup to use cuttercomp correctly. HTH Glenn

quote: Trevor, I have never run g code in the machine, only conversational. I don't know of a post that will do the conversational stuff. I think that you have to use a modified fanuc post, and use a .cam file extention. We use the protomx3 here with no real problems other than drill cycles which we changed to just post long hand code for. Hope that clarifies some issues. Glenn

quote: Now the question! Losing the ability to kick a little wear into the tool to clean up the part by running it again is a pretty serious loss. I hate the thought of having to go back and offset geometry by .0005, reverify, repost, regraph and all to make another clean up pass. Is there a work around that enables tool probe users to get the same effect as if they were able to use wear comp? This is the whole purpose for have cutter comp. Reguardless of using full or wear. If you need to comp the tool from the measured/nominal/zero dia. you just adjust the amount of the comp. You will have to either just measure the tool ate the beginning of the job, or find a way to have the control adjust the measured value when it measures it the second time. HTH Glenn. P.S. What I mean is if you use full comp. and the machine measures the tool at .4998, and you need to take .005 more off of the profile of a part, you will change the comp value to .4973, unless your control uses radius, then you would change it to .4948

Someone has to be different, so I guess that it will be me. I liked using the earlier versions better. There is a lot of stuff that is better about the way that X works, but as far as the interface, I liked the standard keyboard shortcuts in V9 and earlier. There is a lot of customization in X, and that is part of what creates issues for me. I hate all of the icon driven toolbars, and that every computer you go to has a completely different layout of mastercam. I spend half the time of helping someone trying to find the icons to show them, because that is what they want. I use the menus at the top for most things. JM2C Glenn

Ken, I do this similar thing all of the time. All you do is create the new machine group, and copy/move the ops you want into the new machine group. You can create multiple groups, and then move the ops required to each one. The only issue that I have had, is if you have a transform/translate op, and you copy it to a new group, it references to it's original ops, and I have to open it, uncheck the original ops, and select the copies in the new machine group. HTH Glenn

I don't know if it helps, but our Motion Master routers with the xxxxor control use a .pim file for the G-Code. So you used to be able to use a reverse post and take it back to mCam. I haven't tried to reverse post anything in X or X2 so I don't know if you even can. Glenn

Has anyone found a way to check and see if a program exists on a Fanuc control?? I would like to put some logic in that would say something like IF(PROGRAM # 1 EXISTS THEN RUN) ELSE(GOTO N50) Thanks Glenn

Eric, I think that we could make that work. We use the Manual Entry all the time. We will probably have to make sure that we do a force tool change for the first op of the next program though. Why didn't I think of that thanks Glenn P.S We should probably also add something to end the program correctly like GOG91G28ZO; G90G53X-15YO; M5M9; M30; ; O0002

Right click the toolpath group, Edit selected operations, Change program #. HTH Glenn

Has anyone tweaked a post to output multiple machine programs in one file. I would like to be able to set the program # in mastercam, and then when I post have it put all of the programs ie: O0001, O0002 ect. into one file. Something like it does with sub-programs. We then would only need to send 1 file to our machines, which would break them into the individual programs. Thanks Glenn

quote: I can't find where you change splines to arc's. I'm having a X brain fart. You can also do it sometimes with the Edit/Simplify... function. HTH Glenn

Can you change the NC file extension in the Control Def, files menu. Mine is set to .NC I think you can change it to say .nc Then you would just have to change your NC program name in the toolpath menu. HTH Glenn