I had suspicion it could be related to still having X3 loaded on my computer and the MU3 patch was not updating X4 properly. But I limitated that possibilty because the other programmer here deleted his X3 before installing X4 and he has the same issues as me.

It doesn't seem to matter what order I fill in the fields in the contour operation. It just wont hold the Depth Cuts and Multi pass. Also I have gone to 4 different computers in the shop and it does the same. Were using X4 MU3. We have 2 programmers running Mastercam all day. We have Mastercam loaded on computers on the shop floor for back plotting, verifying and simple programming for the operators. For a check I simply drew a straight line on the screen. Did a contour of the line. Started at the top of the operation field and started inputing data. From top to bottom. Starting with selecting a endmill and working my way down. I just went and played around filling in the fields in a different order. It makes no difference. We use comp in machine and comp in control changing those made no difference. Its not the file because this has been going on since I converted to x4 and work on multiple files a day. Also I started with a new file it only being one straight line on 4 computers here as a test. Wanted to verify that its just not my computer. Bottom line is it won't hold the values in Depths Cut or Multi pass without selecting the blue apply button. Contour or Pocket operations.

Just did a fresh download of MU3 and installed it. Its still acting up and not holding values as before. We have 4 computers all doing the same here. Not holding Depth Cut or Multi pass without hitting apply button. When I installed the MU3 patch it does have two selections to choose from. #1 the default which i choose is Repair "Reinsatll all program features installed by the previous setup" #2 Remove "Remove all installed features" like I said I choose #1 Repair the default.

ok I just did a pocket operation to refresh me on which values fields will hold or not hold. It seems all fields hold but for one and that once again is the Depths Cuts fields. Hitting the enter key or tabbing thru the fields will not make them stick. Only hitting the blue apply button. Once you leave that field screen it defaults back to the the orginal values. I am beginning to wonder if I should download the MU3 patch again and reinstall.

Hi Jim I am using X4 MU3 mill level 3. I loaded X4 MU2 then 1 day later MU3 came out which I then updated to MU3. Yes your validation explention makes sense and I agree that is how it should work. But it is not working on my Depth of cut fields or Multi Passing fields when doing contours. I think drilling fields work fine. I cant recall if pocketing fields work. I would have to do some testing. This software makes me so nervous I am constantly going back and double checking to see if my values stuck. Another issue is occasional my coolant selection field is grayed out and I can not change it. I cant find a pattern as to when it happens. But if I close the operation then reopen it will no longer be grayed out. Thus allowing me to make a change if necessary. Not as big of deal as the above problem but annoying. Usally the coolant type needed is saved with the tool. But a couple times a day I find myself needing to change it.

Horsepowered we seem to be having different results. Mine will hold the .010 stock to leave from operation to operation and I never hit apply button on the Cut Parameters page. Like I said it is the Depth of Cut and Multi Pass values that will not hold even in one operation with out hitting blue Apply button. By the way I am refering to a Contour Operation.

So is their only 4 of us having issues with using the apply button? It seems I have to use apply button to hold my values on depths of cuts and multi passing, but nothing else. This has been a pain in the xxxx to keep remembering to use apply only on these 2. I find myself wasteing time going back and looking to see if my value stuck. Meaning did I hit apply and did it hold my value. Is their only a few of us having issues or is everyone. Is it mastercam causing this or is it windows? Are we all only having issues with mastercam holding the values for depth of cut and multi passing or are others having issues with other fields? What is the cure? Have not been very impressed with X4. Issues such as above and other issues. But the speed in which it runs is disapointing. The speed to open and modify operations is terrible. In the 3-4 weeks I have used it I feel I am a slower programmer.

Humm thanks Joe it does seem to work by hitting apply. Having to do that seems ridicolous I must say.Is everyone out their having to do that or just a few of us? Any idea why the coolant button is grayed out half the time?

Ok I switched from X3 to X4 about 3 weeks ago and have 2 issues. One very bad the other annoying. The annoying issue is approx half the time the coolant selection button is greyed out. I can not change it from what the tool was saved at in the library. If I finish the operation close it then reopen it to do a modification it then is no longer greyed out and allows me to make a coolant selection changed. Ok now the bad issue that is about to make me switch back to X3. Seems to be happening about 75 % of the time and I can't pin point when or why it will happen. When I am filling in defination fields for contours or pocketing operations and leave the field for inputing Depth Cuts or Multi passing it defaults back to values that I never input. Any example is if I want to step down .100 cuts then have a .010 finish pass I input that continue down the tree to input other info then if I return to look at the depth of cuts it will change to something like .500 deep cuts and a .05 finish pass. The only way I can get it to hold my values is to fill in the depth of cuts very last and accept the operation by clicking the green check. Shouldn't have to do that. The major issue is when I want to use depth of cut and Multi pass in the same operation. I can't close and accept the operation with both these fields open. So why isn't this holding my depth of cuts and Multi pass values? I have imported and updated my X3 tool library twice now into X4 to assure that was not the issue Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Or even simplier then moving to other levels is to use the Blank "hide" function ALT E is the key board short cut. I think alot of people for get that one. It is handy for me. Use it all the time. Obviously if your doing a File Screen print it will only print what you have zoomed up into view on your monitor. in ver 9 File hard copy is no different then File screen print in MCX.

Your correct you would not comp a flat tip. But not all boring bars are flat tip. More importantly some may want to use the break thru amount particular those who program in solids or 3D wire frame. I myself don't at this time. But have found in the new MCX4 that the Tip Comp selection is easier to over look becasue it is no longer on the same page as the depth linking parameters. Perhaps in time I will get a new rythem or habit. I guess the bottom line is do others have the same boring bar Tip Comp issue as me? It's been around since MCX was released. Figured it would be fixed by now. Thanks for submitting it. I have no clue what it takes to submit issues. Thanks Again

Gcode so evidently you also can not use Tip Comp on a boring bar also?

MCX3 and MCX4 work the same and I dont like it. On a boring bar if you leave the Tip Comp on the .nc code will be going hundreds of inches deep. Rather then 1.600 that I wanted. This appears to be related to the tool tip geometry of a boring bar. Some how it throws mastercam off. Does any one have a solution to this. I mean gee if you leave the Tip Comp on it should only go thru the break thru amount. I have learned for quite some time to not use Tip Comp on a boring bar becasue of this issue. But this new tree design in MCX4 is not user friendly to this. Meaning I do not like where they have put the Tip Comp page. I prefered it on the linking parameter page. I find it to easy to miss now. Which also reminds me I would like the option to customize the left hand tree in a user friendly order. The tree that includes Tool, Holder, Cut parameters , Coolant etc. Oh by the way Tip Comp works fine with all my drills on a drill cycle. It's boring bars that go crazy. Never have been able to use Tip Comp and if you forget to have it off. CRASH TIME I hope I am not he only one with this issue. Thanks

I guess the correct term is containment boundry if that helps clarify my problem.

I am doing some surface finishing. Using surface finish scallp and surface finish contours. I have a boundry box near the center of my surfaces. I want the toolpath to machine on the outside of the boundry box. But it wants to machine on the inside of the boundry box. I am not seeing a setting inorder to machine the outside. I have tried changing the chaining direction and have tried using 2 boundry boxes, in hopes it would machine between the 2 boxes. What am I over seeing? Any help would be appreciated. I am using Mill X3

Thanks John in another words I appear to be sh#@ out of luck. Hey wait one second the J key allows me to change text and the T allows height. Humm can I get use to that. YUCK

Ok I am old school. In pervious versions of mastercam when creating notes I would hit the T key to change my Text. I would hit the H key to change my Height. What did they do to me in MCX3? I hit the T key and it changes height. Just the opposite and hitting the H key does absolutly nothing. I'm not seeing a place to change these key assignments. Any help?

Suggestion to ponder on and maybe I am not the first to think this. How about Mastercam gives us programmers the ability to use colors in our Tool selection. “Or often called Tool library or Tool manager.” Yes I want to be able to assign drills red, milling cutters blue for example etc etc etc. The ability to assign font a color and/or the entire field perhaps? After a 10 hour work day the black and white Tool manager starts to bleed together. LOL Takes a little longer to stare the tool list down and be sure I am selecting the correct tool. Sure the tool filter is nice but colors would add icing to the cake. Ok so whats your opinion would it be handy?

Ok thanks a bunch I see where to save to other version numbers now. Thanks Again

Humm am I overlooking something? In my Save As options their is nothing in the list that appears to save back to X2. I did a Save As using the MCX and X2 will not open that either.

Thanks Thad was not aware of the right click. Toolman184 how do you save from X3 to X2? I am not seeing a Save function for that.

My company recently had a few mastercam operators update to mx3. Sooner or later everyone here will. The file extension for MCX3 is the same as MCX2 and that would be ___.mcx but MCX2 users can not open up a file created in MCX3 without a invail file error. Is that correct their is no way to visually look at a file name and determine what mastercam release created it? If my MCX3 users want to save it back to MCX2 for those users what needs to be done? Thanks

Exactly, thank you.

At one time I read on here that their was somewhere withen Mastercam to set color defaults. Such as setting dimensions to always be red or points to always be yellow. Can someone guide me to where this is done?

Thanks John it worked and I got what I want. I had to do a face to face fillet. The edge fillet wouldn't work at this corner intersection. But boolean add did get what I wanted.