>> Is there a way to default the Before,with,after to a specific setting? You should be able to do that -- the key is making sure that your .mcam-defaults file uses the actual machine definition that you want to use for your parts, not the generic machine definition. The attached PDF should give you some more info. Regards, Robert working-with-coolant.pdf

Hi, in practice you do not actually need to worry about inch/metric machine definitions -- you can switch between inch/metric config files (and program either inch or metric parts) no matter which units the machine def was created in. The only reason we create both versions for our standard posts is because if you are working off an inch config file with a metric machine def, every time you open the machine def in Machine Def Mgr, Mastercam prompts you if you want to switch your units, which is confusing to lots of people, because they think Mastercam is converting their part. So if you almost always work with one set of units, you may as well use that machine def. No matter which config file you are using, when you post, Mastercam uses the machine def that is loaded in the active machine group.

Hi, Index G220 has been released for the Mill-Turn product -- your Reseller should be able to set you up if you're interested.

Oops! I'm in the Tech Docs dept here at CNC, that's a broken link in our help file so we will definitely fix that. Thank you for catching that. Regards, Robert

Hi, I'm trying to recall but I think the problem might be nesting opinfo inside rparsngl. There are a bunch of examples in documentation where this is a two-step process, like this: gauge_length : 0 # Station body length gauge_length_old : 0 # Value from previous operation lstation_old : 0 # Value from previous operation p_get_my_parameter # Any postblock where you need the value sparameter$ = opinfo(20008, 0) gauge_length = rparsngl(sparameter$, 9) sparameter$ = opinfo(20008, –1) gauge_length_old = rparsngl(sparameter$, 9) sparameter$ = opinfo(1016, –1) lstation_old = rparsngl(sparameter$, 14) It's possible I missed fixing one of the code samples (documenting that stuff was a real bear...). Try that and let me know if that works out. Regards, Robert

>> I would have sworn I had checked there and hadn't seen the grave accent included That's because, embarrassingly, there is a copy-and-paste error on that page that I just fixed. See attached pages... >> Just another sign of me slowly losing my mind. You and me both, I guess. output-modifiers.pdf

Hi, this is covered in some detail in the "What's' New for 2018" posts doc. You can download latest version from the Mastercam forum: http://forum.mastercam.com/Topic17308.aspx Regards, Robert Bernobich CNC Software

>> So if our custom drill cycle posts already support Top/Top and Front/Top and all of the Renishaw probe cycles since before probing was an option, do we still need to upgrade to 2018 to show off? Not that I know anything about probing -- that part came straight from our applications guys -- but I don't think that's anything new for 2018, it's been that way. Except for the section about the new XML post text, nothing in that MD/CD App Guide is really new, it applies to any recent version of Mastercam since X3 or so. --Robert

>> I've seen some variables that aren't declared in the PST Script, do not appear in the "pre-defined" variable lists, yet if you put a Watch on them, you can see that they are updated by MP during processing. Can you give an example? --ROB

>> Is the plethora of generic posts going to be available? Beginning with 2018 TP3 the only MD/CD/post included in the install will be a single generic default Fanuc-based post for each product. Everything else will be on the standalone post install. Eventually the idea is to move the posts to the Tech Exchange area on our website, but until that happens everything is in the standalone post install. I think the intent here is to streamline and simplify the install -- why install a zillion MD/CD/Posts on your system for machines that you will never use? -- and consolidate stuff in one place so you don't have to wonder if a post is installed with Mastercam, on the post install, or where. The post install is on our extranet for Resellers, a 2018 version is already up there. --Robert

>> Will current posts continue to work? If you're talking about the new XML post text, yes, Mastercam will automatically convert the post text section (Migration tool, UpdatePost, and CD Compare will all do it). --Robert

Hi all, we've released two new docs that people on this forum might be interested in: 1) First is a preliminary "What's New for Posts" doc for the TP3 release of Mastercam 2018. This will get you up-to-speed on the new XML post text, but also covers a number of other smaller changes. This is available from our Beta forum on the Mastercam website: http://forum.mastercam.com/Forum25.aspx 2) Second is a completely new "Working with machine and control definitions" application guide. This should be of interest to any Mastercam power user, or anyone who needs to support other Mastercam users. This is available from our knowledgebase, so any registered Mastercam user can get it: http://kb.mastercam.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50407.aspx Some of the things you'll learn so you can show off to your friends: Any Mastercam power user knows that there are two ways to define and program HMCs. But *real* power users know that only one way is supported by probing... Any Mastercam power user knows that if Mastercam doesn't find MD or CD in the proper place, it will look in other common locations for them. But *real* power users know the complete list and the order in which they're searched. Any power user knows that coolant selections in your operation defaults can be hit-or-miss depending on your active machine definition. But *real* power users know how to precisely point their operation defaults files to a specific machine definition so you can confidently save default coolant settings. As a bonus, you can learn how to do the same with tool definitions. Be the first on your block to use new XML post text for custom drill cycle bitmaps! Of course, if there is anything you think should be included that isn't, please feel free to suggest. A lot of this content is stuff that's come in from our tech support folks over the years, so no doubt you folks will have lots more ideas. --Robert Bernobich Posts Technical Writer, CNC Software

The attached image tells you which parameters are available from that page. Regards, Robert

Hi, that setting is not available in either NCI or operation parameters. See attached pic. I know it has been requested for future release, though. Regards, Robert Robert Bernobich | Posts Technical Writer CNC Software, Inc. | 671 Old Post Road | Tolland, CT 06084 | USA Phone: 860.875.5006 | Fax: 860.872.1565 | www.mastercam.com

Hi, shoot me an email or IM, I can send you a doc about that. Regards, Robert Robert Bernobich | Posts Technical Writer CNC Software, Inc. | 671 Old Post Road | Tolland, CT 06084 | USA Phone: 860.875.5006 | Fax: 860.872.1565 | www.mastercam.com

I had what I think is this exact same issue -- my system has both a graphics card and onboard graphics, and issue was my system trying to switch back and forth. apparently it does this to save battery life/power usage. I went into my video card settings and forced it to use the card for 3D graphics, worked like a charm. HTH

not quite, you still need to edit PST in text editor in a separate window; save changes; then repost to see effect of changes. So please do back up your original post. But you can keep the same debugger session open while you make and save edits to your post, so it is easier to see effects of changes, plus it will do things like maintain breakpoints and such.

"they only needed 72 pages in a PDF file to explain it" that's why I created a quick-ref page at the front :-) If you're new to debugger, there is a short video on our website. I did it a long time ago, but it should mostly still be good. http://www.mastercam.com/Multimedia/TutorialVideos/Default.aspx

"The rev notes make no mention of an Inspection report tweak " Hi, the X4 NCI Reference explains how to modify your post to support this feature, there's a whole section on it. This should have been installed with Mastercam, but shoot me an email if you don't have it, I can send you the pages. --Robert

The Arc page in control def sets the value of arccheck$. The message is telling you that your post is trying to set a different value. The CD options will blow away the value in your post, so Mastercam is warning you. Go to the Arc page in your CD and make sure the options are set correctly. HTH, Robert

"I have not been able to find a way to activate this button. as it is not available" That button is only available when Mastercam can't find the post specified in the control def. For example, if someone gives you a part but you don't have the post that they used. If Mastercam can't find a matching post, the button will be active so you can select something else.

That's what it's designed to do. Every time you create a new control definition with the same post, it will add a new post text section at the end for the new control def. Only thing you need to remember is, when you create Control Def #2, the post text in the new section will be defaults, it won't automatically use the post text from the first control def -- you can right-click in the Text window and import the post text from the other control def section if you want.

I'm actually in the office today, just hoping no one would notice -- that's what I get for opening my big mouth on the forum...

I *think* that's the video I did that went out with our reseller newsletter (Sept 2008)? send me an email and I'll send you a link or something. --Robert

In your last code sample, your ptool-insp postblock declaration used a hyphen, but when you call it from plinout, you're using an underscore. ptool-insp vs ptool_insp