You can absolutely set up your MD to do this. 1. Select Machine Definition Mgr from the Settings menu, to work on the master copy. 2. From the MDM toolbar, select the Control Def icon. 3. Click the "Add post" button and select the post you want to add. 4. Back in Control Def main page, select the new post from the drop list. It should be listed with a + icon next to it, instead of a green check mark. 5. Click the Save button in Control Def Mgr toolbar. The + changes to a green check mark. This tells you that the post is good to go. When you go back to Machine Def Mgr, you will be able to select it. 6. Wait, there's more!! When you added the new post, it used your control def default settings. If you want to use the same CD settings as your other post, right-click on a CD page and Import them (or make changes manually). 7. Same deal with Post text, your new CD has default post text. Go to Post Text page, right-click, and Import. 8. Save the control def again, return to Machine Def Mgr and save that also. 9. In the part files where you want to be able to select the new post, go to Files Tab in Machine Group Properties and Replace the MD with the new copy.

Hi, open the NCI & Parameter Reference manual. Right on the first page near the top ("What's new in X4") there's a link to sections about lathe tool inspection. This is about the lathe tool inspection feature, but it works similar to mill except that you don't get the 29999 comment that is output for lathe. It should get you started.

Hi, canned text is done through the control definition. If you've already got a machine def and control def set up for the post, go to the Control Definition Manager > Text > Canned Text page to create/edit canned text. --Robert

"So after running Updatepost, I should update the parameter(s) in question?" yup. UpdatePost can tell you if a parameter number is no longer valid, but it won't try and guess what you're trying to do with it. 17044 was the minimum axis limit for degrees/minute -- maybe you want to replace that with 17060? But you need to decide that, not UpdatePost. The NCI/Parameter Ref has pictures of all the machine def dialogs with the parameter numbers noted for each field, just look at the picture and see where that value is coming from and it will tell you what parameter number to use. The only actual numbers it checks are the ones in the fprm table though -- the other message you received is telling you to look at any numbers you might be referencing in pparamater or pwrttparm and look those up. Any machine def parameters or stock parameters in particular you want to validate manually because there was a lot of change in X3 with machine def. "What is weird, is that after running Updatepost, and then trying to run the updated post, X4 tells me the post is for a previous version, and needs to be run through Updatepost..." Offhand it sounds like your machine/control def isn't pointing to your updated post? Open a part that you think should be using your updated post, go to Toolpath Manager, and go to Machine Group > Properties > Files. It lists the complete path of the post, make sure this is pointing to your updated post. Also, if there is a pst file in the same folder as your part, Mastercam automatically uses that. Make sure there isn't an old pst file in there with the same name. We gave the resellers a troubleshooting guide for updating posts, you might ask your reseller for a copy, or send me an email. "We have 14 post processors here, that will require updating, and I'm not looking forward to it " Get the first one right, the others will go pretty quickly, I'm sure. --Robert

Mick, the error log is telling you that your post is using parameter number 17044, but that number has been changed. In this case, that particular parameter was taken out in X3 and is no longer output. If your post is relying on that number, then it's not going to work correctly. All the changed parameters are documented in the NCI & Parameter Reference, you should look up that value and remove/replace it in your post. You should read the What's New doc, it talks about the new parameter validation routines in UpdatePost. HTH, Robert

"If there is only ONE header, and it is named "[CTRL_MILL|DEFAULT]", will that info ALWAYS be used?" The header name has two parts : the first is the machine type ("CTRL_MILL" -- mill, lathe, router, etc), the second part is the name of the .control file. In addition, there is a set of default post text settings, which is what you've got here -- the default settings for a mill. So the guy who's got "[CTRL_MILL|YCM 4X MILL]" in his post probably has at least two headers, one for CTRL_MILL|YCM 4X MILL and one for CTRL_MILL|DEFAULT. Usually, most folks just use one one post with one machine def with one control def, but if you want to get more slick, you can -- for example, maybe you've got a bridgeport vmc 760 and a vmc 1000 in your shop, and you want to use the same post for both, this way you can tweak the settings for each in a single post. In this case, you'll just see multiple text sections at the end of the post, each with its own header. That's why the header name is set up this way. When you select the machine definition from the Machine Type menu, Mastercam picks up the control def and post from it. If there are multiple text sections in the post, Mastercam looks at the different headers and just picks out the right one to read, and ignores the others. The settings in DEFAULT are only used when you create a new control definition, you can't actually post with "Default"

Hi, couple of comments -- First, copying and pasting code from another post is almost guaranteed not to work -- the "header" (in this case, "[CTRL_MILL|YCM 4X MILL]") at the beginning of the section is keyed to the name of the control definition, so unless it matches what's in your part file Mastercam won't even look at it. Instead of Settings > Control Definition Manager, try Settings > Machine Definition Manager. Then select the Control Definition Manager button on the MDM toolbar, and make the changes to your text pages. Then when you close everything out and save it, Mastercam will ask you if you want to replace the machine definition in your machine group. Click Yes and you should see your changes. It's this part about "replacing" the machine and control def that you might be missing. I can explain why it works that way, but that would be another post... Second, make sure that your part is using the control definition and post that you think it's using. In the Toolpath Manager, click the Machine Group > Properties > Files icon and it will list exactly which files and path are being referenced by your part. Third, if you're using X2, go to the Documentation folder and open the file McamX2_Post_Parameter_Ref.pdf (if that's not the *exact* file name, it's pretty close...). There is an extensive "What's New" section that covers all the post changes from V9 to X2. HTH, Robert

FYI, this is what we just sent out in a bulletin to resellers: Problem with rd_params$ function Using the rd_params$ function too early in your post will result in an error message. For example, you cannot use this function in the pprep$ postblock. The problem is that the rd_params$ function relies on the rd_prm_op_no$ variable to know what operation to read the parameters from, but this variable might not yet been set when rd_params$ is called. If you’re not sure whether you are using rd_params$ in an invalid postblock, just run the post in the debugger and verify that rd_prm_op_no$ has acquired a non-zero value before calling rd_params$. The following line shows an example of the error message that will be created when you use rd_params$ in an invalid location: code: 08 Jun 2009 01:09:20 PM - <2> - PARAMETER DATA - - Possibly incorrect parameter number detected: 0 In general, no matter where you use the rd_params$ function, you need to make sure that rd_prm_op_no$ is properly set. It is set to 0 by default. Typically, it is a good practice to set it right before the function is called. Setting it equal to op_id$ is a useful technique to get the parameters for the current operation: code: pdo_something$ #sample postblock if op_id$ <> last_op_id, [ rd_prm_op_no$ = op_id$ rd_params$ # Read parameters - pparameter pdo_something_else ] To learn more about this function, see page 30 (“Reading operation parameters from any postblock”) in the NCI & Parameter Reference. This is available in your Mastercam installation: documentationMcamX4_NCI_Parameter_Ref.pdf. (With apologies to Glen Bouman, who caught my embarassing typos in the original article...)

Hi, ask your reseller for the "MP Reference" CD. --Robert

peon -- "It appears the CD is not changing the parameters into the post." CD isn't supposed to change the post or update the post -- the idea is that you set them in the control def INSTEAD of initializing them in your post. You're setting the same variable twice to different values, once in CD and once in the PST, so that's why Mastercam is calling it to your attention. HTH, Robert

Tony35 -- "it told me that a possible parameter number detected 17044 please check number ok looked it up in the ref book told me nothing to help me or what to change it to" According to the post ref, that parameter was removed in X3, so it's no longer being output, in either X3 or X4. The logic for UpdatePost to look at possible parameter problems is a new feature for X4. HTH, Robert

Hi, when the "Automatically calculate HST defaults" config option is selected, Mastercam re-calculates HST settings everytime you select a different tool. Not quite all the settings, but many of them that are derived from the tool, like stepover distances and such. So if you've got settings saved to your default file, Mastercam will overwrite them as soon as you select a tool. There's actually a video about this right in the Help system, "Working with HST defaults." Click the Help button on the Tool page. HTH, Robert

Here you go. Scroll down to the "Featured video" on the bottom. There's audio, too, so turn on the sound card. http://www.mastercam.com/Support/Multimedia/Default.aspx --Robert

FWIW, there's a document installed with X3, MCAMX3_WhatsNew_in_Posts.pdf that introduces the debugger and other related changes. There's also a video tutorial that ought to be posted soon on our public mastercam web site, not the extranet, that should help you get started. HTH, Robert

Ah, I spoke too soon. I tried changing some of the other parameters also, and now I see the problem you're having. I agree, looks like a bug. I'll log it myself right now. --Robert

FWIW, I just tried saving a default material and it worked fine. On the Files tab in machine group properties, is it pointing to the correct defaults file? * If the .defaults file on the Files tab is the right one, you can edit the .defaults file right from there and not bother with the control def. * If the Files tab is showing a different .defaults file than you expect, you need to select the right one in the Files page in Control Definition Manager. HTH, Robert

A quick correction to my earlier post from one of our gurus here -- Machines such as routers that have block drills will not work correctly when an imperial .rmd is used to program metric parts (and vice versa) due to tool dimensions such as diameter and drill spacing in the block drills not converting.

FWIW, just to clarify -- there's two ways to edit your .defaults file: One, click the "!" button in the Machine Group Properties > Files page. Two, use the Operation Defaults page in the Control Definition Manager. Both do exactly the same thing. Use whichever is most convenient for you. Your .defaults file also saves defaults for many machine group properties, like the tool numbering method. Coolant defaults are tricky, because you can create custom coolant options in your machine def. When you edit your defaults file, and click the Coolant button to set default coolant options, it shows you generic coolant options from the default MMD -- because you can use the same .defaults file with many different machines, Mastercam can't assume anything else. If the options in the .defaults file don't match the options that are available in the machine definition, you might not get the values you expect. HTH, Robert

"For Starters I noticed under machine types there is a MILL-4 AXIS VMC MM.MMD and also a MILL-4 AXIS VMC.MMD. Whats the difference?" OK, are you sure you want to know?? Under the hood, your MMD file is basically a Mastercam part file. Which means that it is "typed" as inch or metric, whatever you're using when you create it. For the most part, it doesn't matter, and you won't notice which units your MMD was created in... ...EXCEPT -- and bear with me here -- if you go to edit the MMD (Settings, Machine Definition Manager) and you were working in the "other" units. You'll get that dialog box asking if you want to change all your units. This is the same message you get when you're working in inch units and load a metric part -- when you go to edit the machine def, Mastercam thinks you're loading a metric part. Your real part in your MCX file is fine -- Mastercam switches back to the right units when you exit the machine def mgr -- but we just wanted to spare you from having to learn what I just typed. So you get two sets of machine defs -- people who mostly work in inches will use the inch ones, people who mostly work in metric will use the metric ones, and when you edit your MMD you won't get unnecessary confusing messages. The one important thing to remember is that you can program EITHER type of part with EITHER type of machine definition. If you select an inch machine def, change to metric config file, and program a metric part, Mastercam is totally cool with that, you don't have to switch to the metric machine def or do anything else. HTH, Robert

Hi guys, for the most part you're on the right track here except for one thing -- there is no local copy of the PST file stored with your MCX file. There is a local copy of the machine def and control def, but not the PST itself. So if you give your MCX file to someone in another shop, they don't need your MMD or CONTROL file on their workstation to run your job; but they DO need your PST file. 1. If you try to edit the post text or misc values while you are working on the local copy of the MD/CD, Mastercam won't let you. You have to load the master copy from the Settings menu. 2. If you do edit the post text or misc values from the master copy, and then load an older part, the new text/misc value labels are automatically available, because Mastercam always reads the PST file fresh. (I just tried it, to be sure.) HTH, Robert

quote: Since I'm an idiot...what is MT? That would be Mastercam MultiTasking. Ummm, I hope it's OK for me to say that... --Robert

Enjoy! --Robert http://users.adelphia.net/~bernobic/How_th...e_Mastercam.htm

Do you have it set in your machine def? Go to the machine definition, General Machine Parameters > Tool/material libraries tab. This overrides the config setting so you can specify a different tool library for each machine. Follow this guide: 1. Config settings is the default for new machine definitions. 2. The machine def setting is the default for new machine groups. 3. The machine group setting is the default for new toolpaths. HTH, Robert

Hi, if you use the new HST toolpaths there's another option you can try -- there's an option to add an extra offset to your tool containment boundary, this might work for you too. You can use it to offset the tool from the boundary in either direction, either cutting a bit past it, or not quite all the way to it. HTH, Robert

Hi guys, re: "you can open the Machine Definition Manager, open the Control Definition file and go down to the "Text" section and fill the strings of text in." Don't forget, you can just import them from either another X post, or an earlier TXT file. Go to the Misc vals page in the Text section, right-click in a cell, and choose Import. Save yourself some typing. --Robert