Hi, the corner smoothing option is for the "regular" surface finish scallop, not the HST scallop toolpath. You don't see that option for the HST version because that toolpath engine is supposed to produce that type of high-speed motion by default. HTH, Robert

Hi guys, just a reminder, in your Documentation folder there's the Post Parameter Reference PDF file -- there's pictures of all the MD and CD pages annotated with the specific post parameter or pre-defined variable set by each field. For example, you can go to the Tool page, and see that "Enable staged tool" sets bldnxtool$ in your post -- should be useful for questions like this. --Robert

Short answer, this is set in the Machine group properties > Tool settings tab. The default for new machine groups comes from your operation .DEFAULTS file. Edit the .DEFAULTS file either from Machine Group Properties > Files tab or from Control Def Mgr > Operation Defaults page. In the multimedia page on the mastercam web site you can look at the MD/CD videos or download the Working with MD/CD pdf, this question is specifically covered. HTH, Robert

Actually, the defaults for the machine group properties -- most of them, anyway -- are stored in your operation defaults file, like ROUTER_INCH.defaults. For example, to set a default stock model size/origin, go to Files page in Machine Group Properties, and go down to Operation Defaults and click the exclamation point button. You'll see all of your operation defaults listed, and at the top you'll see the machine group properties icons. Set the default stock parameters there. Save back to Router_inch.defaults, or whatever defaults file you're using, and that stock model will automatically be created whenever you start a new router machine group. The connection with machine def/control def is: in the control definition, Files page, you can select which operation defaults file to load when a new machine group is selected. If you just have one operation defaults file, all of your MDs/CDs can point to it, and it will get loaded no matter what machine you select. If you want to create different sets of defaults for different machines, use this page in CD to point to them. HTH, Robert

I just bought a book, "Fanuc CNC Custom Macros" sounds like it might be just what you need (Peter Smid : Industrial Press). Haven't gotten too deep into it yet, but seems decent enough. Good price from Amazon, especially for a good-size hardcover with a CD. --ROB

quote: I do not know if mill can use or will use the router machine defHi Chris, you're kind of looking at this from the wrong end. It is the machine def that determines which Mastercam product is running, so if you have a router machine def loaded, then you are running Mastercam Router, if you have a mill machine def loaded, then you are running Mastercam Mill, if you have one of each, then Mastercam switches depending on which machine group is "active" (has the red arrow in it). If you load a lathe or wire machine def in addition to a mill or router, the difference is probably easier to see. Is there some Mill feature that you need that you can't find in Router? --Robert

quote: I was wondering if their is a Reference PDF file for the post processor development like they had in version 9. I believe it was somewhere around 1100 pages. I am looking for one for X. Hi guys, it's not there yet, but we're working on it. The new material is in the Post Parameter Reference -- updated for MR1. Lists all the new parameters, MD/CD/machine groups, updatepost, and changes to MP, so if you have that and the V9 CD you should be in decent shape. We'll probably continue to update and release new material incrementally as part of maintenance releases, instead of waiting till the whole thing is "done." --Robert

quote: No matter what setting I change I cannot make the new HSS Scallop start from the outside and work inside. Hi, you're right, scallop motion in MR1 was inside-out. We're working on an enhancement for MR2 for outside-in cutting method. HTH, Robert

If you look in the TOC for the help system, there's a book called "Customizing Mastercam with C-Hooks and Net-Hooks." Right-click on it and select Print, you'll see an option to print all of the topics in the book, this is a quick and dirty way to accomplish the same thing. When you do this, it actually creates an HTML file in your Temp folder with all the topics in it, so if you're ambitious you can open this and tweak it. Or you can open topics that interest you and print those out individually. --ROB

Hi, that's all been moved to the regular help system. C-Hook dialog boxes should all have help buttons, you can find info on others in TOC or index. There's a help topic, "C-Hooks supplied with Mastercam," that lists about 60 or so. HTH, Robert

quote: Now in X, I think you can freely switch between inch and metric after you choose a MD. In the Properties you can choose different tool libraries, operation defaults files etc. If you set metric files, I think this should work real easy for you. I haven't played with this yet to try though. X works pretty much the same as 9 when it comes to inch/metric -- you've got your inch .config files, and your metric .config files, just load a different one to switch from inch/metric mode, if you've got geometry on the screen Mastercam prompts you if you want to scale it. If you've got a machine def already loaded, it's OK with that too, it's smart enough to handle it either set of units. --Robert

Hi, it's not the *equivalent* of the V9 post CD, just the first stage in updating it. We wanted to get as much info out there as quickly as possible, rather than waiting for the whole thing to be done, so it hits the key immediate X needs. It covers the key changes to MP for X, supporting MD/CD/machine groups, updating posts, etc. It's been updated and expanded for MR1, so check your documentation folder for the new version when you install that -- beyond that, updates will be released as they're completed. If there's info you're really hankering for, let me know and I'll try to prioritize it. HTH, Robert

Hi, if you want to assign work offsets to different views or planes, use the View Mgr -- on the status bar, click WCS, then View Mgr, you can assign offsets to views or make all the copies of views that you need and assign offsets to them (also change the origin too, if you want). Also, you can get separate Cplane and Tplane menus if you want. Click the "!" button on the status bar; right-click in the window which list the current options; select Insert panes; select Tplane and/or Cplane. HTH, Robert

One more thing, those of you who can't print out the GSG, can you print out any of the other PDFs? --Robert

Hi, actually, you are supposed to be able to print it out, we didn't disable printing, and we're trying to figure out why you can't (we CAN print it out here). What version of Acrobat are you guys using? --Robert, CNC Tech Docs

Hi, the Coolant dialog box is configured in your machine definition. You can define whatever types of coolant your machine supports or that you want to define, not just flood, mist, or thru-tool (or you can disable any of those options if they are NOT available on your machine). You can also turn them on/off individually, or have several on simultaneously. HTH, Robert

Hi, the only place where you'll see learning mode prompts is ribbon bars, not toolbars or dialog boxes. Also, you need to hold the mouse over an actual button or field, the learning mode text won't appear if you hold the mouse over an empty area of the ribbon bar. HTH, Robert

Hi, go to Tool Manager, open the library you want, right-click in the tools list for the library, select Import/Export, Compress. HTH, Robert

Hi, make sure the active machine definition has the proper functionality. For example, if you select Machine type, Lathe, 2-axis slant bed, the C-axis and Mill toolpath options won't appear because that machine can't cut them. Select Machine Type, Lathe, Lathe Multi-axis Mill-Turn Advanced and you get the whole ball of wax. Then you'll see separate sections in the Toolpaths menu for C-axis and Mill toolpaths. HTH, Robert

Hi, make sure the active machine definition has the proper functionality. For example, if you select Machine type, Lathe, 2-axis slant bed, the C-axis and Mill toolpath options won't appear because that machine can't cut them. Select Machine Type, Lathe, Lathe Multi-axis Mill-Turn Advanced and you get the whole ball of wax. Then you'll see separate sections in the Toolpaths menu for C-axis and Mill toolpaths. HTH, Robert

"Is that going to eventually come back?" 'fraid not -- that decision was mostly Windows-driven. All of those field definitions are still in the help system, though -- click the help button on a dialog, then click the "Field definitions" tab. We purposely separated it out like this so you could get to it as quickly and cleanly as possible, plus it let us provide definitions for new X features like the ribbon bars. Takes you only 3 mouse clicks instead of 2 in V9, but hopefully they'll wind up being more useful. HTH, Robert

"Unfortunately, the single key shortcuts C = center, M = midpoint, E = endpoint etc are gone..." ...but not forgotten. Go to Settings, Key mapping, select AutoCursor from Category list, and you can create shortcut keys to whatever selection modes you want. Go to Settings, Customize, and you can add them to the right-click menu. --Robert

"Since the machine and control are a unit, why two seperate files, .mmd and .control? " Just give you more flexibility in how to organize your work. You can store lots of control definitions in a single .control file -- each post/machine combination counts as a single control def -- so you can have mill control definitions for lots of posts in one .control file, or you can use the same post with different machines or control definitions, or you can organize different sets of defaults... you can get as detailed and involved as you need to, depending on how many machines and posts you need to support. IF you need to... updatepost intentionally keeps it really simple to get you started, and you can get fancier from there at your own pace. Highfeed - the "Default" button is where you can set which group of settings is the default. These get loaded when you first enter the highfeed function. Use "Get from library" to load something different than the defaults when you're already in highfeed machining. "default parameter button bring up nothing, and there is also nothing in "get from library". " Here's where it's a bit different from V9 -- V9 saved the machine dynamics settings, PLUS the stock/material settings, in .lib file. In X, the machine dynamics aren't in the .lib file, they're moved to the machine def, the .lib file just has the stock/material settings. There's nothing in the .lib file when you first start, because the stock/material settings are basically job & tool specific. Start out by creating some jobs and Saving to Library, then you'll see them when you select "Get from Library" and "Default Parameters." No matter what, though, it's still pulling the machine dynamics from machine def, not the .lib file -- that happens in the background, and you can't get at them here, you need to edit the machine def. Remember the earlier post about making job-specific overrides to your machine def? Well, this is a time where you might do that -- to change the highfeed machine dynamics for just the current job, edit the machine def from machine group properties in the toolpath manager. I know it sounds complicated to write it all out like this, but it actually makes sense once you get the hang of it. Now I know your next question will be, "How do I move my V9 .lib settings to X ??" Ummm.... good question, I should have researched that and put it in the Transition Guide. I'll put that on my list... --Robert

Sounds like you want to get to the Tool page in Control Definition Manager? Select Control Definition from Machine Type menu, open your .control file if necessary, make sure the proper post is showing in the Post processor field. Select Tool from list on left side of dialog box, should show you the settings you need for tool offsets, numbering, and default home positions. Go to Work System page for work offset options. HTH, Robert

"I ran the updatepost.dll with creation of machine def. and control def. and have .mmd and .control files as expected...... but no .gmd (also as expected?) How does .gmd get created, and interelate?" Hi, the gmd files are just groups of components that you can use and re-use to build machines -- axes, chucks, tool changers, and so on. Just like when you take apart your machine to service it and you've got parts lying around all over waiting to be bolted back together. Gmd file is just a shelf where you can store stuff. UpdatePost doesn't need to create a gmd, it just builds your default machine for you from the standard components in the gmd file that ships with X. The idea is to give you a standard set of common components so you can build machines quickly without having to define everything from zero. For example, there's axis components for both VMCs and HMCs, the difference is that the axis orientations are already properly set for each so you don't need to do it. Also, you can create and add your own components to a gmd file, then you can just drag them onto other machines -- maybe your rotary table, or your chucks, or aggregate tooling heads. You don't *need* to work this way, but if you need to support lots of machines, it can be a real time-saver. gcode's right-on about the MD. When you select a machine, Mastercam copies the machine & control definition into your part file, just like in V9 when you selected a tool, except now you've got the whole machine, not just the tool definition. Go through Toolpath Manager for job-specific overrides, go through Machine Type menu for permanent changes. CD works the same way. The other *subtle* difference is that, when you make edits through the Toolpath Manager, they affect just the current machine group -- so if you've got Machine Group 1 and Machine Group 2, and you edit the machine or control definition in Machine Group 1, it won't affect Machine Group 2. HTH, Robert