Black. Anything else just hurts the eyes.

As a part designer (and CNC programmer) I ALWAYS put on my prints "CAD model is controlling document" This is how I have seen it the majority of the time in my 22 years doing this. How would you even begin to cut a core block for a mold or cavity block without the 3D file anyway? (unless it's super basic) Sure, you can redesign it. But again, unless it's super basic, you won't get very far very fast. Most parametric designers HATE changing the part model simply beacuse parametric modeling programs hate change unless it's also basic and simple. Thus the problems of un-updated part files. These "designers" give good designers a bad name. (like lazy @$$ cartoonists ) Bottom line is.... always check the print for the notes that say wether the print or the CAD file is the controlling document, and go by that.

Send what? If I do get a file that acts this way, as soon as I close it and re-open it, it will be fine. So if I save it to send to QC, they will be opening a file that is fine. I guess I could send them the process that I use and ask them to reproduce it? Has anyone else been able to reproduce it here? Has anyone tried?

Well, I tried the groups thing and that made no difference. Must be a bug?

I found some interesting things out here........ I have a file that I use for all my electrode programs that I call in as a "file merge/pattern" and overlay all my trodes. It is a setup sheet of sorts that I have been using for many years. If I call this file in as "file" "open" and select it, then all is normal. I can move forward with programming and such. If I call it in as "file merge/pattern" to overlay over my electrode, it corrupts the file and I can no longer do any programming with it until I re-start Mastercam. This is an MCX-5 file so it's not like I am calling in an older file or anything. Now, one could say, "well just call in the setup sheet first as "file" "open" and then merge the rest of your files (wireframe and surfaces) over the top of that." The problem with that is when I call in the setup sheet, I can resize it to fit perfectly over my wireframe and surface data by scaling and placing upon import in one easy step. Without knowing the size it needs to be, I would have to call in my sheet at standard size, call in my wire and surface data, then resize my sheet around my data. It's just another step I would have to do for EVERY electrode that I make. This must be a bug since I'm sure this is not how the software is supposed to react. Does anyone know if X6 still does this?

Gcode, I'll by that to a certain extent. But we would have to assume X3 since I skipped X4 and went straight to X5 when it came out. I did the recommended installation procedures so it went to a different spot than I normally put it and I never migrate my files over like my keyboard files and stuff. I'm not familiar with Mastercam's template file or how to modify/check/delete this file. Can you give me more info on this please?

why when I tell it to save as geometry, does it still not allow me to program that geometry until I restart Mastercam? And why is it asking me this question in the first place? Anyone have any ideas? (My sig is wrong. I am using X5. I thought I changed it but it didn't take hold apparently) (OK. now sig is correct)

Del, I do not use machine definitions as it were. (or at least I try to stay as far away from them as possible)Machine definitions and control definitions are for the 1% of Mastercam users who need them. What you are describing all makes sense but why when I tell it to save as geometry, does it not then allow me to program that geometry until I reboot? Have I mentioned how much I dislike machine and control definitions? Why can't we just go back to not having to deal with them. Put them on a switch for the few people who actually use them so that they can turn them on. (sigh)... the good ol days....

OK. I have clicked on the question mark and here is what I get.... "this warning dialog box appears when the following conditions are met: 1.) You are working in design mode. (I am not working in design mode) 2.) You create or open a machine definition from the Settings menu. (I did not do either of these) 3.) Close any open dialog boxes, and save the file. (Well, any dialog boxes that are opened when you import other file types into an existing one and then put a dimension on something.) So I only have ONE of the three conditions met and it still brings this problem up? So then I say to "Save Geometry only to Mastercam file". No problem right? WRONG! It saves just fine to an MCX-5 file and everything looks good....... until I go to program anything. It does not allow me to select any geometry for programming. It takes me through the steps as if it is going to let me chain or select something, but it will highlight it without doing anything more with it. I then have to exit out of Mastercam, restart Mastercam, call up that SAME file, and then I can program like nothing was wrong in the first place.

No I have not done that. I will do that next time.

I have been getting this error message intermittently for some time now. Maybe it is something I am doing but I dont think so. I often bring in my geometry to Mastercam from my design software in both iges for wireframe and step for surfaces or sheet bodies. Then I save as a new name in my jobs folder. Then I import an MCX file template for my detail sheet and save again. Sometimes I will get this message........ I guess you cant read it but it says "A machine definition has been found in the Mastercam database. You can either save the database to a machine definition file or save the geometry to the format of your choice" Then it gives me two options Save geometry only to mastercam file Save database to a machine definition file What did I do to make it give me these choices? Normally it does not do this, but like I said, every once in a while it does. If I exit out of Mastercam (and lose my last file import) and restart, and call up this same file and re-import my last file (exactly like before) it will always save without issue. Why do I have to do this twice sometimes? If I choose not to save at this point but try to program something it will not ask me for an NC name and it will not allow me to program anything. It wont give me any error messages but it just wont go through the process of selecting any geometry. It is random and I can not duplicate it so I don't have anything I can send in to anybody. Jason HP Compaq Mobile Workstation Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2 GHz 4 gig ram, XP Pro SP3 NVIDIA Quadro FX 1600M 512meg Mastercam X5 (14.0.4.33)

Solids ARE supported by iges. They are called IGES Manifold Solid B-rep Objects. (IGES Type 186) I use this all the time. The problem is that Mastercam will not read this in as a solid. (even though my design software will) However, This does bring in surfaces BEAUTIFULLY! If I try to bring in IGES surfaces type 144 or type 143 (parametric trimmed surfaces and bounded surface entities respectfully) it will some times result in what you are describing above with gaps changing tolerance and such. I have used the type 186 method for years without ever having an issue and this is how I bring in everything that I machine.

In my humble opinion...... Operation 15 should be a RULED wireframe toolpath and 17 should be a 2D SWEPT. All your worries would go away at that point. As for keeping the surfacing toolpaths, The other guys are correct with increasing your gap size but just watch closely for gouges when you do that.

quote: I like it because it only copies the geomerty and not the ops manager or the toolbars. [big Grin] Jim, Mastercam should not be copying the operation manager or the toolbars. Are you using the printscreen command INSIDE Mastercam? Go to top of screen and click on SCREEN then click on COPY IMAGE TO CLIPBOARD (way down on the bottom) then hit escape to include everything on the screen. This automatically excludes the operation manager and the toolbars and only includes what is in the screen window. Then open Paint or whatever you are using and hit Paste. Should work good. I have, at times received the same error message that Rickster is getting now, quote: error getting the clipboard data' 'there is not enough memory resources to complete operation, close some programs and try it again, The only way I have been able to overcome this is by rebooting and that has always solved it for me.

No sweat. Have a great day.

Dave, quote: Hi Jason, don't get me wrong, I am not trying to argue here. No problem. Not taking it that way. quote: I am assuming the only reason a person would want to save SW 2010 file to open it in 2009 would be that someone sent them a latter file than they can open. What I was thinking was..... Say you've been working on a project for about a week or so. (Big design) Then a new release of software comes out that you really want to start working with. So you open your file in the new software and start working on it. But you eventually find out that certain features aren't working as they should or have found certain bug(s) that are prohibiting your progress. With the ability to save back a version you would just save your file, exit, open the older version and get back to work. If you have a week or so into the design, you would more than likely have many levels with geometry on them and would have to export all that geometry and reimport to be able to use it, rather than just "save as" and be done if you didn't have this option. Now, there are ways around this altogether and that is to save another file "just in case" you need to go back but this raises all kinds of concerns when having two files of something where there should only be one, plus the fact that most of my files are absolutely huge to begin with so having multiple ones is most undesirable. Plus the fact that if you had done anything since starting to work in the newer version, that would all be for not if you just went back to the original "just in case" file. quote: I would also assume that a dumb solid would not do that person any good unless they are using for something other than design in SW. My software is non-parametric (Thank goodness) so I don't worry about history trees or anything like that. So you can see where this kind of functionality (save as old version)would be really appealing. Now if Mastercam could only allow the toolpaths to go backwards (At least the ones that could go backwards) I would be in business. I am forced to remain at Version X3 even though I have X4 here at my disposal since one of my bigger customers has X3 and did not choose the maintanence and so therefore cannot upgrade. I program parts for them but then they take that file and will sometimes make changes to it and therefore need the ability to have the operations at there disposal.

quote: Maybe I am missing something here Jason. As other's mentioned, in SW you can save the file as a format you mentioned and then open it in an older version, however, you are going to get a dumb Solid No You didn't miss anything. I apologize for confusing you. My point was merely to agree with the others who want to be able to just save geometry to an older version of there software. I know Mastercam does this with there geometry but not there toolpaths. And yes, it will be a "dumb" solid but for all those of us who deal in non parametrics wouldn't mind.

quote: However, the algorithms to define Solids are software specific and if they don’ exist in the prior release the system does not have the brains to understand the new files. The way I understand it... (And I aint no expert, believe me) Most software companies have there algorithms set and proprietary to there software. This does not change with new releases. (Unless they are rebuilding there architecture which happens from time to time) So once a solid is designed, it is just that, a solid. But if you want to read it into an older version of software (or other software) you must "convert" it into a universal language that can be read between multiple software platforms. (ie, iges, step, parasolid, etc.) Mastercam allows you to save it to an older format which is just another way of utilizing this method but only with a file type that is proprietary to Mastercam. I think the other design software packages should take a lesson from this and do the same. (maybe some do?)

quote: Its not any different than Mastercam toolpaths While this is true, we aren't talking about toolpaths. )(I don't think) We are talking about geometry, which Mastercam can do. Why can't others?

Well unfortunately it's not a complete one click solution....... When you are in the command of trimming one entity and you pick the wrong one, you go up to click the desired icon again and it actually unselects it. Now if you are in the icon of trimming one entity then it still works because it defaults back to trim one entity, but if you are in trim to position and reclick the icon, as Joe stated above, it turns that icon off and reverts back to trim one entity. You need to unclick and reclick, just as Calnet suggested above (just not having to do it to a different trimming function) But it isn't always that simple either because if you aren't fast enough, then when you go up to the toolbar with your curser, the "hint" bar comes up and you now have to...... 1.) Click once to turn off tooltips 2.) Click once on trim position (or anyother icon you are using that isn't trim single) 3.) Re- click the icon you are using. So basically, if you select the wrong entity, you are more than likely going to need to click 3 more times to fix your mistake?

Kyle an Colin, Unfortunately that's not how X3 handles it. I just tried that here and it gave me an error message trying to unselect it by re clicking on that entity. It thinks I want to trim it to itself and errors out telling me that the selected entities do not intersect.

Thank you very much. I love one click solutions. I will try that as soon as I have the chance. Have a great day. - Jason

I'm not chaining anything so I don't have a chaining window open. (not creating a toolpath which is where that red circle is located.) So there is no red circle with a line through it here. I am selecting to trim an entity by clicking on the trim icon and then selecting the necessary selection of trimming one, both, etc. When I select to trim one entity and then go to select the entity and I inadvertently pick the wrong one I can not unselect that entity. I must hit escape and that brings me all the way back to the beginning and I need to restart the command all over again.

Yes, my modeling is also done 99% in a design software and then brought in to Mcam. Escape brings you completely out of the command rather than just backing up one step. I was hoping there was some way to just back up the one step in the trimming command.

Can someone please tell me if there is an unselect button that I can use when I am trimming stuff and I select the wrong line first and want to "unselect" it and select the correct one? Thanks much. I have run into this on several occasions and always seem to have to escape out and go back into the command from the start.