Perhaps something can be worked out where he understands he can't solicit or mention the two products he sells? Maybe some of his frustration is understandable? He seems like a very nice person to me.

quote: For containment boundaries, it uses SW's selection methods, such as edges, loops, & sketch geometry, including using the nice 'Select Tangency' feature. Are there plans to include the kind of selection functionality that SolidWorks has in stand alone Mastercam any time soon? quote: No on all counts - not until standard Mastercam does. I hope a change is coming on this soon. Mastercam X3 has been a huge disappointment to me. quote: Now don't make me regret providing some information to you... Seems like you have predetermined this to be the case already. [ 10-21-2008, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

Mastercam In SolidWorks is being billed as having: "Expanded support for cutting STL files" See: http://www.mastercam.com/CamZone/NewsZone/Article6.aspx My guess is that this is because SolidWorks uses Techsoft3D HOOPS. I would also guess the rest of solid cut part verification in Mastercam In SolidWorks will be better than stand alone Mastercam also because of SolidWorks use of Techsoft3D HOOPS.

quote: NeilJ.. you are asking questions about beta software.. Well keep in mind it's being featured / pushed on the CNC Software site. http://www.mastercam.com/CamZone/NewsZone/Article6.aspx As Mastercam In SolidWorks gets closer to release it would be nice if CNC Software made more details known about it. Obviously I'm very interested in knowing the answer to some of the questions I asked because I would like to see Mastercam be much more non-modal.

Time to get back on topic. Hopefully in the coming weeks these questions will get answered: Last I knew Mastercam in SolidWorks wasn't expected to have much 2 1/2 axis mill capabilities. Has this changed? How does the quality of Chaining in Mastercam In SolidWorks compare to stand alone Mastercam? Are Chains easier to see? Is the Tool Library user interface the same as stand alone Mastercam? Can you Regenerate a toolpath directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you Backplot or Verify directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you create Chains directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you modify or add Chains directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you create or modify WCS's without having to close a Machining Operations dialog box?

Make sure you give them your home phone number so whenever they need to reach you...

So do any of your students have a Mastercam or CAD question?

Hopefully we will see a new, quality Canadian CADCAM blog soon. I like the ones that have a little edge to them.

One of Canada's most respected blogs just published my comments on CAM systems running inside of SolidWorks: http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/200...g.html#comments

E-mailed you my blog link as per your request.

quote: Now this is not a really that big of a deal as I can reselect the STL, the point is a one of stability and that this is just one more thing that doesn't work the way it should on top of having to re-process the path. I just don't have these kind of issues with other software/s that I use, they are faster at processing, more stable, better work flow....I won't go on. Good. It belongs on a blog. A blog I'm looking forward to reading and telling others about if it's well done.

quote: Are you ready to come clean?Can anyone "come clean" in a moderated product forum? Some people pretend you can, just like they pretend that there are not serious problems in a cesspool like CNC Advertising Zone. I don't pretend anyone can "come clean" in a moderated product forum. That's not the purpose of this forum. I've got a blog for a reason. The main reason is to get improvements in the CADCAM industry that I feel are very badly needed. It's not a hard blog to find.

quote: The In-House crew I have a lot of respect for in particular Ed House and I am not attempting th tarnish that. In the End I guess I must Blog on! If your truly respect In House Solutions you will. I'm surprised that In House Solutions lets as much specific talk of other CAM systems go as they do. I think it's been stated that they don't want this to occur. I could be wrong but I think I understand this correctly. I try very hard not to mention specific CAM systems but rather *specific functionality*. This has served me well so far and I mean to stick by it.

quote: Point taken. Removed I was. Because I am now representing hyperMILL and HSMWorks. Note I am still a user of Mastercam as a contractor (not my seat, the companies that I do work for). Keith @ Solid Code Solutions -------------------- People for a Better CAM Why did you have to post this? You're ruining some posters "reality" of who you might have been. This could have gone on for weeks on end with the usual suspects piling on. Now start that blog before you get banned again!

quote: This is not an impartial forum. In House Solutions doesn't pretend to offer this. In addition, this forum is a heck of a lot better than say CNC Advertising Zone where all that really counts there is advertising revenue for the owner who pretends that his bogus discussion forums are something they aren’t. You want uncensored and unmoderated you have alt.machines.cnc on Usenet.

quote: in the past, I've seen my comments, taken out of context and used to discredit Mastercam elsewhere on the net.. In today's world that's bound to happen. I stopped caring about it and look for those who can think for themselves. It's a much smaller audience. Maybe it's really all about reaching people who are intelligent enough to see past those out of context quotes that you mentioned. Maybe it's finding an audience that is able to respect and relate to your Mastercam comments and let them stand on their own rather than for example being influenced by say your political posts in an off topic forum. IMO by keeping your opinions on Mastercam X3 between you and your VAR you lose the opportunity to have a more direct impact on CNC Software. A more direct impact on CNC Software is what seems to get CNC Software's attention. IOW, other programs having FBM is IMO why we now have FBM in Mastercam even if most posters to this forum seem to want the basics fixed first / other things besides FBM. You seem to have a lot of passion for politics. Perhaps some this passion could be channeled into finding ways besides telling your VAR what needs to be fixed in Mastercam so you can get the changes you feel are needed in Mastercam. [ 10-19-2008, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

quote: I too am disappointed in X3 but I won't air my complaints on public forum provided by a Mastercam reseller. Where does that leave those who wish to read your comments on Mastercam X3? IMO, the most effective thing a Mastercam user who is unhappy with Mastercam X3 and who wants change can do is start a blog, create You Tube videos documenting the problems, etc.

quote: Thanks for the Blog Idea...Do it. Do it today. quote: ... as I really don't want to to that on this forum out of respect for other users and In-House Solutions. In House Solutions current and past management (Dave Thomson) deserves this respect.

quote: You can get a 2D hyperMILL for SolidWorks for a price around that of a MasterCAM level 1. hyperMILL's 2D functionality is quite good and get even better in the 2009.1 release witch is supposed to arrive in the beginning of next year. I started the process of inquiring about it. Thanks for the heads up.

quote: Can you elaborate on modality? I did and was very specific in the Mastercam In SolidWorks thread I started.

quote: BTW I'm not knew to the forum at all. I've recently removed for my views. I've never trashed on Mastercam nor will I, I just think that putting the blinders on and ignoring all else promotes complacence and missing out on the next best thing. Start a blog and state what you feel needs to be stated about Mastercam. I know of one blog that now has close to 10,0000 hits. People searching on Google for info on Mastercam are reading this blog everyday. Post in the Enhancement section that e-Mastercam granted us and support the ideas for improvements in Mastercam that you like. Be honest and recognize / state that while newer products have some very good ideas and do some things very, very well they still don't have the vast array of tools that Mastercam has such as Change At Point, Edit Common Parameters, Transform Toolpath, etc. Finally, I've worked very hard to build a working relationship with our VAR and with others on this forum and not compromise my views on CADCAM. This is as important or perhaps more important than the product itself. I think a user would be very hard pressed to find this kind of support with these newer products. [ 10-19-2008, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

quote: have you looked at hyperMILL? No because the majority of my needs are for 2 1/2 axis mill and I don't know of any system that is far better than Mastercam at this time for 2 1/2 axis mill work. I do know of a system that runs inside of SolidWorks that is getting much closer to being decent and is far less modal than Mastercam currently is. For years this system was junk in my opinion. It is the modal properties of Mastercam that aggravate me the most. This CAM system, that runs inside of SolidWorks, has eliminated much of the modality. Given a choice I'd like to see stand alone Mastercam improve first when it comes to illuminating the modality I dislike so much but I'm guessing Mastercam In SolidWorks will be much better in this area first.

quote: If you are a SolidWorks user HSMWorks is a strong system that is not burdened with the same processing issues that have plagued Mastercam. Last I looked HSMWorks had no way to Transform toolpaths. HSMWorks also had no way to Edit Common Parameters. Both of these are powerful tools that are not something I'd be willing to give up for better processing. Others might feel differently.

quote: Don't you think CNC should get X working properly first. PFABC (People For A Better CAM), perhaps it's much easier to learn from your old mistakes rather than try to fix them? If all the current Mastercam user interface gets ported over to Mastercam In SolidWorks I won't see this as a good sign. It would be fair to say I'm very disappointed with X3 and I'm going to wait to upgrade from X2MR2 SP1. [ 10-18-2008, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]

Last I knew Mastercam in SolidWorks wasn't expected to have much 2 1/2 axis mill capabilities. Has this changed? How does the quality of Chaining in Mastercam In SolidWorks compare to stand alone Mastercam? Are Chains easier to see? Is the Tool Library user interface the same as stand alone Mastercam? Can you Regenerate a toolpath directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you Backplot or Verify directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you create Chains directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you modify or add Chains directly from a Machining Operations dialog box without having to close it? Can you create or modify WCS's without having to close a Machining Operations dialog box? [ 10-18-2008, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: NeilJ ]