*Bump* This looks to be the best piece of software for the tool libraries yet. Tried it on my X4 library and appears to work. Like others, waiting for an excel, or database or xml style library for Mastercam. Mike in MN

I used to draw everything in MasterCam because I had to. Now we get STEP or X_T file for everything from many different CADs. Now I just draw fixturing to support machining. What little I have used Solidworks, I completely liked that at sketch you can just select any face for a sketch plane and it just defines that plane instantly. Mastercam you have to create a WCS view per that face. Kinda alot of screwing around. If Mastercam wants to make a new WCS to draw, make it more automatic during sketch. That wouldn't be too bad. cncmike

Ok, I guess there was some confusion. Yes, I am the Mike that started the above. I guess I just didn't really know where the Jon Banquer fit in, and the fact that I have not advertised the "Similar" forum here being it's not really live, nor have been submitted to search engines yet. I heard there are other MasterCam forums that were started by, shall we say disgruntled people and did not want to be known as one of them... I have read some of his stuff, and I guess I am trying to stay neutral to the different arguments to CNC Software. I personally like their product, but just get frustrated with it, but there is also frustration on the side of the company I work with respects to training. So really who is to blame. I do not have enough experience with the software to take sides, just my side I guess. The reasons I start the websites I do is hopefully to create an un-filtered arena for people. Moreso for newbies in the trade. I have a soft spot for kids coming out of Tech Schools that do not have the skills to make it in this field. FYI, I have tried volunteering at our local Tech Schools for the Machine Tool program and have been told I am not needed. We can only try to help those that want help. Mike in MN

Joe788, I guess I don't know what you mean by Jon Banquer nor "My" version of emastercam. If you are referring to cncbasicsforum.com, that site isn't a version of emastercam, it's actually was started to help newbies understand G-Code, not MasterCam. As far as the printing for active reports, I figured that out if anyone is interested at... http://www.mastercamblog.com/?p=38 Mike in MN

REX... I have had the same problem with the Designer. I have tried copying all of the samples and then in the Designer changed things up, which I changed from Portrait to Landscape for printing/page properties. Even through choosing the new template at generate in MC it hits the new template layout, but in Portrait. The only way I was able to get it to generate right so far was opening the designer and pointing it to the XML file and previewing from there. For some reason it would layout correctly. This is why I am looking for more info on it myself. But like I have stated earlier, haven't had much time to play with it. If anyone uses it some and knows some tips, let me know, otherwise when I dig into it I will share it, for sure. Steve, I will check out that site and also patiently await X4 MU1, hopefully for more info and to get some of the bugs straightened out. I will also look over that XML tree and see if there would be anything else nice to extract. Mike in MN

I have seen some posts on it, haven't had a chance to look at it yet. Will try to find the time. Thanks for the reply. Mike in MN

No one here has any info on this? Out of this X4 release, I found this to be the most potentially beneficial justification for our maintenance this year. I would like to have something positive to show management when the next yearly bill comes due. So far with the couple of guys are just trying to learn it, that's all they hear about is all the bugs in the new release. Mike in MN

Hello, I watch this forum off and on, but now it has come time to ask a question.... Been playing with the Active Reports in the X4 release. Have been successful in modifying the Sample to get different things. My question is about the information that the Samples extract from MasterCam. I am a very beginner to computer programming, but manage with editing. Is there more information one can get from MasterCam via the Active Reports Sample by adding "Fields" to the XML, or is the XML compiled from the program in MasterCam then that data is extracted from the XML to the Design Layout? I guess what I am asking is there other information that can be extracted from MasterCam by editing the XML file, or is that file 100% dynamic and changes each time the Setup Sheet is generated by the SetupSheet program in MasterCam. I am assuming that one would need to create a new Setup Sheet Program to use in MasterCam to extract different information? Any insight or direction to literature on this feature would be greatly appreciated. Mike in MN