I had a similar issue recently. It was workspace file (in myMcam/config) which was corrupted. Of course, rename or delete it will force Mastercam to recreate a new default at launch but you will loose all customizations as you said. Workspace file is XML style so you can edit it with a text editor. I had a saved workspace file but it wasn't up-to-date.However I compared both files and I just copied <Docking...> XML section values from saved file toward corrupted file and my toolpath manager got back to life. I guess if you don't have a saved workspace file you can try it with a default one too.

Here we have M32 and M+, I guess it should be G68 for coordinates rotation but this feature is a Mazak option with our control.... and they are pretty old machines without hard drive.

Hi Colin, thank you for the extra info. I think I followed the correct process to set MD/CD as I tried and retried several times. Toolpath looks good, post translates NCI spitting G19 and arcs. Only issue is offsets are not taken into account in Mastercam (neither translated in NCI) except 'machine view safe height' which is correctly added to toolpath. I will retry again. About programming method I'd like to program at tooltip but I didn't know about G45/G46 compensation so I will check if M32 controller has this feature built-in and my issues will be gone. However if it's not there I will have to post from spindle gauge point. Reading again your reply I perhaps misunderstood: Does post need to be tweaked to calculate these points taking account offset values in station parameters? I mean, does Mastercam should do it on its own internally or not?

This is a pretty old M32 control. What is crank tool?

Yes, that works ok but I still wonder what can be done with 'station parameters (tool offset/X-Y-Z offsets)' as they have no effect on toolpath or post generation. I thought these parameters could be helpful for my machine (an old VMC Mazak) as i can't define a RAH tool type in control and i can't set X/Y tool offsets so i need toolpath be generated at center spindle. Well i guess i'll need to hand edit code...

Here i'm working with Top WCS, and left Cplane/Tplane. Checking "Translating NCI coordinates" in control definition will correctly post mapping Z-axis Tplane -> X-axis Top WCS / Y-axis Tplane -> Z-axis Top WCS. 2D contour toolpath doesn't regen if i'm using Top WCS/Top Cplane/Left Tplane

Hi, I dig up this topic as i'm in the process to setup a RAH on a VMC. I followed what JLW wrote here to tweak my MD and CD files. My toolpath and code look good. However, backplot/post points are generated from tool tip and i'd like it to be output from center spindle. I thought station parameters could be used to do it but it seems that whatever i put in these fieds have no effect. Any ideas?

Jparis: You can change opacity/translucency of selection/quick mask bars in config screen.

You can try to delete your vericut81.prefs file, maybe it's corrupted. It should be in your windows user directory.

About macros, Chooks are developed with C++, you can download Mastercam SDK for your specific release in official 3rd party developers section. If you know howto, it's fully functional and you can do whatever you dreamt with that. You should try Verisurf and X+ add-ons to show you what can be done. Besides Chooks, you also can cook NetHooks with C# (or vb.net) which are pretty straightforward (resources in same section that Chooks SDK). These are powerful but not as much than Chooks. At least, there is VBscript but I don't know if it's still used in last Mastercam releases

I wrote 'create' but I meant edit to create as you edit a Default holder. I don't think there is anything in 2019 about that request...

Yes, in 2018 you can edit/create a holder for any tool in tool manager right-clicking on your tool. However you can't select an existing holder from a tool library.

I never used X6 and its dynamic toolpath but in 2018 I guess you will still notice over 'radial' engagement in corners. However, it's already been discussed here but Mastercam dynamic toolpaths GUI is not really clear about its stepover engagement textbox. Value typed in this field will only be used to calculate tool 'angle' engagement this way: Tool engagement angle = COS-1( 1 - stepover / tool _radius). Dynamic toolpaths are all about tool engagement angle to maintain as constant as possible anywhere in toolpaths. This, for any CAM softwares. IMHO, Mastercam, should add a textbox to show or even type-in tool engagement angle relative to stepover to make things clearer. Knowing that, if you experiment, you will see that this tool engagement angle will be maintain in any point of toolpath, even in raw block corners.

My Evoluent vertical mouse middle button died recently. I will buy another one soon but as I need to get right hand fingers some rest, I moved all 3 buttons to my left hand spacepilot 1-2-3 buttons. It needs some time to get used too but my right hand loves it! It gets some rest of course, but it s a little more precise with pointer as it doesn't slightly move anymore clicking buttons.

That's why i undocked RMB toolbar and stuck it on the bottom right as it was for decade. Besides RMB, a fast way to move (only) an entity to another level is to Analyze entity (F4) and change its level number in that window.

You can right-click in plane manager on plane you want to change and here you can change coordinates display.

It's probably a bug introduced with 2018... send it to QC to check if it's already logged or not. Hopefully, with Mastercam there are often other ways to do the same thing (which will be correct in verify). - Drill5x toolpath is nice if you have it - Or modify your 2D toolpath with 'no rotation' and use top view drill point only then create a rotate transform toolpath to drill others 7 holes

If you check "Report remaining collisions for all strategies", it will draw in graphical area toolpath points where collisions haven't been resolved. In your file it will draw points where you are experiencing issues (fillets corners and some others with top check surfaces you didn't pay attention). That means this is not a Mastercam bug (great news!), however collisions avoidance strategies failed for various reasons... that (often) happens and you should be aware of that. Here, i don't 'exactly' know what's wrong but if you tighten your toolpath tolerance (i tried 2e-05 and issues were almost gone) it will help to calculate more precisely your toolpath.

About erratic backplot times, it looks like Mastercam adds tool change time, using what is set in MD's tool changer component. In a certain way at least... if you put in 0 second in that field, total time should be OK (sum of feeds+rapids). Still inaccurate though as Mastercam isn't kinematic aware.

It's 2018 prime turning Chook. You can download it from Mastercam.com in Mastercam 2018 Downloads area.

This is a known issue, there is a setting to make it work with last drivers. See here https://kb.mastercam.com/KnowledgebaseArticle50453.aspx

2D contour isn't stock aware so you can't easily do what you asked. However you can try 'Trim' toolpath feature. Don't forget to uncheck subroutines support in your 2D contour settings to make it work and you should know it will trim your lead-in/out too so it won't work with control/wear compensation.

Yes that s the issue I explained above. Perhaps those trying 2019 tech preview may tell us if it s fixed or not ?

I made a batch file to create a copy of my template file, then launch Mastercam opening that copy. To import vises I use fixtures addon from X+ Chooks which is great!

I could set a hotkey for classic backplot and verify since 2017 (still working in 2018) release and it s probably the best improvement come with 2017. Now, I m waiting for a hotkey to regen operations which is probably command i m using more. One day...