If drafting is added and saved to an MC9 file, why is that when you get the file at a later time and add more drafting, the globals have to be reset? Isn't there a way to save the globals to the MC9 file so that we don't have to redefine the globals again?

Kathy and Jay: Thanks for your replies. I already use the suggested methods, but being lazy I was hoping there was a shorter method to find the text heights. One thing further, I am not seeing the text height in the notes when I do a simple analyze on a dimension. If I analyze a horizontal dimension, this is what will be at the right bottom of the screen: ------------------------------------------------- LINEAR DIMENSION: View: 1 Level:1 Color: 10 #Geometry Refs: 2 Style: Solid Width: 1 Entity #402 Creation date: Wed Mar 26 06:10:20 PM 2003 Arrow pos: inside Units: 1/2 Value: 0.72506 Scale: 1.00000 Edited: no Text rep: decimal Tolerance: none Assoc: Yes ------------------------------------------------- The dimension that was analyzed had a height of .125, but that does not show up in the notes. Is there a parameter I need to turn on for the height to be shown when a dimension is analyzed?

This is probably not a common practice, but I have to dimension all of my drawings. After the programs are run, they come back to me to post any changes. Some of the changes may require a new dimension. Question Number 1: Without have to go CREATE-DRAFTING-MULIT*EDIT, how can I analyze the dimension to determine the size(global height)of the numbers? Most of my drawings use different sizes because the wide variation in part sizes. Question Number 2: Sometimes (when doing edits) I need to place the leader of a vertical or horizontal dimension on an exact point, and the translation method doesn't always put the dimension where I want it to be. Any guidance on how to pick the exact point? I realize these aren't any big deal problems, but it seems like they should be easy things to do.

Thanks all for taking time to help. Roger, yes, that was the message. What happened was that another control post was used, and then when switching back to the other post, the wrong post was picked. That is why I, prgmr #2 was not getting the same message. We renamed the posts so that there will be no confusion in the future.

You are all correct! It is version 9.0 SP1. I mistook the "S" for a 5.

This is the background of my question. 1. Version 9.05, level 1 Mill & Lathe. 2. Two programmers using the same seat on different shifts. Each has his own sign-on to windows2k and his own desktop display. The only major difference between the desktops is the mouse button setups. 3. Neither one of us has a personalized config file for Mastercam. 4. Problem: Programmer One has started getting an error when he posts. The error is "Post Needs Update". When he tries to update, a message tells him that the file already exists, or something to that effect. 5. Programmer Two doesn't get these messages, and is able to post toolpaths without any problems. Does anybody have any ideas what is causing the problem that we seeing? Thanks to anyone who tries to help.

I have used the DELTA 20 since 1985, and used MASTERCAM for programming since 1993 (ESPIRIT before that, but that is a time of my life I want to forget). I have never had any luck getting cutter comp to work when posted from MASTERCAM. If I want to use cutter comp I must edit the program inserting the commands as needed. I'm also using th post that generates code in the conversational format. On the other hand, the HAAS (VMC)post, and the OKUMA (LATHE)post work exactly as advertised.

Edward G. Hoffman has a book called "JIG AND FIXTURE DESIGN". In the book he covers some drafting and tolerancing. "MACHINERYS HANDBOOK" also has a drafting standards section. Try "MODERN MACHINE SHOP" online at WWW.MMSONLINE.com. They have some good reference materials, and links to many other web resources. As for reverse engineering, I have an old Tree Journeyman 325 that sits idle quite a bit of the time, and I will put my parts in it, use an edge finder, dial indicators, micrometers etc., and get a basic layout of the part I am trying to duplicate. I will then draw the part in MCAM V9 and dimension it. I compare the part to known standards and move geometry around till I get a part that satisfys the requirements. It is helpful to dimension with the globals set for dimension regeneration. It is a great way of auditing your work. It is a pretty crude method, but it gets the job done.

Smit: A big thanks to you for posting about the AUTODESK converter. I just got a chance to use it, and it is much easier than trying to convert to DXF files first.

I have also had problems with lettering when using CREATE-LETTERS-NEXT. If using anything but a stick letter and you try to chain them, you may occassionly get an error. The error is the result of untrimmed lines on the letter geometry. As I recall, I thing the letter "C" is one of the culprits.

I have heard of an applications engineer with Joachim Machine of Indianapolis who was able to program an elliptical bore with an Okuma OSP700 control. I didn't see it, but was told about it by some of the other AE's.

Thanks to all for the answers. I resized the dialogue box and it now works as advertised. Thanks again!

I have never used levels much(all right, truthfully, nearly never), but I am finding it is becoming necessary. I am not excactly a newbie, I have been a user since v5.0. I have not been able to get the level dialogue box to accept any of my choices. I thought it was me, but now I am not so sure. Last month I attended a Mastercam training session for 4th axis. While there I asked the instructor to walk me through levels. I thought I had it down, but back at work I can't get the level manager to work. For giggles this is what I have done: 1. I drew a 2" x 2" square on level 1 at the origin. I also want to put a 4" arc on level 2 at the origin. 2. I left clicked on the level button on the Main Menu. The Level Mangager appears. 3. I left click on level number 2, and it is highlighted in yellow. 4. I left click on the OK button, but all it does is turn a check mark on and off where it says "Make Main Level Alway". No, it does not say "Always Visible code: code: code: ", it seems like part of the box is not showing. 5. The only way I can get anything to happen is if I left click back on Layer 1. Then If I click on "Make Main Level Always Visible", the OK button disappers under the "Make Main Level Always Visible" lettering. 6. The OK button does nothing. To get out of the level manager, I have to click on the "x" and close the window. Meanwhile back on the drawing area nothing has changed. 7. I'm using Mill & Lathe Level 1, V9.0sp1. The big questions? Is it a bug, or I am I being really stupid here? Or, could it be the way my mouse is configured?

I have never used levels much, but I am finding it is becoming necessary. I have not been able to get the level dialogue box to accept any of my choices. I thought it was me, but now I am not so sure. Last month I attended a Mastercam training session for 4th axis. While there I asked the instructor to walk me through levels. I thought I had it down, but back at work I can't get the level manager to work. For giggles this is what I have done: 1. I drew a 2 x 2 square on level 1 at the origin. 2.

Thanks for the replies. The update post DLL was run. After all of my troubleshooting, it seems it was not a post problem. The post is working excactly as it should, as I have written several programs in V9 since. It seems to be something funky with that particular geometry file. It was imported from AutoCad 14. I worked around the problem and the parts are run, so it is on to the next surprise.

Today I was trying to troubleshoot a V9 lathe program. I did not write the program and this is the first V9 program I have had to fix. The control is an Okuma OSP700. We have just upgraded from 8.1.1, and I was on a 3 week vacation when it was upgraded, so I didn't know what kind of problems we have been having. To make it harder, my opposite number left on vacation before I got back, so I am a bit in the dark. The code for the linear moves in a canned finish pass was appearing after the program end (M2). The "housekeeping" coding was where it should be. In graphics (backplot) everything looked correct, but every time I posted the code, it was in the wrong place. I suspected a post problem. My first thought was to try to load the program into V8 and repost. That is where I have run into trouble. I can't read an MC9 file into MC8. Can anyone tell me how to read an MC9 into MC8. As a sidelight, it was a post problem. I recreated the geometry in MC8 and it posted correctly. So I will just copy the V8 post into V9.

I agree with James. But, and there is always a but, you will at times get some weird errors (pockets and circular toolpaths seem to be the worst). I have found that all of these errors have to do with how and when the cutter comp is turned on and off. Once I figured what the errors were telling me, it became second nature to edit them when I posted the programs. Of course, this may be an issue that could be fixed in the post, but I'm not even going there!

I've just read through all of these, and I don't think I saw my wish. I would like to be able to drag and drop tools from the library to my active library when I start a new machining program.

We were there on Tuesday the 10th. We were kind of rushed, so we had an agenda to stick to in order to look at everything we wanted to see. Spent about a half-hour in the MasterCam booth. Enjoyed visting, and came away convinced to buy V9 upgrade, which we did the very next day.

I can't remember the name, and I am at home so I can't check for certain, but I think I am using METCUT on disk. It is only a beta version, so there is a bit missing. If memory serves me, it was $300-400. They also have a web version that you subscribe to, and buy a certain number of inquiries. If you are interested, I will check the details and post them.

Thanks for the leads, this is what I am trying to find.

Thanks for your replies. I think I will run this by the Haas people. The code looks good, so it is probably something else that I don't know about.

I need to make my programs smaller, so I have tried the subroutine route when posting out my programs. I have encountered some problems. [1] When I post the program, it looks just exactly like the subroutine programs shown in the Haas instruction manuals. [2] When I load the program on the control, it puts all of the subroutine programs on the directory page as separate programs. Has anyone ever tried to give the subroutines a number other than a "Onnn" number? [3] Then when we try to run them we get all kinds of faults. The odd thing is that it may run through several subroutines before it faults on one. The faults are listed by the control, and they don't even apply to the subroutine at all. One in particular was giving I,J, & K errors, but there were no arcs in the subroutine. [4] I know subroutines work because I have written them manually for the machine, although they were not near as complicated as what I am trying to do with Mastercam. I'm sorry, but I can't load the file to Forum, since my employer has taken away all Internet connections.

I am looking for information about a digitizing arm that was advertised in the MasterCam Quarterly Newsletter. I think it was advertised in the year 2000. If I remember correctly, the price was about $800-$900.

We have a CADET with OSP7000. It took a long time, but our reseller finally made us a post that works very well. It incorporates all the lap cycles, the lack of which was the big problem with the standard posts. Our reseller is CAD CAM Technologies, in Pendleton, Indiana. I think the number is: 765-778-2020.