Ok, I'll bite - why?

Thanks!

I have a bunch of the older versions installed just for opening up old mastercam files (GE3, MC7...) However I mainly use X2 MR1 SP1. I have X2 MR2 installed, but I haven't made the jump yet. I will probably do that when I start my next project.

Print has the scaling function.

If you go to Verisurfs website you can find contact info, or email Ernie. Maybe they would let you have a free trial of the point cloud software.

At one time it was free (for the Beta)

This is the one you want to look at - reverse engineering

Do a search on "point cloud", or look here linky

I have a 400 MB file that is just surfaces - no toolpaths. Stability issues started poping up after the first 100 MB. We ended up splitting the file into sections.

One thing that I noticed... I have two HD in my computer. One came with the computer (1 year old) and the other is from my last computer (4 years old?) When I saved a large file (100+ MB)to my old HD, my PC would crash alot (25% to 50% of the time). However when I saved to my new HD it was much more stable. But hold on - there is one more varible to throw into the mix. When I saved to my new HD, I was also using the latest MC (MCX2 MR2) - so not sure what the fix was, X2MR2 or saving to the newer HD... or both... I have not had a chance to figure out which one it was.

Take a look at this thread... Link!

Thats the setting tolerance that I have, but thought if it was checked and set to something like .0005 maybe that would be the cause.

Randy, just curious what you have set for the "system tolerance" its in the "system configuration" under "tolerances". I also looked in the "Dimensions and Notes" but didnt see anything in there about rounding.

Yeah, but you brought religion!

To be polically correct, shouldnt it be Before Common Era.

Just stiring the pot.

BC, BCE

Try disabling "include bitmap in file when saving" this is in the "System configuration" under "file"

Colin, a little dig there - invest in my infrastructure - are you serious? So I guess I should be go out and buy a top-of-the-line computer just to dump a text file via serial cable to a CNC when I can do the exact same thing with a free, hand-me-down PC? I agree with keeping up with the latest technology (buying new state-of-the-art CNCs, keeping MC’s maintenance...), but spending money frivolously does not make good business sense. That comment had nothing to do with the issue at hand.

And yes Win95 will die, but our CNCs don’t care, they run just fine with it, and would not run any better with an upgrade. And as for V6 – like I said before I don’t want to run V6 I just want to be able to open those older files.

Todd - you think wrong. It has nothing to do with DOS, the file formats (GE3, MC7, MCX... ) are not operating system specific. The files are made up with just a bunch of 1s and 0s... and they don’t care what operating system you have.

But I will agree with you guys on some level... maintaining compatibility of the older file format may take away some resources that could be used for enhancements or new features in MC. But I think it would be relatively minor. And my solution so far has been to install the older versions of MC on my new PC at least temporarily so that I can have access to those thousands of older files. I guess in my free time I will be doing some mass conversions... I’ll be jumping through hoops... opening up Mastercam V8 and saving GE3MC7 as MC8, then opening Mastercam X and saving MC8MC9 as MCX... I know there is a chook out there that does entire folders (for MC9?), so that may help a bit.

And just an FYI Mastercam is listening to this request. I have been in contact with them and there may be some sort of compromise (hopefully).

I had a similar issue when using "surface rough pocket" and the "High Speed" cutting method. If the "corner rounding radius" is set too high it will not clean out those areas.

Actually on some of the DNC computers I do. And one of the Mazak's controllers has Windows 95 as well. But that is irrelevent, that has nothing to do with being able to open older file formats that contain geometric data. I don't want to run Mill 5, 6, 7... , I want to be able to access the data that is stored in those files that Mastercam created.

Sunset link

Yeah I read it... Basically that newsletter says that it wants users of older versions to buy the newest version of MC. It does NOT explain why they can't keep the translater.

/Rant

I don’t see why Mastercam can't keep the GE3 and MC7 translator in the newer versions. They already have the code to convert it. It’s very disappointing.

FYI - I ended up reinstalling V8 and V9 so that I could read the older MC files. I have literally thousands of files in hundreds of different folders. So doing a mass conversion would not be an easy task.

/End Rant

My work around was to use a containment boundry.

I just looked in my post, search and set "min_speed" to something lower than 200.

I know there is a MAX limit setting on RPM, maybe there is a minimum?

Instead of "offset contour" try plain old "offset" it will create a new spline for you.

The .001 tolerance is too loose, try .0005 or .0002

Yes you can, depending on your video card and its software. I have an Nvidia card with Nvidia's drivers and software (I dumped Dell's drivers)

If you have Nvidia Quadro FX...

In windows display options, go to Settings, Advanced... Quadro FX1400(tab), Desktop managment, applications...

Then add the Program and Individual Settings.