I was able to fix some of these drawing issues by disabling hardware acceleration in my graphics support. I don't know what I just said, but it helped. Apparently some of my issues are related to the incompatibility of my ATI Mobility video card.

Enter gives me the same non-results. I see a quick flash of a message in the workspace that I think says point sorting-OFF, Duplicate point filter-OFF but I get no cursor to keep typing. I must click once to re-activate the drill point selection box and again to highlight my particular entry box. MX MR1 XP Pro 3.2GHz P4 1.00G RAM Video ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 8x AGP w/128MB video memory

Can anyone confirm that in MX it was not working, or is it me?

In the drill point selection when I create a bolt circle pattern, it sure would be nice to be able to "tab" from one box to the next. Radius-tab-start angle-tab-angle between-tab-number of holes But tab doesn't work. I have to DOUBLE click each box before I can enter my value. Why is that?

MCX MR1 When I merge a dxf file into my workspace, I lose the ability to dimension, draw new entities, etc. As soon as I accept the new file, the geometry turns red and I can not create dimensions. I cannot create new geometry. If I try to create a line, I get the first point and as soon as I click the second point, everything just disappears. I can delete the new entities, even drill on points so I know it recognizes them. Why can't I do anything else?

To me, keystokes is the key to fast creation of toolpaths and posts. It seems like you can't lock that Alt key. You have to keep hitting it to enable the keystokes. Can I change that?

There is no tool change. The two tool numbers are to because the tool has two cutting areas (drill and bore). We pick up a different tool height, speed, feed, and cycle. On my program before, I had the M98 P6 on every hole position line. So far, I can't replicate that. I thought I just needed an number in the mi2 position on my parameters. Doesn't seem to accomplish that. How do I get my M98 P6 on each line? You suggested this: N130 G54 P6N132 G00 X60.8125 Y14.1824N134 G65 P6 (sub call for cycle)N136 M98 P7 (create this sub for the 10,000 hole positions)N138 G67 (cancel macro call) Does that second sub program (P7) call out the other sub for every hole position?

Not sure I understand the response. I just don't understand where and what I need to input to get the result I expect. The following is from my post file which I am sure was altered when I did it the first time to allow me to call out the sub-programs. Following Misc_Reals & Misc_Integers are used: # # mi2 - sub program usage (0=off, 1=on/reps) # # Options / Usage: # # mi1 - Output M0 Before Operation? (99=yes) # # WCS and Subs are limited to MAX of 12 # # mi2. # Sub Prog numbers are automaticly assigned in sequence starting at 1 # and increasing by 1 at every tool change. # Main program number must be larger than than the number of tool changes. # # # mi2 - sub program usage (0=off, 1=on/reps) # - Example: If (3) entered then program begins with current wcs # and generates (3) wcs calls # Sample Main Output - G0G90G54X_Y_ # G43H01Z.1 # G54M97P__ # G55M97P__ # G56M97P__ # etc..

I have used a sub program only once in the last few years and my program looked something like this :001111 N100( NAME - 4110) N102( DATE - 03-21-02) N104 ( START TOOL LIST ) N106 ( T01 1-1/4 DRILL ) N108 ( T01 MAX DEPTH -1.1255 ) N110 ( END TOOL LIST ) N112 ( ZONE 1 ) N114 G20 N116 G80 N118 G90 G97 N120 G28 X0 Y0 Z0 H0 N122 G00 Z.2 N130 G54 P6 N132 G00 X60.8125 Y14.1824 M98 P6 N142 X60.8125 Y17.3217 M98 P6 N144 X60.8125 Y20.4611 M98 P6 N146 X59.9063 Y22.0307 M98 P6 N148 X59.9063 Y18.8914 M98 P6 N4248 X-26.8731 Y54.4206 M98 P6 N4250 X-26.8731 Y56.1706 M98 P6 N4252 X-26.8731 Y57.9206 M98 P6 N4254 X-28.3887 Y57.0456 M98 P6 N4256 X-28.3887 Y55.2956 M98 P6 N4258 X-28.3887 Y53.5456 M98 P6 N4260 X-29.9042 Y56.1706 M98 P6 N4262 G80 N4264 M09 M13 N4266 M05 M16 N4268 G28 Z0 H0 N4270 G28 X0 Y0 N4272 G00 Z.2 N4274 M02 :6 N4300 T231 H231 N4310 M08 M12 N4320 S1180 F4.5 M03 N4330 G00 Z.1 N4340 G99 G73 Z-1.001 Q.045 J0.015 D0 R.050 N4350 G80 N4360 T236 H236 N4370 G96 N7380 G99 G81 Z-1.030 R1.600 F6.0 N7390 G80 G97 M16 N7400 M99 % There was about 10,000 more points that were drilled in between there but you get the picture. Essentialy, it was a program made for a special drill/boring tool that drilled the hole and then bored in one motion at different speeds, etc. My problem is how I got my program to this point. I don't remember how I did it. I am doing another job that will use the same sub program with different points so I can copy my P6 sub program, but how did I get the "M98 P6" to output on every line? Normally these are not here. Generally, our work is limited to straight bolt circle drilling and simple mill programs.

thanks

Most of my default op settings are where I want them except I always want the "Tip Comp" box checked in the drill parameters box. I don't seem to be able to keep this as a default. Where is that done?

That was the step I was missing. Thanks guys. Mission accomplished.

I have a cone. Known attributes. I want a flat layout of the surface. I can get this far. I I have got a lot of help so far from a search of past topics. The flatsrf c-hook is great. What I need now it to be able to create actual boundary geometry of the flat layout so I can export it as .dxf file to be cut at the burn table first before milling. If the map and c2spl c-hooks are used here, I have been unsuccessful at their execution. By trimming, I can create points at the outer bouondaries, but how do I create or analyze my arcs? Am I on the right track? Delta Steel, Fort Worth, TX

Thanks guys. I think I got the output I was after. We'll have to try it in the real world on the next cathode ray vaccuum chamber we mill. Perseid88

Why does the result seem backwards to me? I want it to go slower along the arcs, but my option is to set a minimum arc feed. So if I tool feed rate is @ 6ipm and I set minimum arc feed to a lower #-no change to post. If I set it to a higher number-it actually speeds up in the corner. Perseid88

When doing contour depth cuts on carbon steel, we want to have a variable feed rate. Slower in corners, faster along straight runs. More so because there is less material to cut along the straights. Can I do this? and how... Perseid88

"this person" is still trying to figure this out. I'll give more of an over view: I've got a shallow pocket(.3" deep approx 8" x 10")to mill that already has a cut out inside of it. We want the mill (1.5")to cut what is necessary but not spend too much time re-milling what it already has done, which is the case with most pocket parameters. Most of the cutting methods either leave a little material when verified or spend too much time on erratic travel cleaning up the edges. One of my thoughts was to simply run a few contours exactly where I wanted the travel to be. Another factor is that I don't want to plunge in but rather start in the center where there is already a thru hole larger than my tool. Perseid88

I want to mill multiple contours that may or may not be connected to each other but keep my tool down at all times. How do I do that? Perseid88

yes, the third button should toggle me to operation list. No such toggle happens. Tool list only. And every once in a while if I try real hard, Masteram has a fatal error and closes when I try too many times.

I know where it is supposed to show me the cycle times. It just won't switch over to the operation list from tool list. Anybody know why that is? Perseid88

That does not give me my operation times which is what I am after, mostly. Perseid88

I want to print the information that shows on the "operation list" that you are supposed to get to through NC utils-set up sheet. All that I can get is the Tool list. How do I get the Operation list? The tab to switch between operation list and tool list does nothing. I have done this before. Mill V 9.0 SP1 Win XP

I've been doing the same sort of pocket lately with varying degrees of success. I can either choose the outer and inner chain (island) or chooses "area". The only problems I've been having is that it does not always clean up all of the material. Why is it that it leaves some areas near the islands?

Why is it that when I want to read a .DXF file, MC always thinks that I will be looking for a .DWG file? I always have to change the extention from dwg to dxf each time. Can I make it default to .dxf or at least to the last type of file opened?

I am looking to add memory. (P4 Win ME 1300MHz) I currently have 4 x 64MB RDRAM PC800 RIMM modules = 256MB total. I want to exchange two of them for 512MB each. My questions are: Where will I notice any differences? Would adding 2 x 256MB instead be good enough? Do you have any suggestions on where to purchase these outrageously expensive modules? Direct from Gateway they are $904 for 2 x 512MG = 1GB or about $800 for 4 x 256MB = 1GB or $1800 for 4 x 512MB = 2GB. It looks like my largest files are 10-15MG. The only time I have run into problems on these is the extended time it take to choose 20,000 drilling entities with-in a certain defined area. Sometimes it takes so long, I think it forgets where it is and just gives up.