I will deffinetly take all that into account thanks again for your reply. Have a great day

now i understand i put *refht_a, instead of *w$, and it calls the defined variable. before i was just stateing the variable. i got it to work. up near the top the vairables are defined this was the line fmt W0 2 refht_a #Reference height thanks for the help

Tricky question?? I have been trying to tweek a post processor to post codes for a a2100 control on a tree mill. the machine likes the drilling cycles to all use g83 with a j1 for no peck, a j2 for peck full out w/ k value, and a j3 for peck full out w/ k value and decrease peck by i value all canned cycles use w.? i.e w.1 for the retract point and it must be put in each block. so an example of ideal program is right hear. The main problem is the $ symbol and space between W.1 I have done a ton of editting so far to get to this point. It started as a purely fanuc flavored post slightly tweeked for a fadal with 32 'E' offsets. there now 'H' offsets. i removed all tool offsets and have got the drilling cycles this far. im just an amature programmer with 3 years of mastercam and gibbs under my belt 4 years of writing g code by hand as well. This is celarly the logical step to undertake. Im sure we all could trade knowledge on this thread, it is an interesting question in my opinion. Any help would be greatly apprecieated. Rory C. % N10 O0000 ( T ) N20 ( CREATED ON 12-16-12 AT 8:17 PM ) N30 ( MCX FILE - C:\MCAMX\MCX\T.MCX ) N40 ( NC FILE - C:\MCAMX\MILL\NC\T.NC ) N50 ( MATERIAL - ALUMINUM INCH - 2024 ) N60 G0 G20 G17 G40 G80 G90 H0 Z0. N70 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. N80 ( .5 DRILL TOOL - 62 DIA. OFF. - 62 N80 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N90 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N100 T62 M6 N110 M7 N120 G0 G90 S2139 M3 H20 X1. Y1. N130 Z1.5 N140 G83 X1. Y1. Z-1.0002 J1 W01.5 F4.11 N150 Y9. w1.5 N160 X9. w1.5 N170 Y1. w1.5 N180 G80 N190 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N200 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N210 X1. Z.1 N220 G83 Z-.7502 J2 W0.1 K0.1 F4.11 N230 X9. Y9. w.1 N240 X1. w.1 N250 X9. Y1. w.1 N260 G80 N270 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N280 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N290 X1. N300 G83 Z-1.0002 J3 W0.1 K0.5 I0.1 F4.11 N310 X9. Y9. w.1 N320 X1. w.1 N330 X9. Y1. w.1 N340 G80 N350 M09 N360 M5 N370 G90 H0 Z0. N380 H0 X0 Y0 N390 M02 % i am currently with this % N10 O0000 ( T ) N20 ( CREATED ON 12-16-12 AT 8:17 PM ) N30 ( MCX FILE - C:\MCAMX\MCX\T.MCX ) N40 ( NC FILE - C:\MCAMX\MILL\NC\T.NC ) N50 ( MATERIAL - ALUMINUM INCH - 2024 ) N60 G0 G20 G17 G40 G80 G90 H0 Z0. N70 G28 X0. Y0. Z0. N80 ( .5 DRILL TOOL - 62 DIA. OFF. - 62 N80 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N90 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N100 T62 M6 N110 M7 N120 G0 G90 S2139 M3 H20 X1. Y1. N130 Z1.5 N140 G83 X1. Y1. Z-1.0002 J1 W01.5 F4.11 N150 Y9. w$ 1.5 N160 X9. w$ 1.5 N170 Y1. w$ 1.5 N180 G80 N190 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N200 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N210 X1. Z.1 N220 G83 Z-.7502 J2 W0.1 K0.1 F4.11 N230 X9. Y9. w$ .1 N240 X1. w$ .1 N250 X9. Y1. w$ .1 N260 G80 N270 ( TREE_VMC_1260_#96_3_AXIS_MILL ) N280 ( MACHINE GROUP-1 ) N290 X1. N300 G83 Z-1.0002 J3 W0.1 K0.5 I0.1 F4.11 N310 X9. Y9. w$ .1 N320 X1. w$ .1 N330 X9. Y1. w$ .1 N340 G80 N350 M09 N360 M5 N370 G90 H0 Z0. N380 H0 X0 Y0 N390 M02 % my drilling section in the post looks like this # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Drilling # -------------------------------------------------------------------------- pdrill0$ #Pre-process before drill call sav_dgcode = gcode$ #Capture gcode for 5 axis drill pdrlcommonb #Canned Drill Cycle common call, before if initht$ <> refht$, drillref = zero else, drillref = one if sav_dgcode =81, [ result = newfs(two, zinc) if drillcyc$ = three | drillcyc$ = 7, drlgsel = fsg1(-ss$) + drillcyc$ * two else, drlgsel = fsg2(dwell$) + drillcyc$ * two prv_refht_a = c9k prv_refht_i = c9k prv_dwell$ = zero prv_shftdrl$ = zero ] if cuttype = three, sav_dgcode = gcode$ else, z$ = depth$ if cuttype = one, prv_zia = initht$ + (rotdia$/two) else, prv_zia = initht$ pcom_moveb feed = fr_pos$ comment$ pcan #5 axis must map the true Z, correct Z calculation here if cuttype = three, [ prv_zia = zabs + (-depth$) + initht$ zia = fmtrnd(zabs) zinc = zia - prv_zia ] prdrlout #R drill position if cuttype = one, refht_a = refht$ + (rotdia$ / two) else, refht_a = refht$ refht_i = refht$ - initht$ #refht_i can never be positive (pg 4-4) if refht_i > 0, refht_i = refht_i * -1. if cuttype = three, refht_a = w$ if absinc$ = zero, refht_a, !refht_i else, refht_i, !refht_a pdrill$ #Canned Drill Cycle - G81/G82 pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, 'J1', pcout, prdrlout, dwell$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea ppeck$ #Canned Peck Drill Cycle pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrlref, *sgdrill, pfzout, 'J2', pcout, prdrlout, *peck1$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pchpbrk$ #Canned Chip Break Cycle pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrlref, *sgdrill, pfzout, 'J3', pcout, prdrlout, *peck1$, *peck2$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea ptap$ #Canned Tap Cycle - G84/G74 pdrlcommonb feed = (1 / n_tap_thds$) * speed pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pbore1$ #Canned Bore #1 Cycle - G85/G89 pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, dwell$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pbore2$ #Canned Bore #2 Cycle - G86 pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pmisc1$ #Canned Misc #1 Cycle - G76 pdrlcommonb pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, shftdrl$, dwell$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pmisc2$ #Canned Misc #2 Cycle - G84.1/G74.1 pdrlcommonb feed = (1 / n_tap_thds$) * speed pbld, n$, *sgdrill, *sgdrlref, pfxout, pfyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, *tap_speed, *feed, e$ pcom_movea pdrlcst$ #Custom drill cycles 8 - 19 (user option) #Use this postblock to customize drilling cycles 8 - 19 if drillcyc$ = 8, pdrlcst8 else, [ pdrlcommonb sopen_prn, "CUSTOMIZABLE DRILL CYCLE - NOT CONFIGURED - FIRST HOLE", sclose_prn, e$ pcom_movea ] pdrlcst8 #Custom drill cycle 8 - example custom cycle pdrlcommonb sopen_prn, "CUSTOMIZABLE DRILL CYCLE EXAMPLE - FIRST HOLE", sclose_prn, e$ pcan1, pbld, n$, *sgdrlref, *sgdrill, pxout, pyout, pfzout, pcout, prdrlout, shftdrl$, dwell$, *feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea # Additional Holes pdrill_2$ #Canned Drill Cycle, additional points pdrlcommonb #causes cordinates to be posted pcan1, pbld, n$, pxout, pyout, pzout, pcout, *retractpoint$, feed, *w$, strcantext, e$ #format for cordinates # added *w$ by RLC pcom_movea ppeck_2$ #Canned Peck Drill Cycle pdrill_2$ pchpbrk_2$ #Canned Chip Break Cycle pdrill_2$ ptap_2$ #Canned Tap Cycle pdrlcommonb feed = (1 / n_tap_thds$) * speed pcan1, pbld, n$, pxout, pyout, pzout, pcout, prdrlout, feed, strcantext, e$ pcom_movea pbore1_2$ #Canned Bore #1 Cycle pdrill_2$ pbore2_2$ #Canned Bore #2 Cycle pdrill_2$ pmisc1_2$ #Canned Misc #1 Cycle pdrill_2$ pmisc2_2$ #Canned Misc #2 Cycle pdrlcommonb feed = (1 / n_tap_thds$) * speed pbld, n$, sgdrill, sgdrlref, pxout, pyout, pzout, pcout, prdrlout, speed, feed, e$ pcom_movea pdrlcst_2$ #Custom drill cycles 8 - 19, additional points (user option) #Use this postblock to customize drilling cycles 8 - 19 if drillcyc$ = 8, pdrlcst8_2 else, [ sopen_prn, "CUSTOMIZABLE DRILL CYCLE - NOT CONFIGURED - NEXT HOLE", sclose_prn, e$ pdrill_2$ ] pdrlcst8_2 #Custom drill cycle 8 - example custom cycle sopen_prn, "CUSTOMIZABLE DRILL CYCLE EXAMPLE - NEXT HOLE", sclose_prn, e$ pdrill_2$ pcanceldc$ #Cancel canned drill cycle result = newfs(three, zinc) z$ = initht$ if cuttype = one, prv_zia = initht$ + (rotdia$/two) else, prv_zia = initht$ pxyzcout !zabs, !zinc prv_gcode$ = zero pcan pcan1, pbld, n$, sg80, strcantext, e$ pcan2