Mick, could you please check if these files are still there? I don't see anything there added after May, 2020. Regards Thomas

Up to X9, Mastercam.Database.ChainManager.GetMultipleChains() won't let me use solid edges. Solid selection is greyed out. Will there be enhanced methods in the next release? (Or is there a known workaround for X9?) Cheers Thomas

Sure you remembered to add your own [sTARTBIN]...[ENDBIN] before/after your changes?

John, did you ever try to take a file from that machine and open it with a hex editor? I never heard of Alt69+Alt79+Alt66 as EOB marker before. It's more likely that the 'EOB' is displayed simply as placeholder for some non-standard ASCII character. Figure that out and the alternate EOB character method is your friend again. Good luck Thomas

Hi, does anybody know how to get rid of these error messages? c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(26) : error C2039: 'shared_ptr' : is not a member of 'std::tr1' c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(26) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '<' c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(26) : error C4430: missing type specifier - int assumed. Note: C++ does not support default-int c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(27) : error C2039: 'shared_ptr' : is not a member of 'std::tr1' c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(27) : warning C4091: 'typedef ' : ignored on left of 'int' when no variable is declared c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(27) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before '<' c:\mcamx\sdk\interfaces\core\TlDefFunctions_CH.h(27) : error C2059: syntax error : '<' I just created my first project for X5MU1 using the SDK for X5MU1 and the C-Hook Wizard template. It looks like something has to be changed inside those two header files which are part of the SDK. But wouldn't someone have noticed that before? Being stuck at this early stage is depressing

Roger, thank you, I will try the CHooks example as soon as time permits.

Well, I solved it by pre-reading the textfile and creating an array which then holds every tool once. But still: every time I call DrillOperation drlop = new DrillOperation(); or ContourOperation ctrop = new ContourOperation(); an extra tool with random(default?) parameters is created. They are not used in any operation, but it's irritating to have loads of them lurking around. Why is that?

Hi, how do I know if the tool already exists in my part file or in a library? Can I search for tools in a tool library and use them for NET-Hook-created operations? Or at least decide if a tool already exists in my current part file and use it, if present? Here is the code I use to create contour operations: FlatMill = new Mastercam.Tools.EndMillFlatTool(); FlatMill.Diameter = 2; FlatMill.Name = "FlatMill2"; if (!FlatMill.Validate()) //Isn't that supposed to { // check if the tool is already present? FlatMill.Commit(); // But the tool is created regardless } // Plus: some other tools appear and I don't know why Op.OperationTool = FlatMill; . //chaining and assigning . //depth, feed and speed Op.Commit(); Op.Regenerate(); Actually I am reading layer and tool information from a text file. All geometry on a certain layer gets chained and I want to create the tool only if necessary. But when a tool has to be used twice, it will appear twice in the text file, on different lines, of course. And the above code will store that tool twice. Isn't Validate() like I used it here supposed to check this? How do I avoid it? And if I get around this: How can I then re-use that tool in another Operation in the same part file? My favourite method would use tools from a tool library, but that does not seem to be possible, or is it? Sorry, I'm still quite unfamiliar with NET-Hooks.

Just came back to correct myself... Wanted to delete/edit my last post. But you are too fast. Although this is not exactly what I was looking for. But there will be something for that, if I just look hard enough. And now I will stop whining!

I noticed that even the equivalent for the VBScript 'AskForFilename' is missing in the NETHook API. Will have to jump on the CHook train (again). So much changed since good old Watcom... (Big sigh!)

I am trying to pass several drill parameters, the most important being the peck amount, to operations I create with a NET-Hook in C#. But NET-Hooks don't seem to provide any means to define the peck amount. At least I can't find anything about it in the reference guide. Now I am suspecting that other operations will also have restrictions as to which parameters I can define in a NET-Hook. Is that correct and I should have switched to C-Hooks instead of C# NET-Hooks (sigh!)? Any advice greatly appreciated...

Roger, thanks a bunch!

Thank you Roger, well, I thought as much. No real problem, but I quite like VB Script, because it doesn't need recompiling after you guys change your Visual Studio with every Mastercam release;-) I use VB Script as often as possible, quick and dirty for your everyday tasks. Thomas

Hi all, as far as I can see, Mastercam scripting provides two groups of functions to create toolpath operations: The first group consists of MakeOperationFromName() and MakeOperationFromID(), all very nice, but there is no way to pass a tool diameter. So I will have to create operation templates for each and every tool diameter I can think of. The functions in the second group, MakeContour(), MakePocket()... accept the tool diameter or tool number as an argument, which is what I wanted. But you can't force them to use 'control' cutter compensation, they always generate the already compensated toolpath. Does anyone know how to persuade MakeContour() or MakeContourWithKnownTool() to use cutter compensation in control? I checked my operations-5 and .defaults-5 in advance and they all use cutter compensation in control. Is there a hidden switch to change this behaviour? Cheers, Thomas

Hi all, I encountered the problem only once. Also tried the above mentioned usual suspects first: Control panel, repair, but to no avail. What solved the problem was to simply go to the toolbar menu and select "load toolbar state". There I selected one of the prefab states, and voila! Well, kind of late, but might help others... Thomas