Adding lines of code

[Ryan Patterson]

Is there a way to edit the postprossor to have it add code at the start and end. to have it always to output switches on with out typing.????????

[grant@shopbottools.com]

It would be simple enough to add this to the macros. Do you usually do the "macro / start" "macro / end" thing?

Grant

[Ryan Patterson]

thank you, next question is there a way to generate nc code from geometry from with in a macro. I am using vector.

[simon]

I am getting mixed messages from Vector. It keeps trying to put in lines of useless vertical code instructing my router to go up to 10mm and come down again. This I have traced to where you connect the troughs via the vertical line thingy to the safe height.
Here is how I create stuff.
1. Bezier curve in Illustrator.
2. add anchor points times 2 times 5 for detail
3. simplify into straight lines
4. save as dxf
5.import into vector
6. cut and paste various bits to varoius depths.
7.I do not use pocket in vector because it sometimes ignores the command to pocket. What I do is concentrically outline.
8. Make shopbot thingy.
Sometimes I get apparrently unpredictable results.
Either the program or yours truly is confused.
Hints?
simon

[gerald_d]

Simon, if Vector thinks that your line segments are not perfectly connected to each other, it will add the "useless vertical code". In other words, if there is a tiny gap between the end of one line and the start of the next line, Vector thinks that they are not joined to each other, and then it pulls the tool out of the job.

Two approaches for a solution:

- Tell Vector what your idea is of "close_enough_to_be_considered_as_connected". Special -> Options -> Units -> Accuracy -> General is where you set the General Accuracy.

- Tell Vector to connect the little glitches in a selected batch of lines. Change -> Trim + extend -> Chain

[dingwall]

Good tips Gerald. Also there will always be a move up then down at your start point after a horizontal jog at safe height. That's just the way it is.

[srwtlc]

Simon, I quite often do the same bezier curve process, but I use CorelDraw. The resulting dxf file when brought into Vector will have a small entity with no attributes (length, width, etc.) at the spot where there was a node in Corel. This little non-entity can cause a break in the line. If you shift select your outline you won't see them, but if you just select one entity and do a ctrl-w to walk forward, the selection will stop at each of those little entities and then you can zoom in on them and delete them.

Also, when using the pocketing commands, if those entities are present the command won't work. You also have to have the outline that you are using to determine the pocket at z=0. you can check that with the 'Verify' command.

Be careful about setting general accuracy too low, as I have had ill effects from trying that.

Hope this helps.

Scott

[gerald_d]

Sheldon, we havn't noticed that "up then down"???

In the Draw -> Other Curves -> Connect at Z fill-in box, we generally set the following 3 parameters to the same height:
-Starting point in Z (or we uncheck the box)
-Z in between contours
-Last point in Z (or we uncheck the box)

...and that is probably why we don't see the up/downs you are talking about???

[dingwall]

Gerald, that's probably why.

If I was to uncheck the starting point in Z, sooner of later I'd have a ramp routed where it shouldn't be as the bit traveled to the starting point in a pocket.

I also find the "tail" left by the "last point in Z" handy for picking out pocketing tool paths in densely populated workpieces. I'm not sure how you would work without it.