VisEdit – Shopbot code editor with built in 3D preview

[jason_fullmer]

I was going to hold off on posting this for a while, but with all of the recent discussions (for example (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/312/20868.html?1179312105)) it seemed like now might be a good time. A long time ago when I actually had a Shopbot, I soon realized that I had a very powerful machine with a simple set of instructions that could produce almost anything I could imagine. I also realized the environment to produce this “code” did not exist in the way I wanted and needed. So I jumped in and quickly got in over my head writing an editor that would also display the toolpath from the code I was writing, and it exploded from there, because I didn’t want to limit the user to anything. I wanted to make everything customizable and allow everything to be built upon as well. I ended up selling my Shopbot, not because I wasn’t pleased but because I got a new job that I was happy with, and decided I needed my garage back. But even after selling it I couldn’t quit working on the editor I had started, the more I added and wrote the more it seemed like it would become extremely useful for other Shopbot owners. So what I have here is an incomplete version that still needs work, but I thought I better put it out here so that I can get some feedback and direction from the people who will hopefully want to use it. Aside from an extremely powerful editor, and a versatile preview, the two other key concepts I think are the plugins that have the ability to grow from the Shopbot community, and the possibility of a “true” 3D representation in the future.

Although I have been working on this for a very loooooooooong time, it is not fully complete. But like I said it seemed like a good time based on current discussions. I also have only been able to test it on a few computers, so if you have trouble with the install or getting it running, just shoot me an email of the problem and some info about your system setup.


Here is the website: www.VisEdit.com (http://www.VisEdit.com)

go here to look at some screenshots: www.VisEdit.com/screenshots.html (http://www.VisEdit.com/screenshots.html)

go here to download it: www.VisEdit.com/download.html (http://www.VisEdit.com/download.html)

here are some future ideas: www.VisEdit.com/future.html (http://www.VisEdit.com/future.html)

[henrik_o]

FANTASTIC

Busy reading up on it and downloading, but again

FANTASTIC

[paco]

Look very cool, I'll be checking it out this evening.

Thanks for sharing!

[rhfurniture]

Just what I am looking for.
Will download and try.
Thanks, R.

[myxpykalix]

I have been watching it carve a rather big file with the view from the bit and it gives you a great view of the up close details so you can judge whether you want to go back and clean up your file. I see things that i didn't see in the creation of the file, even for just that it's great.

Maybe it does this already, i just don't see it but when you have big file loaded up even ramping
up the simulation speed it is taking a long time to get thru file (about 1/3 done after 10 minutes). Is there a way to jump to certain file points? or jump to end? I have no idea of the time and effort it took to do this, I can only imagine that it took a LONG time. This is VERY cool......thanks for all the hard work.

[jason_fullmer]

Jack,

I am assuming you have the "Simulate" checkbox checked. Just un-check this and then click the run button, or in the middle of the simulation you can un-check this and it will just process the rest of the file and display the end result. I have ran a couple pretty big files and if you don't have the simulate on, it should process it fairly quickly.

To jump to a specific section quickly just set a breakpoint on the line you want to stop at (click to the left of it), un-check simulate to get there quickly and then click run. You could set multiple breakpoints and run from point-to-point.

[lto]

This application would be very useful if it can be made to handle the CG command.

[rhfurniture]

ditto

[jason_fullmer]

I definitely plan on implementing the CA,CC,CG,CP, and CR commands in the future, just haven’t gotten to it quite yet.

[bakerkr]

Jason -

Awesome work! Don't let this die.. this is a much needed tool not only for beginners but pros as well.

Well Done!
Kevin

[kfitz]

Jason; you are a genius! NICE WORK!

[henrik_o]

Yeah, having played with this for a while I have no reason to back down on my initial assessment: it's fantastic. Very, very well executed application with superb attention to detail and completeness.

Carrying over from the discussion in the Open Source thread, I have a lot of question about how various challenges were approached and solved, but before beginning such a discussion (which might be for another thread, as to not spoil this one) I'd have to ask Jason if that's ok or if queries should be limited strictly to the plugin architecture.

[odulfst]

I'll be trying this out on monday. I've got a 3D project to cut, so it will be nice to have this extra piece of mind.

could save me from making a bad cut in this $850 block of foam.

[jason_fullmer]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Henrik - go ahead and ask, I may not give all the answers or the ones you want, but ask away. If they are more about the low-level technical details of the program maybe shoot me an email and we can discuss things, then others on the forum don't have to wade through stuff they may not care to much about.

[tvonschimo]

What will happen after the 24 day trial period? How much are you planning to sell it for?

[henrik_o]

Jason,

I haven't had much chance to explore VisEdit, but once I have I'll prod your brain a little, if you don't mind. Probably next weekend.

Yeah, it's mostly behind-the-scenes stuff, so I'll email.

Again, thanks for making this available.

[odulfst]

visedit will not run on my win 2k machine


it installs, but causes n error when trying to run. any tips?

[jason_fullmer]

Tony,

What's the error message you get?

[odulfst]

visedit has caused an error and will be closed.

[jason_fullmer]

Thomas,

After the 24 days, this version will just tell you the trial period has run out and the program will exit.

As far as how much... I haven't thought much about that yet.

[dray]

Why is there a trial timer on this software are you planning on charging for it?

[jason_fullmer]

Danny,

After I implement the remaining shopbot commands and it goes through some beta testing, yes I plan on charging for it.

[jason_fullmer]

I am currently in the process of implementing the CG,CA,CC,CP,CR commands into VisEdit and I was wondering if anybody would be willing to email me some .sbp files that utilize these commands. I have been playing around with these and can plugin different variations, but I would like to see how these commands are used in a "real" file.

I can guarantee that the files will only be used by me for the sole purpose of running them through my simulator to verify the results. I won't give them to anyone else or produce any thing with them (heck, I don't even own a shopbot anymore).

Thanks, the email address is in my profile.

[dray]

Cool prog Jason!!
The preview thing in sb3 drives me nuts everything is reversed on the keypad/mouse.

Can I cut with this software?

Sign me up

[jason_fullmer]

Danny,

VisEdit will not do the cutting, or talk with any external equipment. It was written for the sole purpose of combining a great editor with a great previewer. You mentioned one frustration with the SB3 preview - this was why I wrote VisEdit because there was not a good Shopbot specific editor and the previewer was also lacking some functionality, it also seemed logical to me that these two things should be combined together. That way you modify your code and can instantly see the results without switching programs.

Other things like breakpoints, stepping forward/backward, code inserts, collision detection, etc, where added because I thought these could really help with creating/editing files and isolating problems.

So in my mind, I envisioned people using VisEdit to write new files, modify existing files, debug existing files, and view toolpaths a little easier. Then when things are correct, it would still be run and cut using SB3.

Jason

[dray]

I see.. Thx

[lexluthier]

Jason, this is just what we need. I especially like the fuction that allows you to isolate a line of code. I cut pearl inlays with tiny bits which often break and it's always been a pain trying to pick up from a certain point in the file.
Any idea on how much you will eventually charge for this.

Mark Lacey

[bahed]

Looks great so far. Before I get too hooked into it, any idea, roughly on the cost of the real deal ?

[jason_fullmer]

When this is released I will sell it for $100 a copy.

[lexluthier]

Thanks Jason for the pricing update. Please put me on your mailing list or tell us how we will know when it will be available.

laceygtr@comcast.net (mailto:laceygtr@comcast.net)

Mark

[jason_fullmer]

Mark,

I will post a message here, and send an email out to those that have requested.

I wish I could give an exact date, but since I am working on this in my spare/free time, it's just a guess. I'm hoping the first release will be ready in the next few months.

Jason

[odulfst]

bump for a win2k friendly version.

[jason_fullmer]

Tony,

Sorry I haven't been able to find a solution for you yet. I thought the log file would help, but since it's not creating that, I'm still in the dark. One thing, and this is a long shot, but do you have printers installed and do you have a default printer set? If not, try to add one and select a default printer and then run it to see what happens.


Others,

Does anyone else use Windows 2000? Have you installed VisEdit and does it run properly? I'm curious of this is an isolated case, or if all win2k machines are having trouble.


Thanks - Jason

[odulfst]

Gave up and installed on an XP machine. Great software, saves me alot of time usually spent staring at code and getting coordinates wrong. I'm making a few deep 3D cuts (4 inches) and there are a few vertical drops that have to be trimmed before the finishing pass because the roughing pass leaves a buffer and the shank of the bit (4" x 1/4" x 1"CL) will run into the upper part of the drop.

it's a real PITA trying to read through the code and setup a trim routine. I suppose there is software that will outline my model automatically...but nothing works like doin it yourself.

Thanks Jason.
-Tony

[Brady Watson]

Tony,
Cut3D will automatically outline your 3D part and provide cut-out passes automatically. For $300 it packs one heck of a punch, giving you the option to do standard 3D milling, single sided sliced milling, double-sided milling, double-sided sliced milling and 4-sided milling. It also has an excellent previewer in it, so you can see exactly what you're gonna get after milling, with many material options available in the simulation.

Check it out! www.vectric.com (http://www.vectric.com)

-B

[jason_fullmer]

Tony,

Glad you got it going, sorry it had to be on XP. I finally was able to install and run VisEdit on a win2k machine, but unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) I wasn't able to reproduce your problem, it ran just fine. I haven't heard from anyone else running it on win2k and having problems - but I'll keep looking into it.


** WINDOWS 2000 USERS **

If anyone has access to a PC with win2k on it I would love to know if you can run VisEdit on it ok. Download here: www.visedit.com/download.html (http://www.visedit.com/download.html)

[3imoh]

Jason-

FWIW, I was able to run this on a win2k machine...no problems so far.

-Howie