I=92d like a chain to graphically reflect what I add when I use Lead In / Lead Out. This also should apply when I choose to use the Extend or Shorten options in the Lead In / Lead Out dialog box.
Oh yeah you are not. So such is life in the big City. See you still you are not smart enough to link to your new Blog.
You would do good to figure out how to use the software the way it was designed to be used. Yeah I know I am a clique Idiot. Amazing how I still get my job done using what you see as such a flawed software.
OIh I thought it only fitting yo put up all of your rant so quoted from your own blog.
From the God of Cad/Cam's Blog You seen it all here first Folks:
I=92m a Mastercam user. I use Mastercam X2 MR2 SP1 pretty much everyday. Mastercam is easily the market leading CAM system in the U.S. and yet its technology and user interface are third rate in many regards. Mastercam X was supposed to be rewritten from the ground up. Mastercam started as a DOS application. The following are areas that show where I feel Mastercam badly needs to be improved:
Make Mastercam Non-Modal:
Examples:
You should be able to Regenerate a toolpath while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
You should be able to change Levels while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
You should be able to Backplot or Verify a toolpath while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
You should be able to Chain, Rechain or modify Chains while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
You should be able to add or modify a WCS while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
You should be able to save and copy a machining operation to the Machining Operations Manager while a toolpath Parameters dialog box is open.
Levels:
No ability to set the color for all entities on a level. Instead you have to control an entities color by its attributes. I find this to be a real time waster.
No ability to make all entities on a level be viewable but non- selectable.
I=92d like a tab in the Machining Operations Manager for Levels so that I can dock it there. I=92d also like to be able to undock the Levels Manager from the Machining Operations Manager so I could move it to a second monitor if I wanted to.
Ability to easily delete a level along with all the geometry on it.
Backplot:
No ability to select backplotted toolpath on the screen. Backplotted toolpath is a dead entity. It sure would be nice to be able to select toolpath and have the operation that created it highlight in the Operations Manager.
Ability to use the Backplot user interface to graphically edit your toolpath and do things like change your feed, speed, add dwell, etc.
An option in Backplot to verify G code instead of just the internal CAM file.
Ability for Backplot to show Dwell when I add Dwell using Change At Point.
I=92d like a combined Backplot and Verify interface where a users could easily switch back and forth between Backplot and Verify.
Solid Cut Part Verification:
It=92s horrible and very slow, yet other CAM programs use the exact same solid cut part rendering component (MachineWorks) and in their applications solid cut part rendering is much better and much faster. I don=92t know how this can be but it=92s been the case for many years.
It would be nice to be able to step forward and step backward like you can in Backplot using hotkeys. If you can do this in Backplot you should be able to do it in Solid Verify. Use the same hotkeys Backplot does=85 =93s=94 to step forward and =93b=94 to step back
Ability to use solid cut part verification on multiple disjointed solids.
Mastercam=92s User Interface And Machining Operations Manager:
It=92s so bad that a dual monitor setup is mandatory. Even when you have dual monitors you can=92t do something as basic as moving the View Manager dialog box to the second monitor and leave it open.
If you move the backplot dialog box to the second monitor it disappears behind other dialog boxes. Same with the Chaining Manager dialog box, etc.
Have a tab that would hold the choices that All and Only now have as well as all the Quick Mask options. Maybe call this tab the Selection Manager. In my opinion this would be preferable to what exists now with a glut of toolbar icon choices.
In addition to All and Only and Quick Mask being put into a tab in the Machining Operations Manager and possibly called a Selection Manager the solid selection toolbar buttons could also be moved into this Selection Manager.
Have a WCS icon for each machining operation be shown in the Machining Operation Manager. Click on this icon and be taken directly to that operations WCS. I=92d also like the ability to be able to drag and drop, copy and past the WCS icon between machining operations like you can do with the Parameters, Chains, Tool and Geometry icons.
Have tabs for Entity Attributes, Verify and Backplot in the Machining Operation Manager with the same dock and undock functionality as the Level Manager I described earlier.
View Sheets:
While I don=92t use View Sheets much right now I really like the View Sheet interface with its tabs on the bottom of the Mastercam graphics screen. What I think would make View Sheets much more powerful is the ability to attach a WCS to a View Sheet. When a Mastercam user clicked on a View Sheet the WCS that was assigned to the View Sheet would becomes the active WCS.
It would also be helpful to me to be able to run multiple sessions of Backplot and Verify that could be tied to View Sheets
This is just the tip of the iceberg with the power that Views Sheets could be given.
Change At Point:
In my opinion it takes too long to use Change At Point. How about split the Mastercam graphics screen like this when using Change At Point:
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A spreadsheet with all your points could load into the bottom area like is shown in the link above. Now a Mastercam user would be able to edit multiple points at once, instead of one at a time.
Graphics:
Mastercam has the worst graphics of any CADCAM application I have ever used. If you=92ve ever used an application like say SolidWorks you know how bad the graphics in Mastercam really are. If CNC Software would license Techsoft3D HOOPS as the graphics engine for Mastercam this would make a huge difference.
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Solids:
Ability to change the color of a solid face.
Ability to select solid face by color.
Mask On Arc:
Often when you import a file from a system like Pro/E or SolidWorks Mastercam=92s Mask On Arc function won=92t select all your arcs. This is yet another example of the poor architecture of Mastercam X2 MR2 SP1. To get around this import limitation you must use Screen/Combine Views.
Tool Library:
Ability to easily change any parameter on any tool without having to open and close dialog boxes / make changes one tool at a time.
High quality pictures of tools where you can actually make out what the tool is without the need for a =93tool tip=94. Written labels above or below the tool.
Contour Toolpath:
Ability to change feed and speed on a finish pass just like you can do for a Pocketing toolpath finish pass.
Fillet Chains:
Ability to change the radius value of the fillet after you enter the command and before you choose the chain.
Regenerate Toolpath:
Ability to Regenerate toolpath from the machining Parameters Dialog box.
Adjust Feed On Arc Move:
This should not be a Machine Group setting and be applied to every toolpath. Adjust Feed on Arc Move should be operation specific.
Operation Libraries:
Need a template style user interface. This would make managing Operations Libraries easier to do on the fly.
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Lead In - Lead Out:
I=92d like a chain to graphically reflect what I add when I use Lead In / Lead Out. This also should apply when I choose to use the Extend or Shorten options in the Lead In / Lead Out dialog box.
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Various Other Improvements:
Ability to copy and paste / drag chains or drill points into a machining operation before I define what that machining operation will be or anything else about the machining operation. Maybe call this a machining container.
Ability to change a contour operation to a pocketing operation.
Ability to be able to attach an shaded axis gnomon to a part and drag the part with precision in the X, Y or Z axis. I=92d also like Mastercam to allow me to rotate the part in this manner.
Ability to dynamically interact with the WCS gnomon.
Ability to dynamically change the chaining direction and chaining side.
Ability to dynamically change the start point of a chain without the need for a dialog box.
Ability to have thick shaded chaining arrows and WCS axis gnomons.
Ability to lock feed and speed in operation parameters so if you later adjust the tool that is used in an operation(s), that have been previously defined, the feed and speed in those operation(s) doesn=92t change.
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When do we see it for every other Cam package out their Huh Jon???
Yeah didn't think so.
Have a good day or night which ever it is when you quote back instead os do some real comments.
Jon it is called backplot and since it is not part of the chain it will not show up. If you want to see it take the time and draw it or use it like it was designed to be used.
I=92d like a chain to graphically reflect what I add when I use Lead In / Lead Out. This also should apply when I choose to use the Extend or Shorten options in the Lead In / Lead Out dialog box.
I?d like a chain to graphically reflect what I add when I use Lead In / Lead Out. This also should apply when I choose to use the Extend or Shorten options in the Lead In / Lead Out dialog box.
I miss that from other systems. Everyone says just use backplot, but it would be way better if it changed in real time to the graphical chain. Sometimes I change the leadin 2-3 times before im happy, sucks backplotting every time.
I think you should take a very close look at SolidCAM's user interface by viewing their videos on their website and compare it to what you saw in HSMWorks.
SolidCAM's user interface is far better IMO than HSMWorks user interface.
What's really hard for me to understand is how SolidCAM went from complete crap for a user interface to what it is now. Perhaps they hired someone from Cimatron?
I think you should take a very close look at SolidCAM's user interface by viewing their videos on their website and compare it to what you saw in HSMWorks.
SolidCAM's user interface is far better IMO than HSMWorks user interface.
What's really hard for me to understand is how SolidCAM went from complete crap for a user interface to what it is now. Perhaps they hired someone from Cimatron?
Vinny, why would you have to use backplot? Does your version of Mastercam *not* show the toolpaths on the screen? Try selecting all of them in the OP manager, and pressing "T".
Vinny, why would you have to use backplot? Does your version of Mastercam *not* show the toolpaths on the screen? Try selecting all of them in the OP manager, and pressing "T".
It does. But some systems show the "leadin/leadout, including the extend or shorted attributes to the chain. The version I have doesn't. Ive had people tell me it does?
Iv'e also been told it's me graphic card? That would be weird.
You have it right, Vinny. Mastercam doesn't show Lead In - Lead Out to the chain.
Once again Joe788 is trying to baffle you with his typical lies, spin and bullshit and as you I'm sure have already figured out Cliff Huprich has no clue and has never used Mastercam.
i have a problem in v9 see i have 100s of small pockets to be made with a tiny tool i want to select all those chains with window chain selection but not being able to select dont know where i am missing can any one tell full parameters/ chaining options for this in v9 like default chaining mode direction for closed chains nested chains : next closest infinite nesting in area chaining reverse directino of inner chains and sync mode
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