Copyright (C) 1986-2008 by Daniel H. Hudgins, All Rights Reserved.

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This Web site is dedicated to the thousands of "users" of my programs, those who have helped test my programs over the last 22 or so years, and especially those who shared their experiences with me.

You must read this notice: This is a licensed Web site (HTML document and associated files). You must read and agree to be legally bound in contract by the Terms of Use and conditions given in the End User License Agreement ("EULA"), Legal Notices, Instructions, Warnings, Disclaimers, and all other text in "SECTION: 0" of "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files) before reading or using any of the information, software programs, and or files, contained in, linked to, and or associated with, "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files). Any use or "Beta Testing" of "This Web Site" constitutes your acknowledgment of your full agreement with the current End User License Agreement ("EULA") and your decision to have this current license supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings. Information and files in "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files) have been placed here so that long time users of "The Author's" programs DANCAD3D.COM (tm) , DANCAM.EXE (tm) , or DANPLOT.EXE (tm) could help proofread the text of the documentation files or screens displayed, and also help test data files, example files, and or any software programs that might be made available from time to time, to aid "The Author" in finding mistakes, bugs, and other errors, omissions, defects, mistakes, and faults. Everything in "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files) is "Beta Test", "Beta Code", Experimental, Preliminary, requires proofreading, or is being evaluated for possible revision, and is NOT warranted to be free of defect. To help "The Author" report any bugs, foul-ups, defects, or mistakes that you find, see "SECTION: 8" for instructions. "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files) and all other files and programs by Daniel H. Hudgins are made available "AS IS" without warranty of any kind express, expressed, or implied. All offers and specifications are subject to change or discontinuation without notice of any kind. Please read "SECTION: 8" of "This Web Site" (HTML document and associated files) before trying to contact "The Author."

The text in this section has been revised to include some of the developments for a revision of version v2.7B, program versions, updates, or revisions prior or subsequent may work differently and so what is stated here may not apply to the particular version, update, or revision you might have, i.e. those other versions. The documentation is only generally descriptive of the programs, you should check the operation of each particular program that you will be "Beta Testing" since operation of the programs is subject to change without notice.

This HTML documentation section has documentation mostly about my CAD programs DANCAD3D.COM (tm) and DANCAD87.COM (tm). Most the discussion about DANCAD3D.COM (tm) also applies to "Beta Testing" DANCAD87.COM (tm), the math co- processor version, as well, except for some differences in some of the files saved and the need for a math co-processor. See also the other documentation in this Web site for additional information, particularly the CAM program documentation and the supplemental documentation, tutorials, and appendices. The disclaimer, and most of the other legal text is currently located in SECTION: 0, therefore you must read the disclaimer, End User License Agreement (EULA), legal text and other text in SECTION: 0 before you read any of the other documentation or use any part of this HTML document, this section, or associated files and programs.

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Use the "Edit, Find in page Ctrl+F" or "Edit, Find (in this page)... Ctrl+F" command in your browser to search for keywords within the documentation text in this HTML page. You will need to search over again in the other pages in this HTML document for the same keyword since your browser may not search for a keyword beyond the current page that is loaded.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP BMP command makes an industry *.BMP drawing 1 bpp "line art" file, that might be able to be loaded into other graphics programs, from a JET page file set. This command saves line drawings in black and white, if you want to save color or gray tone drawings use the main menu Preview command's BMP save option and an EGA, VGA, or SVGA video board.

To make the JET page file that you will convert to a BMP "line art" file, use the HARDCOPY JET MAKE and then the HARDCOPY JET ADD commands.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP JET command loads a 1 bpp B&W line art BMP drawing file into a JET page file. You need to use HARDCOPY JET MAKE to make a JET page file before you use this command. The size of the BMP file must match the size of the JET page file exactly. To adjust the size of your BMP file use the software that came with your scanner, or some other graphics program. You may have problems adjusting the size of the BMP file exactly in your graphics programs, you may need to enter a size one pixel larger or smaller than the right size in order for the drawing to be re- sized to the correct dimensions.

Once you have the drawing in a JET page file, you can use the commands in the JET sub-menu to edit the drawing or print it out.

If you want to load color or gray tone drawings or photographs use the FILES UTILITY BMP PIX or FILES UTILITY BMP ASCII commands.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP EXPORT command converts a DANCAD3D.COM (tm) type Pixel file into a BMP file for use in other programs. The BMP file will be in color, gray tone, or monochrome to match the *.PIX pixel file. The mode of the pixel file is picked at the time it was saved and depended in part on what video board you selected. You may be able to re-size the BMP file in the software that came with your scanner or some other graphics program. Line drawings generally do not re-size smaller, i.e. fewer pixels, without some lines becoming degraded, but that depends on the graphics program you are trying to use.

If you have an SVGA video board you can control the size of the image by selecting different resolutions when you save the Pixel file, e.g. 320 by 200, 640 by 480, 800 by 600, 1024 by 768, 1280 by 1024, and 1600 by 1200, and such.

Pixel files can be saved from the main menu Preview command, the Files Save Pixel command, or from a macro by using the macro SAVE PIXEL command.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP PIX command does the reverse of FILES UTILITIES BMP EXPORT, it makes a DANCAD3D (tm) type Pixel file from a BMP file. The BMP file must be in 8 bit, i.e. 8 bpp, 256 palette color or gray tone type and the exact pixel size horizontal and vertical of the pixel file that you are trying to make. You may need to edit your BMP file to re-size it to the exact dimensions needed for it to load properly. You may need to enter a pixel size one pixel larger or smaller than the desired size for your graphics editing software to make the file have the right dimensions.

Gray tone BMP files import better than color files because palette conversion is required for files that do not use the palette that my programs use. During palette conversion colors are relocated to the nearest color that is in the palette being displayed. Drawings imported that only use the 16 basic colors will convert better than drawings that use colors in between the basic colors. Gray tones re-map better since they are just a little brighter or dimmer on the new palette.

Although photographs can be converted, the color palette used will make for a less than perfect display. In some cases you may want to convert color images where you are trying to use into drawing elements, and then use the SELECT command in the drawing editor later to filter lines by color, or you are doing an analysis of motion where colored markers where used on the subject. High contrast color images using just the primary and secondary colors, such as art work, printed lettering, charts and diagrams, will probably convert better to the new palette than images with intermediate colors and subtle tones.

Gray scale images will display best when the M256 palette is selected in the SVGA (or VGA) 256 palette modes. On EGA or VGA boards the M16 palette can be used, but with somewhat less tonal detail. On VGA you can use the V320M256 mode but that is a low resolution mode.

BMP color files that are saved from DANCAD3D.COM (tm) can be reloaded into the same version of the program and be converted into Pixel files with this command without palette conversion, and therefore should not suffer much or any loss of tonal or color values. You should not use palette conversion on converting BMP files saved with the same version of my program that you are using to convert the BMP file to a Pixel file, since converting the palette will degrade the tones, except when you might change the video mode, and therefore the palette required. All BMP files made on your scanner and given a unique palette by your scanner's software would require palette conversion.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP NOR command converts a *.NOR normalized *.RAW scanned data file made using the replicate command in DANPLOT.EXE (tm) into a *.BMP graphics file using a special monochrome palette. When converting *.BMP files made by this command into *.PIX files using the FILES UTILITIES BMP PIX command you should use the palette conversion since the M256 palette used for the DISPLAY and Preview commands is different from the BMP8NM256 palette used by this command to save the *.BMP file.

There are commands in DANPLOT.EXE (tm) that allow you to adjust the contrast, brightness, and make negative copies of the source *.NOR file. The manipulated *.NOR copy might be used to improve the conversion to *.BMP graphics file. You might also edit the *.BMP file made by this command by using some other graphics program that can read *.BMP files.

The macro equivalent of this command is:

FILES CONVERT NOR filename.nor BMP8NM256 filename.bmp

Information about how to hook-up the scanner probe for use with DANPLOT.EXE (tm) is given elsewhere in this Web site. In addition to using a scanner probe on DANPLOT.EXE (tm) for reflected or transmitted light brightness, you can use a sensor for: near infrared, heat, ultraviolet, x-ray, alpha beta and gamma radiation, fluorescence, phosphorescence, ultrasonic, metal detection, ferrous metal differentiation, microwave, laser range-finder, sound, vibration, gases or leaks, specific gravity, magnetism, chrominance, conductivity, static electricity, hardness, elasticity, and just about any other sensor that can produce an intensity signal.

Using DANPLOT.EXE (tm) to scan something and make a BMP file lets you see a graphic image of the points scanned. You could build your scanning machine any size from the atomic scale up to large scanners for special purposes. If you scan in the same machine that you will make the replicated parts, the distortions that occur when you scan on one device and machine on another should not get introduced.

See also the menus of the replicate command in DANPLOT.EXE (tm).

The replicate command in DANCAM.EXE (tm) does 3D scanning and saves the output data in an ASCII file. If you want to you can convert the intensity values in the BMP file you make from the NOR file with the FILES UTILITIES BMP ASCII command into various forms, including 3D contour lines where the intensity values represent depth along the contour lines.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP ASCII command converts a 8 bpp 256 palette color or gray tone BMP file into my *.ASC ASCII file format. That *.ASC file can then be loaded into the workspace and edited before being saved in *.ASC or some other file type.

This command has uses for importing drawings and images to produce elements for hidden line drawings, or for use in making tool paths.

There are several conversion modes, see the section Appendix B about the macro version of this command UTILITY BMP256_TO_ASCII for more information about how the modes change the *.ASC file created. UTILITY BMP256_TO_ASCII is listed in the macro keyword list.

You may need to use the Offset, Rotate, and Magnify commands after you load the *.ASC file made in order to adjust the size and cutting depth. If you convert many files of the same type you can write a macro to load the files, and make the needed adjustments.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP MATCHING command displays one color from a 8 bpp 256 palette color or gray tone BMP file, so that you can match the mixing of "oil" paint (or other colored substance such as ceramic glaze, enamel for metal, or powered glass) for use with a ASCII tool path file made by the FILES UTILITIES BMP OIL command.

Nine colors of paint (or substance) are used:

BU = Blue paint
CY = Cyan (blue-green) paint
GN = Green paint
YL = Yellow paint
RD = Red paint
MG = Magenta (purple-pink) paint
WI = White paint
GR = Gray paint
BL = Black paint

Only four of the nine colors are used to make the needed color, the portions of 1000 parts are displayed at the top of the matching screen. The colored rectangle in the gray rectangle is the color you are trying to match. The amounts of the various paints suggested are very approximate and you will need to make adjustments depending on the types of paint you are using. If you closely follow the color proportions shown, the relative difference between the 256 palette color tones may be on track, even if the absolute color is off somewhat when the paint dries. You might be able to use a very sensitive scale and weigh the paint in the correct proportions in order to reduce variations in the color tones, the scale would need to be accurate to perhaps about one part in one thousand.

The color of the paint may change when it dries, and the adjustment of your computer monitor will effect the display of the color.

In the case of ceramic glaze or other substances that will change color after further processing, such as heating, test samples would need to be made and processed to completion in order to judge if the color will match when the piece is finished.

If you do not match the colors closely the painting may have a speckled appearance because some of the colors are darker than in the BMP file, and others are lighter.

Note that some of the 256 palette's colors used in the BMP file's palette may not correspond to pixels in that BMP file, in other words some of the 256 palette entries may not be used, they may just be unused colors, so when you plot the ASCII file for that color index no points will be painted. If you get some empty ASCII files, check to see if the image contains any pixels of that particular color since it probably does not. If you want to make a painting using a BMP file saved from my Preview command some of the palette entries may not be used, because the colors or color attributes for those palette entries where not used in image pixels for that particular image.

You should not adjust the monitor brightness or contrast, nor should you adjust the room lighting, once you have begun mixing your colors since any change in the brightness may effect how you mix the colors relative to each other. It is the relative values of the colors that are important in getting smooth gradations. The monitor should be allowed to "warm up" for a half hour or so before you begin color matching since the monitor might change color and brightness slightly after it is turned on, particularly if you are using an older monitor that has a tube that is getting weak. Variations in line voltage, or stray light coming through windows, might also introduce variations, so the matching should be done in a room with controlled light and blacked out windows. An external constant voltage transformer might be needed on the monitor if you live someplace where the line voltage varies at different times of the day.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP OIL command converts a 8 bpp 256 palette color or gray tone BMP file into my *.ASC type ASCII file format. That *.ASC file can then be loaded into the workspace and edited before being saved in *.ASC, or some other file type, for plotting in the "painting" robot machine.

See the FILES UTILITIES BMP MATCHING command for an aid in mixing the colors required. You could make things other than oil paintings, ceramics or enamel wares and such, but in cases where the substance applied will change color substantially you would need to mix test batches of the to be colored substances before plotting and "fire" samples and such to make sure the colors will turn out correct in the final result.

This command has uses for importing drawings and images to produce elements for making tool paths for making "oil" paintings and other applied pigment type creations. This command extracts just one of the 256 palette's colors used in the BMP file so that you can plot, i.e. paint, all of the pixels in that one color no matter where they are in the image before going on to the next color. A maximum of 256 colors would need to be mixed to finish plotting any particular image. Some images may use fewer than the maximum number of colors, particularly if the image was converted to 256 palette color mode from black and white line art or 16 color mode drawing. Images made of up to 256 shades of gray might also possible, although accurate matching of the small variations in darkness between the up to 256 tones from the matching display on the computer monitor might be difficult or impossible due to the limitations of the video board and monitor. You might be able to use a very sensitive scale and weigh the paint in the correct proportions in order to reduce variations in the color tones, the scale would need to be accurate to perhaps about one part in one thousand.

There are different conversion modes, see the section in Appendix B about the macro version of this command UTILITY BMP256OIL for more information about how the modes change the *.ASC file created. UTILITY BMP256OIL is listed in the macro keyword list. In the modes that make the motions to the "paint pot" you can adjust the offset to the "paint pot" which would normally be just beyond one corner of the painting. You might want to add an automatic drip shield below the brush that swings aside when the brush moves down by using a second steeper motor parallel to the z axis motor with a segment of a disk, or something like that, if your work-piece is laying flat horizontally. If your work-piece is vertical the drips from the brush might fall on the floor eliminating the need for a shield, but you might also have problems with the paint running down on the painting.

You may need to use the Offset, Rotate, and Magnify commands after you load the *.ASC file made in order to adjust the size and centering. If you convert many files of the same type you can write a macro to load the files, and make the needed adjustments.

Note that some of the 256 palette's colors used in the BMP file's palette may not correspond to pixels in that BMP file, in other words some of the 256 palette's entries may not be used, they may just be unused colors, so when you plot the ASCII file for that color no points will be painted. If you get some empty ASCII files, check to see if the image contains any pixels of that particular color since it probably does not. If you want to make a painting using a BMP file saved from my Preview command some of the palette entries may not be used, because the colors or color attributes for those palette entries were not used in image pixels for that particular image. You can load the ASCII file and check the tool path in the drawing editor for points to be plotted to see if you need to use that file, before you mix the color of that index number.

The FILES UTILITIES MACRO STRIP command removes the comments from macro files to make them take less disk space and possibly run a little faster. You should make a backup copy of any macro file that you are going to process with STRIP since you do not want to lose all the comments in case you need to edit the macro later. If there is a faulty comment, or code has been commented out, parts of the macro will be lost when stripped, so always keep a backup copy of any files you convert or alter.

See also the macro STRIP command in Appendix B.

The FILES UTILITIES ASCII SQUEEZE command makes *.ASC drawing or tool path files take less disk space. Be sure to back up your *.ASC file before squeezing it in case there is a problem with the conversion such as a disk error or something.

See also the tool path squeeze and compression commands in my CAM programs that can be used to make the tool path files smaller for transmission over the CAM program computer network or for storage on the file server.

Tool path files generally only require three or four decimal places right of the point, but triangle elements for hidden line removal or making tool paths of surfaces may require more digits right of the decimal, so be careful in squeezing files than contain triangle elements, and keep a back-up of the original file somewhere in case the squeezed file does not work properly at some point.

The FILES UTILITIES ASCII PIXEL command makes an *.ASC drawing of tool path file from a Pixel file. If you are importing a drawing or photograph using the FILES UTILITIES BMP ASCII command might work better, this command is mostly for converting images made with DANCAD3D.COM (tm) for special uses in hidden line display, and making special purpose tool path files.

See the description of the macro version of this command, UTILITY SCREEN_TO_ASCII, in Appendix B for the description of the conversion modes used with this command.

An element in the workspace can be saved as a Pixel file by using the Files Save Pixel command or by using the Preview Pixel saving command.

If you save a Pixel file of a 3D surface in a triangle element using display modes 44 or 54, and one of the video modes that use the M256 palette, the surface height on the element will be converted into brightness values in the Pixel file. The Pixel file with the depth brightness values could then be converted into depth contour lines by using the FILES UTILITIES ASCII PIXEL command's mode 100. To put vertical extensions on the contour lines to make a tool path file the PLOTTERIZE command could be used after loading the ASCII file, this would be needed if the contour lines are higher in the middle than at the sides, to have the tool rise up and come back down at the other side when it starts a new contour line each time. The plotterized element could then be saved as an ASCII or G code file for operation of the machine tool. When saving a plotterized element for use as G code you might need to use the LINK command beforehand to make sure that there are not any gaps in the movement lines that might cause a error in some machine controllers.

See also the NC FILL TRI PATH command in the drawing editor for another way to convert triangle elements into contour surface tool path files.

The FILES UTILITIES HEX HEX command makes a HEX or hexadecimal, i.e. base 16, coded in ASCII text file from a Binary, or other disk file, primarily for use later in the EXPORTFILE B macro command to make a copy of a Binary file, or any other type file, from data included in a macro file.

The HEX digits in ASCII are represented using the codes 00 to FF:

00 = 0
01 = 1
02 = 2
03 = 3
04 = 4
05 = 5
06 = 6
07 = 7
08 = 8
09 = 9
0A = 10
0B = 11
0C = 12
0D = 13
0E = 14
0F = 15

10 = 16 or (16 * 1) + 0
11 = 17 or (16 * 1) + 1
12 = 18 or (16 * 1) + 2

A4 = 164 or (16 * 10) +  4
ED = 237 or (16 * 14) + 13
FF = 255 or (16 * 15) + 15

Each set of two HEX digits stands for one Binary "byte" of data, the sets of HEX digits are separated with an ASCII space. If a seven bit ASCII file is converted to HEX only the codes 00 through 7F would be used.

The FILES UTILITIES HEX BIN command reverses the FILES UTILITIES HEX HEX command, it converts a HEX file in the DANCAD3D.COM (tm) format into a Binary file, ASCII file, or any other file type. You can create the HEX information with the Write command if you duplicate the format that FILES UTILITIES HEX HEX uses.

The FILES UTILITIES HEX FIND command finds a checksum value for a file. The checksum value can then be used later with the FILES UTILITIES HEX COMPARE command to see if any bytes in the file have changed. This command is probably intended for use on DOS files that are 2.1GB or smaller.

The FILES UTILITIES HEX COMPARE command uses the checksum value found with FILES UTILITIES HEX FIND to check a file to see if it matches that checksum. If the checksum does not match the file has probably been altered, corrupted, infected, damaged, or otherwise changed.

See also the macro CHECK_SUM command in Appendix B for use in a macro.

This in not really a file utility, but was put in the Files Utilities sub-menu since it relates to your finding the video modes and palettes that your video board will support for Pixel to ASCII, Pixel to BMP and BMP to Pixel file conversion utilities.

The FILES UTILITIES VIDEO PATTERN command displays a test pattern for each of the various video modes and palette setting combinations. Only some of the many combinations will be available for display, and which ones you can see depend on what kind of video board you are using and what video mode board type you selected when you installed the program.

Which modes you can display is also limited by which modes your monitor can display properly, do not select modes that will cause your monitor to lose sync.

The pattern can be useful in adjusting the brightness settings on your video monitor, since the brightness tends to change quite a bit when the monitor and video board switches from one resolution to another resolution.

If the pattern looks very dark or light on your monitor, and the front monitor brightness and contrast controls are all the way to their maximum, your monitor may require internal adjustments. Internal adjustments to your monitor should be done by qualified service personal only. The adjustment near the focus control can sometimes be used to adjust the overall brightness, but you should never open your monitor and make changes to such controls since changing the high voltage controls might alter the x-ray output of your monitor and might possibly cause or contribute to cancer, birth defects, and sterility.

The FILES UTILITIES VIDEO BACKGROUND command can be used to make shaded backgrounds as Pixel files that can be loaded for use as a background behind the display of elements. See the description of the macro version of this command, CRT BACKGROUND, in Appendix B for a description of the various mode codes.

The main menu Preview command can automatically load a background file, or you can use the LOAD PIXEL command before the DISPLAY command in a macro.

The background Pixel file needs to be the same video mode, resolution, and palette as the video mode, resolution, and palette that will be used with the main menu Preview command or macro GRAPH_MODE and DISPLAY commands later when the background file is used as a background under some displayed elements.

The backgrounds look best in the SVGA M256 and C256 video palette modes.

The FILES UTILITIES VIDEO NEGATIVE command displays a negative image of a Pixel file for photography on "positive" film stock. Positive film stock makes a negative image, so a negative image is needed to be photographed off of the monitor in order to get a positive image on the film.

For palette settings M2, C4, M16, and C16 a file of the negative image can be saved for use with LOAD PIXEL or FILES UTILITIES ASCII PIXEL. The palettes M256 and C256 are made negative by changing the video board palette settings, and so the pixel file saved is the same in negative or positive, so you cannot use LOAD PIXEL by itself to view the negative pixel file as negative, you need to use the FILES UTILITIES VIDEO NEGATIVE menu command or the macro command LOAD PIXEL followed by the CRT NEGATIVE macro command.

The macro version of this command, CRT NEGATIVE, can be used in animation macros when you want to use color positive film, e.g. AGFA (tm) CP-30, to make a positive color animated movie directly from the SVGA CRT, in your cine film recorder, without making a negative first. Since the positive film is fine grain and sharp the projected image will be "1st generation" rather than a "2nd generation print" from a color negative. Color filters will probably be needed between the monitor and the cine film camera to correct the white balance, generally yellowish orange and reddish or magenta transmission filters. The addition of narrow band absorption filters for blue-green and yellow may improve the color saturation, since the phosphors in the monitor may produce colors off the sensitivity peaks of the film's layers.

The HARDCOPY JET FATTEN command is a file utility that modifies a JET page file set. JET FATTEN command is an option in the HARDCOPY JET sub-menu. HARDCOPY JET FATTEN is used by the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command to make dark areas larger in order to combine pages and leave just the fattened edges for the trace command. If you fatten a negative page then negative the tones you will make the dark areas narrower.

HARDCOPY JET FATTEN operates on a JET page file made with the JET MAKE and the JET ADD or JET COMBINE commands. The page file is then used with other JET commands before being printed or converted to a BMP file.

The JET FATTEN command is used by the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command to adjust the width of lines in order to extract the outline edges of shapes. The JET FATTEN command can also be used to make shapes larger in the JET page file, or in a JET NEGATIVE image make shapes smaller, to allow for a kind of cutter radius compensation that might be useful for certain kinds of CAM applications. The resolution of the radius compensation would be one pixel in the JET page, but the conversion of the JET page could be scaled later after the JET TRACE converts the JET page to an ASCII file, and the ASCII file is loaded into the drawing workspace.

You can use JET FATTEN manually along with the other JET commands as needed, but you might do better to use the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command since it automatically combines the needed JET commands to make the finished ASCII file.

See the description of the JET FATTEN macro command in Appendix B for more information about the fattening modes.

The HARDCOPY JET TRACE command is a TRACE command option in the JET sub-menu. This command converts a JET page file into a ASCII file of line segments, that can in turn be loaded into the workspace.

Before you use TRACE you need to use the JET MAKE and JET ADD commands to make a JET page file, a set of page strip files really, so that the JET TRACE command can scan the JET page to look for dark areas.

Normally you would use the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command to make and trace the page file, but the JET TRACE command can also be used manually for special projects where you want more control of the steps used.

See the description of the JET TRACE macro command in Appendix B for more information about the trace modes. Modes 111 or 121 might work best when you want to convert an image that has filled in dark areas, or thin lines one pixel wide. The other tracing modes are for tracing outlines and might not work as well for filled in areas. In order to trace outlines the JET FATTEN and JET COMBINE commands need to be used to extract the edges of filled in areas before the JET TRACE command traces the extracted edges, that edge extraction process is set up for you in the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command, which by the way can also trace using modes 111 and 121 without extracting the outlines and get filled in areas.

The HARDCOPY OUTLINE command combines some of the commands in the JET sub-menu to convert a drawing element into an ASCII file, where lines have been traced around through vector to raster to vector conversion.

There is a configuration set-up that lets you alter how the tracing will be done, various modes are available.

See also JET FATTEN, and JET TRACE, commands in Appendix B since they and their various modes are used by the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command to produce different kinds of conversion from the image on the JET page and the "free" line segments in the resulting ASCII drawing file.

When the resulting ASCII file is to be used with my CAM program DANPLOT.EXE (tm), the tool up and down motions for disconnected line segments will be automatically done by the program. If you want to use the traced lines with DANCAM.EXE (tm) or some other CAM controller you would probably need to load the ASCII file into the workspace and use the PLOTTERIZE and maybe the LINK commands to add the vertical motions between disconnected line segments or dots.

The FILES UTILITIES BMP JET command could be used to convert a BMP file of an image that you put on your scanner into a page file. That page file could then be converted into an ASCII file with the JET TRACE command using mode 121. That ASCII file could then be loaded and used with the HARDCOPY OUTLINE command to trace outlines of the scanned image. DANPLOT.EXE (tm) could also be used to scan the image, through its replication feature, if you set the scanning size to come out the right pixel size for conversion from NOR to BMP type file.

The HARDCOPY READY command converts triangle elements displayed by the hidden line display modes into a 2D view element made of "free" line segments that can be used by the printing, plotting, CAM program, and file saving commands that only work with elements made of "free" line segments.

The HARDCOPY READY command acts as a file utility when you save the element HARDCOPY READY makes for use as a tool path file, this is needed since the CAM programs do not plot triangles directly.

The HARDCOPY READY command does not usually need to be used for printing directly on JET or DOT compatible printers, or for saving drawings by using the Preview commands save BMP option.

The HARDCOPY READY command is a work-around that lets you display, print, engrave, or use in other ways the hidden line display modes that would not work with some commands.

Since several commands such as SAVE 2D, PLOT, and LASER do not work with hidden line display modes, the HARDCOPY READY command lets you convert a hidden line display of the triangle elements in the workspace into a rasterized vector version of the elements in 2D form as a perspective view with hidden line removal, and shading in some display modes, that is composed entirely of "free" line segments. Since no triangles are in the element produced by HARDCOPY READY you can use that element with many of the commands that only work with "free" line segments, so long as you do not enlarge, i.e. magnify, the element enough to show the rasterization. Rather than change the size of the element made by HARDCOPY READY it might be better to adjust the size of the source triangle elements, or use the perspective view scale in HARDCOPY READY before the new element is made. If you increase the line width of the element made by HARDCOPY READY to 3 or so with the drawing editor's LINES edit LINE style command you might be able to enlarge the element somewhat without gaps between the raster lines showing up in the print out.

After the conversion is done, HARDCOPY READY loads the new element that you can save or plot into the workspace as a new element, i.e. the element with the highest number at that time. Be sure that you select the element HARDCOPY READY made to save or plot and not element 0, or you will probably get an error message since the element HARDCOPY READY makes is an element that holds only "free" lines and will display in display mode 1, where as the element that HARDCOPY READY used to make its element from probably contained triangles which SAVE 2D, LASER, IMAGESETTER, and PLOT will not currently accept in the hidden line display modes.

In other words if you want to use display mode 74 with HARDCOPY LASER, you must first use display mode 74 with HARDCOPY READY, then select the element HARDCOPY READY makes, e.g. element 2, for HARDCOPY LASER and use display mode 1 with HARDCOPY LASER for that new element. If you select element 1 for LASER and use display mode 1, LASER will report that it does not support triangle elements, whereas if you select element 2, or whatever the element number is that READY made, LASER will accept that new element since it contains only "free" line segments.

If you want rotations of the elements do those with the HARDCOPY READY command, since the element HARDCOPY READY makes is 2D, and would only be rotated 0 or 90 degrees in the Z axis, the X and Y rotations would be set to 0 for plotting with SAVE 2D, PLOT, LASER, or IMAGESETTER just as they would be for printing or plotting any other "flat" drawing.

You can also save drawings as BMP files and try to use other programs to print or plot them. Under Windows 95 (tm) you might be able to use the windows printer driver for your printer, and the print command of the windows program MSPAINT (tm). Color drawings made using a SVGA video board and the shaded hidden line display modes might be able to be printed in color just as they appear on the Preview screen by saving the drawing as a BMP file, the command to save the BMP file is in the small menu that pops-up over the Preview screen when you press [Return] after the Preview screen has finished drawing to the screen. Although the BMP file could be converted to JPG or GIF in your graphics software it is probably best to print from the original BMP file since the compressed formats might degrade the computer generated image somewhat. You can use the windows commands START and FIND to find where the program MSPAINT (tm) is on your harddisk.

This command optimizes the line plotting order in a tool path element in the workspace that you would then save with the SAVE ASCII command to be used with DANPLOT.EXE (tm). The tool path element would normally be a flat 2D element, such as a drawing made of dots for drilling holes, or outlines to engrave. You could also PLOTTERIZE and LINK the optimized element and than save it as an ASCII file for use with DANCAM.EXE (tm) or save the element as a G code file for use with some other CAM program or controller.

The HARDCOPY PLOT OPTIMIZE command reorganizes line segments in an element so that when it is plotted on a pen plotter, or other mechanical machine, less time will be spent moving the tool to the next point to start drawing part of the drawing.

How much improvement in plotting time you get will depend on how much the lines are out of order in the elements to be plotted. It might take longer to optimize the elements than to just plot them if the drawing contains very many line segments. If you need to use the tool path several times, you might make up the time it takes to OPTIMIZE from the time it takes to plot the file several times.

Optimize can also be used on tool path elements made of dots for plotting with DANPLOT.EXE (tm) to reorder the drilling of the holes, for possibly faster finishing.

This command can also be accessed from the drawing editor's JOCKEY OPTIMIZE plot command. See also the OPTIMIZE macro command description in Appendix B.

The commands in the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY sub-menu can be used to convert some "Industry" file types into drawing elements in the drawing workspace. Since my FILES LOAD INDUSTRY commands only support a sub-set of the commands used by each type, some files made by other programs may not load properly. You may be able to work around some of these problems by changing the driver used in the program saving the file, or altering the way the drawing is made before you save it. Since I am most probably unfamiliar with the software you might be using to make such files, it is unlikely that I can give you instructions regarding such programs. You may also be able to correct some problems with files you are trying to load by using the Write command, since many of these files are ASCII text data, the search and replace feature in Write might be able to be used to alter the commands in the file to avoid loading errors. If you have many such files that need to be altered before those files can be loaded into my programs, you might write a small text reformatting program in BASIC or some other language to read the files as saved, and make a copy with the needed changes, what those changes would be I cannot really say you will have to look at the files themselves and experiment to figure out what commands are in need of alteration or omission.

The Industry file types that might be converted into drawing elements are below. After you load an Industry file you should look at the element created in my CAD program's drawing editor to see if the conversion was satisfactory, and that the line colors are defining good feed rates, dwell, pause, and such if the element will be used in the CAM programs. You may need to adjust the centering, rotation, or scale of the loaded element by using the Elements Offset, Elements Magnify, Elements Rotate or Elements Flip commands in the drawing editor.

With some of the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY commands configuration files are used to control the conversion of the file data into a drawing element. Default configuration files are probably made automatically if they where not installed in the proper sub-directory, but you will need to re-configure the default configuration files to adjust how the conversions will operate to compensate for your particular needs. Look for the install or configure commands in the sub-menu for each file type.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY HPGL command loads files that only use a sub-set of the HPGL plotter language. These files might be produced by various graphics or engineering programs. You may need to select the plotter model, e.g. HP74xx or HP75xx, when you save the HPGL file. There may be a driver in your other software named something like "Generic HPGL" that might work. Files made by some programs may not be compatible at all with this command. HPGL codes that may load are: IN, VS, SP, PA, PR, PU, and PD.

HPGL files that you want to convert to ASCII tool path files for use with DANPLOT.EXE (tm) should now be loaded into the workspace of DANCAD3D.COM (tm) or DANCAD87.COM (tm), then be inspected in the drawing editor, and then be saved as an *.ASC ASCII tool path file with the SAVE ASCII command. If you have problems loading HPGL files you might try using a different plotter driver in the program making the HPGL file, or you might try saving the drawing as a BMP file and editing the BMP file in the software that came with your scanner before loading it into my CAD programs by using the commands that load or convert *.BMP files. The default driver for the File Load Industry HPGL command is DRIVERS\HPGLDFLT.CFG, you can use the FILES COPY command to copy that driver, to make a back-up copy and a copy with a different name, then you can use the options in the Files Industry Load HPGL sub-menu to alter how the files are loaded by changing the configuration settings in the copy of the DRIVERS\HPGLDFLT.CFG file.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY DRILL command might load drill pattern files used for drilling with the CAM programs. This FILES LOAD INDUSTRY DRILL command loads the *.TXT ASCII type drill file, not any of the Binary type drill pattern files, such as *.DRL. When you make the drill pattern file be sure to save it as the *.TXT type file. The loaded element made from the drill file could then be edited and saved as my *.ASC ASCII file for use with the CAM programs. If you are going to use DANCAM.EXE (tm) in place of DANPLOT.EXE (tm) to operate the drilling machine see the LINK and PLOTTERIZE commands in the drawing editor to add the up, down, and connect tool motions to the loaded drill element. The default driver for the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY DRILL command is DRIVERS\DPCBDFLT.CFG, you can use the FILES COPY command to copy that driver, with another filename, so you can use the options in the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY DRILL sub-menu to alter how the drill files are loaded when you select the re-configured copy of the driver file as the driver to use when loading the drill files.

If you cannot get this command to work with your files you may be able to make a HPGL plot to disk of the pads, and use the JOCKEY DRILL POINTS command in the drawing editor to extract the drill points, then use the JOCKEY PLOTTERIZE command on the extracted points to make a tool path, with vertical extensions, for DANCAM.EXE (tm) or just use the extracted points by themselves with DANPLOT.EXE (tm).

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE command loads some G and M codes and makes an element in the workspace. The element loaded could then be edited in the drawing editor and then saved as an ASCII or G code file for use with my CAM programs or some CAM controller. The default driver for the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE command is DRIVERS\GCODDFLT.CFG, you can use the FILES COPY command to copy that default driver so you can use the options in the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE sub- menu to alter how the files are loaded when the re-configured copy of the driver is selected as the driver to use when loading G code files. The driver DRIVERS\GCODTEMP.CFG is used by the CAD programs to execute some of its internal commands, so you should probably not modify that driver unless you are sure that the changes you make will be for the better and not cause problems later.

Always keep an original copy of the DRIVERS\GCODDFLT.CFG and DRIVERS\GCODTEMP.CFG drivers so that you can restore the FILES Load INDUSTRY LOAD G CODE command to its original configuration settings.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE command has been undergoing development and may still be in flux, so be sure that you are "Beta Testing" the most recent update, since there may be changes that effect the descriptions below of the supported codes. Check the *.TXT file(s) in the distribution *.ZIP file, and the sub-sections of the On-Line Section: 3.3.7.0 for any notes about changes to revisions of versions the programs.

Actually you can assign a canned tool cycle to any of the G codes index numbers 00 to 99, and you can assign a color dot for auxiliary relay, dwell, or pause to any of the M codes index numbers 00 to 99. You input the names of the cycle file names for the G codes in the Tool offset configuration screen, the index on the left side means different things for each column, for the tool offsets the index is a number 0 to 99 for the T00 to T99 tool number, for the G code cycles the index number 0 to 99 is G00 to G99 for the G code, or the index 0 to 99 is M00 to M99 for the M code number. D00 to D99 might be able to be used to select the tool radius from the tool table without making a tool change in some revisions.

The conversion of the F variable address into line colors 1 to 127 to be used to control the feed rate in DANCAM.EXE (tm) is set-up in the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE sub-menu in a table where feed rates within a range get one color, and feed rates in another range get another color. You need to configure DANCAM.EXE (tm) so that the line colors correspond to the same feed rates if you want the original feed rates to carry over. Likewise the FILES SAVE INDUSTRY G CODE command should be configured to save corresponding feed rates, so if you load a G code file, edit it, and then save it back as G code the feed rates will be about the same range. If the F variable address is not stated in the G code file, or is set to zero, i.e. F0., the default line color, normally color 2, will be used for conversion of G01, G02, and G03. If the F variable address is not stated in a block the current value is used, except when G00 is used, since G00 uses the default line color set up in the configuration, normally color 1, when F is not in its block.

The auxiliary relay control colors are set up in the CAM program's configuration menu to turn on or off relays to control parts of the machine, such as spindle motor, clamps, coolant, and such. The line color "dots" made by the M codes, from the file being loaded, can also control the dwell or pause for machine operator in the CAM programs when the loaded element is saved as an ASCII tool path file and executed in DANCAM.EXE (tm). You need to make sure that the colors assigned for conversion from the G code commands match the colors in the CAM program configuration, so that the right thing will happen. Also check that you do not have the same color being used to control two features that conflict.

If you do not see the control dots, when you look at the tool path file in the drawing editor in my CAD programs, and there where some G codes in the loaded file that should have made some, go into the Set-up sub-menu and select the WYSIWYG command. If the WYSIWYG was off, selecting the command turns it on and then the program asks you for the scale to use for the WYSIWYG display. The scale value should be the drawing editor scale that lets you see the whole tool path on the drawing editor screen. The control dots created when the G code file is loaded are given a larger line width so that they will be easier to see, but you need to have the scale in the WYSIWYG set to the right value or the dots will appear too large or small on the screen. If the WYSIWYG is on, turn it off, then select it again to turn it on so you can enter the scale value. The control dots are made by the M commands, and G04 if you have entered a color for the particular M in the Load G code configuration. Dots can be made by the unused G codes if you make a tool cycle ASCII file that just has a dot in it, and you enter the name of that tool cycle file for the particular G code in the Load G code configuration Tool option. Also the drawing editor background color needs to be set to a color other than the one the tool path lines and dots are set to, see the Palette command in the drawing editor Set- up sub-menu.

You can try to get the program to ignore unsupported G codes that do not do anything important when the G code file is loaded, by entering the name of a do nothing ASCII tool cycle file into the Load G code configuration for the particular unsupported G code you want ignored. The file EMPTY.ASC has been included in the revised distribution for this purpose. You enter the names of the tool cycle files into the Files Load Industry G code command's Tool configuration command under the G cycle column at the proper numbered index 00 through 99.

The Files Load Industry G code conversion modes, mode 1 and mode 2, change the way I, J, and K are processed when absolute positioning mode is selected with G90. In mode 1 I, J, and K are always relative to the starting point of the arc. In mode 2 I, J, and K are absolute positions when G90 is active, and relative incremental positions when G91 is selected. If you are using the wrong conversion mode arcs will probably look like quasi circles with a small part missing, rather than the proper segment of the arc.

When working with metric millimeter units you will probably want to change the default value for the sides per unit size arc used. The default value is generally 3600 sides for one inch or unit measure quasi circles, with more sides automatically being used for larger arcs. Since one millimeter quasi circles are very small you may be able to decrease the sides value to use to 72 or so, so that the tool path file used is smaller, and the drawing will redraw faster. The value for the arc sides value is in the Files Load Industry G code Install command option.

Many of the problem spots in G code files that produce errors are at the beginning and end of the file. By adjusting the Files Load Industry G code Install configuration option to ignore errors you might be able to load files that just have a few irrelevant things in them, such as program numbers in odd places. To try ignore irrelevant G or M codes you need to use the various configuration options to insert do nothing tool cycles or dots of a line color that is for a harmless feed rate. If the G code file contains relevant but unsupported codes that cannot be compensated for by loading tool cycle files, you may need to open the G code file in the Write command or some other text editor and delete the parts that are causing problems or substitute different commands to correct the incompatibility. If you can get the bulk of the tool path's lines to load into the drawing workspace, you can then try to use the drawing editor's commands to draw new starting and ending line segments and make whatever other changes would be needed to make the tool path suitable for use. In the Load G code configuration you can set the option to start a new element at each tool change, i.e. T command, in the G code file, in that way you can then use the Line style command in the drawing editor's Lines edit sub-menu to change the line color, i.e. feed rate, and separately display and edit each portion of the tool path that is for a different tool.

See also the information about using G codes with my programs in Section: 3.1.50.0, and Section: 7.10.20.0.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY BMP command loads BMP drawings that are 1 bpp or line art, i.e. B&W, via a JET page file. The FILES UTILITIES BMP ASCII can convert 8 bpp 256 palette mode color BMP file into an ASCII file that can be loaded into the workspace, so see that command and the other BMP conversion commands as well.

The size of the BMP file to load needs to be edited with the software that probably came with your scanner, or some other graphics program, so that it is the exact pixel size of the JET page file to be used for conversion. You can read the JET driver to see what the pixel dimensions are with the HARDCOPY JET INSTALL command. When you save your BMP file you may need to enter a cropping size one pixel smaller or larger than the size you are trying to get in order to get the file to come out the right size.

You can also find the right pixel size needed by the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY BMP command by saving a BMP file with the FILES SAVE INDUSTRY BMP command using the same JET driver, and loading the saved BMP file into your graphics program and using the "properties," "attributes," "info," "image information," "resize," or whichever command the program has to get the pixel horizontal and vertical dimensions. Some programs read the pixel dimensions from 1 and others from 0, so look out for that difference. Pixels are sometimes referred to as "Pels" in some programs.

Before you save a BMP file for loading by this command you may need to use your other graphics program to "convert" the image to 1 bpp one bit per pixel Black and White "line art" from whatever color resolution the image was scanned with.

If you were saving the image in a BMP file for conversion with the FILES UTILITIES BMP ASCII command you would convert the image to a 8 bpp 256 palette mode color or gray scale BMP type file. The ASCII file could then be loaded as an element in the drawing workspace.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY STL command loads 3D triangle elements from files that use a sub-set of a variant of the industry STL ASCII format, i.e. not the Binary STL format. It might be possible to import 3D shapes using this command, but since it is experimental I do not know what programs might be able to make files that are compatible with the STL variant that is read. There are two loading modes, one tries to convert the STL data into a triangle element for hidden line display modes, or the other mode tries to convert the STL data into a wire-frame element made of "free" line segments only able to be displayed as wire-frame lines.

If the triangle's normals are pointing the wrong way around when you load the triangles from the STL file, you may be able to fix them with the REVERT or CORRECT commands in the drawing editor's HIDDEN sub-menu.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY sub-menu has some commands that convert elements in the drawing workspace into Industry type files that might possibly be able to be loaded into some other types of graphic or CAM programs.

The file type that will probably work the best for exporting drawings is to save drawings as a BMP type file. Other graphic programs, such as the software that came with your scanner, can generally convert the 1 bpp or 8 bpp BMP file saved into a 24 bpp file type such as JPG or GIF. Color drawings using the hidden line display modes can be saved as BMP files, see below.

The PostScript (tm) file type may work on some laser printers, particularly those that where designed for use with some Apple (tm) computers, e.g. LaserWriter (tm) and such, or ones that you find at desk top publishing centers and copy stores that rent computers by the hour.

The other file types that can be exported are of more specific application. Only a sub-set of the commands or modes are supported for each file type exported, so the commands may not produce a file that will meet your particular requirements.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY HPGL command can be used to save 2D plots, so if you want to save a 3D hidden line plot of triangle elements you need to use the HARDCOPY READY command first to make a 2D element of the 3D hidden line display mode, and then save a 2D plot of the element HARDCOPY READY made as HPGL data in a file. Triangle elements need to be converted to "free" lines by the HARDCOPY READY command before they can be saved to pen plotter file types.

If you just want to save "free" line elements and drawings as HPGL, you do not need to use the READY command beforehand, just save the element with the FILES SAVE INDUSTRY HPGL command as you would by using the SAVE 2D-REAL command to save the element.

The HPGL/2 file type is saved in a way that is similar to how the HPGL files are saved, but a different driver is used. The HPGL/2 file type might work in some cases where the simple HPGL file does not.

The LaserJet III (tm) HPGL/2 drivers can be used through the HARDCOPY LASER command to save a HPGL/2 type file if you use the HARDCOPY PLOT INSTALL command to change the output port in the LaserJet III (tm) HPGL/2 driver file to a file name. The driver for the HARDCOPY LASER command is selected with the main menu CHANGE command. HPGL/2 is a slightly different code than HPGL and is used by some kinds of printers.

The HARDCOPY READY command would be used to convert triangle elements for saving as HPGL/2 as was described above for the FILES SAVE INDUSTRY HPGL command.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY POSTSCRIPT command can make a Postscript (tm) file of a drawing element, but if you want to save triangle elements using the 3D hidden line display modes you will need to use the HARDCOPY READY command first to make a 2D element of the 3D hidden line display of the elements, then save that new 2D element as the PostScript (tm) file.

If you are trying to output PostScript (tm) directly to a printer such as the LaserWriter (tm) you should use the HARDCOPY LASER command, and configure the LASER command to use the PostScript (tm) drivers by using the main menu CHANGE command. The LASER command is normally configured for PostScript (tm) but can also be set-up to output HPGL/2 codes for the LaserJet III (tm) and such.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY DXF sub-menu has four commands for saving different types of DXF files. The Plot option saves line attributes like they would be plotted on a pen plotter, so the dotted and dashed lines can be converted into DXF LINE entities. The 2D option converts the drawing into a 2D projection and can be used for wire-frame or simple line drawings. The HARDCOPY READY command might be used if you want to save 2D projections of hidden line drawings from triangle elements, it converts triangle elements into 2D line elements that the DXF LINE command can work with. The 3DLINE option saves wire- frame elements as the DXF 3DLINE entity. The Triangles option converts 3D triangle elements into the DXF 3DFACE entity, so that 3D elements might possibly be displayed as hidden-line or shaded solid forms in other programs.

Simple 2D symbols, and such, might be able to be saved in DXF file type for loading into other CAD type programs, but you may have problems adjusting the scale of the symbols to match your drawing, depending on which mode you use to save the DXF data.

The FILES LOAD INDUSTRY AUTOCAD (tm) command might load the DXF entities LINE, 3DLINE, and 3DFACE. Some triangle element files saved as 3DFACE entities may be able to be loaded and used for hidden-line shaded display in animations. Since triangle elements saved from other programs may not have been drawn properly for display in my programs, there is an option for creating back-to-back triangles that might help cover some "holes" in the loaded form. The DIVIDE command may be helpful to sub-divide triangles that are too large to sort in the right order. The REVERT command may also be helpful for correcting triangles in loaded elements that are drawn backwards.

The control of the conversion of the line colors when loading and saving DXF files is done by the values in the files DRIVERS\DXFLOAD.CCT and DRIVERS\DXFSAVE.CCT. The right column in these files can be edited to change the colors assigned, and the screen palette in the drawing editor's set-up sub-menu can also be used to re-assign the colors displayed.

See also the descriptions of the LOAD DXF, PLOT, SAVE DXF2D, SAVE DXF3D, SAVE DXF3DFACE, DIVIDE, LINETYPE, and REVERT commands in Appendix: B.

If you are trying to save triangle elements you might also try the SAVE STL command options rather than saving the drawing as a DXF 3DFACE entity file.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY G CODE command saves 3D tool path elements as G code using the G00, G01, G02, or G03 commands, which command is used depends on how the drawing element was drawn and the setup in the save G code configuration. If you want to make a G code file using G00, G01, G02, G03, G14, and G15, as well as some other commands, while you are drawing see the G code output file command in the drawing editor's NC sub-menu. The G code output file only works with a few commands in the NC sub-menu and such, if you want to use the full range of DANCAD3D (tm)'s editing commands you can save any "free" line element as G01 movements using this FILES SAVE INDUSTRY G CODE command, including irregular quasi curves, surface profiles, and such made up of many short line segments.

Triangle elements should be converted to "free" line segments with the NC FILL TRI PATH command in the drawing editor before being saved as G code tool path files. Be sure that the triangle's normals are pointing the right way before you create the tool path element.

Triangle elements can also be converted to Pixel files using display modes 44 or 54, then be converted to an ASCII file by the FILES UTILITIES ASCII PIXEL command, then be loaded into the workspace with the LOAD ASCII command, edited with JOCKEY PLOTTERIZE and NC LINK, and finally saved with FILES SAVE INDUSTRY G CODE.

Be sure that you configure the conversion of the line colors to feed rates for the F variable in the G code file to correspond to the FILES LOAD INDUSTRY G CODE settings. Also check that you have the line colors in DANCAM.EXE (tm) set to corresponding feed ranges, since you may use the teach mode to make a tool path file and later want to convert that ASCII file to G code with this command.

See also the other information about using G codes with my programs in Section: 3.1.35.0, Section: 3.1.50.0, and Section: 7.10.20.0.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY BMP command saves a 1 bpp or "Line Art," Black and White, BMP file using the JET PAGE file commands. This command is a good way to export drawings for use with other graphic programs. For display on the internet drawings saved as BMP might be converted to JPG or GIF with the software that came with your scanner. The JET driver selected, i.e. DRIVERS\*.JET, effects the pixel size of the BMP file produced. The JET INSTALL command can be used to adjust settings in the JET drivers. The main menu CHANGE command selects the default JET driver file to be used by the JET commands. The JET driver selected determines the size and resolution of the BMP file created, e.g. the 150 dpi drivers will make a BMP file half as wide as the 300 dpi drivers.

Color drawings can also be saved as BMP type files, but you need to use the save BMP command in the main menu Preview command while displaying using one of the color display modes. The SVGA video cards operating in one of the 256 palette mode color modes make the best color BMP files. Any of the Preview display modes will make a BMP file, but the number of colors will be limited by the palette associated with the display mode selected. The size of the BMP file saved by Preview is controlled by the video board type, and the resolution of the video mode selected. Video modes below VGA may not use square pixels, so the saved file may be somewhat distorted in the vertical direction in the BMP file. The VGA and SVGA modes have pixels that are about square so the vertical distortion if any should be small.

Pixel files can be converted to BMP files, see the FILES UTILITY BMP EXPORT sub-menu. This would be of interest if you made an animation and it would be easier for you to convert a Pixel file you already have, rather then trying to use the Preview command to save the BMP file directly.

The FILES SAVE INDUSTRY STL command tries to make a STL ASCII file from a triangle element. Since this is an experimental command I do not know what, if any, programs can read this type of file. There are two options, either the normals from the triangles can be saved, or they can be nulled. If you need to reverse the triangle orientation before saving see the HIDDEN REVERT BOTH command in the drawing editor.

If you need to export triangle elements for hidden line display in some other program the STL file type might be the one to try.

The various commands that load and save elements into and out of the drawing workspace might be used in various combinations.

If you wanted to convert an HPGL file into a G code file you could load the HPGL file into the drawing workspace, edit the loaded element with OPTIMIZE, PLOTTERIZE, and LINK then save the element in the workspace as a G code file.

If you wanted to convert a 3D surface from a triangle element into a tool path file to machine a countered surface you could use the FILL TRI PATH command in the drawing editor's NC sub-menu. But you could also in some cases use the hidden line display modes 44 or 54 and save a Pixel file using one of the M256 palette video modes then convert the Pixel file into an ASCII file using conversion mode 100, then that ASCII file could be loaded and processed with the PLOTTERIZE command, then saved back as another ASCII or G code file for use with the CAM program or controller.

Conversion of scanned art drawn so that darkness represents depth into a contoured surface tool path could be done using the conversion of BMP to ASCII then loading the ASCII file, then using PLOTTERIZE and possibly LINK then saving the tool path as an ASCII or a G code file.

DANCAD3D (tm) might be used to make various kinds of file conversions. You might write a macro file to do the various steps of the conversion if you have more than one file to convert.

Think about how any of the program's commands might be used in different ways to transform data from one form to another to bridge data from what form you have to what form you need.