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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 25 or so years, and especially those who shared their experiences with me.
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This documentation section has text mostly about DANCAM.EXE (tm) and DANPLOT.EXE (tm), my CAM programs, and might be looked to for information on some of the CAM program commands. See also the other documentation files, and pages in this Web site, for additional information. The disclaimer and most of the other legal text has been moved to SECTION: 0 , you must read the disclaimer, End User License Agreement (EULA), and other legal text, before you read any of the other documentation or use any part of this HTML document or associated files and programs. Be sure to read all the Warnings in SECTION: 3.2.10.0 , and the other documentation, before running, installing, testing, or using any of my programs, and especially before using DANCAM.EXE (tm) and DANPLOT.EXE (tm).
The text in this section was derived from the CAMPLOT.DOC file that was in the original v2.6 distribution, and has been updated somewhat so that some of the changes made in v2.7 are reflected. It may take me some time to get back to work some more on this section, but you can help proof-read what is here now. Some adjustment may be required for versions prior or subsequent to v2.72 since there are variations between versions and the various revisions of versions.
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The CAM programs have a built in very experimental computer network that might let several computers be connected together to serve and transport files between them. This network concept is still very experimental, and may under go gross changes in possible future revisions.
Be sure to see also the part of SECTION: 3.2.30.0 about CAM program command line operation and operation of the CAM programs from batch files, since there is some information about the CAM network command line commands there. The CAM network can be operated in three ways, from the CAM programs menus, from the DOS command line, and from DOS type batch files.
This computer network makes simple connections between the standard Serial ports. CAM files can be executed from a shop computer that does not have a harddisk by running a wire from the shop to a file server computer in a less contaminated room. Some CAM program operations make temporary files, so some program functions may be limited on a computer without a harddisk.
At present this network is designed to answer one request at a time, so files can also be downloaded to the local harddisk for execution.
Normally each computer can be fit with four serial ports, and you can select in the programs which Serial port(s) you want to connect to. Up to eight serial ports per computer can be configured if you manually set up the configuration and have serial cards that use unique addresses (note this capability may not work with any particular brand of hardware, so do not purchase any hardware with the assumption that it will work with my programs.) By adding switch boxes it may be possible to connect many computers to up-load and download tool path files to one or more file servers.
A serial port IO delay is used to correct network problems that can happen on some faster computers such as PIII 733MHz, settings from 10 microseconds to 100 microseconds seem to work, but you can adjust this value in the network port setup option. To see if the value is correct put one computer in server mode, and try using the Chat message option from the remote computers. If Chat works without any problems, try getting a file directory of the server from the remote computers. If you can get directories, try using the Fetch and Store commands, to get a file from the server and to save a file on the server. Be sure that you have an \XFER\ sub- directory off of the CAM programs directory, and that you have enough free disk space for the network commands to create the many temporary files they need to make for the various commands and options you will need to use.
The *.ACF, i.e. ASCII Compressed File file type, is a special compressed file version of my *.ASC 3D ASCII drawing file for use to speed up file transfers of finished tool paths. This compression method will not work on any other type of file, so you should not try to compress other kinds of files into *.ACF type. The *.ACF filetype takes up about half the bytes as the *.ASC file, which reduces the file transfer time. The *.ACF file needs to be de-compressed before being used as an *.ASC tool path file.
When the CAM programs are run initially a random number is assigned to the ID number for that computer on the network. You should check all the ID numbers for the computers on your network to make sure that the same ID number is not being used my more than one computer.
Wiring of the computers to make the CAM file transfer network just involves running one or more wires between the serial ports of the computers. No special hardware is required for the machine computers, or the server computer, and the computers can switch roles. You can get a remote file directory of the server's harddisk and remotely manage files there when the server is not busy.
If you wish, the wiring of the CAM file sharing network can get complex, e.g. COM1 of machine computer 1 can connect to COM3 of server 1, COM2 of machine computer 1 can connect to COM1 of server 2, COM2 of server 1 can connect to machine computer 2, and so on depending on how many machines you are using and how you want to be able to transport your files.
A NUL Modem cable is required to connect two computers on the network. If a switch box is used a "mouse extension" cable can be used for the common connector on the switch box, and NUL Modem cables used on the other connectors on the switch box, because you cannot connect two NUL Modem cables together or they cancel each other's crossed wires.
It might be possible to just use a three wire cable for the network, but I have not had time to test the three wire cables yet, or see how long the cables can be made if you use #12 gauge wire.
To make a "full" NUL Modem cable these connections can be "Beta Tested":
First computer 25 pin RS-232 Second computer 25 pin RS-232 2 ------------------------------------- 3 3 ------------------------------------- 2 4 ------------------------------------- 5 5 ------------------------------------- 4 6 ------------------------------------- 20 20 ------------------------------------- 6 7 ------------------------------------- 7
To make a "three wire" NUL Modem cable these connections can be experimented with and then "Beta Tested":
First computer 25 pin RS-232 Second computer 25 pin RS-232 2 ------------------------------------- 3 3 ------------------------------------- 2 7 ------------------------------------- 7
With the "three" wire hook-up since pin 7 is common ground, a DPDT switch might be able to be used to switch pins 2 and 3 between two remote computers and the server to make a simple switch box.
Do not switch computers, or use a switch box while data is being transferred, you will probably get data errors, and need to shut down all the computers on the network, and restart everything.