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

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To view or use the current version of this Web page you may need to reload or refresh the display of this page by your browser. Just clicking on the browser's [Reload] or [Refresh] icon may not be enough to insure that all of the page's most current contents have been cached and displayed. Some browsers may have additional commands to help display the page's most current contents such as: holding down the [Shift] key and clicking on the [Reload] icon, holding down the [Control] key and clicking on the [Refresh] icon, holding down the [Control] and [Shift] keys and clicking on the [Refresh] icon, pressing the [Control] and [F5] keys, pressing [Control] and the [R] key, or some other combination of keys or clicks. Check to see which commands your HTML browser uses to load the most current page contents into its cache and then to display them onto the screen.

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."

This section has some text extracted from the revised v2.7B documentation that was originally in the revised UPDATE27.TXT file. After the introduction of v2.7C the UPDATE27.TXT file was adapted to HTML and moved to this Web site, and a new smaller file INFOV27C.TXT was added to the distribution in DANCAD3D.ZIP to cover changes in v2.7C. See also any other documentation files, and pages in this Web site (HTML document) for additional and or more recent information.

The information in this section is no longer intended for use with v2.7B since that version is out of date and no longer available, rather this information has been preserved so that persons who have been using out of date or discontinued versions could have a "stepping stone" to make their way to familiarity with how the programs have progressed. Some notes have been added here relating to changes that where made to features revised in v2.7C, but some of the features described here may no longer is operating as described in the version or revision you have. Be sure to see any newer documentation that may have been composed relating to any more recent revisions.

The HTML documentation in this SECTION: 3.3.7.2 was derived from the revised file UPDATE27.TXT that was at one time included in my *.ZIP file archive. The current DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) distribution may be able to be downloaded by going to SECTION: 9.70.51.0. My file DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) may archive some other types of files like the ones described in this section, so check the *.ZIP file in its current revision to see what exactly is in it.

You may not distribute, sell, rent, share, or give away these HTML documentation files or printed copies of them. You may not extract text from these HTML documentation files for distribution, sale, rent, sharing, or giving away. You can use the [Print] option in your browser to make one copy for yourself to mark up in order to help me proofread the text for mistakes.

Documents may be available to download from time to time, you can check SECTION: 9 to see what the current situation with regard to downloadable files is. The names of these documentation files may change, and they may be edited, combined, or eliminated in the future, without notice.

You may need to adjust your browser for best viewing of the pre- formatted text by changing the "font" size using the commands in your browser (see the help in your browser, or use the pull-down menus in your HTML browser.) If some letters in words on the screen appear to be missing or scrambled try changing the font size in your browser as this sometimes happens even though the words are spelled correctly in the HTML code.

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.

My file DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) is a *.ZIP file that holds the current "Beta Test" versions of my programs and associated files for "Beta Testing." This section refers to revisions of the out of date and no longer available v2.7B version of the programs, look for other sections or documentation relating to any subsequent revisions.

The use and copying of the programs and files is governed by my current Terms of Use and End User License Agreement ("EULA") which are located in SECTION: 0 of this "Beta Test" Web site. You must read and fully agree to be legally bound by the current End User License Agreement ("EULA") before you use or "Beta Test" any of the files in my file DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm). If you are unable to read and agree to the current End User License Agreement ("EULA") do not use or "Beta Test" any of the files in my file the DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) archive file.

Be sure that you scan the programs and files in my DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) for virus or other contamination since you are responsible for checking them before you use them. These programs and this information are made available "AS-IS" and are without warranty of any kind express, expressed, or implied. Since these programs are "Beta Test" you must agree to become a "Beta Tester" before you make any use of them, see the End User License Agreement ("EULA") in this "Beta Test" Web site for more information. Be sure to read the current instructions in this "Beta Test" Web site regarding procedures for reporting program bugs and other such problems.

On some systems the *.ASC data files, or *.MAC macro files, may be able to be renamed *.TXT to avoid certain kinds of file type misinterpretation by text editor type programs and such. Thank you for helping test these "Beta Test" CAD and CAM programs.

Below is some text from the v2.7B revision of the UPDATE27.TXT file that was written to be included in a preliminary version of the v2.7B version(s) of my DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm) file for preliminary information about changes in version v2.7B of the CAD and CAM programs. You should read this information before you try to use or "Beta Test" the current revision of the programs, v2.7B is out of date and no longer available. This information is in addition to the previous documentation, i.e. a supplement to, and does not go into detail about many of the previously documented features, so you should therefore review the other sections and documentation as well.

Please report any discrepancies between the documentation and the programs or files that you find. Some of the text from this section may have been incorporated into the other sections of this Web site, in doing that some of the text may have been further revised, and so may contain additional information, therefore after reading through all of this section you should also read through all of the other portions of this Web site, even those portions that might seem to be duplicates.

See also the This Section, About DANCAD3D.ZIP (tm), and Miscellaneous Notes about Changes in v2.7B sub-sections here, as well as SECTION: 9.70.0.0 and SECTION: 9.70.51.0 for more information about v2.7.

In revisions of v2.7B compiled on or around September 12, 2002, and probably in some of the revisions that might be made thereafter, some changes where made to how the "F" variable is handled in the Files Load Industry G code command.

The initial value for the F variable is now 0, and when F is 0 the default line colors for rapid and linear feed are taken from the default values entered in the configuration file. Usually rapid feed would be set to default to line color 1 and linear feed would be set to default to line color 2 for the most rapid linear feed rate.

When a block with G00 is in the G code file the default line color for rapid feed is used, unless the F variable is stated in the G00 block in which case the line color will be looked up from the feed rate to line color table. If the F variable is not stated in the G00 block the F variable value will probably not be changed by the G00 block.

When a block with G01 is in the G code file the feed rate is looked up in the feed rate to line color table for the current value of the F variable even if the F variable is not in the G01 block. When F is in the G01 block it overrides the previous value and becomes the feed rate for subsequent G01, G02, and G03 blocks even if they do not state the F value. When F is 0 the default line color for linear feed is taken from the configuration linear feed default line color value.

When G02 and G03 are used the F variable is handled like in the G01 command.

Since the Files Load Industry G code command is developmental its operation in the revision you have may be different from the above description. All specifications are subject to change without notice.

Changes where made to the Load G code and Save G code commands in revisions to v2.7B in and after the September 21, 2002 compile.

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. In v2.7C a configuration for two values, i.e. metric and inch sides, was added so that the sides would be selected for each mode automatically. In v2.7C an option was added so that G70 and G71 could be used in addition to G20 and G21 to select the units mode.

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 to 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.

A Binary File Editor was added in v2.7C that can also be used to edit G code files and convert data types.

See also the revised information about the Load and Save G code commands in the current On-Line Sections: 3.1.35.0, 3.1.50.0, 3.3.7.3, and 7.10.20.0.