[HuFlungDung]

Thanks WMS for your input.

I fooled around with it for a while longer, and the only thing I could do was create a new parameter to hold what I would call the initial Z start, which should logically be the same as the Drill-initial plane but for whatever reason, that variable does not contain the fixed amount as taken from the user input.

It is no problem to do it this way, I just get another variable to define later in the cycle's "extras" field.

I only got to messing with this today because I was drilling some holes that started on a surface well below my Z0, and the negative numbers involved were driving my drill cycles wacky.
But anyway, now I have the post set up better than before, so that is a good thing.

I've also changed my habits with regards to the initial Rapid plane and tool offset. I developed perhaps an erronous habit of running my Z home at Z0.1 , my tool length offsets all the way down to Z0.1 and Rapiding around at Z.1 (My one mill has fairly limited 4.5 inch Z axis travel).

Instead, now I define a Z home of Z1.0, define the length offsets relative to Z1. and Rapid around at Z1. This allows me to call the tool length offset without worrying about the tool being so near the surface, and allows a little more leeway for error, should an offset happen to be slightly incorrect when it is called (the tool moves when the offset is read). This change allows me to make better use of the intermediate positions that Onecnc allows for in positioning the tool before the plunge, etc.

Say, we were agreeable on the potential benefits of a"peck-plunge" option when using end mills, what do you think about the option for Rapid plunge, as well?

I find there are times when I do start a multi-pass roughing cycle with the tool "out in the air", and this gets fairly tedious to watch the thing plunging at a typical feedrate. In the meantime, when I foresee such circumstances, I am happy enough to insert a very high plunge feedrate to accomplish the same thing as rapid, but it doesn't seem to me to be as clear to the operator as a Rapid command would, when he's checking through the code on the machine display.