Last night I was using Bobcad to write a program to cut a 3D swept surface, for that matter I could have been spot drilling holes and still had this problem... I opened up the parms menu, entered the codes to get into the misc. file and changed everything over to read text files... So far, so good, do that everyday... The problems started after I wrote a conversational program (1010) that would basically rotates the program 60 degrees and then calls up my Bobcad program (HH.TXT), 6 times to cut spoke pattern in the wheel... Since conversational will not let you type in letters, only numbers in the call box, I then reopened up my program (1010) in the text editor and changed all the calls to (HH.TXT). When I ran a verify, it tells me (HH.TXT) does not exist...

Here's what I don't understand, I opened the special NC-CAM side of Bobcad and typed in the text version of (1010) verbatim and then saved as a .TXT file, reloaded it in my machine and PRESTO!!

Is there something else in the machines parameters I am not toggling that needs to be changed in order to use a combination of conversation programs coupled with 3rd party generated programs??

All I toggle currently in the (main>parms>setup>misc) folder is:

Resolve DNC programs...............YES
Full DOS file names...................YES

I have this problem on both the centurion V and VII machines...

I cant help you a ton, but when I loaded some G-code into the milltronics(trying to remember what was needed) I didnt use a file extention at all, just O1010(dont remember if the O is there or not) and there were a few necessary items in there after that. Take one of your conversational codes and take a look at the beginning and the end and see if you can figure out what needs to be there. The one that I loaded, if there was a slight problem with it the machines computer would restart or crash.

Jon

Our dealer stopped in today and showed me how... As soon as I get a few minutes I'll post the details, you were on the right track, just a couple details missing...

On my Partner 6 you have to rename all files like this: O1111 or Oxxxx
The letter "O" is important, and then 4 digit file #.
Doug.

The "O" on the file lets the control know it is a text program.
If you use the conv programming it would start with a "P" and is all the conversatonial screens but also makes a "O" file that it runs.
There is a parameter under Misc parameters called "full dos file names" you can set it to yes and name the program what ever you wish. The only down fall is trying to make a conv program you would need to name the program P and 4 digits.

Mholden, are you serious about that? Dang, I wish somebody had told me that 9 years ago, when I bought my machine! LOL
Oh well.
Thanks,
Doug.

A short explanation on text files and conversational files.

The standard text file name is O and four digits (Example: “O5418”). Many customers like to give their programs names that are not standard. (Example: “PART297.NCC”)
Any text files can be run by the control.
Conversational files names are P and 4 digits (Example “P3519”) for every conversational file there is an associated text file (Example “O3519”). The conversational “P” files cannot be run by the control. The associated “O” file can be run by the control.
There are two different modes used when creating menus on the control. One is a menu of the standard file names (O and 4 digits). The other menu is a menu of all of the files; this is called Full DOS file names (Example: “PART297.NCC”). When the control makes a menu for Full DOS file names it includes the conversational files as well as all of the other files.
Pressing the “D” key when any menu is displayed switches between the two different modes. This toggles the mode to/from Full DOS names to/from standard names. Regardless of which mode (Full DOS or Standard) any menus for conversational files will only include conversational files (“P####”).