Generating .CAM or .MX2 files with EZ CAM?

[Helix22]

Hi I just got a new ProtoTrac EMX controll (and the last one I will ever buy, worst experience EVER!!!) I am trying to figure out how to write a program in EZ CAM and output to .CAM or .MX2 files, the ProtoTrac will only accept these file extensions unless I want to stand there for hours and input all my numbers manually. THANKS

[Master_CNC]

After you post a program you can rename the text file to a .cam or any other extension your machine requires--this is standard windows stuff.

Or

When you post in EZ-CAM you can change the directory where EZ-CAM posts the G-Code File. When you change the directory you can select "post processed programs" in the drop down menu for save as type. Name your file and place a .cam extension (or again any extension a machine may require). When you are done click the "Save Options" button. Now every time you post the extension it is saved to the last one you used.

Thanks,

Master_CNC

[Helix22]

I changed the extension of an MX2 to text so I could read it. Figured I could manually enter the code of a real simple program without a lot of lines but its confusing. Will have to try it with your EZ CAM suggestion, thank you.

[cnczane]

I apologize for late-coming to this thread, but there's a chance others may still visit.

My own (light) experience with ProtoTRAK led me to conclude:
.CAM files contain ("standard") G-Code. I don't think they can be created from the keypad/console, but
the user manual listed all the G-codes the controller would recognize. [Prob. nec. to instruct EZ-CAM, via a post-processor config file,
how to generate G-codes in the right format for PT.]
.MX2 files contain sequences of "events"/operations programmed from the console. [EZ-CAM won't be generating these.]

The CNC-controller-in-the-box is smart enough to understand .CAM and .MX2 files.

I have written simple .CAM files with a standard text editor and loaded them into a ProtoTRAK (EMX) from a USB thumb drive, and "LOOK" showed them to be just what I expected.

.MX2 files are just text files themselves, and you can "open" them with a regular text editor (e.g., Note/Wordpad): no need to rename to .TXT extension.

I generated a variety of them from the console and studied them, and created a new one (of relatively simple geometry) with a text editor.

One of the "service codes" allows for entering a simulation mode (turn off the servers), so one could experiment with a G-code program, using "LOOK" and "RUN" without the danger of crashing.