G code and tap files

[geoff3881]

My CNC milling has been mainly profiles using AutoCAD and Mach 3 software.
I have recently started to look at milling a mould that has some relatively complex profiles.
In the past I have always modified G code by accessing notepad via the "Edit G code" button in Mach 3. These are then saved as tap files.

I would now like to manually import fairly large amounts of data ie. x, y, z points from eg. word or excel filles into Mach for the G code.

I have realised that I have no understanding of why the data is normally saved as a tap file.

Can I just copy from other formats into Notepad and save as g code (tap)

Any tips or pitfalls would be useful ?

[awemawson]

Presumably the extension ".tap" harks back to producing perforated paper tape output for subsequent reading by an NC machine. Thus it will be in straight ASCII code, ie the same as saving ".txt" in Notepad.