MasterCam VisalBasic?

[cansucuoglu]

Hello;

I am newly staring writin Vb on mastercam. I have been using RhinoScript for a long time. I think I understand enough fom VB but, in mastercamVB I am totaly paralyzed.

Do you guyz know any tutorial or reference with mastercamVB.

C.

[crazythunder]

There is a developer forum in the Emastercam web site that would be of great help that covers a lot of the class, object and other thing needed to do it. There is also a SDK download on the Mastercam website.

http://www.emastercam.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi

[cansucuoglu]

Thank you for your quick response. This will be great help. But I couldn't find a tutorial kind of thing. Or a good reference, as mastercam's is barely helpful in my opinion. Maybe I don't know how to read it though...

Can you let me know if you know anything. Thanks anyhow, link was a great help already...

[Rekd]

I would first start by realizing that most of the VB functions, while still there, may not look familiar to you. For example, Inputbox in VBS is AskValue or AskString in Mastercam.

I would then open several existing mastercam scripts and look through them. You should be able to pick it up rather quickly if you're already used to scripting (of any kind)

[cansucuoglu]

I have been doing a lot of scripting with RhinoVB... So I am familiar.
Can someone send me some examples?????? The ones came by mastercam is too little....

If anyone can, I will be so happy.

[Rekd]

I found most functions covered in the samples provided.

What are you trying to do? Mayhaps I have something that can help get you started?

[cansucuoglu]

I just want to switch layers on and of which i can do. Then select all the objects in layer, which i did.. Then go through each selection (an array and for each in didnt work) and say, if black put to this geometry set, if magenta this if red that. And give a break to check if it is right then toolpathing. Toolpath is not a big deal, it is just a click anyways.

I manage to fillet the things i need and chain things in CW direction but cant put these to the OperationGeometryManager thing....

Thank you so much.
Can

[Rekd]

You got about as far as I've gone. I haven't tried to do any toolpathing with VBS yet, so I can't help you. Sorry.

This may be of some help, though. Good luck!

'////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
'//
'//        Author:   Mick George Mick.George@Mastercam.com
'//          Date:   28/10/2003 03:28 PM
'//     File Name:   Toolpath Door CHook.vbs*
'//
'//   Description:   Run Door CHook, create <style> door, set level 1 INSIDE and level 2 OUTSIDE
'//                  then create one door, exit chook. Create your operations and save them to 
'//                  DOOR.OP9 And run this script
'//
'//      Comments:   You don't need to create a door, this script can apply to any drawing that has
'//                  two inside pocket operation and an outside contour. 
'//
'////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


'///////////////// My Constants ///////////////// 
'
' -- Operations library
Const DEF_OPERATIONS_LIB = "DOOR.OP9"
'
' -- Operation comments for each operation saved
Const DEF_OP_INSIDE_ROUGH_POCKET = "INSIDE ROUGH POCKET"
Const DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR = "INSIDE FINISH CONTOUR"
Const DEF_OP_OUTSIDE_CONTOUR = "OUTSIDE CONTOUR"
'
' -- Level numbers
Const DEF_INSIDE_LEVEL = 2
Const DEF_OUTSIDE_LEVEL = 1


' -- Start Script
Call Main()


' ////////////////////
' Sub Declaration
' ////////////////////
Sub Main()
    
Dim strPathToOP9, ovOverRides

If Not IsDrawing Then ShowString "We need a drawing!": Exit Sub

strPathToOP9 = GetPathFromExtension("OP9")

strPathToOP9  = AddBackSlash(strPathToOP9) & DEF_OPERATIONS_LIB 

' -- If you want to over-ride the operations depth now is the time...
Set ovOverRides = New McOverride       

With ovOverRides

.DepthOn = True ' -- Override operation depth?
.Depth  = -.125 ' -- New depth If DepthOn = True
.FeedRatePercentOn = True ' -- New feed rate Is a percentage?
.FeedRate = 80
.SpindleSpeedPercentOn = True ' -- New spindle speed Is a percentage?
.SpindleSpeed= 80 ' -- New spindle speed If SpindleSpeedOn = True


End With

Call GetReady     

' ****************************************
' * Chain all entities on our inside level
' ****************************************
If ChainAll(True, False, DEF_INSIDE_LEVEL, vbNullString ) Then
   ' -- Apply our rough pocketing routine 
   If MakeOperationFromName(strPathToOP9,DEF_OP_INSIDE_ROUGH_POCKET,DEF_OP_INSIDE_ROUGH_POCKET, ovOverRides) <> mcOPERATION_INVALID Then
       ' -- Apply our finish pass
       If MakeOperationFromName(strPathToOP9,DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR,DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR, ovOverRides) <> mcOPERATION_INVALID Then
          ' -- Ok to go
          Call GetReady
       Else
          ShowString "Could not apply " &  DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR & " operation"
          Call GetReady
       End If             
   Else
      ShowString "Could not apply " &  DEF_OP_INSIDE_ROUGH_POCKET & " operation"
      Call GetReady
      Exit Sub
   End If             

    ' *****************************************
    ' * Chain all entities on our outside level
    ' *****************************************
    If ChainAll(True, False, DEF_OUTSIDE_LEVEL, vbNullString) Then
       ' -- Apply our outside contour routine 
       If MakeOperationFromName(strPathToOP9,DEF_OP_OUTSIDE_CONTOUR,DEF_OP_OUTSIDE_CONTOUR, ovOverRides) <> mcOPERATION_INVALID Then
           ' -- Clear all
           Call GetReady
       Else
          ShowString "Could not apply " &  DEF_OP_OUTSIDE_CONTOUR & " operation"
          Call GetReady
          Exit Sub
       End If             
    Else
       ShowString "Could not chain outside level"
    End If 


Else
   ShowString "Could not chain inside level"
End If 



End Sub

' ////////////////////
' Function Declaration
' ////////////////////

Function IsDrawing()

Dim Ret

Ret = StartDBSearch(mc_alive, -1)

IsDrawing = Ret

End Function


' ////////////////////
' Sub Declaration
' ////////////////////
Public Sub GetReady
  
Call FreeChains     
Call UnselectAll      
Call RepaintScreen(True)      

End Sub



' ////////////////////
' Function Declaration
' ////////////////////

Function AddBackSlash(sPath)

If Right(sPath, 1) <> "" Then sPath = sPath & ""
AddBackSlash = sPath

End Function

[cansucuoglu]

I have some question though, if you dont mind answering.
Firt thank you very much for the script. I will go through

I couldn't figure out what is McOverride is,

Are "Const DEF_OP_INSIDE_ROUGH_POCKET = "INSIDE ROUGH POCKET" these to access the operation manager later?

If MakeOperationFromName(strPathToOP9,DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR,DEF_OP_INSIDE_FINISH_CONTOUR, ovOverRides) <> mcOPERATION_INVALID Then;
Is this putting all your chains in the Operation you have got from the file OP9.

Am I understanding it right?
And is there a way to go through the geomtry that has been chained, ans ask for their color. It would be saving the selection in an
array and writing a for each loop in RhinoVB but here I couldnt know. My files are not really set up with levels. Levels are containing different sheets. But everything is colored
for text and boundry and pocket cut and router....

Thnaks again

[crazythunder]

Mick.George@Mastercam.com this is the VB guru at CNC and he does not mind questions. That is why he put his email in all VB scripts he writes. Email him and see if he can give you the answer you are looking for sorry I can not, I think Matt can, but if you are looking for a quicker answer Mick my be your best bet.