Changing Defaults in SprutCAM

[cgroves]

G'Day,

Whilst using SprutCAM 7 (build 0.8) with my Tormach I find myself continually changing several default values when defining machining operations. I.e.

- Relief Angle in Pocketing Operations from 3deg to 0deg.
- Trochoid Step from "With pocket Step" to "Do not use Trochoid"
- Coolant from "flood" to "off"
- Lead in /out from "safe distance" to "safe level"

If you don't mind editing some files you can change the defaults. I've highlighted the files and lines to change if you want to address the above defaults.

NOTE: To change the files first copy them to another directory. Notepad won't save the changes to that directory. Move to that directory and copy them again so that you have a backup copy (the file name will contain "*copy". You can then edit the files using notepad. Save the changes and then copy the files back to their original directories. Windows will prompt you for permission. If you want to make the changes accept. I you stuff up and have made a copy of the original files you'll have the original files as a backup.
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In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\MillOperations\Mill25DOp.xml <cidart1.02090106.02000607@nteczone.com>

For relief angle you can change the following line:
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="3" DimensionKind="Angular"/>
so that the default is "0". i.e.
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="0" DimensionKind="Angular"/>

For Trochoid you can change the following line:
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="PocketStep"/>
so that it defaults to "Off" i.e.
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="Off"/>

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In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\MillOperations\PocketParameters.xml
For Trochoid you can change the following line:
<SCType ID="TTrochoidsMode" Caption="Trochoids mode" type="Enumerated" DefaultValue="PocketStep">
To "off":
<SCType ID="TTrochoidsMode" Caption="Trochoids mode" type="Enumerated" DefaultValue="Off">
(Note: I haven't been able to confirm the specific effect of the above change but it is consistent with the rest of the changes).
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In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\MillOperations\Waterline.xml
For Relief Angle:
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="3" DimensionKind="Angular"/>
so that the default is "0". i.e.
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="0" DimensionKind="Angular"/>

For Trochoid you can change the following line:
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="PocketStep"/>
To "off":
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="Off"/>

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In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\MillOperations\EngraveOp.xml
For Relief Angle:
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="3" DimensionKind="Angular"/>
so that the default is "0". i.e.
<SCType ID="DraftAngle" Caption="Relief angle" type="Double" DefaultValue="0" DimensionKind="Angular"/>

For Trochoid you can change the following line:
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="PocketStep"/>
To "off":
<SCType ID="Mode" Caption="Mode" type="TTrochoidsMode" DefaultValue="Off"/>

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To change the coolant operation
In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\AbstractMillOP.xml

<SCType ID="Coolant" Caption="Coolant" type="ComplexType">
<SCType ID="Flood" Caption="Flood" type="Boolean" DefaultValue="True"/>
<SCType ID="Mist" Caption="Mist" type="Boolean" DefaultValue="False"/>
<SCType ID="Tool" Caption="Tool" type="Boolean" DefaultValue="False"/>
</SCType>
Change the line containing "Flood" to "False". i.e.
<SCType ID="Flood" Caption="Flood" type="Boolean" DefaultValue="False"/>

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To change the default lead in / out from "Distance" to "Level"
In the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\AbstractMillOP.xml

<!-- fSafeDist -->
<SCType ID="FeedSwitchLevel" Caption="Feed switch level" type="TLimitedAbsIncValue">
<ReferenceType DefaultValue="Increment"/>
<AbsValue DefaultValue="0"/>
<RelValue DefaultValue="1"/>
<MaxValue DefaultValue="50"/>
</SCType>
Change the line containing "ReferenceType" default to "Absolute". I.e.
<ReferenceType DefaultValue="Absolute"/>

If you want to change the level default from 0 then you can change the line:
<AbsValue DefaultValue="0"/>

Hope this helps someone.

Regards, Christian

[Magnum164]

I had talked to Tormach about this as well. I have a major problem with SprutCAM in that all of the defaults have defaulted to metric. So even though I installed Imperial in certain areas it should select the settings based on the tool, but I have to go back in and change every menu - a little frustrating. THis will help I was about to fire up Notepad++ and start editing as well.

I plan to remove anything related to metric I can find

[MichaelHenry]

I won't be near my SprutCAM computer for a few days and can't check, but isn't there a setting in one of the menus where you can tell SC to use Imperial units? You can also set up your own tool table and set the units for each tool to inches, which should also help.

Mike

[Magnum164]

I won't be near my SprutCAM computer for a few days and can't check, but isn't there a setting in one of the menus where you can tell SC to use Imperial units? You can also set up your own tool table and set the units for each tool to inches, which should also help.

Mike

Yes.. That is my problem.. I set for Imperial, but later, perhaps after a crash when I bring up my library it would convert say my .5" dimension for my endmills to metric (argh). SprutCAM acknowledged that bug and I am testing the updated build. All seems ok, except for the menus default to metric (I get very, very small tool paths if I don't redo everything).

I think once I remove the defaults so it can't see or think metric, it will be OK.

[davidperry3]

I Got my default tools library changed but when I look at mill operations it only has Hole machining, Rotary machining, Tool end 5D Machining and Wire EDM Machining.

In Sprut Waterline and drive ect.. are all there.

any ideas?

I'm running windows 7.

[compunerdy]

Thanks, These settings drive me nuts as well.

[cgroves]

Hello David,

Sounds like when you made the changes you left off a bracket or added an illegal character or similar that causes problems parsing the XML. Try to copy back the original file to see if that fixes the problem. If it does use the "compare" tool (under the review tab in MSword 2007) to compare the two documents to see what is different. It will make it easier to see what has been changed.

BTW: If you don't have MS word you can use plenty of other tools for file compares:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compari...mparison_tools

Regards, Christian

[RTP_Burnsville]

Hi Guys,

I have a related issue that maybe someone can help with. When I open a project in SprutCam I always get the following message.

Current SprutCam tolerance (digits) : 5
Opening Project Tolerance (digit) : 3

Do you wish to change value for project?

Yes No


No matter what is selected the project never appears to update to the new tolerance. This is true for new projects created, saved, and then reopened. It drives me nuts!!!

Thanks,
Robert

[Magnum164]

Hi Guys,

I have a related issue that maybe someone can help with. When I open a project in SprutCam I always get the following message.

Current SprutCam tolerance (digits) : 5
Opening Project Tolerance (digit) : 3

Do you wish to change value for project?

Yes No


No matter what is selected the project never appears to update to the new tolerance. This is true for new projects created, saved, and then reopened. It drives me nuts!!!

Thanks,
Robert

That one drives me crazy as well. Get it a lot when opening Rhino files.

[davidperry3]

The waterline and other files weren't there from the beginning even before I changed the default tool library. I don't understand how it can run without them (which it does).
Do you think they are somewhere else?

[cgroves]

Hello

David: Not sure I exactly understand your problem however one thing you can do is check the file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations.xml

It has all the directory paths to the various operations. You should be able to see exactly which directory the files are in.

Robert: with regards to the tolerance I've never had that issue so I'm not sure what a fix would be. However in SprutCAM under "Tools->System setup->Measurement units" near the bottom it allows you to set the "tolerance (digits)" maybe play around with this?

If it keeps defaulting to something else then you can always modify the XML.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Machines\AbstractMachine.xml

There's the line:
<SCType ID="DigitsTolerance" Caption="Tolerance(Digits)" type="integer" DefaultValue="3"/>

Regards, Christian

[davidperry3]

what i see is at
C:\Program Files (x86)\Sprut Technology\SprutCAM 7\Supplement\Operations\MillOperations

Mill25dop.xml is not there or any of the others on your list. There are some like tool end 5d and hole machining. This is why I don't understand how the program would work whitout those files.