[10bulls]

Hi there!

I've been having a go at knocking together an application for CAD/CAM generation.

It's still in the very early BETA stages at the moment, but so far it can

. Read/Write DXF files (still lots to do, but seems to cope with most 2D
files that I've thrown at it).
. View Gcode files
. 3D-ish viewing of drawing/gcode files.
. Scriptable via javascript and Visual Basic
. TTF text glyph extraction/engraving
. Bitmap heightmaps
. Very rudimentary gcode generation

It is a .NET windows application which requires at least framework
version 1.1.

The latest version and some pitiful but hopefully improving documentation can
be found at...
http://www.brusselsprout.org/CAMBAM

If you care to have a look at it and pass back any comments I would
be immeasurably grateful. It's still early days, so now would be
a good time for any feature/change requests as the design is
still rather fluid.

Once again, it is very much work in progress so expect it to be rough
around the edges

The main task ahead of me is to concentrate more on the gcode
generation side of it as I'm starting to use now for some
current projects.

I'll probably open-source it eventually, but the code is a bit
too ugly to be seen in public at the moment

Many thanks for your time

Thank you very much for the early beta testers who have had a sneaky
peaky at it.

Regards

Andy

[xairflyer]

Andy

I seem to have problems getting the program to run ??

I know it is something I am not doing, I am using XP SP2

[10bulls]

Andy

I seem to have problems getting the program to run ??

I know it is something I am not doing, I am using XP SP2

OK, the first thing I'd check is that you have framework V1.1 installed.
You can go to Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs and look down the
list of installed programs for 'Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1'.
If you can't see that, you can download the latest framework version here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

It may also be worthwile looking at: http://update.microsoft.com/ to make sure you have the latest hotfixes etc installed.

Do you get any meaningful error messages?

Sorry it hasn't gone so smooth for you. I should really get around to creating an installer program that checks the target environment etc.

Fingers crossed!

Andy

[fyffe555]

Hmm.. I get 'The remote server returned and error: (407) Proxy Authentication required.'

Hit ok and then the app opens.. Does the app try a phone home to check for new version?

Win2k 5.00.2195 SP5 all latest service. Client in a w2k domain behind IIS.

Once it's open it loks interesting - need to spend some time on it.. Thanks for the effort and making the beta available.

Andrew

[10bulls]

Hmm.. I get 'The remote server returned and error: (407) Proxy Authentication required.'

Hit ok and then the app opens.. Does the app try a phone home to check for new version?

Yes, you can turn the version checker off in Tools->Options menu item; set CheckVersionAtStart to false. Other than a tiny text file containing the latest version information, no other information is transferred.

In the next release I'll make the version checker run in a new thread and just report a message in the log view if it fails.

Thanks a lot for giving it a go! Sorry it's so pretty bleeding edge at the moment. Good to see it works on gool ole Win2k!

Have fun and enjoy!

[spalm]

Can it generate a spirograph?

It loads up just fine for me. Very impressive. Now what to do with it? CAM? I loaded the attached dxf file that I just generated from Alibre as a test. (Seems like this is more for an art generator, but heh) The text did not size and position correctly (See the jpg). I selected the 5 circles and clicked Geometry to Gcode from the Tools menu. If you let everything default and click Write File, you get a nasty error because the output filename was not entered. OK. I entered a filename and tried again. All OK. But the result file when viewed in a Gcode Viewer has nice rapid positions, but the circles are really large. Am I in an mm to inch zone? I’ll study the Gcode some more.

I like it. All I need is another distraction.
Thanks,
Steve

[santiniuk]

Great to see you have 'unleashed' this Andy.

As one of the 'beta' testers, (Sorry not too good at the feedback), but I have seen how fast you have coded this program and your obviously highly tallented at coding.

I really hope to see this thread grow with feedback and feature suggestions. I know this has the foundation for a superb program that could be developed and directed by zone members.

One of the 'feature's that would be useful is some form of wizard that guides through the generation of gcode for PCB isolation. I know your an expert at this now

Great work, thanks for sharing...

[santiniuk]

Forgot to mention, how is my 'one handed' rotation code coming along

[10bulls]

Can it generate a spirograph?

No, but that is exactly the sort of thing I think the scripting side of it would be good for! If anyone cooks up any cool scripts like this, I'd love to see them!

[10bulls]

...The text did not size and position correctly (See the jpg).

Getting text to match DXF is on my TODO list. I've got some documentation here with some other caveats of DXF importing.

However, I see from your DXF file that it included RTF text...I didn't even know DXF could do that!?! I've uploaded a new version with a VERY VERY quick hack to pull out the plain text from the RTF (I've made no attempt yet to interpret the text formatting from the RTF codes yet).

I selected the 5 circles and clicked Geometry to Gcode from the Tools menu. If you let everything default and click Write File, you get a nasty error because the output filename was not entered. OK. I entered a filename and tried again. All OK. But the result file when viewed in a Gcode Viewer has nice rapid positions, but the circles are really large. Am I in an mm to inch zone? I’ll study the Gcode some more.

Blimey!!! You don't hang about do you? Well done!!

The new version isn't quite so unfriendly about gcode output filename errors.

There was also a bug where G02 and G03 gcodes (arcs) didn't always write the I and J parameters (when they had not changed from previous). This *seems* to fix the problem you mentioned.

Inch/Metric issues wouldn't surprise me. I mostly work in Metric so haven't tested imperial support much. I've got some brief notes about changing units here.
Detecting units from DXF files is a bit hit and miss, but in your case, I think cambam got it right and used a scale of 25.4 (inches).

With your example, you would want to relocate the gcode to nearer the origin presumably. Hopefully in later versions I'll add more support for moving
objects about and setting gcode origins.

Also in this release, I've made the version checking a bit more unobtrusive...especially when it fails .

Thanks a bundle for taking the time to test the program so thoroughly...talk about jumping in feet first!! With feedback like this we should get the thing useable in no time!

[10bulls]

One of the 'feature's that would be useful is some form of wizard that guides through the generation of gcode for PCB isolation. I know your an expert at this now

Good idea! (Have you been peeking at my TODO list??)

Reading Gerber and Excellon files properly is slated for beta 0.6.
PCB isoloation is one task I am very keen to use cambam for, so I'd like to make it as painless as possible to use.

BIG Thanks Santini and MrBean for very early beta testing. If you think this version sucks, you should have seen Beta 0.1 these guys endured!!!!!

[10bulls]

Forgot to mention, how is my 'one handed' rotation code coming along

Jeez...you'll be body popping next!
One handed code is in hand (so to speak)...beta 0.6 latest!!!

[10bulls]

Hail fearless bleeding edge beta testers!

I have just uploaded a new version of CAMBAM beta 0.6, available here.

The big new feature in this release is 2.5D profiling machining operations.
Thanks to Terry (MrBean), I've hastily put together a tutorial on how to generate code for an HTD timing belt pulley.
More documentation and tutorials to follow....I may even get brave and try out the gcode its producing!

I fear I've rushed this release through a bit in a bid to get it out before Christmas, but what better way to expose the bugs than show it to the public!

Once again, it is still early days and there is still much development and testing to do.
So please try this software in the understanding that it is very much experimental code and not a polished CAM application.

Cheers!

[10bulls]

Oh! And how could I forget!
...under Tools->Options, try setting RotationMode=Left_Middle.

Now the view can be rotated by clicking the middle and left mouse buttons and dragging. The middle mouse button can then be released while still holding down the left.

To reset the rotation hold down the middle mouse button and double click the left.

There ya go Santini! You can now drink your tea and beta test my software at the same time....no excuses

[MrBean]

I can confirm that one handed rotation is alive and kicking.
Just having a look at the new stuff you've added.
Nice work....

Far out brusselsprout.

That pulley looks very familiar

Terry.

[santiniuk]

3.40am.....Are you sure your committed to this project Andy ?

Well the mouse rotation works a treat. Thanks for adding that feature. (The CAD package I use at work has the same rotation method and I'm so familar with it that its a nightmare when it's not there).

With the features you are now adding to the program it's now taking it to the next level. It's actually going to be useful !

I'm going to be brave and try to generate some code for some plates I need making for my MKII Z axis assembly. Will feedback results.

Keep chipping away, it's coming together.

Cheers

[esmiller]

Well,

I downloaded DotNet 1.1 and CAMBAM Beta 6.0 <?> and installed them both.. no sweat.. perfect installation, and just created a folder on my Desktop for the CAMBAM to run from. Haven't played with DXF much, but the text entry system and the Circle worked beautifully.

NEXT.. I played with what has me drooling.. the HEIGHTMAP for Photos.. this is incredible.. ONLY one problem i see. by default, it appears HEAD-ON, and you can't see the engraving (cutting<?>) until you rotate the view.. could it be set to DEFAULT to say. 15 degress off-center on each axis whenever you do a HeightMap function.. I didn't know initially that you had to rotate it to see it, but that was quickly found to be the issue.. other than that it is probably the first attempt at this sort of program i have ever had the pleasure to test out!

Eddie

[esmiller]

OH yeah... if anybody wants to contribute any suggestion on learning how to script functions similiar to the spirograph idea, i would love to learn how to do it, as I am sure would many others...

Any takers? LOL...

Eddie

[MrBean]

I'm going to let some of CamBams code loose on my machine later today or tomorrow. I'll see what time I've got.

I made a g-code from a photo. The toolpath looks good in Mach2. We'll see how it goes.

This will be my first live CamBam test.

Here's a screen shot...

I'll post the result here when it's done. I may even get some video of it cutting. This software is really comming on since the early betas. Great job 10bulls.

Terry.

[10bulls]

3.40am.....Are you sure your committed to this project Andy ?

I think I ought to be committed!!

Well the mouse rotation works a treat.

Thanks for the suggestion. I found it a bit awkward at first, but it's grown on me now and I use it as default too. Only problem is, I find myself drinking much more cups of tea than I used to

I'm going to be brave and try to generate some code for some plates I need making for my MKII Z axis assembly. Will feedback results.

I'd be flattered. I'm sure the gcode will work. Well, when I say 'sure' I mean....

Keep chipping away, it's coming together.

Thanks dude, it wouldn't have got this far without you and Terry's feedback early on. I'm looking forward to getting dusty in the garage again rather than spending all spare moments on butt in front of computer!