Edgecam JavaScript

Hi Everyone,

Some Basic General Info on JavaScript / PCI

Start with a couple basic instructions in the sequence window:
- Pick a tool
- Pick a cycle
- Move to Toolchange

Select Custom - Command Save On (Auto comments = YES)
right click on the sequence name - Regenerate
Select Custom - Command Save Off

Save file with file extension .js <MyScript.js>
(or .pci if you want the old style)

Delete all instructions in the sequence

Select Custom - Run Command File - Browse to <MyScript.js>

- All instructions / selections are recreated.

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Check out the Edgecam Install folder or under the My Documents\Planit
Edgecam\Cam\Examples\PCI-JavaScript\ folder for examples

Java script can go a lot farther than the .pci command interface.

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lots of programming / script help on the web
for basic javascript command formats.

Thanks, Jim

Jim,

I realize this is an old post, but we're considering renewing our EdgeCam subscription in order to get the javascript PCIs and I wanted to get a first-hand account of them (not from our reseller).

A little explanation first:

We generate code from EdgeCam automatically using a custom-made windows service that queries a database for requests and upon finding one it constructs a "variable PCI" that assigns all of the necessary parameters (via %Calc=) which in-turn executes the "macro PCI" (via %include=) that uses those variables to generate our code file and save it to a folder for pickup.

As of 2011 R2 the only way to launch a PCI from our custom software is to actually launch the EdgeCam exe along with a command line argument/switch which causes a supplied PCI file (the variable PCI described above) to be executed on startup. After the generated file is picked up we have to kill the EdgeCam process prior to the next request.

What would be ideal is an actual EdgeCam API (application programming interface) that would allow EdgeCam to constantly run and respond to commands sent to it. Most major software packages have a feature like this.

When I first started hearing "Java" and EdgeCam together I was optimistic that an API was forthcoming, but I didn't get that impression from our reseller.

My questions to you are:

Is this simply another language for PCIs?
Does the PCI functionality remain essentially the same?
Are you aware of anything that approaches an API in EdgeCam?
What would you say the advantages are of the javascript PCIs over the original language other than being a well known industry standard?

I realize these questions are beyond the scope of your original post, but you're really the only one even mentioning them.

Thanks,
Justin

Also, can you make those examples available? My version is too old to have PCI-JavaScript examples and it might help to look at a few.

Thanks

Actually, JavaScript came to the light again after 2012 when AngularJS was released. I'm a blogger in the technology and relationship niche. I wrote many technical posts on JavaScript, and for this, I did research many times. In research, I found that in the coming five years it will challenge the dot net and Java too. Maybe it is funny now, but it is the future. I'm saying this with confidence because I have lots of experience in research and writing.