I have been reading the manual (yes, you read correctly ) and it says "If, when the tool path is being created, the tool cannot approach an area from outside, then the system searches for an appropriate point in the holes list and if an an appropriate hole is found, then it will be used for a vertical tool plunge. If a suitable hole isn't found, then one will be created automatically and added to the holes list."

" For the fast creation of an operation that will provide preliminary drilling for tool plunging, it is necessary that when the hole machining operation is being created, the user select the pocketing or waterline roughing operation as the prototype. By doing this, all of the holes of the prototype operation will be copied to the newly created operation. And vice versa, to use the holes obtained for tool plunging, the operation can be defined as a prototype for the waterline or pocketing operations."

My first question is, how do I define one operation as a prototype for another? I see where I can set "parameters by operation" but that doesn't work and I don't think it is the same thing.

The second question is... In the manual it is discussed, that the hole list is used for these plunge operations by setting the plunge method to "through drill point" in the toolpath window. I have not been able to find that option anywhere! (I am using V 2007 build 5.5) I thought it would be under "parameters/lead in/lead out" but it's not. What am I missing????