[ynneb]

Yep that worked well. The tool path pic demonstrates that Inkscape did the design, and PartKam generated to code.
Great progress.

I have uploaded the svg because I want to see if you can generate the CAM for the inside of the "B"s.

Going strong Jack.

EDIT: Incidentally this is not a file I really want made, and is just for testing purposes.

[Jack000]

the reason that it doesn't generate toolpaths for the inside loops is because partkam expects each loop to be a separate path. To check -> select the outer loop, is the inner loop selected as well? If it is, they are really the same path.

I really should make this the default behaviour, but select the whole path and go to edit -> separate selected. (I noticed a rendering error when I do this, but you can safely ignore it for now edit: just fixed it edit 2: hm.. artifact still shows up in browser embed, will investigate) Now each loop is a separate path.

now you might notice that it will generate a dozen toolpaths, one for each letter. To fix this go to edit -> preferences and disable "separate toolpaths" and you should be all set.

these are meant to be features btw :] I'm working to make it a bit more intuitive.

[ynneb]

Hey Jack, I made this tutorial showing how to make video tutorials a few years ago. Its a little rough but the captureing principles are there. I feel a little strange making a tutorial for software that you designed and wrote.Anyhow if you make a video using the codecs I suggest, you will get a high quality video with a small file size. I have since made better videos than this, but it could help promote forother users to become interested.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIm4SLndHU4"]YouTube - Tutorial for making tutorials. Camstudio 1280 x 720, H.264 codec, perfect quality, 2meg per minute.[/nomedia]

[Jack000]

cool.

here's a video I made of doing the inner loops:



edit: you can view it in higher res on youtube.

[zealouse]

Great work!

In older versions of Mach3 a line return is needed to read the file.
Can you add a line return after the last line of Gcode.

It would be great to have "Clip"/"Trim" function that would cut the vector to an intersecting line or clip all vectors to a bordering shape.

[Jack000]

zealouse: thanks for the tip! I'll definitely add that when I get back home. Is it just an empty line at the bottom of the file?

As for a clipping or boolean operation, that might be a bit tough. Right now I'd suggest just using inkscape or illustrator for that sort of stuff. Eventually I might add some of those features, but it might be a while since it involves fitting bezier curves to tiny line segments, which is not really trivial..

[ynneb]

Hey Jack, allow me to introduce you to Zealous (Jason)
He is the primary man to introduce flash screens to Mach3. (They are sh1t hot, stuff flying in and out as needed, and far better that the DOS look of yesteryear)
Check out some of his work. I KNOW you two will get on well.
Not only this, Jason has a good sense of humor like yourself.
I know that the two of you combined could build the next google empire of free CNC software

I did have a thought, since Inkscape is also open source, wouldnt it be great to create another branch of Inscape where PartCam was built into it, and all the non related stuf was pulled out of Inkscape. Imagine, a program like Artcan that sells for 1000s would be outdone by freeware. ( Dreamer hey )

EDIT: Great work on the video Jack. I'm expecting voice for the next one

[ynneb]

One other thought, how hard would it be to have either a ruler displayed top and left with a cross hair, or at least the mouse coodinates ((Metric or Imperial) diplayed bottom right of PartKam? Surley it wouldnt be hard, but it would give a greater degree of design accuracy.

[Jack000]

that would be neat, I do like that feature in photoshop and illustrator. If you have flash you could add it pretty easily yourself :]

[Willliiee]

Hi again Jack, lots of updates going on here.... :-) any luck checking into the reversing of the tool path option so profiles can be cut climb milling style, aka clockwise??? Thanks, Bill

[Jack000]

your wish is granted! check it out at the original link: PartKAM
(you may need to refresh)

[Willliiee]

omg thank you soooooo much Jack its perfect!!!! is there a way i can save this version as a .swf file like the others? they do perform quite a bit faster and like youve said, they do not crash the browser lol
thanks again, Bill

[ynneb]

is there a way i can save this version as a .swf file like the others?

If you use Firefox, select "File" (Top left) "Savepage as" and save the page. You''ll notice that there is an htm file and a folder associated ith it. The SWF will be in that folder.

If you have flash you could add it pretty easily yourself :]

The copy of flash I have, dates back to Macromedia days, and the extent of my flash skills is making forum advertising banners. Besides ths is your baby.

[Willliiee]

Thank you too Benny, but i am not firefox people.... is there a way to save the swf file using internet explorer???

[Jack000]

you could just save the swf file (this link: www.carveit.ca/partkam/partkam004.swf ) and play the swf file with your flash player (or open it in internet explorer)

[Willliiee]

That worked perfect, thanks for everything Jack, my life is now complete lol have a great evening, Bill

[Jack000]

just something I made with partkam



a friend of mine does optics stuff, and wanted a custom base to attach his gizmos and lasers.

[zealouse]

Thank you so mcuh for the kind words Benny!
I have a Gcode editor and simulator that I have been working on, I think mixing the two together will work out great.

Here is a video demo:
Created by Camtasia Studio 5

[zealouse]

Hi Jack,

From what I have read with line returns:

- On UNIX, text line endings are ended with a newline (\n).

- On Windows, line endings are ended with both a carriage return AND a newline (\r\n).

- While on the Mac (OS 9 and below), they end with a single carriage return (\r).

- Whereas Mac OS X, being based on BSD, uses the unix newline (\n).

only windows has both and only Mach3 will ready Gcode that has both

[CaptainVee]

I opened my first file in it and found a bIIIIg obstacle: I work in mm, not inches. Is there a way to work around that?

oeps found it! Sorry!