[David1050]

I need some help. We upgraded to mastercam X4 from V9.1 and I have a issue with the tool files. We only have two CNCs (lathe and mill) so we don't change tools much. I created a toolfile listing all 30 tools in the tool changer on our mill and used it all week. I start mastercam this morning to write a new program and MasterCam does not show any tools in the file. Does anyone know what happened? The computer had been turned off and on during last week. Also the jobs that I worked on last week still had the tool I took from the file but if I try to change the tool the file has no tools.

The system is
Intel Core2 Quad 2.5
8Gigs Ram
750Gigs HDD
windows Vista Home Premium

[txcncman]

Which vendor did you purchase your MasterCam X4 from?

[David1050]

I don't know the person that arranged this got mad and walked out. The office is trying to locate the information. I'm a machinist just trying to parts out. I know V9.1 fairly well but so far I don't like X4 at all. I guess I'm old school (the only class I took was V6.1) but why was the old format changed to look like AutoCad?

[txcncman]

If you don't like the look of X4, you are really going to hate X5 and X6 and X7.

I am sure your tool library(ies) are still there unless the person that got mad deleted them. First, when making a toolpath and selecting a tool, you will need to have the filter settings set appropriately. You can either have filter turned off, which should show all the tools in the default library(ies). If you have filter turned on, you will need to click on the filter button and turn on and off the settings for filter you want.

If your tools still do not show up, you will need to associate your custom tool library(ies) as your defaults. I bet you do not even know what the custom tool library(ies) are named to do this. You can change to the original default which should be named MILL_INCH.TOOLS.

The problem with "just upgraded to X4" is that X4 is not a current version and no vendor would have sold it to you "just" recently.

[David1050]

I created the toolfile after the DH walked out and it still shows in the list of libraries. I tried the filter but on or off it shows 0 of 0 the properities of the file say it haas 269Kbs. Maybe the DH sold the company something he pirated. That would be too funny.

[txcncman]

Ok, try this, open MasterCam and load your machine. Look in Operations Manager > Machine Group > Properties > Files and click on Files. See what is displayed under Tool Library. Mine, for this default mill shows C:\Program Files\mcamx3\mill\tools\mill_inch.tools. Is yours set for your customized tool library?

[David1050]

No it's not set to my custom library it's set to mill_inch tools. I am still am confused as to how it worked Friday (library was created Tuesday) but not today. Last week I could change libraries and it was all there.

[David1050]

No it's not set to my custom library it's set to mill_inch tools. I am still am confused as to how it worked Friday (library was created Tuesday) but not today. Last week I could change libraries and it was all there.

[txcncman]

Sorry, but I can't answer your last problem. But hopefully now you have enough information to set things the way you want them. And I hope you now have the curiosity to learn more about MasterCam. Always look to the help files, they can answer a lot of your questions.

[cnc-king]

for your tool library to load as default you have to edit the machine definition. start a new session of mastercam, load the Machine from machine type pull down menu
settings
machine definition
edit general machine parameters
tool/material libraries
set the library
save definition
be sure to do the file save first ( save icon ) before the green check
it should load up everytime after that. if you still have problems then your config file may be corrupted. delete it and start MC and it will rebuild the config file. at that point edit the MD

[David1050]

Thank cnc-king I've made those changes. Is there any way to import a tool file from V9.1? I haven't found anything in the help files.

[cnc-king]

file
update folder
i normally create a temp folder to update the files to and then copy them over to the permanent directory so if something goes wrong my directories do not get messed up
we are talking about the tool libraries?

[David1050]

Thank you txcncman for your help yesterday. I'm going to try to learn this. I don't know why certain functions were changed like chaining feature in the delete function. I now have to turn it on for every chain separately. The zoom is awkward too it keeps wanting to jump to a end point or the center of a radius, I prefer to start the zoom at a corner rather then the middle. I know *****, *****, ***** LOL. Thanks again.

[David1050]

cnc-king I'll have to try that. I recreated my tool file already. I then copied it onto a flash drive in case something in the PC is corrupting the file.

[txcncman]

Use a wheel mouse for zoom in and press Alt+F1 to zoom extents.

If I recall, to keep chaining selection on, left click the arrow to bring down the menu then right click on the option you want to keep on for that session.