[JavaDog]

This looks like it is going to be awesome! Judging from the video, it will let me quickly do 90% of the work I am planning. I'm very excited about this. For me, it means that once my CNC machine is finished (and I am out of money) - I'll need only this and Mach to get up and running. Also, I second the 'Pocketing Please!' request.

Maybe it is because I fall in the 'stupid' (I prefer 'Uninformed') category, but do you tell LazyCam what size/type of cutter/tool you are using too? One more question (for now), can you switch between Metric and Inches?

[ger21]

Java, there really is no difference between metric and inches as far as most CAD and CAM is concerned. It just depends on what your machine is setup for. For example, in your CAD program, you want a 10inch square. So, you draw a square 10 units by 10 units. And, your units happen to be inches. When LazyCAM writes the code, it will tell it to move 10 units, which can be inches or millimeters, depending on what the machine is setup for.

If you want to cut a square 10 millimeters by 10 millimeters, and your machine is setup for millimeters, you do exactly the same thing. You can even use the same g-code.

Now that I've thorougly confused you, here's the bottom line. If your machine is setup for inches, draw your parts in inches. If you machine is setup for mm's, draw your parts in mm's. The CAM doesn't need to know which they are, as long as what you draw is the same as the machine. If you happen to have a drawing done in mm's that you need in inches, scale it in your CAD program by 1/25.4. If you have a drawing in inches that you need in metric, scale it by 25.4.

[Art Fenerty]

Hi :

At the moment, tool sizes are unimportant. Setting a leading to an arc size slightly larger than your largest bit will enable MAch3 to compensate that path for any bit size. SO LazyCam neednt know the tool diameter.

As to english metric, again, LazyCam doesnt care. It deals in numbers, and you can simply scale the drawing to any size so you can switch a metric file to an english menasurement just by specifying its final size.. (in whatever numbers you wish..)

Thanks
Art

[ger21]

For those interested, the first beta is available.
http://www.artofcnc.ca/DownLoads.htm

[JFettig]

seems to crash every time I load a dxf.

Theres also not much it seems it can do to pictures for some reason. it traces and just does very little.

Jon

[Art Fenerty]

Hi John:

Picture imports are not working at all for output, and only VDrill is engaged for display. The only true functionallity is DXF and HPGL imports. Do me a favour, when you find a DXF that crashes it, please send a copy to Brian and myself. This will quickly pass as we find the ones that crash it an analyse why. THis type of trouble is to be expected for the first couepl of versions..

Thanks
Art

[Barker806]

What did you make the DXF in?
Thanks
Brian

[JFettig]

autocad and solidworks intellicad plugin thing.

I e-mailed art a couple files,


Jon

[CNCRob]

LazyCam seems pretty neat, That was a nice video.

[jimini]

It crashes on every dxf file for me too. I've loaded dxf files from Generic Cadd, turbocad LE and sundry dxf files off this forum.
Maybe it will work on my other computers.
Heres the info on this computer.
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name MINE-SATELLITE
System Manufacturer American Megatrends Inc.
System Model K7S41GX
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 10 Stepping 0 AuthenticAMD ~1847 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. P1.40, 2/5/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name MINE-SATELLITE\Jim
Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 256.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 19.02 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 620.21 MB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[Barker806]

Is it a 2D DXF? It will not take a 3D at this time... and could you please send me the DXF?
Thank you
Brian

[ger21]

Jimini, you really need to put more memory in that machine. I just installed XP Pro on a new machine 2 weeks ago, and it uses 270MB of ram when I just turn it on. And you only have 256MB???

I got 2 Gigs of RAM for only $220.

[JFettig]

becuase I dont have your e-mail address, here are the files:
http://stuff.jfettigmachines.com/drawings.zip

Im running winxp pro sp2, athlon 64 X2 3800+, gig of ram and plenty of high quality components. definately not the computer.

Jon

[Mac T. Knife]

I just tried your files, and J opened, J2 gave me an error message

[PEU]

Its crashing on me too, attached are the files I generated with coreldraw 10, these were checked by loading them on Solidworks edrawings and they show ok.

Also tried Jon file J that loaded for Mac T Knife but it failed here too.

Maybe during debug, lazycam can have a button to save the relevant data of the computer in an structured way, so Art can look at it in a more standarized way.

Also a developer checked file to load can help.


My setup: athlon2600 1gb ram, plenty of HD space, winxp pro sp2

Thanks!

[jimini]

It worked on my downstairs computer.
I haven't played with it yet though.

[HayTay]

I noticed all three of you (Jimini, JFettig & Pablo) are using PCs that have a CPU manufactured by AMD. Coincidence, or something else? Jimini, what type of processeor is in your "downstairs computer"? I'm not picking on AMD and don't want to start down that path. The CPU brand is a common factor and it jumped right out at me.

Many years ago, I was using an application that interfaced with multiple time clocks and ran just fine on a 486 based PC. It didn't matter if the CPU was Intel, Cyrix, or AMD based as long it was compatible with the instruction set for a 386/486. Upgraded to a brand, spankin', new Intel Pentium based PC and the program crashed and burned. After a week with Tech Support I finally got someone that asked what CPU was in the PC. Right away he said that the application will absolutely, positively not run on a Pentuim processor based PC, period. They didn't know why and there were no plans to correct the issue. This was after telling every Tech I talked with during the week that I had just upgraded to a Pentium based PC. Go figure. Needless to say, it wasn't long after that the company I worked for switched to a different payroll application with time clock interface that took advantage of the Pentium class CPU instruction set.

Just a thought, and it may be something else entirely. Gotta start somewhere, though.

HayTay

[JavaDog]

Ger, Art - Thanks both for those explanations. Like I said, I fall into the "Uninformed Users" market you are aiming for!

[Barker806]

Thank you for the DXF's. I am going to see how they run here and if there is anything that I can do... There is an OCX that we are running to take in the DXF's so there is not much I can do.

I will know more when I am done

[jimini]

Hi Haytay, My downstairs computer is also an AMD, but has twice the memory and LazyCam works on it.