[cffellows]

I've been machining stuff for many years and am just getting started with the nitty gritty details of CNC. I'm using FreeMill to get my feet wet and am able to generate output, but it sure doesn't look like any g-code I've ever seen. Here's a sample of what it looks like.

Attachment 209188

I've tried loading the output, which has an extension .nc, into OpenScam and NC4, neither of which recognizes it. Is this another version of g-code I'm not familiar with???

Chuck

[ger21]

Looks like you need to use a different post processor.

[holbieone]

that's apt format it's what you would send to a post processor

[cffellows]

Seriously? I need yet another piece of software? I would have thought post processing would be part of the CAM software...

Chuck

[ger21]

It is. You select the appropriate post when you save the g-code. It looks like you chose the wrong one.

[cffellows]

Don't know if it's always been this way, but FreeMill is bundled with the Demo version of Visual Mill. When I first start up the program, I have the option of running Visual Mill in demo mode or FreeMill. If I run Visual Mill there is a Post Processor selection menu with many, many different options, including Mach3-Inches which is what I think I need. However, if I pick FreeMill on startup, there are only two options on the Post Processor selection menu. There may be a way to configure in more Post Processing menu options in FreeMill but I haven't figured out how. Anybody else working with FreeMill?

Chuck

[BurrMan]

THe issue appears to be a permissions issue because freemill has a bunch of posting options. THe file you describe is one that freemill sends to a temp directory before running the post process.

You may be able to fix this by setting the run as admin and compatability settings on the apps icon. Right click and choose properties-compatability and run as admin, then as a second try, set it to xp compatability.

[cffellows]

Thanks, all, for the replies. I finally got it figured out. MecSoft has a newer version of the software available, VisualCadCam 2014, which includes FreeMill and is what I had downloaded and was trying to run. What I needed was VisualCad 2012 and VisualMill 2012, which I was directed to from here:

CNCPortal ? MecSoft Corporation

You must download both Visual Cad 2012 and Visual Mill 2012. You must install Visual Cad 2012 first, running the install as Administrator. Then you must install Visual Mill 2012, again, running as Administrator. This will put a VisualMill 2012 icon on your desktop. Right click the icon, go to the compatibility tab and make sure the "Run as Administrator" box is checked. I did not have to check the "Run as XP/SP3" box to get it to work.

This allows me to pick from all the different Post Processors available, including Mach3/Inch.

Chuck

[fero786]

HI THERE
is this visualcadcam 2014 free?why does it say dongle not found? I tried it and when I try to post procedure it says Mop not licensed and the g code is really wierd