NCPlot v2.26 is now available
NCPlot v2.26 is now available for download!
To download this update please visit NCPlot.com - Tools for CNC Programmers.
Here is what's new in this version:
************************************************** ***********
NCPlot v2.26 Release Notes
September 9, 2012
As of NCPlot v2.26, the MachinistToolbox(tm) plug-in is no longer supported.
Bug Fixes
A test routine for the G71 lathe roughing cycle had been left enabled and could cause bad geometry to be created when plotted. This routine is not yet complete and has been removed.
Fixed some display problems for systems that have the desktop DPI set higher than 100%.
The run time estimation report was always showing the rapid rate from the machine configuration rather than the setting on the run time estimation page, this is fixed.
Viewport window selection now works properly with motion elements that include rotary axis movement.
The block renumbering tool was not properly handling blocks that use numbered block skips, eg. "/2". This is fixed.
The block renumbering tool was improperly updating blocks containing keywords that begin with "GOTO". Some controls use the keywords "GOTOB" and "GOTOF", NCPlot will now ignore these keywords when renumbering.
Fixed a bug in the subprogram formats that allow specifying a target block number. The subprogram call was incorrectly jumping to a block in the same program rather than the target program if a matching block number was found. This has been fixed.
Improvements
The display of rapid motion on the backplot now includes rotary motion. This includes all three rapid types: interpolated, dog-leg and Z first/last.
Improved the calculations for the length of motion elements that include rotary axis movement. This will improve run time estimates for programs that include a rotary axis.
Improved the find / replace functionality. The Replace All tool is now case-insensitive and now works when a line break (^M) is included in the find or replace text.
Improved the handling of the machine configuration folder. This will enable selecting a configuration folder that is not a sub-folder of the NCPlot installation folder.
The viewport modal display will now hide H and D addresses when their value is zero. The H and D modal values will also be reset to zero when a tool change is commanded so that these addresses will only be displayed when a new offset has been commanded.
Made some changes to the Remove Redundant Endpoints tool to prevent removing endpoints from blocks immediately after a tool change, from offset activation blocks and a few others.
The file comparison tool now uses the active font settings for displaying the files to compare.
Added support for G10 to most of the included machine configurations. This is done by means of a G10 macro that supports G54-G59 and G54.1 P1-P48 work offset setting.
New Features
Added a new setting to the machine configuration "G/M Code" setting page. This setting allows the canned cycle repeat address to be set separately from the M98 repeat address. Either address "L" or "K" can be selected.
Added a new rotary axis type. This new type treats the rotary axis endpoints like a linear axis. If the rotary axis is commanded beyond 360 degrees it will rotate back the same amount when going back to zero regardless if it passes through zero more than once.
Added a macro variable renumbering tool. This tool will display the macro variables that are used by a program and will allow you to renumber them. This tool is found under the "Calc / Renumber Variables" menu.
Added rapid rate settings for each axis to the machine configuration. These settings allow for more accurate backplotting of dog-leg rapid motion and are only enabled when this rapid type is selected.
Added a setting to the preferences window called "Disable colorizing for files larger than xxxx KBytes". As the name implies, this setting allows you to set a size limit for colorized programs. Large files can take a significant amount of time to colorize and this setting will help alleviate that by automatically disabling it. Setting this value to "0" will disable this feature.
Added an interpreter customize page to the machine configuration. This page adds a greater degree of flexibility to the backplotter by allowing you to find and replace text as the program is being interpreted. This does not modify the program being edited, it simply pre-processes it before it gets to the backplotter. This will allow the backplot to do things like ignore specific G-codes, interpret non-standard G-codes and keywords or replace the standard G-codes with custom macros.
Added a system variable that indicates which address has been selected for the rotary 4th axis. The variable is #5110 which will contain one of these values: 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 21=U, 22=V and 23=W. When used in a macro statement the rotary axis commanded value can be retrieved with the statement "#[#5110]".
Added support to the Haas machine configuration for G47 text engraving. Supports literal string, character and serial number engraving.
Added two new scripting functions to support the "Convert coordinates to ABS" and "Convert coordinates to INC" tools. These functions are:
NCPlot.NCPConvertCoordToABS
NCPlot.NCPConvertCoordToINC
Added an option to the renumbering tool to renumber existing block numbers only. This has also been added to the scripting function NCPRenumber as Rstyle 4.
Enjoy!
Scott
