re: CNC UI (V hj vs. conversational prgmmg)

Thanks Ray,

I tend to add a lot of white space, leading and trailing zero's. To me
it makes it more readable! Actually, I usually add more then that!
Then MaxNC strips it all out, and runs it together on the screen! Oh
well.

Did you see any other salient "improvements" in ShopBot's "new"
language? More human friendly stuff? I think that's Ballendo's point
of bringing up ShopBot. Better human interface. 18:24, He was just
having a little fun with us! ;>)

Alan

Ray wrote:

>
> From: ballendo@...
>
> >Alan wrote:
> >>Just took a look at ShopBot and examined the .sbp files. Don't know
> >>from a brief look why they just didn't use gcode!
> >>
> >>JZ, .5
> >>M2, 10, 5
> >>MZ, -.5
> >>
> >> These are simple replacements for:
> >>
> >>G0 Z 0.5
> >>G1 X 10.0 Y 5.0
> >>G1 Z -0.5
> >>
> >>So you really just have the same thing. Reinvented the wheel. Is
> >>that part of what you're after?
> >
> >No, I'm fine w/G code. But...
> >
> >It IS worth noting, that your "equivalent" uses 24 key strokes, while
> >theirs uses 18! (adjusting for white space which is not required in
> >either format) To do the same thing.
> >
> >That's a 25 % reduction!! In only 3 short codes. GOTTA be
> >better "throughput" in the control. And ALL commands are 2 letters.
> >More like a 3d HPGL.
>
> However
>
> G0 Z .5
> G1 X 10. Y 5.
> Z -.5
>
> Runs okay on the EMC with 18 keystrokes. And it gets better if you add
> more lines 'cause the g1 is modal. I wonder how much difference these
> kinds of things affect the comprehension time of the control.

The white space just parses out, but of course the expression evaluator
has to "walk" through all the extra 0's, If it's all queued up for a
look ahead, then it probably doesn't matter? Sure matters to me if I'm
trying to human-read it! I like to line up columns of numbers, if
possible. And YES, at least some controllers (my little MaxNC) can do
without some of the decimal places, and white space. OUCH!

G0Z.5
G1X10Y5
Z-.5

So I think we're ahead? ;>)

> >>Maybe we just need to add a "machine control"
> >>screen to Vector!
> >>I understand that there is some DLL style connectivity coming up for
> >>vector. Vector (or your favorite CAD) could then a "module" in your
> >>machine control system. Once the gcode is in the NC window,
> >>you "send" it to the "MILL CONTROLLER" window. Yeah, that's it.
> >>Alan
> <s>
> >>BTW, Larry Kenny at Larken automation already has LCAM working this
> >>way. Not in windows, but CAD/CAM/CNC integrated. Nice pkg.
> >>
> >>Also Dennis Bohlke with Supercam. I'd LOVE to have access to the
> >>source code of Supercam... Hate the interface. Love the possibilities.

Yeah, I'd like a peek at his stepper code too!

>
> Roland Friestad did this for his control with a lisp script for autocad
> several years ago.

Gcode from autocad w/ a lisp script?

>
> Thanks for a good thread here.
>
> Ray

Enjoying it Too,

Alan (KM6VV)