Re: Black box heaven or the real BDI

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Ray <rehenry@u...> wrote:

>

> We would have to compile at least one c program for your favorite box, move
> one Tcl/Tk file from the emc, and add a free download of Tcl/Tk from
> Scriptics.com.
>

OK do it! ;-)

Can it be made without requiring any compilation at installation?

The rest is off topic, but ..... see my comments below

I was looking at the Wine site today, they have come a long way. Found at least one instance that someone had installed Intellicad on Linux. That makes a new one I have not seen before. Is anybody running Vector under it? Wine is a Windows interface emulator for Linux that does ***not*** require an MS Windows license. If I thought it could be done efficiently(as in with no loss in computing speed), I would probably have to move over to Linux on at least one or two computers in our classroom. This would not however change me desire to have an EMC "Black box heaven or the real BDI"

> What I'd like to see Tcl/Tk do in the case of the EMC and vector is provide a
> link between the two programs. We could add a menu item in vector called
> "run it" or "EMC."

That part is already available. Just add the program to the executables list in the Vector.ini file Dan F. has done some TclTk stuff with the DDE so we know it works with Vector. I have evaluated some of it myself and so had to get Tcl/Tk the package.

> That button would start a sidebar with the essential
> widgets like position, cycle start, feedhold, estop, and such and would
> connect to the existing virtual Vector machine and it's gcode. It would also
> link into the EMC interpreter using some kind of temp file.

This is where it gets tricky. If EMC can post(somewhere) the current line being executed in the file, we can send the cursor to that line in Vector. Check it every second or so and you follow the program execution in Vector. It works in 3D too. ;-)

> When run was
> pressed in the TK widget I'd want to see vector highlight the g-code line
> that is being executed and the CAD lines from which the specific code was
> created.
>

We could probably do this with the DDE, but maybe just with a simple SendKeys ap. Vector highlights the Cad line based on the location of the cursor in the editor. Using Sendkeys you can control the location of the cursor in the Vector editor and this will highlight the line in the drawing.

> If these Vector things, the run it button and the highlights were made
> standard io codes, they could be used by any number of future CNC's.
>
> The Tcl/Tk widget could be a narrow bar that sat alongside or below the
> Vector screen. Now that would be an awesome combination. I'm ready when you
> are! Want to show it at NAMES?

Jerry Jankura is our current resident expert in Sendkeys maybe he would try something. (Hi Jerry ;-) That drilltap program is really nice)

Best Regards, Fred Smith- IMService

Listserve Special discounts and offers are at:
http://www.vectorcam.com/cced2.html

We are THE source for low cost Cad Cam