Re: Indexer LPT..........true plt arcs???

Chris, RC,

Yes, the IX (Indexer-LPT) default is one degree line segments, and
they are not (were not? I'm most familiar with V.3) "adjusted" for
larger circles/arcs. You could set the value to anything from one to
90, but once set, that value was used for all arcs.

RC, are you using HPIX? (the HPGL frontend for IX provided by Ability
systems)

The Indexer front-end s/w program "Tool" by Crawford Millworks in TX
also output arc IX commands.

BTW, HPGL defaults to 5 degrees. Nearly all the HPGL output I have
seen from CAD systems is line segment PA or PR commands(also PU and
PD). The HPGL arc commands, which are AA and AR, have been seldom
seen. Even fewer CAD systems use the HPGL circle command, which is
CI. Armed with these commands, you can look at the output yourself
and see if arcs are being used.

And if the program uses The windows native HPGL drivers, beware!
These have been VERY "buggy" in some versions...

Hope this helps,

Ballendo

P.S. If anyone knows what/where Crawford Millworks is now, I'd like
to know... (offlist)

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Chris L <datac@l...> wrote:
> I am pretty sure that if you use any hpgl file and "import" it in
Indexer, Indexer will convert it to short lines anyhow. That's what I
recall it doing anyhow.......
>
> The only program I know of that would send out actual Arc commands
directly in the Indexer Language is Cadlink's Signlab. It's no Cad
program by any means, just a "graphics" application much like Corel
draw. You can import DXF's for those indepth projects and just use
Signlab to create all toolpath geometry.
>
> It's been a while since I have been down that road but as far as I
remember, checking the "Use Arcs" box when creating a toolpath did it
in Indexer Arc "tongue". I would have to reload the Indexer Driver
and re-live that a bit. Let me know if you need more info.
>
> Cadlink, www.cadlink.com, used to sell (not sure if they do now) a
cutback version with full router support. It was limited to a 20"X
30" work area. It costed $795 in the area of version 4.95.
>
> Chris L
>
> RC wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have experience with the Indexer LPT, the question I
have is with the PLT files used in the program, if created in Corel
Draw!, arcs are short lines, creating rough circles and
arcs........... does anyone know of a conversion program, the
changes the code to true arcs in the PLT language? Or a reasonable
priced cad program, that has the PLT filter as an export, that uses
true arcs?
> >
> > RC
> >