Re: Post Processor

>--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., glee@i... wrote:
>
> Michael Milligan offered that I could write my own post using teh
>supplied
> documentation (which seems clear enough) or he offered that I could
>send in
> the specs of my machine and he woudl return a post source file to
>me. I
> sent him the specs after consulting with Bill Griffin who built my
>machine.
> A few days later Michael sent me a custom post in source format. I
>can
> modify it further if I want but I have found that it does what I
>want.
>
> This is an addition to a large library of posts that are already
>available
> for Dolphin.
>
> Most of my experience has been with the Mill so far however I am now
> starting to work with my lathe.
>
> -Eric

The Dolphin program comes with a post process editor as part of the
package. Also on the CD are the old manuals for the DOS version in
word format. Although these are for the DOS version the format hasn't
changed in the move to windows, in fact all the posts are
interchangeable between any version and backwards compatable.
The manual covers about 40 odd pages, full sized A4 just on this
subject alone.
The actual post file you see is just a plain text file, nothing fancy.
You edit this in notepad to what you want and then complile it using
the post editor into a format the program can use. You still see the
plain text file.

One of the best examples to describe the difference between a post
and a config file is to take one of the eary Heidenhain controllers,
many of which are now coming onto the hme shop market cheap.
These require that all the tools are listed at the top of the program
with tool info with them, then the program commences.
With a config file you would need to think the job out, not a bad
point <g> enter the tools and them go through the job entering the
processes as required and it will add all these into the code. If you
are using sub routines you will need to enter the start point of the
sub routine but until you write that you don't know the line number
so it's a chicken and egg situation. You will need to go back to
insert this info.

With a post you just go through selecting the tool for the job and
the operation in the order you want. When the finished job is to your
liking on the simulation screen you then hit post.
All the tools will be automatically listed in the corect order at the
top with the link to whatever subroutine is needed.
If you suddenly decide that the last drilling operation would be
better done first [ yes I know we should think things out better but
we've all been there <g> ] all you do is drag that operation to the
top of the list and hit post again. The code will now read correctly
for this new sequence.

With a config file you would either have to do it all again or copy /
past blocks around with the almost ceratin chance that errors crop up
and it's no longer a seamless piece of code.

John S.