Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: [turbocnc] Re: High-level g-code language?

Alex Holden wrote:

>On 4 May 2005, at 5:21 pm, Codesuidae wrote:
>
>
>>I liked the idea of using an existing scripting language, and it
>>occurs
>>to me that it doesnt' really matter what it is, for this purpose they
>>are pretty much all equivalent. Since I'm a Delphi (pascal)
>>programmer,
>>
>>
>
>I think it's an exciting idea, but do you not think a domain specific
>language might be more appropriate than a general purpose language?
>

Thats part of the reason I'm asking and doing a prototype. I'm an
experienced programmer, but I'm new to the world of machining. When I
want to write something 'scripty' rather than use a CAD/CAM solution I
tend to think in terms of general purpose languages. I'm not sure how
useful my idea of a script language would be to others.

I considering taking a more limited approach and just writing something
with limited macro processing that would basicly just convert from a
more conversational format directly to gcode, maintaining all the
control variables and loops and whatnot in the translation. But, while
that seems attractive because of the compact gcode, it doesn't really
give me the kind of power I'd like to have (at least, not without
considerable work). The general purpose language is already very
powerful and flexible, and its easy enough to simply not use the more
complicated features so that it stays simple. For example, there's no
reason at all that someone would have to put in a subroutine, the
logo-like example before compiles and runs and generates gcode exactly
as its written.

>Or how about a Logo interpreter which can plot to either screen or g-
>code?
>
>

My current prototype does that now actually. I'm working on putting in
the graphical display screen right now. The script can be as simple as
something like this:

PenUp;
MoveTo( XCoord, YCoord );
PenDown;
MoveTo( Xcoord; YCoord );

or it can be more complex, like the example I posted earlier.

I've also just added some debugging tools. It now has the ability to
single step through the code as it runs so that the user can examine the
value of variables and watch how the flow through the script
progresses. I'm always amazed at how quickly a project can go together
when you have good tools available :)

Thanks for the input.
cs