Toolpath list

This forum is for general discussion about Aspire
Post Reply
wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Toolpath list

Post by wcarrothers »

Ok.

I know, always the one to complain about nuances of the interface. Probably considered the smallest of things.

But this one really is a bother and is so un necessary..

every time the toolpath list gets focus or was previously behind something and comes forward, it now centers at the top of the scroll window.

So when you have toolpaths which you just clicked on to open then go back you have to scroll down back to that path to click on it (if your list is long enough to scroll off the screen which mine almost always are.

I don't see any reason why this always centers back at the top now, it isn't like this list box is re-populating every time it comes in and out of focus, I believe it is persistent even when not in direct view.

besides V8 didn't make you scroll back to what ever you just clicked on.. I just checked..

Anyway very annoying what ever command got added to situate this back at the top of the list every time.

b.

User avatar
Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14544
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Toolpath list

Post by Adrian »

As has been said before it's always best to report this sort of thing directly to support@vectric.com to make sure it's not missed. Apologies if you did already.

wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Toolpath list

Post by wcarrothers »

Didn't think of that, seeing you watch the lists. and always curious if anyone else notices things like this or if I'm just to obsessive about this sorta thing.

So me this is not quite as equivalent as say the 2d view re centering in the top corner or something after switching back from the 3d view or something. But if I were to command persistent controls to move around like these do when I was programming interfaces I think I would be hearing from my boss a lot.. Always was taught to leave things where they were. Actually this one would actually always would recenter with the last selected path clicked on at the botton, behavior which I also found annoying but allowed my self to overlooked that seeing I could at least click back on the path with out scrolling in that case..

b.

User avatar
Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14544
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Toolpath list

Post by Adrian »

The Vectric staff spot most things on the forum but not all so it's always best to report bugs or enhancements directly I think.

It would take over 40 toolpaths to trigger the scroll bar on my display so it's not something I would notice as I never use anything like that number of toolpaths. I would be surprised if it was a deliberate change, probably an unintended consequence of the changes needed for the double sided features or similar.

wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Toolpath list

Post by wcarrothers »

Ok.. I routinely have paths that large..

And would hardly expect most screens operating cnc machines to have resolution larger then 1280x1024 ish but then again maybe I spend less on my controller machines then others.

That is enough for around 29 ish... either way it locates it back to the top each time as if the control is reloading rather then persisting. I just wish it would stay put rather then "try" to go to an assumed place all the time. seeing the assumed place most likely isn't the path you were working on.

I have files with many separate paths in them, so what it now does is a bother. now curious what the average number of paths people have in a file. I have a bunch in some files to avoid having to go back to pick a new tool or something else in my process when I bring in new vectors to cut. Much easier then creating a new path type from scratch every time.

Some have different width tools (think engrove tools 400-406 streight cuts of different diameters)

Others different depths for 1/4" color core or 1/2". No sense re-programming in a depth for through cut out paths just leave the 2 out there.

maybe others are more organized sticking those in saved tool path types (which I also do alot and like that feature mostly to exchage tool path cuts between projects)




b.

wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Toolpath list

Post by wcarrothers »

Gees..

Well this is an even more annoying "new" feature of the tool path list.

Click on copy tool path, and the dam thing sticks the "new copied" tool path all the way at the bottom of the list.

Figured maybe I could do a work around moving the paths I'm using for a given file near the top of my list. But if I copy the toolpath and it sticks the new one 20-30 paths all the way at the bottom of the list and I have to go get it?

Guess I"ll get a list together and email support. That is really bad if you ask me. Anyone else?

User avatar
dealguy11
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 2464
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:52 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Anderson Selexx 510
Location: Henryville, PA

Re: Toolpath list

Post by dealguy11 »

I use the "duplicate toolpath" feature a lot and, for me, it is best that it puts it to the bottom of the list as I'm usually doing it to create toolpaths for a new sheet. That way all the new toolpaths for the sheet come out together. I wouldn't like it if it left the toolpaths somewhere in the middle of the list.

On the other hand, I do agree that moving to the top of the list on a focus change is annoying.

To each his own.
Steve Godding
Not all who wander (or wonder) are lost

wcarrothers
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 349
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:20 am
Location: Michigan

Re: Toolpath list

Post by wcarrothers »

Well at least you agree with half of what I'm pointing out.

Most of the time I'm drilling holes. which happen in order. So copy the path and it is the next one in the list, Course since it refocuses to the top of the list anyway sorta blows away the reference to where you were in the list anyway.

Guess least you can drag the new one from the bottom and move it up vs just using the up one arrows.


Which introduces us to an entirely new "configuration" feature which may need to be built in, configuration of how the different lists interact with the users.

Some like copy adding as next

some like re focust to the top

others like leave the control where it was in addition to keeping the previous tool path high lighted.

And so on.

To me if they are going to change the behavior this much, it should go to a configuration rather then, here's the new version, hope it fits the way you work. I know more work but to me moving the list back to position and finding my previous path every time is a lot of work.

Which brings me to my other want, when you have a path open and want to adjust a vector. you select the vector then loose all the vectors you had selected for that path. Have to go out and back in for the system to smartly re-select what you had, I really really really want a "RE-Select what you had for this path" button on the path screen. instead of having to exit and re-open to do it... Please please please!!!!

b.

User avatar
Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14544
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Toolpath list

Post by Adrian »

wcarrothers wrote:
And would hardly expect most screens operating cnc machines to have resolution larger then 1280x1024 ish but then again maybe I spend less on my controller machines then others.
I don't run Aspire on my controller PC, everything is done on the office PC and then the cut file is transferred and automatically loaded onto the controller PC. However my controller PC does have a 1920x1200 resolution screen that cost me £20 off ebay. :D

I don't think anyone is disagreeing with you about the changes. As I say it's almost certainly an unintended change as it wasn't documented anywhere and I can't see any good reason for it. Things like that creep in with major changes to software unfortunately.

It's not putting duplicated toolpaths at the bottom of the list for me. They go directly under the source toolpath whether the list is scrolled or not. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're seeing.

I make a great deal of use of the variables in the software for depths etc so most of my toolpaths do multiple duties by adapting to the thickness of the material plus I use toolpath template libraries extensively which is probably why I don't have large lists of toopaths.

I very rarely create a toolpath from scratch these days. For most jobs (such as the color core example) I would load the job which might have been a 1/4" thickness job, change the thickness in job setup to 1/2" and then click recalculate all and all the toolpaths automatically adjust to the new thickness.

The maximum number of toolpaths I have in job is six although there can be hundreds of parts over multiple sheets associated with those six toolpaths.

User avatar
dealguy11
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 2464
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:52 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Anderson Selexx 510
Location: Henryville, PA

Re: Toolpath list

Post by dealguy11 »

Since I do a lot of multi-sheet jobs (MDF doors) with the same six or seven toolpaths over and over again, I'm interested in your approach, Adrian. Are you saying that when you save the toolpaths for each sheet, you just switch to the specific sheet, recalculate (using automatic vector selection by layer), save, then move to the next sheet and repeat? I guess I've been creating separate paths for each sheet out of an abundance of caution, but I'll totally admit that it slows things down and makes for a long and confusing toolpath list.

By the way, the duplicate toolpath tool almost always puts the new toolpaths at the bottom of the list for me.
Steve Godding
Not all who wander (or wonder) are lost

User avatar
Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14544
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Toolpath list

Post by Adrian »

In the main I tend to do it by moving to each sheet and recalculating/saving as you say.

If I'm doing a job with a lot of sheets (typically over 10) I will use the Apply Templates to All Sheets gadgets which will calculate and save all the toolpaths directly to disc in one go. Although that does create a large toolpath list that way I don't need to interact with the list as the toolpaths go straight to disc.

User avatar
dealguy11
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 2464
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:52 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Anderson Selexx 510
Location: Henryville, PA

Re: Toolpath list

Post by dealguy11 »

Update - I just tried the procedure as I described it in my last post, but either that's not right or I'm missing a setting. The toolpaths seem to be "stuck" to the original sheet and won't automatically pull in the vectors from the active sheet.
Steve Godding
Not all who wander (or wonder) are lost

User avatar
Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14544
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Toolpath list

Post by Adrian »

You need to make sure that "Select sheets when edit toolpaths" is set to No under Options in the Edit menu. The default is Yes which means a toolpath will associate with a sheet as you're seeing.

User avatar
dealguy11
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 2464
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:52 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Anderson Selexx 510
Location: Henryville, PA

Re: Toolpath list

Post by dealguy11 »

Thanks, that did it. It is a lot faster that way. Only issue is that I have a moulding toolpath that I'll need to duplicate and calculate by sheet, as it doesn't use toolpath templates, but always had to do that anyway, so not really an inconvenience.
Steve Godding
Not all who wander (or wonder) are lost

mohamed
Vectric Staff
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 11:59 am
Model of CNC Machine: Craft CNC DS1

Re: Toolpath list

Post by mohamed »

wcarrothers wrote:Gees..

Well this is an even more annoying "new" feature of the tool path list.

Click on copy tool path, and the dam thing sticks the "new copied" tool path all the way at the bottom of the list.

Figured maybe I could do a work around moving the paths I'm using for a given file near the top of my list. But if I copy the toolpath and it sticks the new one 20-30 paths all the way at the bottom of the list and I have to go get it?

Guess I"ll get a list together and email support. That is really bad if you ask me. Anyone else?
We've fixed this issue for the next update, so it should duplicate the toolpath just under the original toolpath in the list.

As I've just seen now, this "fix" (from your perspective) is another person's annoyance. There isn't a right answer here, so we'll add an option to append duplicates to the end of the toolpath list.

The issue on toolpath list always scrolling to the top is being looked at, but there are some complications changing that behavior, so i can't promise it'll be in the next update, but hopefully will be resolved soon.

Mohamed
--------------
Mohamed
++++++++

Post Reply