Laser post processor

[helensdad]

Hi, I am a bit stuck, I have downloaded the J_tec laser post processors, mm and inch. I have forund the application data folder and the post processor folder but the file extension is .txt and needs to be .pp. I did find a topic on this forum but didn't quite understand it, I do not have Visual plus cc and would not know what to do with it anyway. Can anyone help? Many thanks in advance....

[TReischl]

The postprocessors use the file extension "pp" but they are plain text files so you do not anything special to open them and edit them.

Open the post file using something like NotePad. In it near the top you will find a line like:

Change the txt to pp and you should be all set.

You do not need anything but a text editor.

[Dale Yeager]

I think that "txt" in the picture is actually the line to set the extension on the toolpath output. For my little hobby system I use the "Intelicam GCode ..." post processor. I made a copy of that, and then edited it.

1) behind "Post Name" edit the label in quotes to a name you want to see in the list
2) add the following to the bottom:

+---------------------------------------------------
+ Commands output for Plunge Moves
+---------------------------------------------------
begin PLUNGE_MOVE
"M3"

+---------------------------------------------------
+ Commands output for Retract Moves
+---------------------------------------------------

There is even an option to have a header included so that my 'default' parameters such as feed speed
begin RETRACT_MOVE
"M5"

The "M3" is laser on command "M5" is laser off. The output file will get that command rather then a plunge of in the Z axis.

[helensdad]

No luck, I changed file extension to 'PP' to no effect. I will try second solution tomorrow, but it looks a bit beyond my capabilities. Here is a screenshot of the p processor file...

[helensdad]

I think that "txt" in the picture is actually the line to set the extension on the toolpath output. For my little hobby system I use the "Intelicam GCode ..." post processor. I made a copy of that, and then edited it.

1) behind "Post Name" edit the label in quotes to a name you want to see in the list
2) add the following to the bottom:

+---------------------------------------------------
+ Commands output for Plunge Moves
+---------------------------------------------------
begin PLUNGE_MOVE
"M3"

+---------------------------------------------------
+ Commands output for Retract Moves
+---------------------------------------------------

There is even an option to have a header included so that my 'default' parameters such as feed speed
begin RETRACT_MOVE
"M5"

The "M3" is laser on command "M5" is laser off. The output file will get that command rather then a plunge of in the Z axis.

I copied the file but could not edit it, it would not paste into notepad...

[Adrian]

It is not renamed properly. You can see by the file type in your screen shot that it is showing as text file not a post processor as the others are. You probably have a double suffix on there now. By default Windows hides the suffixes of known file types so I expect the file actually ends in .pp.txt now but only the .pp part shows. Try renaming it again but making sure you remove the .txt part (it shows when you rename) and you should be good to go.

[helensdad]

Erueka! Many thanks, to remove the .txt extension I had to go to control panel/appearance and personalisation/file explorer options/view/advanced settings and uncheck the box that said 'hide extensions for known file types. .txt now removed leaving just .pp. All is now working as it should and I have a post processor for my laser. Once again, many thanks to all for their help...

[TReischl]

Sorry everyone. I thought he was trying to get his output file extension to be "txt".