Ver. 11 "Group Where Possible" bug

[zeil999]

When outputing toolpaths to multiple files and selecting "Group Where Possible," in the latest version 11.008, files are being combined into a single output file regardless if there are different tools being used in multiple toolpaths. This used to work flawlessly in version 10.5 when you wanted to combine toolpaths that used the same tool. So this will not work when you need to change tools for a different toolpath. Or is there something I'm missing in the new version? Will the single file program automatically stop when a tool needs to be changed? I can't imagine it being able to do that with all the different machines out there.

[Adrian]

If the post processor you're using supports tool changing then it outputs it all to one file as presumably that is the most grouped it can be.

If the post processor doesn't support tool changing then a file will be created for each tool.

I don't know if it's supposed to work that way now or not but that's what it appears to be doing as far as I can see.

[zeil999]

I think I figured this out and what VCarve is doing now.

Before, it used to separate files by what tool was being used automatically, but now you have to explicitly edit your tool in the toolpath settings and set a tool number to it with a number other than "1." So if you have 5 tool paths but only using 3 tools to do them, in the window for tool editing in the tool path settings, you set the tool number to "2" for your second tool and "3" for the remaining toolpaths that use your third tool. Then it'll group the files by tool number.

Kind of annoying, but when you're adjusting settings anyway for the tool depending on the circumstances of material, might as well change that too.

[Tex_Lawrence]

I think tool numbers have been around for quite awhile.

But if you’ve always had separate files for your toolpaths, you haven’t needed tool numbers.

It’s only when you put multiple toolpaths into one file that your controller needs to know to stop and let you change tools.

[pappybaynes]

I'm a bit concerned right now after reading this post...I just downloaded V11 yesterday. Are you saying that if I have 3 toolpaths with the same tool the machine will go from one to the next without stopping? Maybe I need a second cup of coffee

[Adrian]

Only if you want it to do that. If you want one file per toolpath then you can save that way as usual. If you want all the toolpaths for that tool in one file then you can do that as well. It's under your control.

[pappybaynes]

Thanks Adrian!