Toolpath Preview Thickness Report

[martindg]

When running toolpath preview in PC running Windows 10 holding down the Control Key will report thickness of machined stock under the cursor in the status bar. I am not able to get this thickness feedback when running Aspire on my Mac within Parallels. I assume this is a keyboard compatibility issues in the Windows emulator mode in Parallels. Anybody have any insights into this issue. I find this a very useful piece of information in the toolpath preview and would really like to have access to it when running on my Mac.

[Adrian]

I don't hold the ctrl key down in Windows. Just hovering the mouse displays the depth in the bar.

[martindg]

I'm not looking to get a depth report. I recognize that hovering over the preview will display the depth of the cut. Want I'm wanting is to get a read out of the thickness of the stock remaining beneath the cut. Holding down the control key on the PC/Windows will provide that information. I just can't see to get that information wen using Aspire on my Mac via Parallels.

Doug

[Adrian]

It will only display the depth of cut if you're zeroing from the material surface. If you zero from the table surface (as I do) then it will display the material thickness in the status bar.

[martindg]

Yes, I get that. When zeroing from the top of the material, hovering the cursor over the machined area will show the depth of the cut (photo 1). While holding down the Control key, the status bar will show the depth of cut long with the thickness of material remaining between the machined surface and the bottom of the material (photo 2). I'm just trying to find out if there is a way to reproduce this feature when running Aspire on a Mac within Parallels.

[scottp55]

Not related to your problem, but Thank You for pointing out that feature!!!
Learned something new today:)
scott

[martindg]

It is a very useful feature; one of those you don't often need but when you do need it it is indispensable. I'm just frustrated that I can't seem to access now that I've transitioned back to my Mac. I don't believe this to be an Aspire issues. I'm sure its related to running Windows inside Parallels. Just thought I would check to see if anyone else who is running on a Mac has come up with a solution.

[adze_cnc]

I first saw this solution back when I ran Parallels ver 5 or 6.

This link is dated this year so nothing’s changed much in the last 6 or 7 years…. https://kb.parallels.com/116994

[Adrian]

I'm still missing something here going by the comments from others. Holding down the Ctrl key makes no difference to the Z display in the toolpath preview for me. Is there some "trick" to how you do it?

[rtibbs]

Adrian,
It works for me. Just hold down the Ctrl key while hovering over the work piece and it displays the thickness.

Ron

[Adrian]

Adrian,
It works for me. Just hold down the Ctrl key while hovering over the work piece and it displays the thickness.

Ron

Yes but it displays that all the time regardless of whether the Ctrl button is pressed or not. Pressing the Ctrl key while hovering doesn't change the values for me. If the preview is created with z-zero on the table then I get the material thickness and if it's created with z-zero on the material surface I get the cut depth.

Not the end of the world as it's not exactly hard to work out one from the other but just curious why the Ctrl toggle doesn't work for me.

[SteveNelson46]

I'm using Aspire V10.5 and it doesn't work for me either. I must not be holding my mouth right.

[mohamed]

I think this only works in two-sided while hovering over the two-sided model...

[SteveNelson46]

Okay, it does work for me on 2-sided projects. It is handy.

OP original question:
Will it work if you use Boot Camp and dual boot the Mac? It could be a virtual machine (Parallels) issue.

[mohamed]

I'm not familiar with OSX or Parallels sorry but maybe this post can be of some help?

https://www.parallels.com/blogs/using-k ... p-for-mac/