RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

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NewAtThis
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RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by NewAtThis »

Is there a Vectric post processor, for the Workbee Z1 that supports tool changing, please?

I don't mean an all-singing, all-dancing PP that does everything for me - although that would be nice - but one that supports the M6 command.

I have a RatRig 1075 with a Duet3 MB6HC running RepRap firmware, which doesn't (currently) support the M6 command, but if I had a PP that did, I could quite easily (!) write a macro that M6 command would initiate.

The PP I'm using is the Duet - RRF3_3 (mm)

Thank you
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Adrian
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Re: RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by Adrian »

Easy enough to create or modify one. There is a post processor editing guide on the Help menu of all the Vectric products.

NewAtThis
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Re: RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by NewAtThis »

Thank you.

To be honest, I find editing the PP a bit scary, but it wouldn't hurt to try - on a backup copy!
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NewAtThis
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Re: RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by NewAtThis »

I've had a look at the PP and was quite horrified to see how the fie is written/formatted!

I appreciate the file has been around since 2005 (yes, really) but sure the time must come when a machine-spefic 'clean' version could be written, but it's difficult to know where to start. For example, the reason I was looking into this in the first place, was to implement a toolchange facility, yet in searching the file (which appears to be over 93,000 lines long), I've found well over 300 lines that start with
"+ Commands output at toolchange..."!

My question is this: would it be conceivable to find an appropriate editor (BBEdit seems to idetify a lot of lines with red upside down question marks!) and delete all the unecessary REM lines and duplicate sections, so it's just for my machine?

Thanks
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Adrian
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Re: RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by Adrian »

There is no post processor file that is 93,000 lines long. Sounds like you're getting the outputted code file (created by the post processor) and the post processor itself confused or perhaps you're trying to edit the post processor database itself looking at that code you posted.

Not sure what you're doing to be honest. You need to make the post processor editable via the tools on the machine menu and then edit the resultant text file that is the post processor.

You do that by going to Post Processor Management, right clicking on your post processor and choosing Customize. That will then create an editable version of the post processor in the PostP folder (File menu, Open Application Data Folder) which you can change to whatever you want and the program will then use that post processor in preference to the default one.

This is the code you should be seeing for your post processor:

Code: Select all

FILE_EXTENSION = "gcode"

UNITS = "MM"

LASER_SUPPORT = "YES"

+------------------------------------------------
+    Line terminating characters
+------------------------------------------------

LINE_ENDING = "[13][10]"

+------------------------------------------------
+    Block numbering
+------------------------------------------------

LINE_NUMBER_START     = 0
LINE_NUMBER_INCREMENT = 10
LINE_NUMBER_MAXIMUM = 999999

+================================================
+
+    Formatting for variables
+
+================================================

VAR LINE_NUMBER = [N|A|N|1.0]
VAR POWER = [P|A|S|1.0|10.0]
VAR SPINDLE_SPEED = [S|A|S|1.0]
VAR FEED_RATE = [F|C|F|1.1]
VAR X_POSITION = [X|C|X|1.3]
VAR Y_POSITION = [Y|C|Y|1.3]
VAR Z_POSITION = [Z|C|Z|1.3]
VAR ARC_CENTRE_I_INC_POSITION = [I|A|I|1.3]
VAR ARC_CENTRE_J_INC_POSITION = [J|A|J|1.3]
VAR X_HOME_POSITION = [XH|A|X|1.3]
VAR Y_HOME_POSITION = [YH|A|Y|1.3]
VAR Z_HOME_POSITION = [ZH|A|Z|1.3]

+================================================
+
+    Block definitions for toolpath output
+
+================================================


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Unique revision code for this post processor
+---------------------------------------------------

begin REVISION_COMMENT

"; VECTRIC POST REVISION"
"; [REVISION]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output at the start of the file
+---------------------------------------------------

begin HEADER

"T1"
"G17"
"G21"
"G90"
"G0[ZH]"
"G0[XH][YH]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Command output after the header to switch spindle on
+---------------------------------------------------

begin SPINDLE_ON

"M3P0[S]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for rapid moves
+---------------------------------------------------

begin RAPID_MOVE

"G0[X][Y][Z]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for the first feed rate move
+---------------------------------------------------

begin FIRST_FEED_MOVE

"G1[X][Y][Z][P][F]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for feed rate moves
+---------------------------------------------------

begin FEED_MOVE

"G1[X][Y][Z][P]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for the first clockwise arc move
+---------------------------------------------------

begin FIRST_CW_ARC_MOVE

"G2[X][Y][I][J][F][P]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for clockwise arc  move
+---------------------------------------------------

begin CW_ARC_MOVE

"G2[X][Y][I][J][P]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for the first counterclockwise arc move
+---------------------------------------------------

begin FIRST_CCW_ARC_MOVE

"G3[X][Y][I][J][F][P]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output for counterclockwise arc  move
+---------------------------------------------------

begin CCW_ARC_MOVE

"G3[X][Y][I][J][P]"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output when the jet is turned on
+---------------------------------------------------

begin JET_TOOL_ON

"M3S0"


+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output when the jet is turned off
+---------------------------------------------------

begin JET_TOOL_OFF

"M5"
+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output when the jet power is changed
+---------------------------------------------------

begin JET_TOOL_POWER

+---------------------------------------------------
+  Commands output at the end of the file
+---------------------------------------------------

begin FOOTER

"M5"
"G0[ZH]"
"G0[XH][YH]"

NewAtThis
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Posts: 193
Joined: Sat May 21, 2022 11:39 am
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Re: RatRig (Ooznest) Post Processor

Post by NewAtThis »

That's exactly what I was hoping to see (or something like it), and now you mention it the file does have a *.ppdb suffix, so I must have found the wrong file!

Where would I find the actual post, rather than the db, please?

EDIT: Found it (sorry, I don't know how to strikethrough text!)

Thank you :D
Be wary of taking the advice of someone who thinks he knows what he's doing, and don't listen to me!

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