I've been casually following the scripting language thread. I don't fully understand the purpose, and have little experience, but with my limited knowledge I agree with Stuart.
I would suggest EMC should strive to be the best machine controller possible. Currently this means, to me, it interprets "standard" G-code and moves axes according to these G-code commands. I start to become uncomfortable when the direction is to accept other commands and/or make extensions to "standard" G-code. I also think G-code is similar to assembly language. Ideally one should use a solid modeler to develop the part. Transfer this to a CAM package, probably using IGES. Develop the set-ups, tool paths, tooling, speeds/feeds, etc. in the CAM package. Export G-code from the CAM package using a post processor specific to the CNC machine and controller to be used. I also think that post processor should be very solid so you don't "have to" work in G-code. (It's nice to know G-code while standing at the machine, but to change code there can easily cause problems). For example such niceties as cutting splines should be in the realm of the CAM package until there are "standard" G-code commands for splines. Converting them to lines or circular arcs makes for very long G-code programs but who cares, we now have access to giga-bytes of hard disk storage. EMC accepting non-standard G-code commands for splines is not helpful, no CAM package could generate these non-standard codes. Maybe a simple processor is in order. A program which converts a scripting language into G-code? Or maybe I'm missing the point. If so I apologize for taking up bandwidth. Thanks. On Sunday August 19 2007 8:55 pm, Stuart Stevenson wrote: > I don't understand the point needing/wanting to use a scripting > language instead of G code. The part I don't understand is the > 'instead' of. Symbolic control, usually called G CODE, can coexist > with other symbolic machine control protocols. Other symbolic > expressions can be used. > >...... > I see the G code (or any other symbolic) language as assembly > programming. The machine control/machine tool is the processor. The > output is the part you hold in your hand. A post processor is a > compiler. Catia, NCL Mastercam... is Python, C, TCL.... > You can use any language you want to generate positions and > commands. You then will need to post process it into a machine > tool/control specific format. -- Hugh Currin Klamath Falls, OR USA ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: Splunk Inc. Still grepping through log files to find problems? Stop. Now Search log events and configuration files using AJAX and a browser. Download your FREE copy of Splunk now >> http://get.splunk.com/ _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
