Copyright: Copyright 1996 Damm & Wolff, created by TommySoftware©


CAM>About
CAM>About (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

Menu Commands

CAM

Milling Correction

Invert Orientation

Set Starting Point

Sinking

Sort Multiple Objects

Check Order Visually

Output Objects First

Output Objects Before Object

Output Objects After Object

Output Objects Last

Tool List

Calculate Milling Time

Display Arrows

Display Object Numbers

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Plug-In DW_CAM1 Help - Version 1.00e - Copyright 1996 TommySoftware®


CAM>Milling Correction
CAM>Milling Correction (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

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The milling correction is achieved by calculating an equidistant to the given object. An equidistant line is a line which is the same distance from all points of the reference object. In the simplest case this is a line parallel to another line or a circle concentric with another circle.

1.	Enter milling diameter

After choosing the command, a dialog appears into which the milling diameter can be entered.

How can I access information on this dialog?

This values entered here remain valid until either another command is chosen, or the command is restarted by choosing Change Parameters (+ESC) or the key combination SHIFT+ESC.

The milling diameter must be practical. For example, you cannot draw an equidistant larger than 10 mm within a circle with a radius of 10 mm.

2.	Identify object

Any object consisting of "normal" elements can be identified as a reference object. These are lines, circles and circle parts, ellipses and elliptical arcs as well as all objects consisting of these elements. The objects are always treated as a whole. Some elements, for example text, dimensions and instances, cannot be used.

An object is identified by clicking on it. If more than one object lies at the point clicked on, then a small dialog appears at the bottom of the screen, with the help of which the correct object can be chosen.

The identified object is referred to as the "Reference Object".

3.	Enter reference point

After identifying the reference object a point is entered which determines on which side of the reference object the equidistant should be drawn (see graphic).

Equidistants are stored internally in different forms, according to the reference object's type. Lines create lines, circles create circles. All other object types create curves (open outlines) or surfaces (closed outlines).

The object is allocated to the current layer. It also contains a reference to the current pen.

If a line equidistant to a surface containing Bézier curves is created, there may be (extreme) inaccuracies. During the calculation of the equidistant line, the Bézier curve is treated as a polyline with three sections (Start point -Angel point 1 - Angel Point 2 - End point). If the Bézier curve is relatively short and flat, this simplification is not usually very effective.

This command does not work with text in either TommySoftware® CAD/DRAW's own format or TrueType-format. To draw a line equidistant to text, it must first be converted to curves or surfaces using the command Text>Resolve. An equidistant line can then be created (see graphic)

The problem with Bézier curves described above doe not arise with TrueType fonts as the Bézier curves in TrueType fonts are relatively short and flat. However, rounded corners should always be used in order to make the result look smoother.


CAM>Invert Orientation
CAM>Invert Orientation (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to invert the orientation of an existing object. This will cause no optical effect, only a possibly activated orientation arrow display will illustrate the change.

1.	Identify object

Any standard object can be identified and trimmed. Standard objects are in this case lines, circle parts, ellipse parts, surfaces and curves.

Objects are identified by clicking on them. If more than one object lies at the point clicked on, then the correct object can be selected with the help of a small dialog which appears at the bottom of the screen.

If the duplicate function is active during the entry of the last point (e.g. because the CTRL key is held down), the trim object itself is not trimmed, but a copy is generated and the copy is trimmed.


CAM>Set Starting Point
CAM>Set Starting Point (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to move the position of the starting point of an existing surface. This will cause no optical effect, only a possibly activated orientation arrow display will illustrate the change.

1.	Identify surface

To identify it, click on the surface with the mouse. If several surfaces lie close to the position clicked on, a small dialog appears at the bottom of the window, with the help of which the "right" surface can be chosen.

2.	Enter point

The new position of the starting point can be entered using the mouse, by clicking anywhere in the drawing. The point of the chosen surface lying next to the point entered becomes the new starting point of its outline. All other outlines remain unchanged.

If the duplicate function is active during point entry (e.g. because the CTRL key was held down), a copy of the surface is generated and the copy, not the original, is altered.


CAM>Sinking
CAM>Sinking (Plug-In DW_CAM1)


CAM>Sort Multiple Objects
CAM>Sort Multiple Objects (Plug-In DW_CAM1)


CAM>Check Order Visually
CAM>Check Order Visually (Plug-In DW_CAM1)


CAM>Output Objects First
CAM>Output Objects First (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to move instances and objects to the start of the object list, so that they are drawn first.

The internal order of the chosen objects remains unchanged.

1.	Choose objects

The objects whose position in the list is to be changed must be chosen. Click on objects to choose them. For further information on object selection, see the chapter Object Selection.

If the duplicate function is active when the last object is chosen, then a copy of the chosen objects is made and moved to the start of the list.


CAM>Output Objects Before Object
CAM>Output Objects Before Object (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to move instances and objects to a position in front of another object, so that they are drawn before it.

The internal order of the chosen objects remains unchanged.

1.	Choose objects

The objects whose position in the list is to be changed must be chosen. Click on objects to choose them. For further information on object selection, see the chapter Object Selection.

2.	Identify object

The reference object is identified by clicking on its outline. If more than one line lies at the spot clicked on, a small dialog appears at the bottom of the screen, from which the correct line can be chosen.

If the duplicate function is active during identification of the reference object (for example, because the CTRL key was held down), a copy of the chosen objects is moved in the list.


CAM>Output Objects After Object
CAM>Output Objects After Objects (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to move instances and objects to a position in the list after another object, so that they are drawn after it.

The internal order of the chosen objects remains unchanged.

1.	Choose objects

The objects whose position in the list is to be changed must be chosen. Click on objects to choose them. For further information on object selection, see the chapter Object Selection.

2.	Identify object

The reference object is identified by clicking on its outline. If more than one object outline lies at the spot clicked on, a small dialog appears at the bottom of the screen, from which the correct object can be chosen.

If the duplicate function is active during identification of the reference object (for example, because the CTRL key was held down), a copy of the chosen objects is moved in the list.


CAM>Output Objects Last
CAM>Output Objects Last (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

This command can be used to move objects and instances to the end of the object list so that they are drawn last.

The internal order of the chosen objects remains unchanged.

1.	Choose objects

The objects whose position in the list is to be changed must be chosen. Click on objects to choose them. For further information on object selection, see the chapter Object Selection.

If the duplicate function is active during selection, a copy of the chosen objects is generated and pushed to the end of the list.


CAM>Tool List
CAM>Tool List (Plug-In DW_CAM1)


CAM>Calculate Milling Time
CAM>Calculate Milling Time (Plug-In DW_CAM1)


CAM>Display Arrows
CAM>Display Arrows (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

If this option is enabled, the start-point and orientation of all standard objects will be displayed by means of a small arrow attached to each object's start-point.


CAM>Display Object Numbers
CAM>Display Object Numbers (Plug-In DW_CAM1)

If this option is enabled, the numbers all objects will be displayed by means of a small field attached to each object's start-point containing the number.

For curves and surfaces, sub-outlines will be numbered by a second number, separated by a point.


Clicking on this button will close the dialog accepting all changes. Any changes or operations specified will be carried out.


Clicking on this button will close the dialog, without accepting any changes. Any following operation will not be carried out.


The value in this edit field determines the diameter of the milling tool. The resulting equidistant will have a distant of half the milling diameter to the reference object.


If this check box is enabled, the egdes of the equidistant will be rounded, else they will not (see graphic).

Because of the definition of equidistants (the same distance from all points), all corners must theoretically be rounded. In many cases this is not required, and therefore this procedure is provided.

There are also situations in which only one of the two options ("rounded" or "not rounded") functions. This often the case when there are pointed transitions between lines and circular arcs.