I’m not sure. We’re open to it, but I think we’ll defer until people get used to the new workflow to see how it all shakes out.
We think, and we could be totally wrong, that you’ll probably create some template files with all of your toolpaths that you start projects with. We think (again, we could be wrong) that you will not create a lot of toolpaths because you can just add the vectors to the right layer.
We’ll see if it works out that way once there’s been time to adjust to the idea.
OK…I don’t see myself doing that…but…OK. Could you at least not show it if I’m not using layers?
We’re open to anything here, just not for a few weeks until we have a little more information.
(We did anticipate that this would be brought up, we just didn’t know the correct way to handle it without feedback)
OK…My feedback is: Have an option to stop the messages for that design file going forward. Could be “Use this choice for all toolpaths for this design” option.
EDIT: If you do choose to implement this option, then this button:
Should show the option selected (Either “Assigning Toolpaths to Layer” or “Assigning Toolpaths to Selected Vectors (3)” and then the Change would give me the option to change it that once, or for all subsequent toolpath assignments (really the same options as original with “Use Choice for All Toolpaths”
I think this is still a little odd. How do we preview the toolpaths in (arguably better) simulators like ncviewer? Your own community support team use these tools on this forum to help us out. Are people stuck using the preview in CM to diagnose toolpath issues here?
You can export the G-code from CM, or use CC Pro, and then load it into your preferred simulator.
That makes it clearer. Proprietary file format for your software stack to reduce support costs and increase sales of CCPro. Much more honest too.
Just to be clear, we’d love people to buy CC Pro, but we could have added all of the new features to Pro only if that were the main goal. We didn’t because:
There are lots of people who are really keen on separating GCode files from design files, in the same way they separate PSD or affinity files from PNG and SVG exports.
It’s not a hard mental space to communicate to users, and on this forum at least is not statistically as common as, say, bad wires.
To be clear, you are taking way a feature from existing users and moving it to Pro.
Not to beat a dead horse - and I know I got recognition on the feedback…but I want to know I put down all of the thoughts:
Re: the Toolpath by Selection or Layer option:
Add an option to the dialog box to give the user the option to make a choice and have the choice persist for the rest of the editing of that design file:
If the user checks the box, the user is indicating that they want to use that option going forward and don’t want to be asked again. If they don’t check that box, they want to be asked each time they create a Toolpath.
Since he chose select by Layer and checked the box, he is not asked when he creates a toolpath - and the Toolpath Dialog would display:
OK…enough. I think you get the picture…
That’s roughly what the message is currently when you select a layer.
I think the other thing we could do is use the current selection without the popup, if you have one made, or popup the dialog if you have nothing currently selected.
Just thinking about support questions: I wouldn’t do anything automatically…I would let the user take an action to choose to not be asked again. I don’t think folks would have a problem with the first time - as long as it’s not every time…and as long as they have a chance to change that option. Which the Change button gives them at the right time. This expansion of what you’ve got just puts the power to control the message in the user’s hand.
Particularly since the Layer option persists and acts automatically as you add vectors to a layer…I think the user needs to answer once.
Defect:
With the new arithmetic fields, it seems that operators now pass the edit for valid input…but if you don’t press “=”, it seems they are taking the value up to the operator:
The whole selection & layer thing seems redundant & counterintuitive to me.
If I have something selected & create a toolpath, there’s a good chance that’s what I want to cut.
If I have nothing selected, previously I would get an error message to select something.
Why not just assume if I have something selected, I want to use that. And if I have nothing selected I want to choose a layer? Both options have a cancel if I forget to select something or leave something selected I don’t want and get the wrong dialog.
Could you provide the option to load/preview and save G-code without connecting to the machine? My design computer and machine are not together. I would like to open CM to save the G-code to the NAS for my machine computer to access later. This would thwart the closed ecosystem model of only allowing CC-Pro customers or “Verified machine owners” to access the G-code. I often iterate on a base design saving G-code for each variant. Typical case being a recent run of trivets, advanced V-carve and profile cutout. The variable here is the stock as these are cut from salvaged Corian (sink cut outs) so I need to change the material dimensions and fiddle with the nesting. I save the G-code with the stock size info in the name and don’t save over the master C2D file. I can modify my workflow to saving new c2d file for every iteration but old dogs… stubborn… etc.
I’m sorry, but I don’t think I understand the question fully.
I think you’d like to see the preview in CM without the machine connected? If I’m reading that correctly, then the question I’d have is, do you find the preview in CM to be more helpful than the one in CC?
Or, am I missing your core point?
The point being a way to save G-code only while not actually being connected to the machine or upgrading to CC-Pro. If I open CM on my design computer I can’t do anything because the machine is two floors away.
Hey Tod (with one ‘d’)…I think they’re supporting a development practice of creating a layer for each type of toolpath (I guess, each type, depth, speed, etc.). In a sense, you’re pre-creating these and then creating the vectors that you want cut with those toolpath option within the appropriate layer.
I don’t think I’d ever think that way, but I also won’t knock the procedure until I try it. Who knows, it might make sense. Although, since all of the vectors in a toolpath are selected when you double click the toolpath, I don’t really see the benefit in organization - even if adjusting a parameter of the toolpath for a bunch of objects. I don’t know…I can’t come up with a use case that demonstrates the benefit…but I bet they’re out there.
When in the Contour Toolpath screen the Toolpath Settings and Tabs field seem to be compressed, for lack of better words.
In Full Screen mode it’s not quite as bad.
Macbook pro 13" Early 2015
