MDI file output

[Dan Falck <dfalck-at-sprynet.com>]

While going down the list of things that Hoyt would like to see EMC do,  I ran
across this one:

file output while in MDI mode- sort of like teach mode while at the control.

Not being very good at programming anything, I tried this crude hack in tkemc
(/usr/local/emc/plat/linux_2_0_36/bin/tkemc)

set mditext ""
set mdi [frame $top.mdi]
set mdilabel [label $mdi.label -text "MDI:" -width 4 -anchor w]
set mdientry [entry $mdi.entry -textvariable mditext -takefocus 0 -width 73]
-----set fileid [open "/usr/local/emc/programs/test.mdi" w+]-----

pack $mdi -side top -anchor w
pack $mdilabel $mdientry -side left

bind $mdientry <Return> {$mdientry select range 0 end ; sendMdi
$mditext;---puts $fileid $mditext;--- set mditext ""}


This works well enough, if you remember to save the file before starting a new
session. Now I need to put in a button in the GUI that will prompt for a file
name so that things aren't so crude.  

My goal is to work up a crude digitizing/CMM type package for my mill.  I
figured out that I can get some data out to a file using commands like:
emc_abs_act_pos  
Now it's time to have some more fun with it.

Thanks,
Dan