Re: 5-axis machine controller

[Jon Elson <jmelson-at-artsci.wustl.edu>]

john s finnila wrote:

> I believe that in order to have a reasonable  machine tool controller it
> is
> essential that the controller allows for basic editing of the part
> program such
> as present in a dos edlin editor.  It is also important that  the
> operator can conviently
> shift from edit to save to the run mode.  Does the emc controller have
> this capability?

Absolutely.  You CAN edit inside EMC, with the program edit window
that is a part of the TkEMC GUI.  I use Emacs, as a sophisticated, all
around editor, but you can use any editor you like.  I often cut and chop
pieces of programs to put together a part program, and Emacs does this
better than the edit window in EMC.  But, using the EMC edit window is
certainly the simplest way to do it, and you go from edit to save to run
with just a few mouse clicks.

> The above comments apply to the situation where part programming is
> primarily
> done offline at a separate computer which I think is just fine.  If a
> more sophisticated
> part program editor were available in the emc control, that would be even
> better.

In the Xwindows interface, you can use any combinations of programs, just
like using MicroSoft Windows.

Jon