Re: EMC Cookbook

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

Arne,

I would like to see some simple things done to EMC. For instance, the
editor could be made more friendly to CNC coding, with some
numbering/renumbering features that would later on help towards subroutines
("go to line N100 and repeat").  Subroutines that were interpreted through
the editor would be good - take a simple program with repeats-that would
convert all the repeated parts into a longer program that EMC could use.
At work, I sometimes write simple programs that mill out the same shape all
over a piece, but in different locations.  Being able to insert macros
(with the particular beginning and end codes desired) into the program
would be nice.  Copy/Paste can be used, if you open up another editor with
the desired macros, but it would be cool to be able to define standard
macros when needed.
There is a small TCL/Tk editor called TkNotepad that has some nice features
such as "find and replace" that I have tried to substitute for the generic
editor in EMC, but kind of screwed things up by doing it.  Like I said
before, I'm not too swift at coding.  

Another thing that would be good, but not necessary, is a graphical
representation of the toolpath in the little open space just to the right
of the large digit readouts.  Just make it come up when you want to check
things out- not all the time.  

In the TCL/Tk version of EMC, I have played with the settings and made a
large space on the right side of the screen, by shrinking some of the other
buttons and readouts.  In this space, I have sometimes placed the editor.
There seems to be plenty of room for either an editor or graphical screen-
showing the toolpath.  One could just highlight whichever one was needed.  


Tell us more about these older TCL/Tk programs that you have mentioned.

Thanks,
Dan