The CAM-Wizard N/C programming system has been designed to work under MS-DOS on the IBM AT series Computers.and compatibles Because of this, all data files must conform to the MS-DOS standards described in the MS-DOS manuals. Although a brief description of MS-DOS file names and operating procedures does exist in this manual, the user of this system is referred to the MS-DOS systems manual and the computer's hardware manual for answers to questions pertaining to the operating system or the hardware. The MS-DOS disk based operating system has many useful features and most system utilities, such as batch files and copy and delete commands can be used to augment the standard operation of CAM-Wizard itself. Standard MS-DOS programs may be used along with this system such editors and keyboard utilities.
The programs that make up the CAM-Wizard programming system are standard MS-DOS programs and can be run from the operating system simply by using their names - "CAM", "SOURCE", " HELP" etc. Tapes created in this system can be stored on the internal disk drive and retrieved for later use by using simple utility programs or by using standard MS-DOS commands. All data is stored in standard MS-DOS files which conform to MS-DOS file rules. File names may have no more than eight characters with three more characters for an extension. The file name and its extension are separated by a "." and have the form "filename.ext". The utilities and system commands are also stored in files. These files have the extensions ". COM", ". EXE", or ".BAT".
Although some of these programs were supplied with the operating system, there is no discernible difference between them and user created files, so the user must avoid naming user files with the same name as previously existing CAM-Wizard files. This system consists of five main programs, three data files, and four system configuration files. The program files are stand alone programs with the extension ". EXE" and ".COM" and the data and system configuration files have the extensions ". CAM", ". CFG",".MNU", ".NUL", ". DEF", and ". CMD" therefore, the use of these extensions for user file names should be avoided. User supplied filenames will not write over any of the system files if these extensions are not used.
Files in this system not only have file names, but are located on sections of the disk called directories and sub-directories. These directories are used to help group many similar files in one place so that they are easily accessible. Directory names are needed with the file name so that MS-DOS knows where to locate that particular file on the disk. The directories and sub-directories are separated from the file name by the "\" character and thus effectively become part of the file name.
CAM-Wizard uses a number of sub-directories to store its files. These sub-directories are all on the CAM directory. This means that in order to use a particular file, the user needs to specify that file's sub-directory in the file name. (The "\ CAM\" directory designation can be omitted.) The sub-directory names in CAM-Wizard and their uses are as follows:
S\ - Source files created in CAM-Wizard_
G\ - Geometry files created in
CAM-Wizard
T\ - Tape files created by CAM-Wizard
Filenames have the form directory\filename.ext.Examples of filenames where programs may be stored are:
T\2-19876.20 - Tape created by CAM-Wizard
job name 2-19876 operation 20
TAPE.CAM - Current system tape
(stored on \CAM directory)
Operation of the CAM-Wizard system consists of running the five main programs to create geometry and instructions in order to create the tape program for the N/C machine. The first of these programs, CAM, can be run from the system by simply issuing its name as an MS-DOS command. This program is used to describe and alter the part geometry with the aid of a mouse, and menus. A full screen editor complete with cursor control, search and replace functions, and an intelligent menu system is then used to create the instructions for the machine. These instructions are then processed by the post processor to create the actual code which can be executed by the N/C machine. A tape checking facility can then be used to check the tape created by displaying the tool movement graphically as it machines the part in real time.
Each job can then be stored on the internal disk drive and recalled at any time for modification or use by the machine. Many different auxiliary programs exist and are being developed for integrated use with this system to further simplify geometry and tool path descriptions. These programs can be executed by using simple commands from the operating system or from within some of the CAM-Wizard programs.
The syntax description used in this manual is:
- = (underline) designates one space.
This space cannot be left out or
replaced by more than one space.
[CR] = denotes pressing of the "Return" or
"Enter" key
n = denotes an integer expression.
nn = denotes a real or floating point
number such as.0031 or 3.1875.
Integer expressions can be used in
this case.
{...} = optional parameters are shown in
curly brackets
/ = used to separate more than one of
a number of possible parameters.
EX:
Pn/Ln means use either Pn or Ln or
both
The MS-DOS operating system is a full Disk Operating System with many commands and functions. CAM-Wizard was written especially for this operating system, and can take advantage of its many special features, such as batch files. Some special features have been added to MS-DOS for CAM-Wizard as well. If the you press the [PrnScrn] key, all screen graphics and text will be dumped to the printer. In addition, if no keyboard activity takes place for three minutes, the screen will go blank in order to save the screen from burnout. Pressing [Ctrl-C] at any time during the execution of CAM-Wizard will bring the operator either to the program he came from or to the operating system itself. Some of the system commands that are available in CAM-Wizard are explained below:
The HELP command provides on line help screens to assist the operator of this system in determining the proper use of the various commands. When "HELP" is typed at the system prompt, (C:\CAM>), a general help screen is displayed. If "HELP ?" is entered, the HELP help screen is displayed, showing the various commands which have their own help screens. These parameters can be used in help to display their own help screens.
EX:
HELP SAVE - Will display the screen showing how
to use the SAVE command.
The SAVE command is used to save the current job on the system disk drive. This command will save the three work files, GEO.CAM, SOURCE.CAM, and TAPE.CAM, to the disk and add the program description to the TAPELIST.CAM file, which holds a list of existing tapes and their locations. This file can be viewed by using the TAPES command. The job description may be contained in the first line of the source code file (SOURCE.CAM), or SAVE will ask you for it when saving the job. SAVE takes this description and uses it to create the filenames to be stored on the sub-directories S\, G\, and T\. SAVE will display the description of the file as this is done.
EX: SAVE
The SEND command is used to transfer an N/C program to the machine from the computer. The SEND command can send any existing tape to any machine without disrupting the normal system operation. The name of the N/C program must be specified in the SEND command. If no name is specified, SEND will assume the present tape is to be sent. SEND will first search TAPELIST for the named tape and then the "T\" directory if the file has not been found on the main directory. The Device can be specified using the "TO" parameter, or the tape file is analyzed to determine which machine it was created for. If more than one device is possible for that tape, SEND will display a menu of valid devices.
SYNTAX:
SENDjob TO device
EX:
SEND - Send the current tape
SEND 2-12345 OP 20 - Send job 2-12345 operation 20
SEND 123 OP 1 TO PUNCH - Send job 123 operation 1 to PUNCH
The LOAD command is the complement to the SAVE command. This command re-loads the previously SAVED job from the disk. This will usually be done to correct mistakes made in programming the part, or for changes. Like SEND, LOAD needs the job description (part number followed by operation number) in order to know what job is to be loaded. All work files related to that file will be loaded into the system, and the user need only type the name of the program he wishes to run in order to continue work on that job.
EX:
LOAD 2-12345 OP 20 - Load job 2-12345 operation 20
PRINT - Print any text file on the printer.
SYNTAX:
PRINT filename.ext
TYPE - Display the contents of a file on
the screen.
SYNTAX:
TYPE filename.ext
DIR -
List files from a disk directory on
the screen.
SYNTAX:
DIR - List all files on the current
directory.
DIR T\filespec - List all files matching filespec on
the T directory
LLIST - This program prints out the source
code or tape on the printer.
SYNTAX:
LLIST
LLIST TAPE
LIST - This displays the source code or
tape on the screen.
SYNTAX:
LIST
LIST
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Last modified: June 10, 2002