_______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER CODEGEN TUTOR SYSTEM REQUIRMENTS: IBM or compatable with 80286 processor or greater EGA/VGA monitor Printer optional Math Coprocessor optional but recommended DOS 3.0 or greater CODEGEN is a program that allows the user to create, edit and view CNC (computer numerical control) source files. CODEGEN was written as a learning tool for CNC programmers. When CODEGEN first loads , a file integrity check is performed, if no problems are detected a menu screen offers four choices - EDIT FILE , VIEW FILE , CREATE FILE and TOOLS MENU. Navigating the menu screen is done by using the right and left arrow keys, selecting a choice is done by pressing the ENTER key. ESCAPE will end the program. IMPORTANT: CODEGEN was not developed to teach NC programming , but to shorten the steep learning curve associated with it. Following is an overview of EDIT - VIEW - CREATE - TOOLS EDIT: Filenames maybe entered at the prompt(wildcards *.* are accepted), using the up and down arrow keys will highlight a choice. ESCAPE will return the main menu. In the text editor,lines of text maybe added,deleted or modified. Keep in mind ,this is an editor for NC files,there is no word wrap. A line consists of a maximum 76 characters. File size is limited to available memory . Several options are available in the editor to make editing text easier. [F1] exits the editor. [F3] restores a line of text (as long as the cursor has not moved to another line). [F5] deletes the current line of text. [F6] inserts a line of text. [F8] will search and replace a word or string from the current cursor position. [F9] will search from the current cursor position for a word or string. [F10] is a speed and feed calculator that allows computation of rpm , surface speed, inch per revolution and inch per minute interdependent on each other. Page up / page down scrolls through one complete page of text . Home and end moves cursor to beginning and end of a line . Insert allows insertion of text in a line , moving all text to the right. Delete removes text , one character at a time , to the right of the cursor. Control home and control end moves the beginning or end of the file. Backspace removes all text to the left of cursor , again one character at a time. To edit a new file enter a filename that is not in the current directory or leave the filename entry blank. When leaving the editor a file save option will be presented. If a file in the current directory has the same name , a prompt will say so and ask if it should be overwritten, choosing YES will overwrite the file, NO will allow for a different filename. VIEW: Filenames are entered at the prompt(wildcards *.* are acceptable), using the up and down arrow keys highlights a choice.Once the file has been loaded , CODEGEN does several checks , such as maximum and minimum X and Y positions , number of tools used and range of speeds. A prompt asks for path speed(the rate a line is drawn on the screen 1=slow 9=fast) also single block (shows each command block as it is drawn). Entering ESC at any time will abort the drawing and prompt the user to return to the main menu or to ZOOM out or ZOOM in, changing the viewing area by about 10% . CREATE: Enter a filename at the prompt ( to create a new file enter a unique name or no file at all ) , the maximum X an Y values allows CODEGEN to size the screen. Entering the NC codes will draw the part on the screen, after each entry , a prompt asks if the input should be saved (any key strike except 'n' or 'N' will save the entry . [F1] will cause the editor to be invoked and text editing of the file currently being created may begin. The whole file maybe created entirely in the editor and then viewed by exiting [F1] the editor or by a line at a time ,leaving and viewing the input,and again entering the editor. When done , ESC will allow exit to the main menu or to ZOOM out or ZOOM in, changing the viewing area by about 10% . On exit, prompts are given to save the file. Files maybe loaded , added to or modified in CREATE and then saved when exiting. TOOLS: A variety of routines are available to assist in programming a geometry. RIGHT ANGLE will construct ,with all lengths and angles,a right triangle when any two knowns are entered. If a printer is connected and on , printing the data is accomplished by entering [F1] while the computed triangle is on the screen. EXTERNAL and INTERNAL TANGENT will compute tangent line points on any two circles(as long as the circle diameters do not intersect).The offset inquiry is asking for the verticle distance between the circle centerlines.[F1] will print the data. BOLT CIRCLE computes all X and Y coordinates , starting angle is the angle where the first point is found , with '0' at 12:00. CIRCLE SEGMENT will compute the length of a circle segment. CONFIG CODES allows the user to configure CODEGEN to a specific controller. Input in TOOLS maybe entered in algebraic form (ex. (1+17/32)*.25) ). SAMPLES: There are several sample files included on the disk. These are NC coded files of various geometries. Use the EDIT function to look at them and modify(save them as something else if you don't want the originals changed) the file can then be viewed graphically to note changes. Sample files are: SPIRIAL ELL GEAR3 G16G52