Bridgeport Ez trak software V3.19 Post Processor

Hello
I have a hobby workshop. I have just brought Bridgeport Ez trak and I would like to load programs. However it does not seem to like the Sheetcam Ez trak post processor as it will post an illegal g code notice. I have tried a number of other post processors on the list and I have had limited success with the Boss 5 post processor but it will not work curves or arcs.
Has anyone had any luck with post processors for this machine

Thanks
martin

You can eliminate the use of true arcs (G02/G03 words) in gcode, and thus any arc runtime errors, using the ArcAsMoves() stmt in the pp, see below. Find the OnArc() function and add the do…end line, ok to leave the rest of the OnArc() function as it was, it’ll be dead code until you remove or comment out the added line sometime later.
The ArcAsMoves(0.1) stmt will cause all arcs to be coded as a sequence of G01 XY line segments of length 0.1mm, you can use other length values if you desire.

function OnArc()
  do post.ArcAsMoves(0.1) return end

Thank you very much for you help and in particular the quick response. I can’t pretend to fully understand what is going on here but the test program seem to work great.

martin

HI
Although I have used Sheetcam on my Mach 3 plasma cutter for years never got involved in G code. Sheetcam did it all. After some investigation and for future reference for others I think the issue is that G02,G03 I and J values are relative to the start/end of the curve. Ez-trak require absolute values
martin

@MLR , nice investigation work!
So that means that you have options :slight_smile:
Absolute I,J values are available, pp’s actually perform math to get the relative values.
For those interested, again in OnArc() function, change relative…

post.NonModalNumber (" I", (arcCentreX - currentX) * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" J", (arcCentreY - currentY) * scale, "0.0000")

to absolute…

post.NonModalNumber (" I", arcCentreX * scale, "0.0000")
post.NonModalNumber (" J", arcCentreY * scale, "0.0000")

note: many pp’s use variable format = “0.000” when metric, “0.0000” when inch, where the var is set in OnInit() function. Thus, the following is equivalent to the above when gcode is produced in inch values.
post.NonModalNumber (" I", arcCentreX * scale, format)