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Thread: Free Doors Update

  1. #21
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    H & H Woodworking, Polkton NC
    Posts
    233

    Default

    Bruce,

    Thanks for the response, I thought maybe I was missing something.

    Ok on a different note, when I open up to edit the cutters csv file, and lets say that I edit the file and save a version of it so that I can recall it later. If I name by another name other than cutters.csv when I go and create shopbot cutting files I get a error message. Do I have to name it cutters.csv and if I do are there any way to save a door cutter design so that I can bring it back up again and not have to re-enter the cutters. This way I can have multiple door cutting designs.

    Thanks,
    Jeff

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    252

    Default

    Jeff,

    You have to save the file twice. Once with a descriptive name such as MYCUTTERS.CSV or MYBOSCHCUTTERS.CSV and then again CUTTERS.CSV for Mike's Doors program to find.

    So, to answer your question, YES you can have multiple cutters for different door styles, you just need to rename a copy of that file "CUTTERS.CSV" before you press the "Generate Door Files" button.

    Again, I think the next version will work a little different--or at least it will let you choose, via a windows open dialog, which cutters file you want to use to generating the cut files.

    Thanks and keep asking questions. It means that someone is using the program!

    Bruce

  3. #23
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    H & H Woodworking, Polkton NC
    Posts
    233

    Default

    Thanks,

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Timberline, St .George
    Posts
    206

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    Can anyone tell me if you can now add multiple
    panels to doors?
    i make mdf door from about 12 inches to over six feet high. and a 6ft door looks better balance
    using two or more panels.
    also can you export the files you make on free doors
    as a dxf file ?
    i use vcarve pro to do all my tool paths and very happy with it. i also do my nesting with turbocad. once i can export my door files from free doors the rest is easy for me.
    what i like about free doors is how easy it is to setup and change the the door dimensitions.
    thats a very big help.
    i also want to thank everyone who had a path in
    making free doors available .
    thanks paul

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    252

    Default

    Paul,

    There is no "direct" way to make multipanel doors. You can "fool" the software into making multi panel doors and I think Mike posted instructions here or in one of his "readme" files.

    When I get some time, I plan on doing a Wainscott "plug in" for Free Doors that will basically let you do multi panel doors (or a Wainscott).

    To answer your second question, yes, the new version (4.0) you can export your doors as DXF and add further embellishments.

    Glad you like it and I am happy it works well for you.

    Bruce

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    , South Jordan Utah
    Posts
    1,693

    Default

    Here is the 'basic' way to make multi-panel doors that I've emailed to a few users:

    The door program has no provisions for making multi-panel doors; however, you can fool it by laying out two separate door files. In the first file, lay out the doors so that the panels are exactly where you want them to be. Generate the SBP files and then cut everything except the perimeter. In the second file, lay out one door so that the perimeter is exactly where you want it to be. Generate the SBP files and then cut only the perimeter. It will require some small effort on your part, but it will allow you to make multi-panel doors.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Timberline, St .George
    Posts
    206

    Default

    Thanks mike for the information i will it a try.
    Bruce. can you tell me how i go about saving the door file i made as a dxf file?
    thanks paul

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    252

    Default

    Paul,

    Are you using the latest V.4 Free Doors? If not, get it from the website:
    http://home.centurytel.net/bwclark/

    Now, on the very bottom of the screen (if you are running 1024x768, you may have to move the window up a little to see--this will be fixed in the next update) you will see a box called "Output Options". Click the "DXF Format" radio button and then press the "Generate Door Files". You will now have 6 DXF files in the Doors/JOBS folder.

    Hope this help,

    Bruce

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    WildWood Mfg.., Ulm Montana
    Posts
    296

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    Bruce

    It's been a couple of days, and of course its not the same as going through the first time, but here is my input.
    The only place that I can remember any problems is understanding the offset.
    Not in the toutorial but in the program, if you change the color of the input cells, that might help explain the required inputs.
    Renaming the 'Add to list' to "add door to view of cutout" or better explaination in the tutorial, as well as the 'update' button.
    Explain the difference between 'Recalculate..', 'Nest..', and 'Redraw' would help.

    Personal preference, I line up input screens - the input on top and the door parameters below might make it some what easier to follow. But that is the personal way I make input screens.

    Again, I didn't find much wrong or that I would change. Just trying to remember where I had to backup and re read, to understand what the input should be.

    I like the new tutorial you have added. That cleared up a lot of what I was trying to figure out.

    Hope that helps a little.
    Well done job in my opinion. I know how hard it is to make input screens so someone else can understand what 'I' am trying to do.
    If I come up with any thing new I will pass it along.

    Thanks
    Butch
    You get an atta-boy for this!

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    252

    Default

    Butch,

    Thanks for the compliment.

    Yes, the program could use a LOT of cleanup. It started out as a very simply program and has grown and grown. It is due for a rewrite/update because it is getting harder to add features and still maintain the code.

    As per the offsets, that is something that is kinda confusing, I agree. It is autocalculated when you are laying out the doors, and I figured I could _almost_ not display that, but everyonce in a while that information is useful. With that said, I will look into seeing if I can make that a little clearer in the tutorial.

    Good idea about coloring the field in the "list view". Yes, the "Add to List" could probably be relabled. Again, in the first version, all you were doing was creating a CSV file and really you were just building a "list of doors". Well, that has changed and it probably does need some updating as well.

    As for the alignment issue of the add/Delete/Update buttons, I was also trying to "follow the flow" from the user's input. As you enter all the data, you end up on the right side of the screen when you are done. I figured that was the best place to put those buttons. I will look into that in the future as well.

    Lastly, the Recalculate, Nest and Redraw actually do something different. The recalculate button only recalculates the door offsets. This basically realigns the doors in numerical order.

    The Nest actually trys to nest the doors from largest to smallest. It will renumber the doors as well.

    The redraw button is actually responsible for drawing the doors on the screen. In one of the earlier versions, the program did not automatically add the doors to the drawing layout area. The user had to do that manually. Now, it is done automatically, but the button is left there for programmatical reasons.

    Again, thanks for your input. Your input will definately help in the design of future versions of Free Doors.

    Bruce

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