Preview Mode?

[dcruze]

I am using Shopbot 3.6.46 and I am trying to figure out how the preview mode is suppose to work. I am use to the preview in Mach 3. I have looked but I can't find documentation on the preview mode. Can you see the file before you cut it?

[jerry_stanek]

you load the file in preview and run it just like you would in move it will give you a screen shot of the file and give you the time it takes to run it

[dcruze]

How do you open the file in preview? Are you talking preview in Shopbot or in Partworks?

[jerry_stanek]

In SB3 you open it just like you would when you run the file on the Shopbot. Cut file choose the file you want and then start

[Bob Eustace]

With SB3 running with the Shopbot located, in the red screen to the left you will see "move cut" and "preview mode". Just click on it and you're right to go. In the real world you might find that you dont use this much at all. Its great to check if you have retrieved the correct cut file. Look upon it as a post processor viewer. I have found the time estimate to be more accurate than Vectric. And yes it is a bit confusing and not actually the bleeding obvious. To load a file just use "F" then "P". After viewing just click on move cut then click on the file name in the window.

[dcruze]

Thanks, I am slowly learning my way around the software

[bcondon]

Dale

I have a design machine and then a machine permanently connected to my shopbot.

I have SB3 on both machines. Of course I use SB3 to drive the SHopbot machine but on my design machine, I will run SB3 in Preview Mode to see if I am getting the expected tool paths. This is especially important if, at a later time, you do some programming or if you use the FP command to cut multiple parts from different starting locations.

I also used it when doing scripting for a customer that required user input and that input needed to be checked...

Just a few thoughts

Good luck!

Bob