New Features

[edwardmc]

I have noticed that Typesetter now list's all the fonts but will not use all of them. Is there a list of the ones that work? Or a way other then trial and error find out. I seen that It will cut (Chivalry) but not (Marriage D) but to the eye there is no diferants in them. Both are true type Old english.

Also are there other new features? Or a manual so one can learn. Other then the Help Which is Just full of good info.

[rgbrown@itexas.net]

Mister Trial and Mister Error are the two guys you need to deal with on the typesetter files. Some of the fonts will put a "box" in for the space. One can get fairly creative by using the typesetter program, placing the "text" where you want it, then running the file with the "Cut from position 2D" settings.

The WinDoze Previewer can be used to "check" the fonts and the files you create by "inserting" files in other files.

There are some levels and procedures that are not allowed in the inserting of commands in files. I have found some of them but would hate to state you may or may not do something on any public forum. And what didn't work on my old 486 driven and "homebuilt gearbox" Bot might, or might not, work with the latest Inferiorium Processor and many Gigs of memory.

Ron

[rjguinn@optonline.net]

Has anyone noticed a difference in cut quality using version 3? I read that ramps are now curved instead of linear.If there are any improvements,especially when cutting curves, I will upgrade my controller to the PRT model to also take advantage of all the other great features in the new software.

[bill.young]

Hi Edward,

The restrictions on fonts that will work with Typesetter are because of the geometry of some fonts, not something that we impose...we would be happy if Typesetter would create files for every TrueType font on your computer. Unfortunately some fonts just don't work, though we're working diligently to limit the number that don't (for example, the "box" character problem that Ron posted about has been fixed in this final version). We don't really have a way to know for sure which fonts won't work, but generally...

* fonts that are too fancy can be a problem, like the ones that look like they are on fire or made out of ice cubes, because it's hard to tell what's "font" and what's "background". Sometimes Old English fonts can fall into this catagory.


* single stroke style fonts like some of the ones that are map symbols or simulate Autocad fonts. You can generally tell them in the Typesetter preview because they just look like dotted lines with very little thickness.


* some of the really inexpensive fonts that you can buy on the "4000 fonts for $5" CDs. The geometry on some of them is pretty sloppy, with vectors that backtrack or have no length.


Since there are so many TrueType fonts (there have got to be 10s of thousands) and we couldn't test them all, we include a "bad font" file when Typesetter is installed named typesetter.ini. It's read when Typesetter starts, and any font that's on that list is not included in the fonts drop-down list. When it's first installed that file contains the fonts that didn't work on MY computer, but as Typesetter find fonts on your computer that don't work they will be added to your ini file.

Eventually we'll start asking folks to send us their typesetter.ini files so that we can create a master list that everyone can use. but first we want to make sure that we've got Typesetter refined so that it will do as many fonts as possible.

Bill

[edwardmc]

Thanks Bill

That makes since and you are right about the amount of fonts out there. Some times I think I have more then I need on my computer. Every program seems to add new one's.

[bill.young]

Hey Edward,

I'll try to partially answer your second question, the one about new features. There are so many new features, like the ability to control up to 5 channels at the same time with an M4 or M5 command, that it's taking a while to get them all into the documentation. As a start, though, here's my current "Top 5" list of new features.

#5 When you run a file in Preview mode an estimate is done of the cutting time for that file. It's shown at the bottom of the Console screen ( the one with the big green box in the middle that displays the file lines as they're run), and also written to a .log file that's written for each file that's run. And if the file is run in Move mode, the elapsed time is show at the bottom of the console as the file is cutting.

#4 If you use Part Wizard there's now much more integration between it and the ShopBot software. After you've created your part file in Part Wizard, you can now select the "ShopBot" tab in the toolbox on the left side and either open the file with the new ShopBot editor, view it in the previewer, or send it to the tool to cut.

#3 You can now change the move speed while the tool is moving by holding down the SHIFT key and pressing the < key to slow it down and the > key to speed it up. This ONLY works in the X and Y axis and ONLY for move speeds...if you try it while you're jogging you'll get VERY unpredictable results!

#2 You've already discovered my #2...the new Typesetter. It's the first of the new Virtual Tools that lets you v-carve MOST of the TrueType fonts on you computer. Several more Virtual Tools are in the works including the "Copy Machine" which combines all the probing and edge-finding routines into one easy-to-use interface.

#1 The neatest of all (in my opinion at least) is the new 3d previewer. It makes it much easier to check out files before you cut them, and even has a "Virtual ShopBot" that you can turn on to see the tool move around as it's "cutting".

Hope this helps,
Bill

[rgbrown@itexas.net]

Bill,

I do think the 3D previewer is a great tool. I have found bad moves in my files, cut Z moves that were not necessary and found other things without wasting time or material.

Thanks,
Ron

[edwardmc]

Bill

would I be able to run my indexer by editing my files to m4s and changing the y moves to A moves then make new ys at 0.0 .

[john]

You talked about m4 and m5. I do not see this command in the software.

[bill.young]

Hi guys,

First John's question. You have to tell the software how many axis' you are using before you'll see the MA, M4, MB or M5 commands...the software doesn't know what to do with an M4 command if you only have 3 axis. The default is 3 axis' but you can change it with the "Number of axis" setting in the VD command...4 adds the A axis and 5 adds the B. You'll notice also that a position readout now appears for each new axis as it is added. Note that the A and B axis DO NOT show up in the previewer...we haven't figured out what to do about them yet!


Next Edward's. Yes, that's exactly what you can do. Then you can move all the axis simultaneously with an M4 command, or move just the indexer with the MA command or with the M4 command by leaving all the other axis parameters blank (like M4,,,,10 to move the indexer 10 units).

What's REALLY neat is that you can now select which channel on the board controls which axis using the VI command. So you can plug the cable for your indexer into the A driver on your board, but tell the software to run it as if it was the Y axis. You can do it from the command line using VI, or use the VI command in a file to do it on-the-fly.

Bill

[edwardmc]

Bill
If I got that right I can just add a VI in my old files rather then edit all the lines. If so tell me what I can do for you all there at Shopbot. I was realy tired of switching cables every time I wanted to use the Indexer. Tell me this can I leave the A axes UV's set at the corect values for the Indexer while cuting flat files? And if I'v read corectly I need to change all UV's by x4.
I cant thank you all enough for the way you take cair of us. there just not another company like ShopBot. You guy's thinking of geting a CNC should stand up and take notice. You cant buy suport like this at any price.

[stickmanwood@hotmail.com]

Does Version 3 come with all new machines. Mine is in the works and should ship sometime this week?

[bill.young]

Hey Edward,

I'm not positive about the answers to your unit value questions...the indexer is a special case for sure. Let me do a little checking and I'll get back to you.

Thanks for the kind words,
Bill

[tvs]

Bill:
Back to Jeff's earlier question: Does the new software version handle ramping in a different manner from the previous versions? If so, what were the changes introduced?
Thomas

[charles48]

I've downloaded the beta version for XP. When I try to run it I get a message box that says "Parameter value below range for SO - Setting to lower limit" I click ok, then I get an alarm sound followed by a message saying "Runtime error '8018' Operation valid only when port is open" I click ok and the program shuts down completely. I have deleted everything off my drive redownloaded with the same results. Anyone got any suggestions?

[bill.young]

Hey Thomas,

Hopefully Ted will jump in if I've got this wrong...ramping and setting ramp values has always been pretty confusing to me.

In the DOS software, the change in speed during ramping is linear, so that the move starts at the ramp speed value and increases at the same rate until it gets to full speed. It works well but can occasionally cause a "knock" if the last little bit of increase is missed for some reason (like a bad timing check) and it has to jump to full speed.

The Windows software on the other hand uses a "curved" ramp, so that the speed change is the greatest at the start and then becomes more gradual as it gets up to full speed. That way there's a longer time at the end of the ramp when the ramp speed is close to the final speed, and in theory it's a smoother transition. I haven't noticed much of a difference in real-life cutting, but some folks feel it's quite a bit smoother.

The big difference is in WHERE the timing of the steps is handled. In the DOS software the timing of steps for moves is handled in the control box but the timing of steps for ramps is done on the PC. This latter depends on the software getting a good measurement of the computer's timing, which doesn't always happen. That's why ramps can sometimes act weird in the DOS software...the timing measurement has gotten an incorrect value. In the Windows software the timing of moves AND ramps is done in the control box, which prevents the variations in ramping that sometimes occur as a result of getting incorrect timing measurements when the software starts.

If you're using the Windows software the default ramp settings should be good for a wide range of speeds and cutting needs, but feel free to experiment if you're doing something that you think requires either a more abrupt or more extended ramp.

Hope this helps,
Bill

[gerald_d]

Hi Bill, the curved ramp is to reduce "jerk". Jerk is a very seldom used term in motion analysis, but everyone knows how to feel it. Here (http://www.manufacturingcenter.com/tooling/archives/1299/1299tchu.asp) is an article that may help a bit.

- distance is measured in inches
- A steady change in distance relative to time is called speed and is measured in inches per second. (in/sec)
- A steady change in speed relative to time is called acceleration and is measured in inches per second per second. (in/sec2)
- A steady change in acceleration relative to time is called jerk and is measured in inches per second per second per second (in/sec3)

[stickman]

Typesetter Question!

I was using Typsetter to setup a v-varved font, the problem is, that when I preview it in Shopbot, its shows the file larger than my blank? Has anyone had this problem?

[bill.young]

Hi Jay,

It's something that we're trying to figure out, but the issue is in the way the font is displayed on the Typesetter blank, not in the file that's created. If you specify a particular size for the lettering in Typesetter, say 4", then the lettering will be 4" tall. That's the TOTAL height for the lettering, from the top of the tallest letter to the bottom of any letter that hangs down ( like a "y" or a "p").


The Typesetter preview ( and most CAD programs) allocate more space for a font than it usually needs, so that if you specify a 4" font the lettering might actually be less than 3" tall. Unfortunately it's not consistent between fonts so it's hard to compensate for in the Typesetter preview...the blank preview is an experiment that might not make it to the final version!

The best thing to do at the moment is to size the lettering to the height that you want, create the file, and then open the output file and you can find the actual dimensions of the lettering in the comment section at the beginning. In the next version I'll try to add that info to the "cutting depth" message box that pops up when the file's done, to make it a little easier to find.

Bill

[don]

Is there anyway to make the Typesetter to invert the text? If not will it be available in future versions?

[bill.young]

Hey Don,

I'm not sure this is what you're looking for, but you can flip the text upside-down by using -1 as the Y proportion when you run the file with the FP command, and mirror it side-to-side with -1 as your X proportion.

I've found it's easier to do these mirroring operations if you select the "0,0 at the center point" option when you create your Typesetter file. Then you can move your bit to the center point of your blank, either re-zero there or cut in 2d offset mode, and the text will stay centered around that point when you flip it.

Bill

[don]

Thank you Bill,

Yes that works for me. I guess i need to creative and let my imagination run..
Thanks again