Tabbing

[tomr]

Well, I have read all there is about "VB", i,e. VB,a,b,c,d,e,f.
However, It is becoming quite apparent that this command does not seem to work following various other commands such as "J3", "M3", "CG". Not quite sure what could be the problem. I have gotten it to work following the command, "J2" but else, nothing...
Sure could use a bit more advise on best direction to take. Key goal for me is to have a couple tabs on some small 3" circles that, even with my vaccum table, are lifting and getting in the way of other holes being cut due to the "holes" lifting and jamming into router as it pludges on new holes.....
thanks in advance....

[bill.young]

Hey Tom,

As you've discovered tabbing still has some issues in the Windows software, but if you turn tabbing on manually before the circles with a VB,,,,,1 command and turn it off afterwards with a VB,,,,,0 command I think it will do what you want. Try running the sample code below...I've never understood the CG command so it uses the CP command but hopefully they will work the same.

***one quick note. While playing with this I discovered that the green lines that show tabs get funky after tabbing is turned on and off a couple of times. Ignore the green lines and rotate the view a little after the sample has run...you'll see that the tabs are really there. I'll add that to the todo list.

Hope this helps,
Bill

************************************************** *
' this section just makes sure that
' tabs are working after an M3 move

M2,0,0
MZ, 1
M3, 12, 12, 0

'set tabbing parameters and turn tabbing on with 5th parameter
VB,.1,1.5,0.5,0.5,1

' cut a 3" circle with a -1 plunge and tabbing turned on
CP,3,12,12,I,,,,-1,,,,,,1

' turn tabbing back off for the move to the next hole
VB,,,,,0
MZ, 1
M2, 24,12

' turn tabbing on and cut the next circle
VB,,,,,1
CP,3,24,12,I,,,,-1,,,,,,1
VB,,,,,0
MZ, 1
M2, 36,12

' etc
VB,,,,,1
CP,3,36,12,I,,,,-1,,,,,,1
VB,,,,,0
MZ, 1
M2, 0,0

[tomr]

Thanks Bill! It did work, however, I just received V2 of PartWizard and in this new version is a function called, "Bridging" which allows you to create one bridge, defined by length and height... That's all I really needed in this case was to create effectively one nice tab from keeping the smaller parts from flying off the table.... Very cool new feature which will save me enormous amounts of time from manually inserting tab points..... Thanks again for help..