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How do you keep ur programs neat and tidy?

pcdmisstudent
Hey all
Maybe this thread belongs in "tips and tricks", but ill have a shot at it here.

As i mentioned in the title, how do you keeps ur programs neat and tidy so other CMM programmers can go into the programs and adjust e.t.c?

Do you use groups? Do you do $$ comments explaining stuff?
Do you sort out the code for alignment, measurment routine and evaluation etc?

Do you have a system for how you name the elements?

Me i try to group the Manual alignment, CNC-alignment, measurment code and evaluation.
I also try to name the elements after the drawing, such at Ø15±0.2 etc

How do you guys keep the programs clean?
Post some pictures of code if you'd like.
All answers are welcome.
  • I myself create folders with the customer first, then subfolders under that with part numbers, I have several different 6DXXXXX Part numbers, so there is a folder for multiple 6D part numbers, and the same with other part numbers. I showed a few programs in the 6DXXXXX folder


    I am not going to show customer folder as to protect their identity or interest.
  • I have a tendency to be pretty sporadic in my programs. I'll use all kinds of different ideas and methods but eventually i will find a flow and then start modeling the programs to fit. Usually i will go back and put all the changes back in but it becomes a pain in the you know what after a while.

    The more efficient you become at writing programs the more you'll do it and the harder it will be to keep up with the older ones.

    Groups work well to keep it aesthetically nice but keep in mind PC-DMIS will not return anything inside of the group if you use the search function (Alt+F3).

    as far as naming, NEVER use special characters. only ALPHANUMERIC and underscores (if you need to add spaces). No slashes, dashes, pluses, parenthesis, etc. numbers, letters, and underscores.
  • I mistook your question. I use different colors in the editor so I can plainly see my auto features, alignments, constructed features, tips and angles, etc.



    so I can weed thru any issues or changes
  • in reply to KIRBSTER269
    Thats a nice touch, i never realised you could change the color of specific elements.
    I'll also implement that.
  • /\ samsies. I use different colored fonts for my probe changes and alignments.
    i also bubble all my drawings so I can find particular features when i'm looking back at data.
    cir1, cir2, cir3...….. gets really confusing really fast.
  • in reply to anthony.alfaro
    Oh damn.
    Pretty much all our programs made the past 7 years has Ø ± _- () etc in their names...
    But we havent had any problem with it so far


  • I'm calibrating right now, as soon as It's done I'll add more pictures to show you and anyone else that want to do this

    Once you get the popup window here, UNCHECK Enable background highlighting.



    Then highlight like my example shows alignments, (you can even specify different alignments to be different colors, by hitting the little plus sign) continuing on click the edit button, choose your color and hit apply.



    updated
  • in reply to KIRBSTER269
    I have done this for years. It makes a huge difference looking thru a bunch of code. If everything is the same color its just 1 big blob but when you break it up it makes it so much easier to see a clearplane or movepoint in the wrong place or whatever it may be.
  • Starting with a program seed will help with your consistency as well rather than starting from scratch everytime. All you prep functions will be in the same order. Not that its necessary but once aging its alot easir to find something missing when the order / format is the same all the time. Create a METRIC and INCH program with all the prep functions all inserted and make them read only. Then when you have a new part program to start, simply open the program, save as xxxxxxx, import your CAD and start programming.
  • in reply to Schlag
    Hey thats an interesting idea.
    But what do you acctually mean by a program seed?

    Ive been thinkin about making a template for my programs so (as you said), you can just open the program, save as xxxx and start programming.
    But what does ur program seed include?
    could you post the code?
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