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Offline Program with an Online Seat

KamikazeKonrad
I know this isn't news to many currently using the forum, but for those interested in offline programming when all they have is an online seat (dongle's married to a CMM), there was in the past a workaround to programming offline, that may still work for you.

Download and install PCDmis version 3.5 or earlier on a computer you want to offline program from. Locate the file interfac.dll in the install folder and rename it to anything other than interfac.dll. Plug your dongle into the USB port, and you're good to go. You may not be programming in the latest version, but any newer version will open the older versions saves, and furthermore, with a program like UltraVNC, you can remote access the computer you've set up and program from anywhere.

The only issue is that you can't run your CMM while you have the dongle in another computer.
  • So, to summarize, it is a broken offline seat that can only work when the CMM is still connected.

    In one sarcastic word: Brilliant.
  • You can save your work when such a machine error occurs. It's not 100% foolproof, but you can.

    When the error comes up for whatever that requires you to shut down pc-dmis it gives you two options "OK" and "Shutdown" correct? If you click "OK" it pops back up immediately right? Well, not quite - at least not as far as the computer is concerned. If you use your left hand to hold the ctrl key and hit s repeatedly and use your right hand to click on "OK", you can get it to save. You have to go through the error window several times sometimes, but it will save (sometimes). After you think it has saved click on "shutdown". Hopefully it worked.

    Give it a try. Open a program, insert a move point at the end, don't save it, hit the e-stop. You'll get the error message. Do the above steps, shutdown PC-DMIS, restart it, open your program and see if the move point is there.

    BTW, I 100% agree that we should be able to use PC-DMIS "offline" on the computer connected to the CMM with the controller turned off.

    Taking the dongle from one computer to another - I can kinda see that, but I also understand why they don't want you doing that.


    Yeah I've used that trick a time or two. I would also think that the shutdown option would be the same as exiting PCD and save the program on it's way out. At least that is what would happen if it were to make sense. I haven't tested that theory in a while. I would still love to be able to actually use the software though.

    And as for taking the dongle from one computer to another, and again I haven't tested this in a while, but if you don't have the offline liscence on the dongle it won't start PCD without a controller hooked up will it? So the only way I can see this being an issue is if I had two CMM's and only one liscence, then it may do some good but otherwise,and even then I would think that there are a whole other set of headaches that you have to go through just to make it run initially. And doesn't the version that you just took the dongle off of start throwing up a different message if you have a missing dongle? Or is the missing HASP device error message I have seen from time to time not related to the dongle.
  • So the only way I can see this being an issue is if I had two CMM's and only one liscence, then it may do some good but otherwise,and even then I would think that there are a whole other set of headaches that you have to go through just to make it run initially.

    It actually seems like that particular situation would work ... or is the dongle itself tied to a specific controller?

    In any case, I agree with PD-DMIS making it possible to work without the CMM actually in working condition. What is it going to hurt as long as it is hooked up to the CMM still? I have a horrible time trying to get the foundry I work at to leave the air on just so I can program in PC-DMIS.

    Oh wait ... they won't get the extra money for the 'offline' program if they do that, at least from some of us. Unforunately, if a company sees a dip in profit (any company) when they already have people hooked on their product, they aren't going to backtrack and give us something we already bought without it Disappointed
  • Hmmmm... how about a small air compressor dedicated to the CMM with a separate valve to main air?
  • Just a note:

    My first CMM... Xcel 9129 s/n 001 ran in co-idris and migrated to SCO Unix.... gee no dongle!!!
    Funny how those were the most profitable days for "Brown and Sharpe"
    They bought DEA, Leitz, started to migrate to windows MMIV, then PCDmis... and high security

    Stock went down the toilet and they are now Hexagon...

    Just a few old thoughts about manhandling customers with security, vs profitability.

    The common thread is "Listen to your customers" It would cost you nothing to give away an offline seat tied with every online seat for a specific dongle...
    You would not loose any money except maybe that your machinery would last longer not having to be "on" all the time.

    AND THAT'S THE FACT JACK!
  • Sheffield 9.9.7 Endeavor will let you use PC-DMIS with the air off and the controller on. First you have to turn on the air and CMM controller and home the CMM. Then you can turn of the air and leave the controller on to use PC-DMIS offline. This would help with the offline programing with the PC-DMIS on the CMM. With the GLobal CMM it would be nice if you could shut off the air. Because, as soon you turn off the air the Shut down error message comes on.
  • A little trick I discovered... You can remote into your cmm pc and work offline on a separate pc. Our IT vendor set it up for me with just a few clicks.
    Maybe someone could help me do even better... Our Sheffield RS5 was down for a week due to a burnt out read head bulb. I was hoping to remote in and offline program with it while it was down, but pcdmis would not initialize because the cmm could not home. I tried starting it with the /f offline switch (running as admin) but that didn't help, it still required the homing operation in order to initialize. Maybe I'm doing something wrong?
    I thought of manually trying to home it, but was not sure how to go about it and also wonder if that would work anyway since the Y axis reader wasn't working?
  • Don't keep revealing your tricks or workarounds on this forum to do something we should be able to, they will just close that loophole with the next release...
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