Holding Tabs Added But Not Recognized

Software SheetCAM
1

Having a little problem here…
I imported a part from Solidworks (DXF) and set everything up in Sheetcam.
When I add holding tabs through the Cut Path tab, it previews the tabs on
the part, but when clicking OK, the tabs disappear and remove themselves
from the cut path.
I also used the shortcut icon for adding the holding tabs, placed them
manually and it stays on the part, but when I create the g-code, the plasma
cutter doesn’t actually skip over where the tabs were put on the cut path.

Is there something I’m missing when it comes to adding holding tabs to the
part? Or maybe a process that I’m not doing for it to process the holding tabs?

Any feedback would be greatly welcomed.
Thank you,
Mike H.

2

interestingly, I just ran a simple test case with a sheetcam menu Mode-Shape library circle part/shape, plasma pp, using tabs, and it works. I say interestingly because I was NOT expecting a torch probe cycle at each arc segment of the circle as defined by tab placements. So that means OnPenDown() function is invoked for each segment as if it were an open shape, nice.

Now, as to your tab issue, I’d have to see your job file after importing the dxf and building the toolpath, attempting to use tabs, and running your post processor. Please see this forum post for instructions to send us a customer support.zip file which will have those contents.

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3

@CIBriggsMike , I received your support.zip. I was able to replicate your problem relative to tabs manually placed by menu Mode-‘Edit tabs’ and being visible on the toolpath, but NOT being recognized during ‘Run post processor’ phase. This was tested and verified on sheetcam v7.0.21. I actually got some inconsistent results performing other variations of drawing changes and dxf files, and tab option editing, and tab placement. So rather than dwell too much on inconsistencies, I tried sheetcam v7.1.40 using your dxf and job file (separately), and other variations of my own testing, and all results were consistent and correct.

So we’ll chalk this up to ‘fixed in latest release’.

Note that when you go to www.sheetcam.com to download v7.1.40, you won’t see it, so download v7.1.35 and within seconds after installing it, you will get a pop window asking to download and install 7.1.40. Also note that v7.1.40 will overwrite 7.1.35 (development versions) in the installed folder, which is different and separate from v7.0.21 (stable version). It’s fine to have both 7.0.21 and 7.1.40 (or 35) installed on the same computer, there is no conflict since the runtime and data folders are separate. But that also means that you’ll have copy any folder and file artifacts from 7.0.21 to 7.1.40 that you want to ‘migrate’. Be sure to restart sheetcam 7.1.40 when told to do so.

My recommendation is to run 7.0.21, goto menu Help-‘Open settings folder’, leave it open in Windows Explorer, goto menu Options-‘Plugin options’, and for any plugins that you purchased, write down the key value for use later, close sheetcam.
Now run 7.1.40, goto menu Help-‘Open settings folder’, leave it open, close sheetcam.
Now you have two Win Explorer windows open, do the following:

  • copy the ‘post’ folder from 7.0.21 to 7.1.40 (from …'Sheetcam TNG’ to …'Sheetcam TNG Development’)
  • copy file default.toolset and any other *.toolset files you may have
  • copy *.job, *.material, *.operation, and *.part files if you have them
  • DON’T copy the license file and DON’T copy the *.ini files

Now you are done with v7.0.21, you should uninstall it later (Win Settings-Apps, find ‘Sheetcam TNG’ in the list) This will NOT uninstall the data folders you just copied from, but it will prevent you from accidentally double clicking a .dxf, .job, .scpost file weeks later and scratching your head as to where all your recently changed tools, settings, and other artifacts went :wink:
Now run v7.1.40, menu Help-‘Install license file’, and navigate to the license file in the 7.0.21 data folder as used in previous paragraph. Be sure to restart 7.1.40 when told to do so.
If you have any plugin keys, you’ll need to reload those values, and restart again.

That should do it. You’re migrated to 7.1.40.

4

Thank you for the reply!

I guess, just to clarify for myself and anyone else who may be having this issue;

The solution is that it was a bug in the last version of the software, and updating will correct the issue?

Thank you,
Mike H.

5

correct. hence ‘fixed in latest release’, v7.1.40, if not a prior version (since 7.0.21) that I did not test.

1 Like
6

Thank you!
This has resolved our problem.
I appreciate your time and help.

-Mike H.

1 Like