I like Ferns NativeCAM.
But the embedded gui makes for a pretty complicates AXIS screen.
I could use the ncam CLI version to make ngc files,
as long as i dont need the graphical feedback in designing something.
( w/o the embedded NCAM you only see a tree , not a picture )
So the CLI is fine for pretty simple stuff.
A paper sketch can be enough without the AXIS GUI feedback.
But for more complex stuff
I just use the embedded NCAM in AXIS,
then save the project .xml and ngc files.
Then exit the embedded ncam axis program and run a stock Linuxcnc ( no embedded NCAM )
This way, I have the ease of a gui cam and a simple AXIS gui.
You still need to install NCAM but dont need to have the ncam gui when you _cut_ the part.
This requires a few changes
1) the .ini needs editing ( so the ncam o-word paths can be known to LinuxCNC )
2) the basic magic M123 code must be made available to Linuxcnc
the .ini is edited to have an [RS232NGC] stanza ( if it doesnt already exist )
here's example changes ( your paths and directory names WILL BE different than mine )
Code:
[RS274NGC] SUBROUTINE_PATH = /home/tomp/nativecam/mystuff:/usr/share/linuxcnc/aux_gladevcp/NativeCAM/lib/mill:/usr/share/linuxcnc/aux_gladevcp/NativeCAM/lib/utilities
PARAMETER_FILE = axis_mmLessNcam.var
USER_M_Path = /home/tomp/linuxcnc-dev/mcodes
save this hacked .ini with a new name that makes sense to you in the years to come
so you have to set 3 paths, and each can have multiple entries seperated by the ':'
Also you need to copy the magic M123 file into wherever you set the USER_M_PATH
Now you can open the hacked cfg from the cfg picker
and load and run the ncam generated ngc file
hth
tomp
