Print, video, sounds

Suffering-with-software

The only thing worst than using software is writing software.
Here are some tutorials, and some gripes.

My first experience with software was seeing big stacks of green-lined computer paper stacked outside of offices at General Motors.

Then I bought a PC, and learned to use CAD programs. It was miserable. The computer people that made the CAD programs knew nothing about electronics, drawing schematics, or laying out circuit boards.

There was a whole arcane jargon, and we were expected to learn their jargon, while programers never learned ours.

Just as bad as the programs were the operating systems. Anything from Microsoft was horrid, and programs from Adobe are even worse.

Still, the other guy's job is always easy, so you should write some software just to see how complex things get, and complex in a hurry.

From Fortran IV to C++, its 100 shades of misery one line at a time.

Movable Type 4-up archive I make an archive page for the Journal section used to display the year's and the months of the posts with 4 posts per column. SolidWorks CAM-Quest 2020 I bought HSMWorks, trying SolidCAM, VisualMill, BobCAD CAM, SolidWorks CAM by CAMWorks, and MasterCAM.

HSMWorks fast as I can I get the test part programed in 22 minutes, a new personal best. This is despite a few screw-ups. HSMWorks is my keeper CAM. HSMWorks 3D The 3D toolpath definition is similar to the other CAM programs. I suspect HSMWorks uses the ModuleWorks plug-in.

HSMWorks T-slots and undercuts A 2D contour will guide a slot mill along a path. To get a radius cut at the bottom of the slot requires a 3D contour. HSMWorks fixtures As of 2020, HSMworks cannot avoid fixtures in any 2D toolpath. It can avoid in 3D toolpaths, but it is non-intuitive.

HSMWorks chamfers Use a 2D Contour to do a flat chamfer, a 2D Trace operation to do a 3D chamfer, or a 3D Scallop to create a modeled chamfer. HSMWorks third impression The drill wizard doesn't get things right, but manually doing the holes works just fine. The simulator shows the tapping depth.

HSMWorks second impression I start to love HSMWorks and the Danish programmers that did it, while hating AutoDesk and the "support" staff. HSMWorks first impression HSMWorks CAM software runs inside Solidworks. You rent it for $500 a year as opposed to a perpetual license.

VisualMill fast as I can I do the test part from the first-impression videos as fast as I can. Instead of four episodes, I did it in 48 minutes. VisualMill T-slots and undercuts VisualMill has a nice interface for doing square T-slots. I could not get it to do a radiused slot or an undercut.

VisualMill 3D VisualMill does 3D toolpaths at an economical price. It does have a few quirks, and I am still having stability problems in Win10. VisualMill chamfers VisualMill can do 2D and 3D chamfers, but you have to "fool" the 3D toolpath by using a negative stock allowance.

VisualMill fixture avoidance VisualMill added fixture avoidance in 2020. It needs a little more refinement, such as rest (remaining stock) machining. BobCAD-CAM 3D BobCAM got a trial part done with its basic 3D toolpaths. There are 3 levels of 3D, Premium being the highest cost.

BobCAD-CAM T-slots and undercuts BobCAM did fine with a T-slot using a formed tool. I could not get an undercut 3D operation to work right, likely my error. BobCAD-CAM as fast as I can I program BobCAD CAM for SolidWorks as fast as I can to do the test part. It took about 25 minutes, 30 with simulation.

BobCAD-CAM chamfers BobCAD CAM for SolidWorks can do 2D and 3D chamfers. You can combine 2D and 3D operations to get a uniform edge. BobCAD CAM fixture avoidance BobCAD can show your fixtures in simulation but will also make advanced 3D toolpaths that avoid fixtures.

SolidCAM HSS versus HSM SolidCAM has HSS (high-speed surfacing), as well as HSM (high-speed machining). This video compares them. SolidCAM fast as I can I make the part from the first impression videos as fast as I can. It took 23 minutes, with a few extra minutes to do simulations.

SolidCAM 2D and 3D adaptive iMachining Adaptive toolpaths eliminate sharp corners in the toolpaths to reduce tool loading. SolidCAM has both 2D and 3D operations. SolidCAM 3D roughing and surfacing SolidCAM has two surface toolpaths in the base package. 3D roughing, 3D machining, and 3D iMachining are extra cost.

SolidCAM T-slots and undercuts SolidCAM will do sideways slots and undercuts with a 2D profile, but there are also T-slot, undercut, and HSS operations. SolidCAM chamfers SolidCAM will do automatic chamfers, 2D chamfers on multiple levels, as well as 3D chamfers in curves or slopes.

SolidCAM fixtures It is important your CAM software allows for fixtures. Breaking a tool or ruining a spindle with a fixture crash is no fun. SolidCAM fourth impression Finishing up the part with the five holes on the bottom. Automatic hole recognition does not work quite right.

SolidCAM third impression Getting used to the quirks and program layout means we get three operations done we can admire in the superb simulator. SolidCAM second impression Doing toolpaths is a bit easier since you can remember what all the unlabeled buttons do, and where things are.

SolidCAM first impression SolidCAM has a complicated user interface. I love the support and the company, but hate the lack of an intuitive UI. MasterCAM fifth impression Doing the five holes finishes the part. Naturally, automatic feature recognition does not work quite right.

MasterCAM fourth impression My machinist buddy shows me the right way to do some of the toolpaths. I start on the bottom of the part. MasterCAM third impression Just when I think MasterCAM has excelled on cutting the sloped sections, I see that the toolpaths created a large gouge.

MasterCAM second impression I manage to make two pocketing operations, but it seems the program wants to fight me at every turn. MasterCAM first impression It was very hard to learn and convoluted, with tool planes, construction planes, and a "Work Coordinate System".

BobCAD-CAM fourth impression A fourth session with BobCAD CAM gets the part finished. It still needed some help with the tapped holes. BobCAD-CAM third impression A third session with BobCAD CAM gets the top of the part finished. It still needed another sketch, and it left a gouge.

BobCAD-CAM second impression I add two pocket geometries to the toolpaths. I still had to add a sketch to the model to get things perfect. BobCAD-CAM first impression BobCAD makes a popular CAM software that runs standalone and inside SolidWorks. I try the SolidWorks version.

VisualMill fourth impression VisualMill is a CAM software that runs standalone and inside SolidWorks. I try the stand-alone version in this episode. VisualMill third impression VisualMill is a CAM software that runs standalone and inside SolidWorks. This is the third impression of the program.

VisualMill second impression VisualMill is a CAM software that runs standalone and inside SolidWorks. This is the second impression of the program. VisualMill first impression VisualMill is a CAM software that runs standalone and inside SolidWorks. This is the first impression of the program.

Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks third chips I use SolidWorks CAM by CAMWorks to make more test cuts in aluminum angle, using my Avid Benchtop Pro milling machine. Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks second chips I use SolidWorks CAM by CAMWorks to make more test cuts in aluminum angle, using my Avid Benchtop Pro milling machine.

Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks first chips I use SolidWorks CAM by CAMWorks to make some test cuts in aluminum angle, using my Avid Benchtop Pro milling machine. SolidWorks CAM, CAMWorks technology database hack SolidWorks CAM by CAMWorks has a Technology Database that you can hack into to add dozens of tools at once.

Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks test part ep4 SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines. Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks test part ep3 SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines.

Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks test part ep2 SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines. Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks test part ep1 SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines.

Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks third impression SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines. Solidworks CAM, CAMWorks second impression SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines.

SolidWorks CAM, CAMWorks first impression SolidWorks 2018 and later has a free CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) add-in to make G-code for milling machines. Install Movable Type on a local XAMPP Install XAMPP so you can run Movable Type on your laptop. Transfer the files with WinXCP.

Movable Type text, images category pages Make different HTML in each category page by putting HTML into the category description. Upgrade Movable Type from 5.04 to 5.2 Version 5.2 is still open source, it fixes several issues. Version 6 and later is proprietary.

Linux reliability Linux is computer science, Microsoft is computer hobbyist bloatware hacker. Microsoft Palladium This 2002 scheme was to further monopolize the operating system market. A rant ensued.

Adobe Photoshop 4.0 suffering This is just one data-point for why I banned Adobe products from my life. AutoCAD 13 wish list They didn't like to hear this.

Movable Type, the most ridiculous CMS It is "enterprise-class" software. To me, that means it's bloated. Make custom error pages for Dreamhost Putting four HTML files in your home directory makes custom error pages with DreamHost.

Make the web page header liquid Use tables in the header that float left. When the screen is narrow they stack. Liquid multi-column layout, Movable Type Use Firefox style rule (-moz-column-width: 300px). Use print style sheet for a good-looking printout.

Dolling up your Movable Type install Once you have your website structure you can make it pretty and different. Adobe, what an outfit In 1997, Adobe Acrobat was turned into bloatware that crashed or slowed down your computer.

Suffering with webpage printouts In 2007, most web browsers treated a 100% table as a page. No such luck anymore. Suffering with ProCAD The small business solution is not always the most optimum. At least not in 1997.

Microsoft is schwacked Computers are not glorified typewriters. Microsoft is computer business. Linux is computer science. Linux is bloatware too Script-kiddie hackers are working to make Linux just like Windows.

The toaster, the king, and the programmer Programmers will make a general solution to a specific problem. Insane complexity is the result. Fixing phantom links in the blog body If there is a minor syntax error in Movable Type it starts making everything a link.

Removing the Movable Type logos Movable Type CMS splatters its logo on your pages. Here is how to remove them. Renaming and moving a blog subdirectory Changing and moving things around can be harder than making things in the first place.

Putting home links in the header Don't use this code. It causes phantom links to show up in the body of your pages. Creating the table-of-contents Make a page that shows the site contents. This is distinct from the homepage.

Creating a homepage Once you have the Archive system figured out, you can author your home page. Creating back issues in the Archive Fallacies: 1) content and presentation are separate, 2) publishing on the web is not like a paper magazine.

Adding images to a Movable Type post Movable Type calls pictures "assets" and stores the path inside the database it creates and keeps for you. Creating a post in Movable Type >With the blog (sub-directory) names set you can set up the the first post aka entry aka permalink.

Template settings in Movable Type With the blogs named and located, you can decide how the posts will be arranged in the site with templates. Blog settings in Movable Type With the website structure designed you can set up the separate blogs that will become sub-directories.

Architecting a site with Movable Type A pen and graph paper helps arrange your website before you run the CMS. Installing Movable Type 5 CMS A CMS (content management system) keeps track of the design and all the posts in a website.

Categories Art (2) Diamond-bullets (13) Health (17) Humor (7) Keep-or-Toss Keep (5) Toss (6) Management (3) Movies (1) Politics (11) Suffering-with-software (86) Tech Electronics (32) System-engineering (4) Teardowns (2) Writing-tips (2)

Suffering-with-software

Categories