Fundamentals

Application

Graphical programming offers an alternative to conventional Klartext programming. You can create 2D sketches by drawing lines and arcs and generate a contour from this in Klartext. In addition, you can import existing contours from an NC program into the Contour graphics workspace and edit them graphically.

You can use graphical programming independently via a separate tab or in the separate Contour graphics workspace. If you use graphical programming on its own tab, you cannot open any other workspaces in the Editor operating mode on this tab.

Description of function

The Contour graphics workspace is available in the Editor operating mode.

Screen layout

Screen layout of the Contour graphics workspace

The Contour graphics workspace contains the following areas:

1

Element information area

2

Drawing area

3

Title bar

4

Toolbar

5

Drawing functions

6

Information bar

Controls and gestures in graphical programming

In graphical programming, you can create a 2D sketch using various elements.

First steps in graphical programming

The following elements are available in graphical programming:

  • Line segment
  • Arc
  • Construction point
  • Construction line
  • Construction circle
  • Chamfer
  • Rounding arc

Gestures

In addition to the gestures specifically available for graphical programming, you can also use various general gestures in graphical programming.

Common gestures for the touchscreen

Icon

Gesture

Meaning

Tap

Select a point or element

Long press

Insert construction point

Two-finger drag

Move the drawing view

Draw straight elements

Insert Line segment element

Draw circular elements

Insert Circular arc element

Icons of the title bar

Besides icons solely available for graphical programming, the title bar of the Contour graphics workspace also includes general icons of the control interface.

Icons on the control's user interface

The control shows the following icons in the title bar:

Icon or shortcut

Meaning

Open or close the Export column

CTRL + N

Discard the contour

CTRL + O

Open File

Open or close the Viewing options selection menu

Hide dimensions

Show dimensions

Hide restrictions

Show restrictions

Hide reference axes

Show reference axes

Open or close the Scaling options selection menu

Drawing area

Scale the view to the drawing area

You can define the size of the drawing area in the contour settings.

The Contour settings window

Selected elements

Scale the view to the selected elements

All elements

Scale the view to all elements

Open or close the Contour settings window

The Contour settings window

Possible colors

The control shows the elements in the following colors:

Icon

Meaning

Element

A drawn element that is not fully dimensioned is displayed in orange as a solid line.

Construction element

Drawn elements can be converted to construction elements. You can use construction elements to obtain additional points for creating your sketch. Construction elements are shown by the control in blue as a dashed line.

Reference axis

The reference axes shown form a Cartesian coordinate system. Dimensioning in graphical programming starts from the intersection of the reference axes. The intersection of the reference axes corresponds to the workpiece preset when exporting the contour data. The control shows reference axes as brown dashed lines.

Locked element

Locked elements cannot be edited. If you want to edit a locked element, you must unlock it first. Locked elements are shown by the control as red solid lines.

Fully dimensioned element

The control shows fully dimensioned elements in dark green. You cannot attach any additional constraints or dimensions to a fully dimensioned element, otherwise the element will be over-determined.

Contour element

The control shows the contour elements between the Start Point and End Point in the Export menu as green solid elements.

Icons in the drawing area

The control shows the following icons in the drawing area:

Icon or shortcut

Designation

Meaning

Milling direction

The selected Milling direction determines whether the defined contour elements are output clockwise or counterclockwise.

Delete

Deletes all selected elements

Change the annotation

Switches the display between length and angle dimensions.

Toggle construction element

This function converts an element into a construction element.

Construction elements cannot also be output when exporting a contour.

Lock element

If this icon is displayed, the selected element is locked against editing. Select the icon to unlock the element.

Unlock element

If this icon is displayed, the selected element is not locked against editing. Select the icon to lock the element.

Set the datum

This function moves the selected point to the origin of the coordinate system.

All other drawn elements are also moved according to the given distances and dimensions. If necessary, the Set the datum function recalculates the existing restrictions.

Corner rounding

Inserts a rounding arc

When you select the area of a closed contour, you can round all corners of the contour.

Chamfer

Inserts a chamfer

When you select the area of a closed contour, you can chamfer all corners of the contour.

Coincidence

This function sets the Coincidence. constraint for two marked points.

When you use this function, the selected points of two elements are connected together. "Coincidence" is used here to refer to these points coinciding.

Vertical

This function sets the Vertical constraint for the selected Line segment element.

Vertical elements are automatically vertical.

Horizontal

This function sets the Horizontal constraint for the selected Line segment element.

Horizontal elements are automatically horizontal.

Perpendicular

This function sets the Perpendicular constraint for two selected elements of the Line segment type.

There is an angle of 90° between perpendicular elements.

Parallel

This function sets the Parallel constraint for two selected elements of the type Line segment.

When you apply this function, the angle of two lines is aligned. First, the control checks whether there are constraints such as Horizontal.

Behavior in the case of constraints:

  • If there is a constraint, the Line segment without constraint is aligned with the Line segment with constraint.
  • If both lines have constraints, the function cannot be applied. The dimension is over-determined.
  • If there are no constraints, the order of selection is decisive. The Line segment selected in the second instance is aligned with the Line segment first selected.

Equal

This function sets the Equal constraint for two marked elements.

When you apply this function, the sizes of two elements are matched (e.g., in length or diameter). First, the control checks whether there are constraints, such as a defined length.

Behavior in the case of constraints:

  • If there is a constraint, the element without constraint is aligned with the element with constraint.
  • If both elements have corresponding constraints, the function cannot be applied. The dimension is over-determined.
  • If there are no constraints, the control calculates the average value from the given dimensions.

Tangential

This function sets the Tangential constraint for two marked elements of the Line segment and Circular arc or Circular arc and Circular arc types.

When you use this function, both arcs and lines are moved. The affected elements come into contact at exactly one point after they are moved and form a tangential transition.

Symmetry

This function sets the Symmetry constraint for a marked element of the Line segment type and two marked points of other construction elements.

When you apply this function, the control positions the distance of the two points symmetrically to the selected line. If you subsequently change the distance of one of the points, the other point automatically adjusts to the change.

Point on element

This function sets the Point on element constraint for a selected element and a point of another selected element.

When you apply this function, the selected point is moved to the selected element.

Legend

Use this function to show or hide the legend explaining all the controls.

CTRL + D

Sketch

To prevent you from unintentionally drawing elements while moving the drawing, you can deactivate drawing mode. Drawing mode remains disabled until you activate it again.

If you deactivate drawing mode, the control changes the button to green.

CTRL + T

Trim

If multiple elements overlap, you can use Trim mode to shorten elements to the next adjacent element. Trim mode remains active until you deactivate it again.

If the function is active, the control changes the button to green.

Ortho

With this function, you can only draw rectangular lines. The control does not allow oblique lines or arcs.

If the function is active, the control changes the button to green.

CTRL + A

Select all

The Select All function allows you to mark all drawn elements at once.

The Contour settings window

The Contour settings window contains the following areas:

  • General information
  • Sketching
  • Export

The control saves the settings permanently.

Only the Plane setting is not saved.

The General information area

The General information area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Plane

You select the plane in which you want to draw by selecting an axis combination.

Available planes:

  • XY
  • ZX
  • YZ

Sketching area width

Default width of the drawing area

Sketching area height

Default height of the drawing area

Decimal places

Number of decimal places for dimensioning

The Sketching area

The Sketching area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Rounding radius

Default size for an inserted rounding radius

Chamfer length

Default size for an inserted chamfer

Snap circle size

Size of the snap circle when selecting the elements

Export area

The Export area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Type of circle

You select whether arcs are output as CC and C or CR.

Export as RND

You use a toggle switchto select whether roundings drawn with the RND function are also exported as RND to the NC program.

CHF output

You use a toggle switch to select whether chamfers drawn with the CHF function are also exported as CHF to the NC program.

Creating a new contour

To create a new contour:

    1. Select the Editor operating mode

    1. Select Add
    2. The control opens the Quick selection and the Open File workspaces.

    1. Select Contour
    2. The control opens the contour in a new tab.

    Locking and unlocking elements

    If you want to protect an element from editing, you can lock the element. A locked element cannot be edited. If you want to edit the locked element, you must first unlock the element.

    To lock or unlock elements in graphical programming:

    1. Select the drawn element

    1. Select the Lock element function
    2. The control locks the element.
    3. The control displays the locked element in red.

    1. Select the Unlock element function
    2. The control unlocks the element.
    3. The control displays the unlocked element in yellow.

    Notes

    • Define the Contour settings before drawing.
    • The Contour settings window

    • Dimension each element immediately after drawing. If you do not dimension until the entire contour has been drawn, the contour may move unintentionally.
    • You can assign constraints to the drawn elements. To avoid unnecessarily complicating the design, work only with necessary constraints.
    • Icons in the drawing area

    • If you select elements of the contour, the control turns the elements in the menu bar green.

    Definitions

    File type

    Definition

    H

    NC program in Klartext format

    TNCDRW

    HEIDENHAIN contour file