The Program workspace

Application

The control displays the NC program in the Program workspace.

You can edit the NC program in the Editor operating mode and in the MDI application, but not in the Program Run operating mode.

Description of function

Areas of the Program workspace

The Program workspace with active structure, help graphic, and form

1

2

File information bar

In the file information bar, the control shows the path and file name of the NC program. In the Program Run and Editor operating modes, the file information bar includes breadcrumb navigation.

Navigation path in the Program workspace

3

Contents of the NC program

Appearance of the NC program

4

5

Help graphic of the syntax element being edited

Help graphic

6

Dialog bar

In the dialog bar the control shows additional information or instructions for the syntax element being edited.

7

Action bar

In the action bar the control shows selection possibilities for the syntax element being edited.

8

Icons in the title bar

The following icons are shown in the Program workspace in the title bar:

Icons on the control's user interface

Icon or shortcut

Function

Open and close the Structure column

The Structure column in the Program workspace

CTRL + F

Open and close the Tool check column

Tool usage test

Activate and end comparison functions

Program comparison

Open and close the Form column

The Form column in the Program workspace

100%

Font size of the NC program

 
Tip

If you select the percent value, the control displays icons for increasing and decreasing the font size.

Set font size of the NC program to 100%

Open the Program settings window

Settings in the Program workspace

Appearance of the NC program

By default the control shows the syntax with black characters. The control displays the following syntax elements in color within the NC program:

Color

Syntax element

Brown

Text entries (e.g., tool name or file name)

Blue

  • Numerical values
  • Structure items and texts

Dark green

Comments

Purple

  • Variables
  • Miscellaneous functions M

Dark red

  • Definition of spindle speed
  • Definition of feed rate

Orange

Rapid traverse FMAX

Gray

  • Not to be executed M1 miscellaneous function
  • Not to be executed NC block hidden with a / character

Help graphic

When you are editing an NC block, the control shows for some NC functions a help graphic in a pop-up window that illustrates the current syntax element. If you change the size and position of the pop-up window, the control will save the settings separately for each tab.

Whether the control displays the help graphic depends on the setting Show help graphics automatically or the machine parameter stdTNChelp (no. 105405).

Settings in the Program workspace

The pop-up window includes the following buttons:

Button

Meaning

Show TNCguide

The control opens TNCguide at the corresponding position in the Help workspace.

User's Manual as integrated product aid: TNCguide

Show help

The control opens the help graphic in the Help workspace. If the Help workspace is open, the control will always display the help graphic there.

The Help workspace

Settings in the Program workspace

In the Program settings window you can influence contents shown in the Program workspace as well as the control's behavior there. The selected settings are modally effective.

The settings available in the Program settings window depend on the operating mode or application. The Program settings window consists of the following areas:

Area

The Editor operating mode

The Program Run operating mode

The MDI application

Structure

­✓

­✓

­✓

Edit

­✓

-

­✓

Klartext

­✓

-

­✓

Tables

-

­✓

-

FN 16

-

­✓

­✓

The Structure area

The Structure area in the Program settings window

In the Structure area, you can use toggle switches to choose which structuring items the control should display in the Structure column.

The Structure column in the Program workspace

The following structure elements are available:

  • TOOL CALL
  • * Structure block
  • LBL
  • LBL 0
  • CYCL DEF
  • TCH PROBE (#17 / #1-05-1)
  • ISO cycle
  • CALL PGM
  • SEL PGM
  • FUNCTION MODE
  • M30 / M2
  • M1
  • M0 / STOP
  • APPR / DEP

The Edit area

The Edit area contains the following settings:

Setting

Meaning

Automatic saving

Save changes to the NC program automatically or manually

If the toggle switch is active, the control saves the NC program automatically upon the following actions:

  • Switching between tabs
  • Starting the simulation
  • Closing the NC program
  • Switching the operating mode

If the toggle switch is not active, you must save manually. Upon the stated actions, the control asks whether the changes should be saved.

Autocomplete in text mode

If the toggle switch is active, the control will automatically display a selection menu with possible syntax initiators or syntax elements when you select one of the following actions:

  • Creating a new NC block
  • Entering characters
  • Press the SPACE soft key

If the toggle switch is not active, you can open the selection menu by pressing CTRL + SPACE.

Text mode

Allow syntax errors in text mode

If you activate the toggle switch, then the control can save NC blocks in Text mode, even if they contain syntax errors.

If the toggle switch is not active, you must correct all syntax errors within an NC block. Otherwise you cannot save the NC block.

Editing NC functions

Generate absolute paths

Create relative or absolute path entries

If the toggle switch is active, the control uses absolute paths for called files, e.g.: TNC:\nc_prog\$mdi.h.

If the toggle switch is not active, the control uses relative paths , e.g.: demo\reset.H. If the file is located at a higher level in the folder structure than the calling NC program, the control creates an absolute path.

Path

Always save formatted

Format NC program while saving

If an NC program has fewer than 30 000 characters, the control always formats the file when saving it, e.g.: capital letters for all syntax initiators.

If the toggle switch is active, the control also formats NC programs with more than 30 000 characters each time it saves the file. This can increase the time needed for saving.

If the toggle switch is not active, the control does not format NC programs with more than 30 000 characters.

Back-up file when saving

If the toggle switch is active, the control will save a backup copy with the *.h.bak extension once you save the NC program.

By removing the *.bak extension from the file name, you can restore the backup copy. The control overwrites the original file.

 
Tip

If you select the All Files (*.*) filter, then the control displays the file in the Open File workspace.

The same setting is also available in the machine parameter createBackup (no. 105401). The control will reconcile both setting options.

Behavior of the cursor after deletion of lines

If you activate the toggle switch and delete an NC program line, the cursor will move back to the previous NC block.

The same setting is also available in the machine parameter deleteBack (no. 105402). The control will reconcile both setting options.

Show help graphics automatically

If the toggle switch is active, the control will show a help graphic in a pop-up window.

The same setting is also available in the optional machine parameter stdTNChelp (no. 105405). The control will reconcile both setting options.

When the Help workspace is open, the control will always display the help graphic there, independently of this setting.

The Help workspace

Confirmation request when deleting an NC block

If the toggle switch is active, the control will display a confirmation prompt in a pop-up window when you delete an NC block.

The same setting is also available in the optional machine parameter warningAtDEL (no. 105407). The control will reconcile both setting options.

Comment blocks for NC sequences

If the toggle switch is active, the control adds a comment before and after each NC sequence.

Each comment includes the following information:

  • Start of the NC sequence
  • Current date
  • Current time
  • Name of the NC sequence
  • End of the NC sequence

NC sequences for reuse

Hide NC functions that aren't available

If the toggle switch is active, the control will only display currently available NC functions in the Insert NC function window.

If the toggle switch is not active, the control dims unavailable NC functions (e.g., for software options that are not enabled).

Put all path information in quotation marks

If the toggle switch is active, the control will automatically enclose path information in quotation marks when you select one of the following NC functions:

  • CALL PGM
  • Cycle 12 PGM CALL
  • FN 16 F-PRINT
  • FN 26 TABOPEN

The same setting is also available in the optional machine parameter quotePaths (no. 105414). The control will reconcile both setting options.

Display screen keyboard for editing

If a touchscreen is used, the control will display a context-sensitive virtual keyboard. A selection menu allows you to select the position of the virtual keyboard in the workspace or to hide the virtual keyboard.

Klartext area

In the Klartext area, select whether the control offers certain syntax elements of an NC block during input.

The control offers the following settings as toggle switches:

Setting

Meaning

Skip comment

If you activate this toggle switch, the control skips the comment function during programming for all NC functions.

Adding comments

Skip tool index

If you activate this toggle switch, the control skips the tool index for the following NC functions:

Indexed tool

Skip linear superimposed interpolated axis values

If you activate this toggle switch, the control skips the LIN_ syntax element for the following NC functions:

Linear superimpositioning of a circular path

You can program the syntax elements in the form independently of the settings in the Klartext area.

Using the Program workspace

The Program workspace can be used as follows:

  • Touch operation
  • Operation with keys and buttons
  • Operation with a mouse

Touch operation

You use gestures to perform the following functions:

Symbol

Gesture

Meaning

Tap

  • Select an NC block
  • Select a syntax element while editing

Double tap

Edit an NC block or mark characters

Marking characters in an NC block

Long press

Open the context menu

 
Tip

If you are working with a mouse, click with the right mouse key.

Context menu

Swipe

Scroll in an NC program

Drag

Change the area in which NC blocks are marked.

Context menu in the Program workspace

Spread

Increase the syntax font size

Pinch

Reduce the syntax font size

Keys and buttons

You use keys and buttons to perform the following functions:

Key or button

Meaning

  • Edit an NC block
  • During editing, navigate to previous or next syntax element
  • Arrow right: in text mode, take over a syntax element from the autocomplete feature

CTRL + RIGHT

CTRL + LEFT

Navigate one position to the right or left within the value of a syntax element

  • Use the block number to select an NC block directly
  • GOTO function

  • Open selection menus during editing

Open position display of the control bar in order to copy the position

If you select a line in the position display, the control copies the current value of this line to an open dialog.

Delete value of a syntax element

Skip or remove optional syntax elements during programming

Delete an NC block or cancel a dialog

  • Confirm entry and conclude an NC block
  • Open the Add tab

SHIFT + RETURN

Enter a line break in text mode

Insert a line break in the Form column for comments

Cancel editing without applying changes

Klartext editor

Select the Klartext editor mode or text mode

Editing NC functions

Insert NC function

Open the Insert NC function window

Areas of the Insert NC function window

Edit

Open the context menu

Context menu

Searching for identical syntax elements in different NC blocks

If you are editing an NC block, you can search for the same syntax element in the rest of the NC program.

To search for a syntax element in the NC program:

  1. Select an NC block

  1. Edit the NC block
  2. Navigate to the desired syntax element

  1. Press the arrow up or down key
  2. The control selects the next NC block that contains the syntax element. The cursor is on the same syntax element as in the previous NC block. Press the arrow up key to search backwards.
 
Tip
  • If you also keep the SHIFT key held down, the controls marks all NC blocks until the previous or next identical syntax element.
  • You can search for identical syntax initiators in an NC program. Select the syntax initiator by double-tapping or double-clicking it.

Marking characters in an NC block

You can mark multiple characters within a single NC block.

How to mark multiple characters in a single NC block:

  1. Double-tap or double-click the NC block
  2. The control marks the selected value.
  3. Use the "drag" gesture to expand or reduce the marked area
 
Tip

In Text mode you can mark any range of characters. In the Klartext editor mode you can mark only the characters of a value.

Contents of an NC program

Notes

  • When you search for the same syntax element in a very long NC program, the control displays a pop-up window. You can cancel the search at any time.
  • If the NC block contains a syntax error, the control precedes the block number with a corresponding icon. Click the icon to see the associated error description.
  • When you open an NC program, the control checks whether the NC program is complete and syntactically correct.
  • If you open an NC program without content, you can edit the BEGIN PGM and END PGM NC blocks and change the unit of measure of the NC program.
  • An NC program is incomplete without the END PGM NC block.
  • If you open an incomplete NC program in the Editor operating mode, the control automatically adds this NC block.

  • You cannot edit an NC program in the Editor operating mode if this NC program is currently being executed in the Program Run operating mode.
  • The execution cursor is always displayed in the foreground. The execution cursor may cover or hide other icons.
  • If you mark characters through touch operation, the control displays two marker symbols below the cursor.
  • Within the Program workspace, calculations aren't possible in entry fields for numerical values.

The Form column in the Program workspace

Application

In the Form column of the Program workspace, the control shows all possible syntax elements for the currently selected NC function. In the form, you can edit all syntax elements as well as the syntax initiator, if required.

Requirement

  • Klartext editor mode must be active

Description of function

The control offers the following icons and buttons for using the Form column:

Icon or button

Meaning

Show and hide the Form column

Confirm

Confirm entry and conclude an NC block

Discard

Discard entries and conclude an NC block

Delete line

Delete NC block

The control groups the syntax elements in the form depending on their functions, such as coordinates or safety.

The control indicates the required syntax elements with a red frame. Only once you have defined all of the required syntax elements can you confirm the entries and conclude the NC block. The control highlights the syntax element currently being edited.

If an input is invalid, the control displays an information symbol ahead of the syntax element. When you select the information symbol, the control displays information on the error.

Notes

  • In the following cases the control shows no contents in the form:
    • NC program is being run
    • NC blocks are being marked
    • NC block contains syntax error(s)
    • BEGIN PGM or END PGM NC blocks are selected
  • If you define more than one miscellaneous function in an NC block, you can use the arrows in the form to change the sequence of the miscellaneous functions.
  • If you define a label with a number, the control shows a symbol next to the input area. The control uses this symbol to assign the next available number to the label.