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 | Title bar |
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. |
3 | Contents of the NC program |
4 | The Form column |
5 | Help graphic of the syntax element being edited |
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 | The Structure, Search or Tool check column The Structure column in the Program workspace The Search column in the Program and Text editor workspaces |
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 | |
| Open and close the Search column |
Activate and end comparison functions | |
Open and close the Form column | |
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 |
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 |
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Dark green | Comments |
Purple |
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Dark red |
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Orange | Rapid traverse FMAX |
Gray |
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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. |
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. |
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:
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:
If the toggle switch is not active, you can open the selection menu by pressing CTRL + SPACE. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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:
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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:
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. |
Skip tool index | If you activate this toggle switch, the control skips the tool index for the following NC functions:
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Skip linear superimposed interpolated axis values | If you activate this toggle switch, the control skips the LIN_ syntax element for the following NC functions:
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You can program the syntax elements in the form independently of the settings in the Klartext area.
Tables
In the Tables area, you can select a unique table for each of the application areas shown; this table is then active during program run.
Select the following tables using a selection window:
- Datums
- Tool correction
- Workpiece correction
FN 16
In the FN 16 area, use the Show pop-up window toggle switch to select whether the control displays a window in conjunction with FN 16.
Using the Program workspace
Touch operation
You use gestures to perform the following functions:
Symbol | Gesture | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Tap |
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Double tap | Edit an NC block or mark characters | |
Long press | Open the context menu Tip If you are working with a mouse, click with the right mouse key. | |
Swipe | Scroll in an NC program | |
Drag | Change the area in which NC blocks are marked. | |
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 | |
---|---|---|
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CTRL + RIGHT CTRL + LEFT | Navigate one position to the right or left within the value of a syntax element | |
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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 | ||
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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 | |
Insert NC function | Open the Insert NC function window | |
Edit | Open the 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:
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- 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:
- Double-tap or double-click the NC block
- The control marks the selected value.
- Use the "drag" gesture to expand or reduce the marked area
In Text mode you can mark any range of characters. In the Klartext editor mode you can mark only the characters of a value.
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
Related topics
- The Form workspace for pallet tables
- Editing an NC function in the Form column
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.