Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: mickelsen on December 06, 2009, 04:58:43 PM
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Hi, Brian,
I'm trying to learn the VB scripting language (which I was surprised to learn is actually called Cypress Enable), screen 4, and other such stuff so I can customize Mach3 for my own use. Am I wasting my time? Is this all going to change with the big new release of Mach that you're working so feverishly on (Mach3 version 4, I believe)? I already know that there will be some changes, but will they be big enough to make the documentation that I've been studying obsolete? Please let me know if I've been spinning my wheels.
Thanks,
Mark
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From my understanding it will all be backwards compatible at this point.
Hood
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Abd to add to that, it seems that most of the functions will be the same. From what I've read, it seems that the main changes will be a new numbering system.
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Abd to add to that, it seems that most of the functions will be the same. From what I've read, it seems that the main changes will be a new numbering system.
Not really correct.... v4 will still support v3 style scripts, and OEM codes, but in a legacy mode. Continued use of v3 scripts will be discouraged, as the v3 mode will, at some point, be phased out. The hope is, everyone will see how much better the v4 mode is, that they will, over time, move completely over to v4. In any case, v3 development will stop, while v4 will continue to improve and evolve.
The new v4 VB interface and OEM codes are *completely* different, and VASTLY improved. The VB function naming is far clearer, and FAR more consistent. The VB interface and OEM codes will be documented, and explained in detail. A VB include file will be provided with clear names for the OEM codes (you can still use the numbers if you prefer, though I don't know why you would...). There are a LOT of nice new functions providing capabilities that do not exist in v3. Overall, v4 will be MUCH easier to learn, MUCH easier to use, and MUCH better documented and tested. Macros will be easier to write, easier to debug, and require fewer lines of code than for v3.
For screen editors, as far as I'm concerned the only one to use is MachScreen. It is very stable, very easy to use, and is constantly being updated. It's just added the capability to import pages from another screenset file, which will make it possible for an OEM to provide a screenset file containing add-on pages to support their hardware or software that the user can add to his favorite screenset very easily.
Regards,
Ray L.
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Do you know when all these great new improvements in V4 be available to start using? Isn't MachScreen available right now? If I were to start using it right now, would it change greatly in the near future?
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Do you know when all these great new improvements in V4 be available to start using? Isn't MachScreen available right now? If I were to start using it right now, would it change greatly in the near future?
v4 is still several months off. Brian is right now working on the new VB interface. Hopefully I'll have an "alpha" version to test sometime in the next few weeks. MachScreen is availabvle now, and is not changing for v4, other than we may try to talk Klaus into adding another minor feature or two.
Regards,
Ray L.
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Ray, if everything is changing, won't MachScreen and Screen4 need to be updated to accommodate the new codes?
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Just a point a slight confusion: on the ArtSoft website there is a download called Mach3screen. Is that what you are referring to when you talk about MachScreen, or is MachScreen something else? If so, where do I find it so I can download it?
Thanks,
Mark
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You will find info about it here http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/board,82.0.html
and the download is here http://www.kd-dietz.de/download/eng/MachScreenV1.33.C.exe
Hood