Sigh, once again I find myself a bit confused – would appreciate any help.
(I also tried askign this on the yahoo list yesterday - no resposne so far)

Context: Mach 3.042.027 release candidate

I'm working on some TLO macros for using a master tool approach to tool setting, this also got me into doing some screen set modifications; I have run into something that seems odd to me.

OEM DRO 49 is the "Part Z Offset DRO" – my understanding is that it contains the offset for Z from machine coordinates for whatever the currently selected Work coordinate system is (G54, G55 etc.).

Weird thing 1:

For all the other DROs I have used, you
a) Click the DRO
b) Enter a value
c) Hit the enter key
d) The value you typed BECOMES value of the DRO.

For DRO 49, what I get is:
a) Click the DRO
b) Enter a value
c) Hit the enter key
d) The value typed is being ADDED to the existing value of the DRO.

Why is this? Is this "normal" behavior?

Weird thing 2:
When using the standard 1024 screen set, I can enter negative values into DRO 49.

When using the MachBue screen set, I can't enter a negative value, the minus sign is ignored.

I have looked at both screen sets in screen4 and in both screen sets they say the function is OEM code 49. The only difference in the dialog settings for the DRO in teh screens is the hot key value. I turned off the hot key in both screen sets – made no difference to what I am seeing.

How can the input parsing behavior be a function of the screen set and not of the DRO?
It changes with loaded screen set (I can swap back and forth between sets during one MACH session and the behavior changes with screen set).

FYI – a spot check of DRO 47, 48 and 50 (X, Y and A) show the same actions.

Help – Can anyone offer some explanation for what I'm seeing?

Dave

Have a look at the format strings in each screen set using screen4, one will not have the + signs in the string.

If you click on any DRO and press the +, -, / or * key, you can do calculation on the current value.

Graham

Graham,
Thanks! One weird thing solved.
That fixes the inability to enter negative values. I simply made the MachBlue Dro format the same as the stock 1024 set (added the + sign).

Any notions as to why the offset DROs summ values that are input instead of the DRO just being set to the value supplied?

(this seems not to be a funtion of the format string as ohter DROs with the same format string just update tot the value input).


Dave

Try entering the value with out a operator key first e.g. 1.125 no plus or minus sign.

Graham

those 4 dros all act the same way. It must be an attribute of the DRO as setoemdro(49, x) also causes x to be added to the current DRO value.

Strange - I think it's time for me to just accept that is how those DROs work and write the code to program accordingly.

Dave