I use a CAM program to create my GCode files, but I often want to put a note or two at the beginning of the file, or in the file before tool changes.  I'd like to put the name of the file, its revision, and what tool and material to use, for example.  And on tool changes, I'd like to put the tool name, diameter etc. 

How do you do this in GCode so that Mach doesn't read it or trip over it?  Is it just a semicolon in front of the comment, like in other programming languages?

Alternately, can I get Mach 3 to display info based on what it reads in GCode?  Nah.  It would be best to just read the line or two in the GCode header.

Thanks so much for the help.

Wayne C

Simply enclose the comments in parentheses, at the beginning and end of each line.  Mach will ignore them completely.

Regards,
Ray L.

HAH!  Perfect!  Thanks for the quick reply. 

W

Ray, is there any way to include a memory jogger in a comment that also contains a parentheses?
Example, (SetOEMDRO(827, NewValC) 'C-axis) gives a nested comment error.
TIA
Al Lenz

Another way is to customise your post processor to include the info from your toolpath when generated.
Now its automatically applied at the top of each file.

Ray, is there any way to include a memory jogger in a comment that also contains a parentheses?
Example, (SetOEMDRO(827, NewValC) 'C-axis) gives a nested comment error.
TIA
Al Lenz

I believe you can use any character *except* parentheses within the comment, so just change your comment to:

(SetOEMDRO[827, NewValC] 'C-axis)

Regards,
Ray L.

Thanks Ray,
But would you believe I stumbled on a way to imbed the parentheses.

  ;SetOEMDRO(827, NewValC) 'C-axis

FWIW
Al

Thanks Ray,
But would you believe I stumbled on a way to imbed the parentheses.

  ;SetOEMDRO(827, NewValC) 'C-axis

FWIW
Al

Cool!