So I have a mill and lathe set up in my garage, running Mach 3 and apparently the control is Mach 3 as well.
So when I ordered this (yes I am new to cnc) I just figured I could upload my files, then define tool paths etc.
OK, that did not happen.  Here is the problem.

I have files in IGS, IPT, of the parts I want to make. These were done for me, and I do not have the experience to just draw them new. They are fairly complicated.
I open one up for example , in Spaceclaim CAD, then save it as a DXF file, upload it to Mach 3, and the drawing does not show up. There is something there, with 40 or so lines of code that are bad, as it says so on the first line.
I load the same file into Lazy CAM, then output that to a .tap file, and try to load that, same type of problems.
I used a friends program to open an IPT file, he uses NX9, and tried to save as DXF, no go.

So why is this so hard? what am I doing wrong?
I looked for this issue in the history, online, etc, but nothing to help me out, can I find. I know this is not the first or second time it has been asked, but please help me out here, I really need to get these machines working.
I am considering spending a large amount of money to purchase Onecnc xr5 with Mach 3 post to make it a little simpler, but right now, I need to make Mach 3 work for me, to get going. 

Mach needs G Code so you need to use some form of CAM to open your DXF then you need to tell the CAM what tools, feeds, speeds etc and then tell it the tool paths, the CAM will then produce the G Code.
LazyCAM is very basic and some people use it but there are many things it will not do, even in licensed version.
Hood

Mach needs G Code so you need to use some form of CAM to open your DXF then you need to tell the CAM what tools, feeds, speeds etc and then tell it the tool paths, the CAM will then produce the G Code.
LazyCAM is very basic and some people use it but there are many things it will not do, even in licensed version.
Hood

Ah, OK.
I was thinking Mach3 was in itself, a CAM program, and I did the tool paths there in the Mach 3 screen.

OK, so I guess all I really need to do, once I export the G-code file to Mach, is to then tell it where the material is in the offset screen, and the tool paths are already defined in which ever CAM software I used from your reply.

Dont really need to go to the offset screen, normally you would just jog to where yo want the XYZ zeroes to be and zero the DROs.
Hood

Thanks Hood, I think it is clear now.
Working in NX9 right now to generate tool paths etc, and see how I go.