CNC12 Version 4.16 Release Notes

General Changes and Additions

Software levels, plug-ins, and trial codes to replace unlocks and demo codes.
PLC Installer: changed the text on two buttons, one from "New Install" to "Install - and overwrite existing machine configuration" and the other from "Update Existing" to "Install - and keep the existing machine configuration".
Replaced the machine home bitmap with the same one used on Acorn.
Change to allow the half-width touch screen ESC key to be drawn on the exit menu if the user entered the menu via the F12 key from the main menu.
Mill/Lathe Emulator: changed to run as if there is a demo unlock.
Mill/Lathe Emulator: fixed issue where upon entering the Options menu, the ESC key was not drawn and the F-keys would sometimes not get erased.
Virtual Control Panel 2.0 (VCP2) implemented.
The Virtual Control Panel (VCP2) is installed with demo software and can be launched, though it does not have any useful functionality other than to appear.
Change so that when a fatal exception occurs the logging files are closed.
Change: when a report is made, all files in the extra-report-files folder are included in the report. An empty extra-report-files folder is created if needed when the installer (setup.exe) is run.
Added check to see that the probe is untripped before it makes the slow measuring move (in the case of Auto Measure).
Implemented the park.mac G-code macro that can be run when parking the machine if machine parameter 413 (Park Macro) is set to 1.
Added new CncSkinning commands: GetToolBin, GetToolBinSetToolInfo, SetBinNumber, SetCoolant, SetToolOffsetDiameter, SetToolOffsetHeight, SetSpindleDirection, SetSpindleSpeed, SetToolDNumber, SetToolHNumber.
Implemented access to the analog outputs on an OpticDirect using the system variables SV_DAC_OUTPUT_ENABLE_1-8 to enable and SV_DAC_OUTPUT_VALUE_1-8 to set the value.
Changed the distance that we allow during the homing process when backing off the limit switch from 0.25 inches to 0.5 inches. In the future, we may add parameters to control this distance or take into account the starting position.
Lathe Intercon: added a bit 3 (Lathe Intercon Post Tool Offset Bit) to parameter 3 (Modal Tool and Height Offset Control) that will post out the tool offset as part of a tool change. Normally, the tool change procedure would post out a zero offset first, but this can cause unwanted speed-up of the spindle in constant surface speed mode when a machine is configured with X ref set at centerline. Although a machine could be configured differently, it imposes an unecessary way of doing what is otherwise considered a normal setup.
Adjusted the size of the PLC Installer program from 800x600 to 1024x768.
Added new Jog Panel Type option in the Control Configuration Screen for the Virtual Control Panel. Selecting "Virtual" for the option will set P219 to 1 and launch the VCP application. Unselecting "Virtual" will set P219 to 0 and kill the VCP application.
When a report fails to install CNC12 now will display a message with the file that the installation failed on.
Skinning: Updated/refactored skinning user controls.
You can now initialize User String Variables (#300-#399) to an empty string. (i.e. #300 = "")
Increased the time to wait for the Mpg Client to start up from 1 to 2 seconds.
Added new system variable "SV_USB_MPG_POWER".
Added support for the wireless mpg to send a "Powered off" state when it is powered off with the silver power button.
Added default configuration files for MillDemo and LatheDemo to remove warning on fresh installs.
Added '-o' command-line argument for the plc compiler that outputs the definitions without compiling the program.
Modified Skinning.SetMachineParamter function to send changed parameter to PLC

Fixes

Fixed issue where the half-width ESC was not drawn when entering the Probe Bore screen and P154 (Touch Screen Options) was set to enable it.
Fixed a crash when executing a line that had an "M225" command without any additional arguments.
Fixed problem with Skinning API CSR SetAngle and GetAngle functions which always failed.Lathe: fixed problems with measuring tools in some certain cases.
Fixed issue where the software appears to be frozen at startup displaying a blue screen with the status window blacked out and no message being displayed. This occurs when first starting software and either there is no connection to the MPU or the MPU has not had enough time to initialize.
Lathe: fixed issue where the enter key became unresponsive while editing a field in the Tool Library.
Lathe: fixed display anomaly where the Setup menu did not reappear after exiting the Tool Library.
Fixed an issue with the Skinning API AddMessage function where it was inserting an extra space at the beginning, leaving a couple of extra characters at the end, and was not logging numbered messages.
Fixed a load meter display issue in RTG where it did not use the PLC reported values (SV_METER_x) when configured to do so via machine parmeter 57 (Axis Bitmap for Generic Meter).
Fixed a display anomaly where the right hand side of the status display (Program #, Part Cnt, Part# and Time display) would disappear after an Aux key is pressed. The reset of the status window (clearing the right hand side) is intended only to happen when an Aux key is assigned a function (like a one-shot Intercon cycle) using machine parameters 188-199.
Fixed display anomaly where the upper viewports did not re-appear after exiting the Pid Config menu.
Fixed bug where subprograms and macros unlock was needed for an M26, M29 on lathe, M91, M92, M93, M105, M106, M122, or M124 command.
Fixed a bug that was causing the auto tool measurement for an ID type tool to be incorrect.
Fixed a bug relating to G53 command with L parameter not working on lathe. The software now changes the machine state to Feed Per Minute, does the move, then restores the state.
Skinning: Fixed broken WcsGetActive command and the WCS skinning commands. The WCS command router was never added to the routes map, so any call to the WCS skinning commands would have always failed.
Skinning: Fixed broken GetToolNumber command.
Skinning: Fixed broken GetCurrentHeightOffsetNumber command.
Skinning: Fixed broken GetActiveGCodes command.
Fixed a bug in the Skinning pipe that would cause the skinning call GetDoubleWordValue to fail.
Fixed issue where SV_PROGRAM_RUNNING was not being turned on when performing a Find Home/Switch operation from the "Find Home" menu.
Fixed bug where turning off the Wireless Mpg when the software is off caused the software to think the Wireless Mpg was on when it started back up again.
Fixed a software crash that would occur when a macro was called recursively. This only happened for macros 3-5 and 7-11. (i.e. calling M3 within M3)
Active G Codes will now correctly display what measurement mode you are in when entering MDI or running a job.
Fixed issue where the status window did not update the Fast/Slow, Incr/Cont, and x1, x10 , x100, indicators properly when keyboard jogging was enabled.
Fixed issue where probing/homing commands could appear to hang. It is more likely to occur with very slow probing rates or lower resolution (encoder counts per unit) axes.
Fixed issue with the F2 Paste Position function where it would paste in an axis labeled 'N' (for the spindle axis). Also changed the paste position to not display an axis that was marked hidden in the axis properties.
Lathe: fixed issue where loading a job from a USB stick or network location with file caching turned on did not work.
Fixed bug in InputInversion Skinning function related to param saving
Lathe: fixed parameters screen and Operator's Manual to reflect the correct parameter (404) for Active G-codes display for a Servo Lathe system.