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Configuration Utility Features

Each IntelliPost® Configuration Utility has been engineered to enable either a novice or expert user to quickly and intelligently describe machine tool and controller conditions. The novice has extensive on-line help screens, where as the expert can quickly get his job done without feeling restricted.

Full Screen Display-Not Prompt Mode

Each functional area is designed to display all aspects of configured data on a single screen. Prompting is only used when there are too many alternate routes through the logic, and intermediate decisions are needed from the user to save time.

Create/Edit Specs In Any Logical Order

Users are taught to use the system in the logical order shown on the main screen, but there are no system-imposed constraints on the order in which one uses the Configuration Utility.

Built-In Intelligence

The Configuration Utility assumes IEEE RS-274D MCD output format for default conditions and is always working with the active data such that it gathers intelligence as it is given more details about the machine.

On-Line Context Sensitive Help Anywhere

With today's high-speed terminal displays, extensive descriptive text can be generated without impeding performance, however, advanced users can turn these displays on or off by entering a simple command in response to any prompt. Full context sensitive help is also available for any screen display in any of the categories. A single keystroke will activate the context sensitive help menus which will remain on the screen for a pre-defined period of time, or until a key is pressed. The help facility is also used to display a list of any previously defined configuration files which exist in the current working directory or in the user defined system configuration directory.

Shop Terminology

Messages generated by the Configuration Utility are engineered to make sense to an NC part programmer, manufacturing engineer,or machine tool operator. The focus is to not bore the reader, yet provide a clear, detailed description of the facts at hand.

Context Sensitive Macro Language

Unlike many systems, the Configuration Utility knows the syntactical requirements of the microprocessor and the active states of the configuration session. It verifies all input with defaults and data entered previously; the user is not able to make references to undeclared MCD registers, accidentally overwrite a system variable,or write a statement that will not execute properly within the postprocessor.

Configuration Utility Editor

The Configuration Utility has line editing capabilities that allows string substitution in single or multiple blocks. You can delete, copy or insert single or multiple blocks in an existing macro definition. You may also copy the contents from another macro into the current macro you are editing.

Automatic Statement Label Update

The system automatically updates all statement labels when lines are inserted or deleted. For example:

"5 JUMPTO/15" would change to "5 JUMPTO/13"when 2 lines are deleted between line 5 and line 15.

User definable Statement Labels

The macro system allows the user to define his own statement labels which may be any arbitrary string of up to seven (7) alphanumeric characters. This makes it easier for the user to create branching instructions before knowing the line number to which he wishes to branch.

Automatically Formatted User Document Summary

The Configuration Utility will generate a six to eight page summary defining pertinent aspects of the parameter file. Included in the summary document are inch/metric MCD register formats, spindle data, travel limits, and a chart of altered user-definable parameters(SPECs). A summary of special syntax is printed in a concise form for the part programmer, where as a complete printout of all user defined macros appears at the end of the documentation summary for reference along with the statements that will cause them to be executed.

Abbreviated Document Summary

The user document summary is also attainable in a condensed format which contains only the user defined macros. This feature is especially helpful in debugging when one wants to obtain a listing of all macros to help determine the logical flow of the configured postprocessor. This special document summary is an editable ASCII file which can be modified by the editor of your choice. After any editing changes have been made and saved, one can recall this file during a subsequent configuration session, saving considerable time when it makes sense to use a full screen editor rather than the basic line editor provided within the configuration utility.

Hot Keys

A number of "hot keys" have been defined to permit single keystroke availability to most help screens, a system configuration screen, a reuse function, and an automatic save function.

Automatic Back Up

The configuration utility automatically creates a copy of the original file each time you edit a configuration file. Thus if for some reason you wish to recover the contents of the configuration file as it existed before you last edited it, a backup copy will exist.

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