can I lock programs from being edited

[why me]

I need help baaaaaaaaad You see I am the only programmer here. I have been using Pcdmis for about a year. (I've been programming for over 13 years just using Measure Max and lkdmis) But any way where I work the inspectors use the cmm to do their production checks and they are always hitting the wrong Key or doing some thing screwy that will delete points or
just mess things up so bad I have to rewrite the whole thing over again.
this gets to be a headache when it happens on 2nd or 3rd and I get a AM
phone call. can I lock the programs from editing Please

[T Miller]

Make them read only

[Mike N.]

well you could use the infamous "operator mode" or you could change the properties of each program to "read only" which will cause a prompt when closing to save as a different file name. This could be avoided if they just "quit" instead. Or possibly a third party app that will password protect each file individually.

[rangerboat72]

I work with DUMMIES (no pun intended) also...

I work with DUMMIES (no pun intended) also. I make those programs read only and I keep an original copy backed up on a CD-ROM and a seperate network drive...

[why me]

thanks I have a burner & I have backed up the programs on CD but it takes three of them with the cad models and all. I have tried to tell them to use the operator mode but I have run into we never had to before you came here
maybe the the guy before me needed the overtime and didn't need 8 hours
of sleep but I kinda like my sleep time. and some times its not so easy to spot the mistakes they made when your looking thru beer goggles

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Don't back-up the cad data, you have ne reason to back it up (it is a seperate file). Then, if they mess up the program, all you need to do is recall it and over-write the one they messed up. AND, with HD space so cheap these days, you can, if you want to, make a copy of the CAD file, rename it and hide it, then if they somehow mess that up as well, you can just copy the hidden file back. There are several ways to do this and ANYTHING is better than re-programming due to some idiot messing with something they shouldn't be. BUT, back-ups are #1 on the list.

[Sl33stak]

If you make them read only are there any negative implication in regards to Datapage being able to update? If they are "read only" then the stats count won't be able to increase, correct? I too am looking for a solution to this, only I keep stats on w/ my programs. I do have MULIPLE back ups (can you say redundancy?)

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

The stats count WILL increase while you have the program open and running. It will not remember where you were the next time you open the program.

[Don Meredith]

All of my programs are 'read only' and I have no problem sending info to Datapage. When the operator is finished running a program, he clicks on 'quit' not 'close' and is not prompted to save with another name.
HTH

Edit: WMS. Each time the program is opened, the stats count will be whatever it was when the prog was set to read-only. Mine are all set at "1" so each run starts clean. If you are continuing a run, just enter the next sequance number when the count window comes up.

[rangerboat72]

All of my programs are 'read only' and I have no problem sending info to Datapage. When the operator is finished running a program, he clicks on 'quit' not 'close

I just wish I could get "Our DUMMIES" to quit using the CLOSE button instead. Every time they open the program at a later date I get quiestioned, "Should I SAVE or should I DELETE". . . PC-DMIS DUMMIES, I SWEAR ! ! !

[djayne]

I've had marked sets and sometimes entire programs deleted in operator mode. The only method i've used so far is back-ups. One on the server and one on a jump drive. The only problem with this is that I have a process engineer and quality engineer that like to make changes
without backing up.

[why me]

I work with DUMMIES (no pun intended) also. I make those programs read only and I keep an original copy backed up on a CD-ROM and a seperate network drive...

If I make them read only will this require them to do a manual set up on every part right? I use alot of renwood fixtures that once they are set up all is needed is the dcc alignment

[T Miller]

You could always use a comment at the start of your programs to ask if they need to do a manual alignment.. If NO it would go right to dcc

[Underspec]

I believe there is a setting in the setup/parameters to turn off the saving when you choose close. In order to make the files read-only that is, otherwise you will get errors closing programs that are read-only.

I use operator mode and password protect the setup feature in PCDMIS.

[56flh]

Why are many of the people posting opposed to using the "Operator Mode" (OM). I have been using the OM for about 2 years and allowing the CNC operators to utilize the CMM as a production gage. All programs are set up to allow the operator to calibrate the probe without crashing into anything fixtured on the table. For some of the parts we measure it would take the machinist more time to measure the part than it takes to machine it.

I'm flying solo here with 2 B&S classes under the belt and no experienced CMM personnel present to question about good programming practices.