Building Custom Star Probe Problem

[MattR]

Hi guys,
Got a problem here. I'm trying to build a star probe but it does not appear in the probe utilities window. Tip#1 is only available as 2by18mm which is way too short. If I add extensions pc.dmis adds them above the star making it impossible to check features deeper than 10mm. I need 2by40mm probe as the tip that goes below the star component. I went to probe.dat but I'm unsure how to define it there, how to save it & making in appear in probe utilities window. I drew what I need below. Also I got outdated PC.DMIS 2016 and I can't get help from Hexagon at all-big shots don't want to spend their pocket change on upgrades. Tried to search in the forum but couldn't find any how to do step by step threads.
Thanks!
Here is the part where PC.DMIS defines 2BY18MMSTAR in probe.dat:
ITEM:2BY18MMSTAR M2
comment Use with A-5000-3626, A-5000-7629
begintip
ribcount 10
color 142 142 142
solid 6
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3 -2.5 2.5 -3
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 -3 -2.5 -2.5 -3
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 -3 -2.5 -2.5 -3
face 4 2.5 2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3
face 4 2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3
cylinder 0 0 -3 0 0 -6 3
cone 0 0 -6 3 0 0 -8.5 1.5
cylinder 0 0 -8.5 0 0 -19 1.5
color 255 0 0
sphere 0 0 -19.5 2
hotspot 0 0 -19.5 0 0 1 2 2 ball
connect 2.5 0 -1.5 -1 0 0 M2
connect 0 2.5 -1.5 0 -1 0 M2
connect -2.5 0 -1.5 1 0 0 M2
connect 0 -2.5 -1.5 0 1 0 M2
endtip

And that is what I need to build:

probedat probe build.PNG

[KIRBSTER269]

When building the star, look for something that says 5-way before adding the tips, your likely choosing the wrong connector

[MattR]

I couldn't find anything under M2 section that says 5-way. I only found it below in M3 (which I believe is the probe thread) I use M2 so M3 won't work unless it is possible
to type in M2 next to tesa and move it where rest of M2s are located?
EXTENSION 5 WAY.PNG

[KIRBSTER269]

You can go into probe builder and create it from scratch, or alternative you can buy a 2mm male to 3mm female adapter from your probe provider guy or gal, or buy it from Hexagon store.

[rjurca]

Your example is defining a tip but you have added connect lines. This is invalid and as mentioned above you need a five way component first. An example is below.

ITEM:EXTEN5WAY M2
HxPartNumber 03969054
HxPartName M2-STYLI HOLDER 5-WAY (SS-L7.5)
color 142 142 142
solid 6
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
ribcount 10
cylinder 0 0 -3.5 0 0 -8 3
connect 0 0 -8 0 0 1 M2
connect 3.5 0 -1.75 -1 0 0 M2
connect 0 3.5 -1.75 0 -1 0 M2
connect -3.5 0 -1.75 1 0 0 M2
connect 0 -3.5 -1.75 0 1 0 M2



Using your example. I think what you are looking for is something like the following. This is not guaranteed to be correct since I did not verify all the dimensions and is just an example.



ITEM:2BY18MMSTAR M2
comment Use with A-5000-3626, A-5000-7629
ribcount 10
color 142 142 142
solid 6
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3 -2.5 2.5 -3
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 -3 -2.5 -2.5 -3
face 4 -2.5 -2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 -3 -2.5 -2.5 -3
face 4 2.5 2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 0 2.5 -2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3
face 4 2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 0 -2.5 2.5 -3 2.5 2.5 -3
connect 0 0 -3 0 0 1 M2
connect 2.5 0 -1.5 -1 0 0 M2
connect 0 2.5 -1.5 0 -1 0 M2
connect -2.5 0 -1.5 1 0 0 M2
connect 0 -2.5 -1.5 0 1 0 M2

ITEM:ExampleTip M2
comment Use with A-5000-3626, A-5000-7629
begintip
ribcount 10
color 142 142 142
cylinder 0 0 -3 0 0 -6 3
cone 0 0 -6 3 0 0 -8.5 1.5
cylinder 0 0 -8.5 0 0 -19 1.5
color 255 0 0
sphere 0 0 -19.5 2
hotspot 0 0 -19.5 0 0 1 2 2 ball
endtip

[MattR]

Thanks guys! I will type this up. Do I copy & paste this into probe.dat & save or I have to save it as separate probe.dat file?

ITEM:EXTEN5WAY M2
HxPartNumber 03969054
HxPartName M2-STYLI HOLDER 5-WAY (SS-L7.5)
color 142 142 142
solid 6
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
ribcount 10
cylinder 0 0 -3.5 0 0 -8 3
connect 0 0 -8 0 0 1 M2
connect 3.5 0 -1.75 -1 0 0 M2
connect 0 3.5 -1.75 0 -1 0 M2
connect -3.5 0 -1.75 1 0 0 M2
connect 0 -3.5 -1.75 0 1 0 M2

[rjurca]

We have a file called usrprobe.dat for this. Change the name to something unique ITEM:custom5way M2 for example.

C:\ProgramData\Hexagon\PC-DMIS\2016.0\usrprobe.dat

[MattR]

I can't find usrprobe.dat. This is what I got from the folder:
USRPROBE.DAT 2.PNG
USRPROBE.DAT 1.PNG

[rjurca]

You need to create the file. You can use wordpad, notepad etc.

[rjurca]

docs.jpg

[MattR]

Good info. How do I create it manually? Should I paste the info from probe.dat file modify as required & save as usrprobe.dat in the same location as original probe.dat file is located? How do I save as to make sure it is usrprobe.dat. Do I just type in .dat in place of .rtf?

[rjurca]

Open notepad and add the following text, taken from your post above. You can do a "save as" from notepad. Save using the filename usrprobe.dat in the directory C:\ProgramData\Hexagon\PC-DMIS\2016.0
The item name must be unique. This is the reason it now has custom in the name.


ITEM:CUSTOM_EXTEN5WAY M2
HxPartNumber 03969054
HxPartName M2-STYLI HOLDER 5-WAY (SS-L7.5)
color 142 142 142
solid 6
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 3.5 3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 -3.5 0 3.5 3.5 0 -3.5 3.5 0
face 4 -3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 3.5 -3.5 -3.5 3.5 -3.5
ribcount 10
cylinder 0 0 -3.5 0 0 -8 3
connect 0 0 -8 0 0 1 M2
connect 3.5 0 -1.75 -1 0 0 M2
connect 0 3.5 -1.75 0 -1 0 M2
connect -3.5 0 -1.75 1 0 0 M2
connect 0 -3.5 -1.75 0 1 0 M2

[MattR]

Awesome. Thanks!

[DAN_M]

rjurca

I successfully made my first custom probe the other day. When I update to a new version of PC DMIS, will I have to keep track of/do anything with the "userprobe.dat" file? Or does PC DMIS automatically carry that over when it updates?

[neil.challinor]

If you have saved it in either a usrprobe.dat or probebuilder.dat file in the program data folder for your version of PC_Dmis then it will get carried over to the new version when you install. The only time it wouldn't get carried across automatically is if you have used the old school method of manually editing the probe.dat file in the install folder which is precisely why we don't recommend that method any more.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

rjurca

I successfully made my first custom probe the other day. When I update to a new version of PC DMIS, will I have to keep track of/do anything with the "userprobe.dat" file? Or does PC DMIS automatically carry that over when it updates?

I think you will have to copy it over to the new install location. What I've always done is said 'pizz-on' the userprobe (mostly 'cause it hasn't always been a part of Pcdmis) and simply made my customs in the PROBE.DAT file, and also DELETED everything from it that I don't have. I then make a copy of it on the desktop. Then if I install a new version, I simply replace the PROBE.DAT file of the new install with the one on the desktop. All MY probes are still there, and I don't have a 5,000 item long list of crap I don't have.

If you use a PH9/PH10, put this in your probe.dat file.

ITEM:HEAD-PH9-PH10T ARM
color 0 0 0
line -10 -30 0 -10 -30 -60 1
line 10 -30 0 10 -30 -60 1
line -30 -30 -20 30 -30 -20 1
line -30 -30 -40 30 -30 -40 1
line -30 -10 0 -30 -10 -60 1
line -30 10 0 -30 10 -60 1
line -30 -30 -20 -30 30 -20 1
line -30 -30 -40 -30 30 -40 1
line 30 -10 0 30 -10 -60 1
line 30 10 0 30 10 -60 1
line 30 -30 -20 30 30 -20 1
line 30 -30 -40 30 30 -40 1
line -10 30 0 -10 30 -60 1
line 10 30 0 10 30 -60 1
line -30 30 -20 30 30 -20 1
line -30 30 -40 30 30 -40 1
line -30 -10 0 30 -10 0 1
line -30 10 0 30 10 0 1
line -10 -30 0 -10 30 0 1
line 10 -30 0 10 30 0 1
line -30 -10 -60 30 -10 -60 1
line -30 10 -60 30 10 -60 1
line -10 -30 -60 -10 30 -60 1
line 10 -30 -60 10 30 -60 1
color 0 0 255
face 4 -30 30 0 30 30 0 30 -30 0 -30 -30 0
color 255 0 0
face 4 30 30 0 30 30 -60 30 -30 -60 30 -30 0
color 255 255 0
face 4 -30 -30 0 30 -30 0 30 -30 -60 -30 -30 -60
color 0 255 0
face 4 -30 30 0 -30 -30 0 -30 -30 -60 -30 30 -60
color 255 255 255
face 4 30 30 -60 -30 30 -60 -30 -30 -60 30 -30 -60
color 255 100 0
face 4 -30 30 0 -30 30 -60 30 30 -60 30 30 0
ring 0 -30 -30 0 1 0 20 4
ribcount 10
color 255 0 0
cutsphere 0 -30 -30 0 1 0 8 0 -10000
autojoint 0 0 -77 0 0 1 0 7.5 -180 180 b angle
color 30 30 30
ribcount 10
cutsphere 0 0 0 0 0 1 50 18 -10000
autojoint 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 7.5 0 105 a angle
color 142 142 142
ribcount 10
cylinder -22 0 0 -25 0 0 13
connect -25 0 0 1 0 0 M8

[DAN_M]

Thats brilliant. I love it and will be doing that right now. Thanks for the advise.