Linking Programs

[David Kick]

Can anyone tell me how to command a program to start running at the end of a program run?
David Kick

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

If yo mean link to another Pcdmis program, I do not think it can be done. There are external 'commands' that you can use in Pcdmis that will run other 'things', but as far as I know, you can not make Pcdmis run one program, then when it's done, jump to another one.

[slesholdofthreep]

Are you trying to call up a subprogram or re-execute the same prg over again?

[craiger_ny]

I've never used PCDMIS's sub call but isn't that basically the same? I'll have to look in the help file.

[David Kick]

Program Linking

I am running a left and right part. Just wondered if I could have the two programs mutually call each other and run.

[why me]

Are you using Cad models?

[T Miller]

Turn them both into sub programs and make a new program to call the subs

[Underspec]

You can use a basic script to do that.

[#2#]

Do you have a program for each already written? What about combining them both into 1 program. Simply save a copy of one of them (whichever you want to run first). Then, copy and paste the code from the second one onto the end of the first one. Now, move the manual alignment features for the second one up to the top before you go to DCC mode for the first one. So, when the operator starts this new program, it will prompt them to take the manual hits for one part and then the manual hits for the other part. Then, it will dcc measure the first part (you may need to insert a clearplane or readpoint/movepoint to avoid crashes) and then dcc measure the second part (you may need to insert a move point or two to avoid crashes here too).

If the parts are on a fixture (they won't be moving in relation to each other), you can probably get away with just manually measuring one of them and then using that alignment to start the second one. That gets a little more complicated to program though.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Do you have a program for each already written? What about combining them both into 1 program. Simply save a copy of one of them (whichever you want to run first). Then, copy and paste the code from the second one onto the end of the first one. Now, move the manual alignment features for the second one up to the top before you go to DCC mode for the first one. So, when the operator starts this new program, it will prompt them to take the manual hits for one part and then the manual hits for the other part. Then, it will dcc measure the first part (you may need to insert a clearplane or readpoint/movepoint to avoid crashes) and then dcc measure the second part (you may need to insert a move point or two to avoid crashes here too).

If the parts are on a fixture (they won't be moving in relation to each other), you can probably get away with just manually measuring one of them and then using that alignment to start the second one. That gets a little more complicated to program though.

OR, if you are using fixtures, make your alignment programs seperate programs, then make a new program that recalls the external alignment. Once you get all the points programmed, IF the parts are TRUE mirror images, use paste w/ pattern to make the mirror image checks, then insert a recall alignment for the other fixture in the program where it goes to measure the mirror image part.

PROG1 = LH fixture alignment, saves to external file
PROG2 = RH fixture alignment, saves to external file
PROG3 = recalls LH external alignment, checks points for LH part, copy and paste w/ pattern for RH checks. Insert recall RH external alignment between last LH and first mirror point.

You will want to watch (write down) the nominals for the first mirror point. It will prompt you if you want to update with the new alignment when you insert the RH alignment, TELL IT NO! Then, look at the nominals for that point, if they stayed the same, you are good to go.

You WILL want to use clearance plane moves (more than likely) to ensure that it DOES move up and over when going between the fixtures. You might even want to set the clearance plane to almost the limit of your travel to help ensure that it will clear anything that might be between the fixtures, just in case......