topic Re: Tool Swap Macro help. in PowerMill Forum

Tool Swap Macro help.

Scoobyvroom — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 15:57:48 GMT

We just recently had our POST changed. It used to be setup that all thread mills ran CW. After the change it looks at the RPM and if the RPM is negative is runs CW and positive runs CCW. Problem is our old programs, if you run them the thread mill it post out as running the spinlde CCW. Most of our thread mills are CW cutting. So I was trying to make this Macro to look at all the toolpaths in a Folder. Then if it sees a drill type listed as Thread_mill, and the spindle speed is greater than 0 it will ask you what tool to use to replace the current tool. Replace it and recalculate it. I think my issue is the $Selected_Tool is a list, and I'm trying to pull information as an Entity?? If someone could poke me in the right direction that would be great.

STRING $FolderName = active_folder()

IF $FolderName == '' {
MESSAGE ERROR "There is no active folder. Please activate a folder and try again."
MACRO ABORT
}


FOREACH tl IN FOLDER(FolderName) {

IF tl.Drill.Type == 'thread_mill' {   
					IF tl.SpindleSpeed.Value > 0 {
					ENTITY LIST $Selected_Tool = INPUT ENTITY MULTIPLE TOOL "Select Replacement Tool"
					ACTIVATE TOOLPATH $tl.Name
					ACTIVATE TOOL $Selected_Tool.Name
					EDIT PAR 'CutDirection' 'conventional'
					EDIT TOOLPATH $tl.Name CALCULATE




											}		
						}	
}

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

rafael.sansao — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:11:46 GMT

STRING $FolderName = active_folder()
IF $FolderName == '' {
	MESSAGE ERROR "There is no active folder. Please activate a folder and try again."
	MACRO ABORT
}

FOREACH tl IN FOLDER(FolderName) {
	IF tl.Drill.Type == 'thread_mill' {   
		IF tl.SpindleSpeed.Value > 0 {
			ACTIVATE TOOLPATH $tl.Name
			ENTITY $Selected_Tool = INPUT ENTITY TOOL "Select Replacement Tool"
			INVALIDATE TOOLPATH NOQUERY ;
			ACTIVATE TOOL $Selected_Tool.Name
			EDIT PAR 'CutDirection' 'conventional'
			EDIT TOOLPATH $tl.Name CALCULATE
		}
	}
}

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

rui_rita — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:12:19 GMT

hi @Scoobyvroom

try this

STRING $Selected_Tool = INPUT ENTITY TOOL "Please select a Tool."

ACTIVATE TOOL $Selected_Tool

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

Scoobyvroom — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 20:47:28 GMT

Got the macro working 99% the way I want. The only issue I am still having is upon importing tools from the database it has a query box pop up. I have Dialog, and Message set to OFF. Anything else I can do to stop this pop up? I am importing multiple tools at one time. I also tried NOQUERY.

Any ideas?

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

rui_rita — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 08:35:54 GMT

Hi @Scoobyvroom

try "NOQUIBBLE"

TOOLDB RESULTS_LIST CREATE NOQUIBBLE SELECTED

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

Scoobyvroom — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 11:20:04 GMT

Thank you! works perfect now. Can I ask where you find this information?

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

ramaprasad_narayan — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:35:59 GMT

Hai

could you please share the final macro

Thanks

Re: Tool Swap Macro help.

artur.boszczyk — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:48:43 GMT

if the tool is of the same type, diameter you can replace the tool without invalidating the toolpath:

STRING Cmd= "EDIT TOOLPATH '" + $tpName + "' REPLACE_TOOL '" + $RTools[$I] + "'" DoCommand $Cmd