cannot post process operations that contain tool changes despite lack of tool changes

[Radischen]

Hello,

I got this unexpected error message in the Autodesk Fusion 360 CAM workspace a few times now. When clicking on “post process” for that setup, I get the following error: “… you cannot post process operations that contain tool changes in a single NC program.”

I get this error despite using just a single tool and no tool changes in the setup. The problem is not specific to a certain file or design; I got the same problem in multiple designs.

Reselecting the tool in all toolpaths in the setup solves the problem. It is just annoying, especially because it is an artificial limitation for non-paying users that does not work.

The screencast shows that I used the same tool but still get this error. https://autode.sk/3KRgpSS

Now I found a thread (https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-support/can-t-post-multiple-operations-that-all-use-the-sa... ) that proposes a “solution” to this, which is very unintuitive, time consuming, complicated, impractical and inconsistent with the things that work and don’t work for me in Fusion 360. I think the problem arose in my case after duplicating the setup and editing the toolpaths. The tool numbers where identical, and I solved the problem by doing what I shouldn’t do according to the video in the aforementioned thread.

To solve this problem, I think Fusion needs to change the way it identifies tool changes.

[seth.madore]

If you are going back to your local or cloud library each time to select the same tool, that is an incorrect workflow. You need to select it from the active document each time. Doing otherwise will actually create new "instances" of the same tool, each with a unique ID number. The mechanism that's used to check against tool changes is that ID number.

In your video, you have two T2's, these are unique tools, it doesn't matter if they are the same exact thing in reality

[Radischen]

Thank you for your answer, but how are users supposed to know that the obvious workflow is somehow “incorrect”?

Fusion should either

1. Change the way it detects tool changes and not rely on the number of the instance of the tool (since users have no clue that there are multiple instances of a tool for some reason) but for example identify tools by looking at their dimensions or
2. Make it impossible to select a tool form the local or cloud library that is already used in the active document or
3. Tell the user in the error message that the problem is in the tool selection process and the strange way Fusion handles it internally.

Yes, my workflow might be “incorrect”, but Fusion 360 would be better software if it handled the tool selection in a more intuitive or flexible way.

[seth.madore]

Without getting too far into the weeds in this discussion, I'll address a couple of your points

1) It is apparent, when you look at your active document library, that there are multiple instances of the same tool

2) Item 2 on your list is untenable, as what happens when a user actually wants two identical tools, one for roughing and one for finishing. I suppose we could investigate the scenario where they are numbered the same, but I'm not sure we have the resources to dedicate to protecting users from their own mistakes. I'd argue that we (I) would be better off instructing users as the need arises.

Watching many of the "learning" videos out there, as well as reading the documentation, I've yet to see an instance of someone pulling a tool multiple times out of their local/cloud directory. If such a video exists, I'd like to know about it so I can reach out to the content creator and instruct them on the correct approach.

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

We do have a ticket to enable this to be a little more obvious. The following workflow should solve the issue.

1. User enters 'Select' via an operation and enters the tool library.
2. The active document is focussed by default.
3. The user can see all document tools but decides to navigate to another library.
4. The users selects a tool from that library that is identical to a current tool within their document.
5. The user presses select and the identical document tool is applied to the operation.
6. A toast will appear in Fusion informing the user that we used the document tool as it was identical

7. The original document tool is used and a copy is not made.

   In manage mode the current behaviour of copy/paste will remain unchanged.