edit Drilling Cycle Type menu

[cfastNJWK6]

Is there a way to edit the Cycle Type drop-down menu in the Drilling Form?  I would like to add descriptions to the vague extra cycles (Cycle 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Bore 3, 4, 5).

[Jonathan_Artiss19]

Chris,

The way I see it, you have two options. A post-it note on the monitor, or a saved strategy in your "My Strategy" folder with the specific function as its saved name. 

[cfastNJWK6]

@Jonathan_Artiss19 

I am trying to standardize things across 40+ powermill seats and 80+ powermill users.  A post-it note may work for me, but not everyone else.  I thought I saw someone change a list like this in the old Delcam forum.

For the most part I have hole drilling fairly well automated with 100's of different drilling methods.  The problem comes up when we have a job that wasn't designed by us and there isn't a drilling method associated with a certain type of hole geometry.  Then my Powermill users don't know what cycle 1, 2 or 3 is.  

[minh.lenhat]

For me, I do choose Cycle type then click Ok, then save toolpath as template and put a name for each.

Put all template in "Company Name" Folder, then all 80+ users just need all toolpaths inside your folder.

[cfastNJWK6]

I appreciate your response, and I have thought about creating templates/strategies for the different cycles, but it doesn't solve the main issue for my users.  Occasionally a user will run the wrong drilling method on a feature set.  Instead of deleting all of the toolpaths and running the correct drilling method, they will recycle the incorrect toolpaths, change the cycle, and re-calculate the toolpath.  We use Cycle 1 for ball drilling and cycle 2 for flat bottom drilling.  If a user accidentally runs the ball drilling method on a flat-bottom hole, all they need to do is change the cycle of 1 toolpath from cycle 1 to cycle 2, instead of re-creating all of the toolpaths with the correct drilling method.  

Again, I thought there was a way to edit these menus in previous versions of PowerMill.  Maybe there no longer is.  Could someone from @Anonymous  chime in and put this to bed?  I'm not looking to add cycles, just want to add a description of what the cycles are used for.

Cycle 1 - Ball Drill

Cycle 2 - Flat Bottom

Cycle 3 - Gundrill

etc.

[Jonathan_Artiss19]

@cfastNJWK6 

You can save these settings in the toolpath as a strategy, then add an image and name to them? This can be saved as a favorite to appear in the ribbon and your favorites folder. 

You could also create a macro to import these strategies, then create a custom tab with images and names and descriptions. The custom ribbon can be exported and delivered to each computer. 

These might prove a bit easier than editing and maintaining an installation file which is likely the case with editing within the drilling drop menu. 

[cfastNJWK6]

@Jonathan_Artiss19 

I understand that there are simpler solutions, but I am looking to edit an install file to actually change the drop-down list.  Do you know what file needs to be edited or where it is located?

[Jonathan_Artiss19]

@cfastNJWK6 

I'm not sure which file it would be.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

The safe way: contact your local vendor and ask them for custom localization (~$$).
Or search for the following files:
c:\Program Files\Autodesk\PowerMill XXXX\lib\locale\<Language>\LC_MESSAGES\dcp_messages.mo
c:\Program Files\Autodesk\PowerMill XXXX\lib\locale\<Language>\LC_MESSAGES\form_messages.mo
Back them up.
Open the files in a hex editor and rewrite the text. Attention! The length of the new text must be exactly the same as the original,  and  leave '.' characters alone.

Original

Edit

New

[cfastNJWK6 · Accepted solution]

Thank you for getting me to the right area.  I actually had to edit files in a slightly different directory:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\PowerMill 2020\lib\locale\C\LC_MESSAGES\dcp_messages.po

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\PowerMill 2020\lib\locale\C\LC_MESSAGES\form_messages.po

But these files are human read-able so it was actually more simplistic.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Congratulations :). Unfortunately, it's not appropriate for me, because we use the Hungarian language. I think your method works only with English language (I haven't tested it).

[Pijetro]

Unfortunately, you've voided the warranty....

But will you have to do this everytime a new install or update shows up?

[cfastNJWK6]

Haha. Yes, it will have to be done for every update.  Luckily, I'm in the position that controls when we roll Powermill updates out to the shop floor so I can stay ahead of the problem.

[minh.lenhat]

Great help