Splash Screen

[TK.421]

Perhaps in one of the next releases, would the developers kindly do something about the splash screen that stays on top of every window? Powermill take nearly 30 seconds to load and in that time my screen is tied up with the splash screen.

thanks!

David

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[iamcdn79]

Try this.

Go to C:\Program Files\Autodesk\PowerMill xxxxx\sys\misc

First make a backup copy of the file graphics.con

Open the file graphics.con 

1. Go to the very bottom of the file where it says splash screen. Uncomment the line "splash_screen_hide:1" by getting rid of the '#' in front

2 Uncomment the "splash_screen_timeout:1" by getting rid of the '#' in front.

Save file and restart powermill

[TK.421]

Thanks! I know that work around, but it gets tedious redoing that with every installation. it would be nice if it was made such that it didnt stay on top of everything running

[justin.ferguson]

Hello @TK.421 

TK.421, do you copy... We've got a bad transmitter. (you probably get this a bunch 😁)

This macro will work if, when you open your new version of PowerMill, you run as administrator for correct file permissions. (just tested on my computer)

FILE OPEN "...\PowerMill <YEAR>\sys\misc\graphics.con" FOR APPEND AS splash
//String SplashTime = "splash_screen_timeout: 1"
String SplashHide = "splash_screen_hide: 1"
FILE WRITE $SplashHide TO splash
//FILE WRITE $SplashTime TO splash
FILE CLOSE splash

Hope this helps!

[iamcdn79]

I have noticed that when running Powermill as administrator you can't do drag and drop projects into it. That would be the only reason I wouldn't use your macro.

[justin.ferguson · Accepted solution]

@iamcdn79, 

I also notice this, but I do not run PowerMill as administrator for programming, I only run as administrator when specific admin file permissions are needed, and also once after installing a new version. I do not suggest running as administrator all the time.

I also realized that the PowerMill directory can be found using the string $pwd() and should get the normal directory as long as no change in directory has been issued after opening as administrator, it'll look like this:

String MiscPath = $pwd() + "\sys\misc\graphics.con"
FILE OPEN $MiscPath FOR APPEND AS splash
//String SplashTime = "splash_screen_timeout: 1"
String SplashHide = "splash_screen_hide: 1"
FILE WRITE $SplashHide TO splash
//FILE WRITE $SplashTime TO splash
FILE CLOSE splash

[TK.421]

Thanks @justin.ferguson , that fixed my transmitter! you're actually the first person in the 10 years I've been on the forums (r.i.p. old delcam forum) to make that comment!

[justin.ferguson]

😀😀😀😀😀😀!! 

Glad it made you smile!

Cheers,

[Sean570 · Accepted solution]

The pwd() function actually returns the exec64 folder so the working version looks like this

String MiscPath = replace(pwd(), "exec64", "misc\graphics.con")
FILE OPEN $MiscPath FOR APPEND AS splash
//String SplashTime = "splash_screen_timeout: 1"
String SplashHide = "splash_screen_hide: 1"
FILE WRITE $SplashHide TO splash
//FILE WRITE $SplashTime TO splash
FILE CLOSE splash

[justin.ferguson]

@Sean570, 

It seems our working directories are different, I'm curious why that is, maybe what a pmuser.mac is doing?

I would suggest that anyone looking to make this work on their computer use the command window to check what the $pwd results on their install. 

print = $pwd()

 

Cheers,

[Sean570]

I'm not doing anything in my pmuser macro besides changing some setting in the options form setting my custom strategy paths, and NC output paths.  Maybe a more reliable path to use would be the executable_path() instead of pwd()?

String MiscPath = replace(executable_path(), "exec64\pmill.exe", "misc\graphics.con")
FILE OPEN $MiscPath FOR APPEND AS splash
//String SplashTime = "splash_screen_timeout: 1"
String SplashHide = "splash_screen_hide: 1"
FILE WRITE $SplashHide TO splash
//FILE WRITE $SplashTime TO splash
FILE CLOSE splash

[justin.ferguson]

@Sean570,

I do like using $executable_path() more than my solution as it'll be correct for anyone that uses it.

Thanks!

[LasseFred]

How long does it take for you to open powermill.

it takes 21 seconds for me.

my settings:

Intel: i7-8700 K // 4,5 GHz

32 GB DDR4 Ram // 2667 MHz 

Nvidia quadro P2000

[glen_h]

Or just get rid of it.

It's annoying and unnecessary.

In 2022...it shouldn't take this long to open an application. ( PMILL 2023)

But I'm guessing that getting rid of the splash screen would qualify as a brand new release of Powermill 2024! lol!