VCS Graphics Help

VCS Graphics displays the geometry definitions and tool paths that are defined in the CL File that was generated by the previously processed part program. The initial display is scaled such that all tool motion will be displayed. The defined geometry, tool diameter circles and tool path direction arrows may be displayed as well.

The geometry display is limited to Patterns, Points, Lines, Circles and Shapes.

You may move the mouse pointer over an item of interest in the picture below and see a popup description of that feature.

Pitch Slider - Establish the Pitch angle for a 3D view. Rotation always occurs around the center point of all motion. You may set the Pitch slider to 90 for a 2D view of the ZX plane.
Yaw Slider - Establish the Yaw angle for a 3D view. Rotation always occurs around the center point of all motion. The Yaw slider sets the rotation in the XY plane.
Roll Slider - Establish the Roll angle for a 3D view. Rotation always occurs around the center point of all motion. You may set the Roll slider to 90 for a 2D view of the YZ plane.
Reset - Resets the display to the original default XY view. Holding the Shift key down while clicking the button will cause the display of the original default 3D view. You may also establish your own 3D display by dragging the Pitch, Yaw and Roll slider bars.

Holding the Alt key down when clicking this button will start the Step mode. Holding the Shift and Alt keys down when clicking this button will start the Step mode in 3D.

The Reset button is disabled when drawing on the graphic window. It is enabled only when waiting for a command from the user.
Clear - Clears the graphic display.
Done - Closes the graphics window.
Copy - Copies the current graphic display to the clipboard for pasting to another graphics program such as MS Word, MS Paint, etc.

If you hold the Shift key down when clicking this button, you will be asked if you want to open MS Paint.
Display Options - Provides control over the display of defined geometry, tool diameter and direction arrows. Clicking the check box will toggle that function on and off. These options may be changed during delayed drawing and will be effective immediately.
Config - Opens the Graphics Configuration window.
Clear - Clears the graphic display.
Help - Displays this help window.
Zoom - The + and - buttons are used to enlarge or shrink the scale of the display. The center of the display is maintained. You may alternately use the + and - keys on the keyboard to achieve the same result. Each button click enlarges or shrinks the display by 20%.
Colors - VCS Graphics uses 4 basic colors to represent Geometry, Tool Path, Tool Diameter and Background. Clicking on one of these colors displays the Color Box allowing you to select a replacement color for that function.
Delay - The Delay Slider controls the display speed by setting a delay between the processing of each statement. The delay may be set from 0 to 100 by clicking the Delay Slider. The delay between input statements will immediately change to the new setting. Also, you may drag the Delay Slider pointer with the mouse. Moving the Delay Slider pointer all the way to the bottom (100) causes VCS-Graphics to go into Step Mode.

When in Step Mode, the 'Next' button will appear with the input statement that is waiting for processing. The 'Next' button must be clicked before displaying the graphic results of the displayed input statement.

When the Delay is set between 5 and 95, the input statement is displayed before the graphic results of the statement are displayed.
Paths - When the Graphics Display first starts, the complete program, both defined geometry and tool paths, are drawn at a scale that will insure that all the tool motion will be shown in the display window. Click the Down-Arrow to display the tool paths that have been identified in the part program.

A single tool path or multiple tool paths may be selected for display by clicking in the check box.

The selected tool path(s) will be displayed when the Up-Arrow is clicked.
Geometry Label - Identifies the geometry element that the corner of the label is touching. This is accomplished by holding the Alt-key down when clicking on, or close to, the element. The label is then displayed and the geometry element starts flashing. This will continue until the Alt-key is released or you click on another element.

Right clicking on the label causes it to remain on the display until the display is changed. Also, see the CIRC2 label.

Hold the P-key down when clicking to select the Point closest to the Mouse Pointer, hold the L-key down to select the closest Line and hold the C-key down to select the closest Circle.
Geometry Label - Identifies the geometry element that the corner of the label is touching. This is accomplished by holding the Alt-key down when clicking on the element. The label is then displayed and the geometry element starts flashing. This will continue until the Alt-key is released or you click on another element.

Right clicking on the label causes it to remain on the display until the display is changed. Also, see the L2 label.
Next Button - The Next Button is displayed when the Delay Slider is set to 100 (Step Mode). When a part program statement is displayed to the right, you must click this button to display the graphic results (if any) of that statement.

When a part program statement, such as POCKET or GO/s_shape, outputs multiple tool motions, each individual motion will be output with a slight delay between the motions.
Input Statement - The part program input statement is displayed here when the Delay Slider value is >= 5.
Graphic Window - When the Graphic program starts, the display scale and window location is established so that all of the programmed motion is displayed. The defined geometry is displayed in red, the Tool Path is displayed in black, the Tool Diameter is displayed in blue and the background color is white. These colors may be changed by clicking on the Config button and in other ways.

Rapid tool motion will be displayed as a dashed line and feed controlled motion will be displayed as a solid line.

Additionally, you may change the Display window location and scale in the following ways.
  • Mouse Drag - Pan the display. Hold the left mouse button down and drag. When the mouse button is released the graphics will be redrawn with the point that the mouse button was pressed being moved to the point that the mouse button was released. The scale remains the same.
  • Shift-Mouse Drag - Establishes two diagonal corners of a portion of the current display to be enlarged to fill the Display window. A dashed-line rectangle will be drawn to indicate the portion of the graphic display that will be enlarged to fill the display area and you will be asked to confirm the view.
  • Mouse Right-Click - The mouse pointer location will be moved to the center of the Display window. The scale remains the same.


Alt-Click
Clicking in the Display window when the Alt-key is held down causes the label of the geometry element closest to the mouse pointer to be displayed. The selected element will flash until the Alt-key is released or another geometry element is clicked.

Right clicking on the label causes it to remain on the display until the display is changed.

Holding the P-key down when clicking will select the Point closest to the Mouse Pointer, hold the L-key down to select the closest Line and hold the C-key down to select the closest Circle.
Part X-Y values - Displays the mouse pointer position in part coordinates, only in the X-Y view.