Post Process : GPP2 - Post Dialog

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

Select NC Process > Post & Report > Post Process from the menu bar.
Click the Post Process button in the NC Guide.
Click the Post Process button in the Job Manager.
Right-click on an item in the Process Manager, or anywhere in the graphics window when no procedure is active, and select NC Guide Commands > Post Process from the popup menu.

GPP2 is a post processor developed by Cimatron. GPP2 is essentially a programming environment that allows the development of post-processors for Cimatron NC.

The Post Process dialog is displayed.

Set the following:

Select and reorder the procedures for posting.
Select the Post from the Post Processor list and set the G-Code parameters.
Set the relevant post parameters.

Set the GPP2 Machine Parameters.

Notes:

A SimpleSimple version of this dialog can be displayed by using the Preferences. Navigate to NC > Environment > Dialogs and select Post Processor = Simple. In this case, the Available Procedures and Post Procedures windows are not displayed, and only the procedure(s) that were selected in the NC Process Manager (prior to posting), will be post processed.
When there are two sessions of Cimatron from different versions running on the computer, post processing is blocked in the newer session, and an appropriate message is displayed.
For information regarding the selection and reordering of procedures for posting (the top two panes of the Post Process dialog), see Reorder Procedures.

Dialog Structure

This dialog is divided into the following areas:

Available Procedures / Sequence Panes - Select and Reorder Procedures

Post Selection & G-Code Parameters

Post file name & destination folder

Run a Post

Create a Post, GPP or GPP2, as required (for a specific CNC machine tool). Your Cimatron Provider or Reseller can create one for you.

InvokeInvoke (for more, click Access at the top of this Help topic) the Post Process function. The Post Process dialog is displayed; see above.

Select and order the procedures for posting, in the top two panes.

Note: Post processing a suspended procedure will result in an error message. As cutter motions are not calculated for suspended procedures, G-Codes cannot be created.

Select the required Post from the Post Processor list and set the relevant G-Code parameters.

Set the remaining parameters, such as the Post file name and destination folder.

Set the Machine Parameters.

Press the relevant approval button.

Note: During execution, all information including warnings is displayed in the Output Pane of the Cimatron display. When you return to the relevant NC file, the status flags in the Process Manager will indicate procedures that have been executed.

	Reload all NC Setup Settings: Reload the settings defined in the NC Setup that are relevant to this dialog.
	OK: Accept the changes, perform the operation, and close the current dialog/task.
	Apply: Accept the changes, perform the operation, and keep the current dialog/task open.
	Cancel: Cancel all changes and close the dialog/task without saving the settings.

Post Selection & G-Code Parameters

In the middle of the dialog, select the required Post from the Post Processor list and set the relevant G-Code parameters.

The following buttons are displayed in the center section of the dialog:

	Show the post reference file. This parameter is grayed out in GPP. It is only available in GPP2 when the selected GPP2 post processor has a post reference file.
	Reset the values of the G-Code parameters to those in the post processor file.

Post file name and destination folder

In the lower part of the dialog, the following parameters can be defined:

Create Job
Job Number
Job Name

Select the Create Job checkbox to create a new job in the Job Manager.

The Job ID Number is automatically generated when invoking the Job Manager. This number is displayed in the Post Process dialog and also in the NC Report dialog when they are invoked from the Job Manager.

The Job Name can be entered in the Post Process and NC Report dialogs. This name is used in the Job Manager dialog, where it can be edited (the name can also be defined in the Job Manager itself).

Destination Folder

Set the destination folder of the post file. Use the adjacent Browse button, if required.

Split output files

Create a single post output file or create multiple output files based on selected criteria. This checkbox is only displayed if splitting is enabled in the Preferences.

If this checkbox is OFF, a single post output file is created.

If this checkbox is ON, multiple output files are created based on selected criteria; the following criteria are displayed:

Split by

Select the criteria by which to split the post processor output files, from the dropdown list of options below.

For each of these options, the post order is as defined in the Sequence pane of the Post Process dialog, after procedure selection and reordering. The post files are split according to the selected criteria, however, only the User-Defined Groups option takes into account the actual groups existing in the Sequence pane.

User-Defined Groups	Split the output files by the user-defined groups created as a result of reordering the procedures. A separate file is created for each group. This is the default option.
Toolpath Folder	Split the output files whenever a toolpath folder is encountered.
Tool Change	Split the output files whenever a tool change is encountered.
UCS	Split the output files whenever different procedure UCS is encountered.
Procedure	Split the output files whenever a different procedure is encountered.

For example, if Toolpath Folder is selected, the number of post processor output files is equal to the number of TP folders.

File Name Start

Define the starting number (for the first file). The default value for this number is set in the Preferences.

Rename files of type

Rename files according to the criteria selected from the following dropdown list of options:

None	Do not rename any files. In this case, the File Name and File Extension fields are grayed out and the default file name is used. The resulting file name is displayed in a non-editable field.
G-Code files only	Rename only the G-Code files. Set the File Name and File Extension fields as required. The resulting file name is displayed in a non-editable field.
All output files	Rename all output files. Set the File Name and File Extension fields as required. The resulting file name is displayed in a non-editable field.

File Name

Set the post file name. The resulting file name is displayed in a non-editable field.

File Extension

Set the post file name extension. The resulting file name is displayed in a non-editable field.

The following additional parameter appears in GPP2 Post Process dialog and also in the NC Report (Standard):

Reference UCS

This field displays the settings as defined in the NC Setup; this can be changed if required.

Define the Reference UCS on which the current operation is to be based from a dropdown list of all the UCSs in the current ELT file.

This Reference UCS enables you to define a different UCS as required; for example, when a different clamping situation is necessary, typically "Machining from TOP" and "Machining from BOTTOM".

ExampleExample

In the example below, the orange surface will be machined from above and the green area from the side. Because it is machined from another orientation, the green surface toolpath has different motion limits, which are based on its own separate UCS.

The Reference UCS is also important in the posting process where it defines the reference point and reference axes direction for the whole posting process. All other UCS's and tool points are defined relative to the Reference UCS.

The following Reference UCS options are available from the dropdown list:

Setup UCS	Use the NC file setup UCS (the "Machining Coordinate System (MACSYS)") as the reference UCS.
First Proc. UCS	Use the UCS of the first selected procedure as the reference UCS.
Manual Selection	Use any UCS in the current file as the reference UCS. A dropdown list of available UCSs is displayed; select the required UCS.
Active UCS	Use the currently active UCS as the reference UCS.
First TP UCS	Use the toolpath UCS of the first selected procedure as the reference UCS.

For additional information, see GPP2: Reference UCS and the posting process.

In addition, the following parameters appear in the After Completion section of the dialog:

Display G-Code

Select this checkbox to display G-Code, after the Post Process is completed. The G-Code files are created in the destination folder specified in the Post Process dialog.
The software for editing post files is defined in the Preferences > General > General NC.

If only one G-Code file was created, it will be opened; for example:

If more than one G-Code file was created, the destination folder of these files is opened.

The default state for this parameter is unselected.

Keep Simulation Data

Select this checkbox to create simulation data files containing all the required information for the simulation of the Job. These files are created in a subfolder under the destination folder specified in the Post Process dialog. The subfolder name is identical to the G-Code file name (with the exception of an underscore instead of a period before the extension).

The simulators on this data can only be opened via the Job Manager.

This parameter is displayed only if you have a Machine Simulator license. The default state for this parameter is unselected.

A log file is created containing all the information that is displayed in the Output Pane. The log file is created in a subfolder under the destination folder specified in the Post Process dialog. The log file name is identical to the G-Code file name, with the addition of a "log" extension after the G-Code extension. This log file cane be viewed via the Job Manager.

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.