Insert mode vs command mode

There are two basic modes of operation in the editor: insert and command. Briefly, they are as follows:
Insert mode allows you to type your part program lines onto the screen and into the buffer.
Command mode allows you to use all of the editor commands, such as LIST, DELETE, TOP, etc. In command mode, a command queue similar to that available to you on the Front Page can be used. By pressing the UP and DOWN arrows on the keyboard, the last 20 commands can be recalled and reissued. This can be very useful when doing repetitive editing. Command line editing (other than deleting from the end of the line) is not supported by the editor. The insert mode will cause the screen to appear as described in the above figure, or the following figure. To enter insert mode, type the insert command, described later in this chapter, and the prompt displays as a block number, followed by the cursor. In insert mode, anything you type after the prompt will become part of your file. When you have finished typing a coordinate or other part program line, press the RETURN key. Another block number will appear just below the first. Each time you type a line and press the RETURN key, the editor will display the next sequential number on the next line. When you want to stop entering data, respond to the prompt by pressing the RETURN key. This will take the editor out of insert mode, and return you to command mode.

Block numbers

The following figure shows a portion of a part program with a block number to the left of each block. Notice that the numbers are whole numbers followed by a period. These block numbers are not part of the commands. They are assigned to your program by the editor to keep track of each block. These numbers enable you to search through the text, add or delete blocks, insert blocks from other files, and do other kinds of editing of the text. When you insert text into an existing file, each inserted block is assigned a sequential number, preceded by a period. These inserted blocks are extensions of the block number where you began inserting. The figure shows how two blocks are inserted at block six, and the next figure shows how the inserted blocks would appear after relisting the file from the beginning.

The pointer

When you are editing text, the editor keeps track of your location in the file. The editor does this through something called a pointer. The pointer keeps track of the address of the block you are working on. The pointer is not the same as the cursor on the screen, although often they are at the same block. The pointer is an invisible device. When you load a file into the editor, the pointer is at the first block in the file. The cursor is at the prompt at the bottom of the page. If you use the insert command ("I"), described later in this chapter, the prompt will become a block number as we described earlier. The cursor and the pointer are now at the same block.

Using the editor commands

The editor uses a special set of commands, called editor commands, which allow you to manipulate blocks of text in the edit buffer. Editor commands are used just for the editor and have nothing to do with part program commands. When you are in the editor, only editor commands are recognized. All editor commands are used in the command mode. When you use them, the editor remains in the command mode. The exception to this is the insert command which puts the editor into insert mode.
Editor commands can be separated into eight groups:
o Buffer movement commands o Change command o Delete command o Find command o Insert command o List command o Replace command o Miscellaneous commands Most of these command groups are actually individual commands by themselves. However, each has many variations. Each of the commands is described as follows:
o What the command is used for o How to type the command o What options are available to you o Examples of proper usage

Quotation marks

Some of the commands used with the editor allow you to search for specific text, or to add, delete, or replace text. Generally the format of the command is: COMMAND,"text", using single quotation marks. Double quotation marks are also allowed, as long as you enclose the text in either single or double. Do no start the text with a single and end with double, or vice versa.

Buffer movement commands

Buffer movement commands are a set of different commands which move the pointer through the buffer. They don't affect any data in the buffer, but they do change the address of the pointer. These commands assist you in using all the other editor commands properly and efficiently.
The buffer movement commands are as follows:
T Top of buffer
T stands for TOP. Use this command to quickly move the pointer to the top of the file. The pointer will move to the first block of the file, regardless of where it was before the move.
Type a T and press the RETURN key. The editor will display the following:
0.>
E End of buffer
E stands for END. Use this command to quickly move the pointer to the end of the edit buffer. The pointer will move to the last block in the buffer, regardless of where it was before the move.
Type an E and press the RETURN key. The editor will display something like the following:
1576. M30 1576.>
+n Move forward in buffer
Moves the pointer down in the buffer. In place of "n", type the number of blocks you want to move forward and press the RETURN key. The pointer will move and the new block will be displayed on the screen.
Example of usage:
Move the pointer to the fourth block in the buffer:
1576.> T 0.> +4 4. X05382Y07062 4.>
-n Move backward in buffer
Moves the pointer up in the buffer. In place of "n", type the number of blocks you want to move backward and press the RETURN key. The pointer will move and the new block will be displayed on the screen.
Example of usage:
Move the pointer to the next to last block in the buffer:
4.> E 1576. M30 1576.> -1 1575. M08 1575.>
n Move to line number
Entering a line number directly, followed by RETURN causes the system to move directly to the block number specified.
ESC Move backward one line
The ESC (escape) key causes the pointer to move one block up in the buffer, each time it is pressed followed by a RETURN. The new block will be displayed on the screen. This command is the same as typing -1 with the "-n" command above.
RETURN The RETURN key
This key causes different effects, depending on what mode you are in:
In command mode, after you type a command, press the RETURN key and the editor will perform the command. If you have not typed a command, pressing RETURN moves the pointer down one block in the buffer. This if the same as typing +1 with the "+n" command above.
In insert mode, after you have typed a new block, pressing RETURN causes the editor to accept what you have typed. If you have not typed anything in the block, pressing RETURN takes you out of the insert mode.

Change Command

The Change command allows you to modify the text in a block, or multiple blocks, with a single command. Without this command you would have to delete the block(s) are retype it in the insert mode. This command allows you to correct typing mistakes, change pattern names, or edit a block for any other reason. It is especially useful for editing several blocks at the same time. It is possible to make massive changes throughout the entire file with one command. There are five variations of this command. In each variation, the text specified between quotation marks is substituted in place of the text between another pair of quotation marks. The length of the text does not have to be the same. If you want, you can substitute many characters in place of a few, or vice versa. When you substitute extra characters, all the remaining characters to the right of the edit will be pushed to the right. When you substitute fewer characters, all the remaining characters to the right of the edit will move to the left. Additionally, the text may be anywhere in a block, with characters on both sides. The Editor will affect only the text you specify, and leave the rest of the block untouched. Whenever you use a change command, the changed block(s) will be displayed on the screen.
The five variations of the Change command are as follows:
C,"txt1"txt2" Single block Change
Substitutes txt2 in place of txt1 at the pointer block. If txt1 occurs more than once in the block, only one occurrence will be changed. After typing the command and pressing the RETURN key, the block will be displayed with the new text.
Example of usage: C,"X03"X03261"
This will change the following block
from: X03Y09475 to: X03261Y09475
/txt1/txt2/ Quick Change
This is the Quick Change command. It works the same as the C,"txt1"txt2" command above.
Example of usage: /X032/X067Y142/
This will change the following block
from: T1X032 to: T1X067Y142
C,""text" Change Insert
Inserts text before the first character in the block at the pointer. There are two quotes before the text and one after it. If you type double quotation marks, the command will look like: C,""text".
Example of usage: C,""X200"
This will change the following block
from: Y137 to: X200Y137
C,L,"txt1"txt2" Change Line
Operates the same as the first command, above, except that all occurrences of the text in the pointer block will be changed.
Example of usage: C,L,"T04"T03F200"
C,A,"txt1"txt2" Change All
Substitutes txt2 in place of txt1 for the first occurrence of txt1 in each block, for all blocks within the file being edited.
Example of usage: C,A,"M24"M01"
C/n,"txt1"txt2" Change "n" occurrences on line
Substitutes txt2 in place of txt1 for the number of occurrences you specify in place of n, for the pointer block only.
Example of usage: C/2,"01"02"
This will change the following block
from: G01X013439Y018401 to: G02X023439Y018401
C,A/n,"txt1"txt2" Change "n" occurrences in all blocks
Substitutes txt2 in place of txt1 for the number of occurrences you specify in place of n, for all blocks in the file. This command can be used with macros, discussed later in this chapter, because they will perform automatic substitution throughout the entire edited file.
Example of usage: C,A/1,"X01Y02"X02Y02"
This will change the following sample block
from: X01Y01G85X06Y06 to: X02Y02G85X06Y06
C,"txt1?txt2"txt3" Change with wildcard
Substitutes the text you specify in place of txt3 for any occurrence of text beginning with txt1 and ending with txt2. The question make allows any quantity of characters to occur between txt1 and txt2. This command affects the pointer block only.
Example of usage: C,"C?T"CELLON"
This will change the following block
from: M98,EXCELLENT to: M98,EXCELLON

Delete command

This command allows you to selectively remove (erase) blocks from the file. You may use it to delete one block or a series of blocks, or all blocks containing certain text. When you type the command and press the RETURN key, all the blocks you specified will be permanently deleted from the edit buffer. Blocks which are deleted may not be restored, except by retyping them at the keyboard. If you mistakenly delete a big chunk of blocks in the edit buffer, you can abort (end) the edit session with the FP command, and reload the original input file. NOTE: Deleting large sections of the buffer (several thousand lines) can take a little while. For example, deleting more than 10,000 lines can take over 30 seconds. You'll get a message if this is going to happen.
The FP command is discussed later in this chapter.
There are six variations of the DELETE command, as follows:
D Delete current block
Deletes the block at the pointer. The pointer will move down to the next block.
D,n Delete line "n"
Deletes the block that you specify with a line number in place of "n".
Example of usage: D,63
D,n1,n2 Delete blocks from "n1" to "n2"
Deletes a series of blocks, beginning with the block at line "n1", and ending with the block at line "n2".
Example of usage: D,117,134
D,/n Delete "n" blocks starting at current
Deletes the quantity of blocks you specify in place of "n", beginning with the block at the pointer. For example, you may want to delete the next 10 blocks.
Example of usage: D,/10
D,n1/n2 Delete "n2" blocks starting at "n1"
Deletes the quantity of blocks you specify in place of n2 beginning with the block number you specify in place of n1. For example you may want to delete 20 blocks starting with block number 592.
Example of usage: D,592/20
D,"txt" Delete all blocks containing "txt"
Deletes all blocks from the pointer forward through the end of the buffer which contain the text you specify in place of "txt". The Editor examines each block to determine if it contains the text anywhere in the block, even if there are other characters before and after the text. If the text is found, exactly as you specified, the entire block is deleted from the buffer.
Example of usage: D,"T06"
The following blocks will be deleted:
T06F200S61 T06

Find command

This command is used to search your file for specific text or a block number, and display the block when it is found. When you type the command, specify what the editor is to search for. If the editor finds a match, the block found will display on the screen. The Find command will locate and display only the first matched block. If you want more blocks displayed, you should use the List command (L), described later in this chapter. When you specify a block number, the Editor will locate that block and display it on the screen. If you are looking for specific text, you have the option of finding the first occurrence of that text, or specifying a different occurrence. The Find command will locate the specified occurrence of the text, display it and stop looking. For example, you may have used the G82 command elsewhere in your program. With the Find command you can quickly skip to the G82 block and display it on the screen. Or you may want to locate the second or third occurrence of the G82 command in the program.
There are four variations of the Find command:
F,n Find block number "n"
The buffer will be searched, from beginning to end, looking for the block number specified in place of "n". The Editor will display only one block, if it exists.
Example of usage: F,162
n Find block number "n"
This is a shorthand command to find a block by its block number. The buffer will be searched, from beginning to end, looking for the block number specified in place of "n". The Editor will display only one block, if it exists.
Example of usage: 83
F,"txt" Find Text
The buffer will be searched, from the pointer to the end of the file, looking for the text you specify between the single quotation marks. The Editor examines each block in succession to determine if it contains the text anywhere in the block, even if there are other characters before and after it. If the text is found, exactly as you specified, the entire block is displayed on the screen. The F,"txt" command will locate only one block. Once the block has been found, the Editor stops searching.
Example of usage: F,"T06"
The following block will be displayed:
T06F200S61
nF,"txt" Find "nth" occurrence of text
Searches from the pointer to the end of the file, for repetitions of the text you specify between the quotation marks. In place of "n" in the command, you specify the number of times the text occurs starting from the pointer. The Editor will display the one block which is the nth occurrence of the text. For example, display the second time the G85 command is referred to in the part program:
2F,"G85"

Insert command

This command is used to insert blocks of text into your file. The blocks can be either typed at the keyboard, or inserted from another file outside the edit buffer. The Insert command is a time saver for programmers. You can store Step and Repeat sequences, or part program headers, as separate files on a disk. You can then use the Insert command to insert a copy of one of them into your program. This command has four variations, all of which place the Editor in the Insert mode. To stop inserting, respond to the prompt by pressing the RETURN key. The Editor will return to the command mode. When you insert text into an existing file, each inserted block is assigned a sequential number, preceded by a period. These inserted blocks are extensions of the block number where you began inserting.
The four variations of this command are as follows:
I Insert from keyboard at pointer
Begins inserting blocks between the pointer and the next block in the file. On the screen, the Editor displays a block number followed by the cursor (_). Anything you type after this prompt will become part of your file. When you type text, and press the RETURN key, the prompt moves down one line on the screen, and the next sequential block number appears, ready for typing. Each time you type text and press the RETURN key, the prompt moves down one line. When the prompt nears the bottom of the screen, each block will move up one line (scroll) on the screen, and the top block will disappear. To stop inserting blocks, respond to the prompt by pressing the RETURN key.
I,n Insert at line number "n"
Begins inserting after the block number you specify in place of "n". Otherwise, this command operates the same way as the "I" command above.
I,"file" Insert file at pointer
Inserts a file into the edit buffer starting at the current pointer position. "file" is the name of a device and/or file. The inserted file may come from any of the valid devices on the system, such as paper tape, DNC, hard disk, floppy, or the Ethernet network, depending on how your system is configured. Inserting a large file (over 5,000 lines) will require that the editor line numbers be resequenced. If this happens, you'll get a message to this effect.
Example of usage: I,"HDR12"
I,n,"file" Insert file at line number "n"
Inserts a file after the block number you specify in place of "n". "file" is the name of a device and/or file. Otherwise, this command operates the same way as the "I,file" command above.
For example, to insert a stored pattern after block 186:
I,186,"PATTERN75"

List command

This command is used to display a series of blocks on the screen. You can display the entire file or just small portions of it, or you can display only blocks containing specific text of your choice. After typing each command, press the RETURN key. Up to 18 blocks will be displayed on the screen. If there are more to be displayed, the CNC-7 will prompt you to press the Space Bar to continue with the listing. There are seven variations of the List command. With each variation, the screen will display up to 18 blocks. If there are more to be displayed, a message will appear at the bottom of the screen:
Press the Space Bar and the next 18 blocks will display. Repeat this process until you reach the end of the listing. To stop the listing at any time, press the RETURN key.
The seven variations are as follows:
L List from pointer
All of the contents of the edit buffer, from the pointer to the end of the buffer, will be listed on the screen.
L,A List all of buffer
All of the contents of the edit buffer, from the beginning to the end, will be listed on the screen. The listing will begin with the first block in the edit buffer, regardless of the location of the pointer.
L,n List from line number "n"
All of the contents of the edit buffer, from the block number specified in place of "n", to the end of the buffer, will be listed on the screen.
Example of usage: L,162
L,n1,n2 List from line "n1" to line "n2"
Displays a series of blocks, beginning with the block number you specify in place of "n1", and ending with the block number you specify in place of "n2".
Example of usage: L,142,176
L,/n List "n" blocks starting at pointer
Displays the quantity of blocks you specify in place of "n", beginning with the pointer. For example you may want to display the next 30 blocks.
Example of usage: L,/30
L,n1/n2 List "n2" blocks starting at block "n1"
Displays the quantity of blocks you specify in place of "n2" beginning with the block number you specify in place of "n1". For example you may want to display 30 blocks starting at block 220.
Example of usage: L,220/30
L,"text" List all blocks containing "text"
Displays all blocks, from the pointer to the end of the buffer, which contain the text you specify between the quotation marks. The Editor examines each block to determine if it contains the text anywhere in the block, even if there are other characters before and after the text. If the text is found, exactly as you specified, the entire block is displayed on the screen. L,"text" can be used in place of the F,"text" command described earlier in this chapter. However, it will list all occurrences of the text in the buffer, not just the first.
Example of usage: L,"T06"
The following blocks will be displayed
T06F200S61 T06

Replace command

This command is essentially a combination of the Delete and Insert commands. The Replace command deletes one or more sequential blocks, and then goes into the insert mode where the first block was deleted.
There are four forms of the command as follows:
RP Replace block at pointer
Deletes the block at the pointer. After the deletion, the Editor goes into the insert mode where the pointer block was deleted.
RP,n Replace block number "n"
Deletes the block you specify in place of "n". After the deletion, the Editor goes into the insert mode where the block was deleted.
Example of usage: RP,160
RP,n1,n2 Replace blocks "n1" through "n2"
Deletes the series of blocks you specify, starting at block "n1", and ending at block "n2". After the deletion, the Editor goes into the insert mode where the first block (n1) was deleted.
Example of usage: RP,160,846
RP,n1/n2 Replace "n2" blocks starting at block "n1"
Deletes "n2" sequential blocks, starting at block "n1". After the deletion, the Editor goes into insert mode where the first block (n1) was deleted.
Example of usage: RP,1046/80

Miscellaneous commands

There are several commands available to you with the Editor which do not fit into any of the categories discussed so far. These commands cover a broad range of capabilities. Some of them may prove useful to you while others may not. They are presented below in alphabetical order. Except for the Output command, each of these commands has only one format, as follows:
A,"text" Append text to current line
Appends (adds) text to the end of the block at the pointer. The text will be added to the immediate right of the last character in the block. For example, let's move the pointer to block 327 and add a Y coordinate to it:
SCREEN DISPLAY REMARKS ---------------- --------------- 32.> F,327 The Find command 327. X0538 Block 327 327.> A,"Y07062" The Append command 327. X0538Y07062 Block 327 modified
CLR Buffer clear
This command clears the edit buffer of all text. It will completely erase anything you are working on, so use it with caution. When you type CLR and press the RETURN key, the following will display:
0.>
DONE Edit session complete
This command is used when you are through editing and want to save all your work and leave the Editor. If you did not specify an output file when you entered the Editor, the Editor will assign the same filename as your input. Be aware that this will erase the previous data in the file.
FP Front page (abort)
This is the Front Page command, which will allow you to abort the edit session, exit the Editor, and return to whatever page of the system you came from. This command is useful when you want to examine a file (search for text, etc), and then quit the Editor without making any changes to the file. When you type FP and press the RETURN key, the following message will display:
** Exit without saving changes (Y/N)?
Type Y (for yes) and press the RETURN key. FP erases the edit buffer and any output file that might have been created, and returns to the page the system was on when you entered the Editor. If you want to save what you are working on, do not use this command. Instead, use the DONE command, described above.
HELP Editor Help
This command will display instructions on how to use the editor commands. You may not have this manual available, or you may just want a quick reminder of how to use a command, or what commands are available. When instructions display on the screen, the standard CNC-7 HELP mechanisms are used. These are discussed elsewhere in this manual. Using the HELP system will not affect the edit buffer. When you return to the edit screen, the blocks that were displayed before using HELP will display again. The pointer will also remain where it was.
O,n1,n2,"file" Output blocks "n1" through "n2"
This command is used to copy a portion of the edit buffer to an output device. You specify the first and last blocks (n1 and n2) to be copied, and the device and/or filename ("file"). This command is useful for saving portions of your program that can be used at a later time in another program. The output file may be any of the valid devices on the system, such as paper tape, DNC, hard disk, floppy, or the Ethernet network, depending on how your system is configured.
Example of usage: O,364,578,"SAVEPART1"
This will copy blocks 364 through 578 to a file called SAVEPART1.
O,n1/n2,"file" Output "n2" blocks starting at block "n1"
This output command operates the same as the output command above, except that you specify the number of blocks (n2) to be copied, and the first of these blocks (n1).
Example of usage: O,46/488,"SAVEPART2"
This will copy 488 blocks, starting at block 46 to a file called SAVEPART2.

Editor macros

There are times when an editing job can take a long time to complete. For example, you make have a large program that requires editing of blocks throughout the program. It may require that you use several edit commands, each of which has to go through the file, one block at a time. Just imagine typing several commands for each block in a file which contains hundreds or even thousands of blocks. This is where macros come into the picture. Macros are small programs which automate a series of edit commands. You create the macro by typing edit commands in the order you want them to be carried out. When you start the macro running, you will be able to walk away from the CNC-7, and come back later when the macro is finished editing. Macros have limited use in the Editor, but are very powerful in Edit Convert which is discussed later in this chapter. In the Editor, macros can be used for the following types of operations:
o Swap the X and Y axes of part programs o Convert Format 1 commands to Format 2
Macros are especially valuable when you have editing work to do throughout your part program. With macros you can type the editing commands in any order, as long as they don't interfere with the operation of the next editing command. Edit Convert provides you with all the macro features discussed in this section, as well as much more powerful features not discussed here.

Creating macros

There are two kinds of macros:
o Internal edit session o External file
Both of them are created in the Editor. You can create an internal macro which will last only as long as your editing session, or you can create a macro file and store it externally on a disk drive. They both work the same way, but the one stored on the disk drive can be used at a later time to edit another file. The internal macro is erased when you leave the Editor. For all practical purposes, edit macros can be of any size. Memory is allocated dynamically by the system, freeing you from concerns about memory availability. Any of the Editor commands may be included in the macro, except for the macro commands M, MA, MD, nM, and *M. Any commands which produce messages are also not allowed.
External Macros:
An external macro is created by typing a series of editing commands and storing them on the disk drive. The procedure is the same as you would use for creating a part program. Enter the Editor from the Files and Programs page and enter your own macro file name when asked for the file name. Enter insert mode with the edit command "I", and type in all of the edit commands required. When you are through, type DONE followed by a RETURN to store the file. Only edit commands may be used in this file. If you already have a part program loaded into the editor, you can type the editing commands in the insert mode, use the output command (O) to save them on the disk drive, and then delete the inserted blocks from the edit buffer.
Internal Macros:
When a macro is created with the MA command, discussed below, it cannot be stored on a disk drive. It is for temporary use and can be used only while you remain in the Editor. When you leave the Editor with the FP or DONE command, the macro will be erased and cannot be restored. Only one macro can exist in the editor at one time. If you create a second, the first will be erased. If you are editing a file and load a macro file from a disk drive, the internal macro will be erased.

Macro commands

There are five macro commands which are used to create, list, load, and run your macros, as follows:
MA Create macro from keyboard
This command is used to create an internal macro after you have loaded a file into the Editor for editing. Type MA and press the RETURN key. The next block on the screen will begin with the prompt, as follows:
5.>MA M:
The Editor is ready for you to type editing commands. When you type a command and press the RETURN key, another M: prompt will appear below the first. When finished creating the macro, respond to the M: prompt by pressing the RETURN key. The Editor returns to the command mode and the macro is available whenever you wish to use it. You may use other edit commands to edit the file in the edit buffer, without affecting the macro. If you discover a mistake in the macro, you must retype the entire macro. You cannot edit a block in the macro, unless the macro is stored on a disk drive.
MA,"file" Load macro from disk file
This command is used to load a macro from a disk file. Once loaded, the macro performs just as if it was typed from the keyboard, except that you don't have to do the typing.
MD Display macro
This command is used to display your completed macro on the screen. You may use this command in the command mode at anytime during a regular editing session. When the listing is complete, the Editor displays a command mode prompt.
M Execute macro one time only
This command starts running the macro and performing the edit commands within the macro. After typing M, press the RETURN key. Each command in the macro will be performed once, in the same sequence that it appears in the macro. When the last edit command is completed, the macro stops running and the Editor returns to command mode.
nM Execute macro "n" times
This command performs the macro as many times as you specify in place of "n". The command edits your file in the same manner as the M command.
*M Execute macro repeatedly
This command edits your file in the same manner as the M command, performing the macro repeatedly until it reaches the end of the file. NOTE: While executing a macro the system will write the converted blocks of the file out to the CRT. On very large files this can significantly slow down the actual macro processing. The dilemma is that this output may be required if you have to correct problems with the macro, but the output only slows you down once the macro is shown to work. To correct this, the editor macro processing allows you to "turn off" the output to the CRT by using the control code CONTROL-O (not zero). This will stop the macro from displaying any of the output, speeding up the macro processing. A twirling status indicator is displayed while the macro runs. If you wish to check on the progress of the macro, you can enter CONTROL-O again to reenable the display, and then enter CONTROL-O again to silence it. CONTROL-C can be used at any time during macro execution to terminate the operation of the macro and return to the command line.

Examples of Editor Macro Usage

This section shows you how to create a macro and how to use it. We provide you with several examples, but the possibilities are much more than we can show you here. You will need to experiment on your own to discover the full potential of the macro. The examples show the prompts (M: or >) which appear on the screen. To the right of the command is a description. This is included as an illustration only and is not part of the command.
EXAMPLE NUMBER 1 - Creating and running an internal edit session macro to convert part program Format One commands to Format Two. This example shows how some of the commands can be converted.
5.> MA Create a temporary macro M: C,"M70"M71" Convert Inch command M: C,"M24"M01" Convert End of Pattern command M: C,"M26"M02" Convert S&R offset command M: C,"M27"M08" Convert End of S&R command M: +1 Move to the next line M: End of the macro 5.> MD Display the macro C,"M70"M71" C,"M24"M01" C,"M26"M02" C,"M27"M08" +1 5.> T Go to the top of the file Screen displays this message 0.> *M Start the macro running
The MA command is entered from the Editor command mode and puts the Editor into the macro definition mode. You will be prompted with the characters M: instead of the normal Editor prompt of >. At the prompt start typing the command. When you have completed the command, press the RETURN key. Another M: prompt will appear below the last. When you have completed typing all commands, and another prompt appears, press the RETURN key to exit the macro definition mode and return to the Editor command mode. From here you can list the macro commands on the screen with the MD command, and proofread them for accuracy. Before you start the macro running, keep in mind that it will start from wherever the pointer is located. If you want a macro to convert an entire file, you must use the T command to move to the top of the buffer, as in the above example. The macro will perform the first command it finds, which converts any M70 characters in the first block to M71 characters. If M70 characters are not found in the block, no conversion will take place. The macro then moves to the next command and converts any M24 characters in the first record to M01 characters. This process continues until the +1 command is encountered. This command tells the Editor to move to the next block in the buffer and perform the above commands all over again on that block. If there are no more blocks, move to the next command, end the macro, and return to the Editor command mode.
EXAMPLE NUMBER 2 - Creating and running an internal edit session macro to swap X and Y axes of a part program.
5.> MA Create a temporary macro M: C,"X"Q" Rename all X's to Q's M: C,"Y"X" Rename all Y's to X's M: C,"Q"Y" Rename all Q's to Y's M: +1 Move to the next line M: End of the macro 5.> MD Display the macro C,"X"Q" C,"Y"X" C,"Q"Y" +1 5.> T Go to the top of the file Screen displays this message 0.> *M Start the macro running
This macro performs exactly the same way as the previous example, except that it edits different characters. Swapping X and Y axes requires an extra step of converting the X's to Q's (or you could convert Y's to Q's). This is done because if you convert the X directly to a Y, the next command will convert the Y to an X. All of your XY coordinates will become XX coordinates and the part program will be useless. The first command changes all X's to Q's. If a block looked like X046Y116 it will now look like Q046Y116. The next command will change all Y's to X's, and the block will now look like Q046X116. Lastly, the Q's will be changed to Y's, and the block will now look like Y046X116. The X and Y axes have now been swapped.
EXAMPLE NUMBER 3 - Creating and running an external edit session macro to swap X and Y axes of a part program. This example shows you how to create a macro in the Editor, store it to disk, load your part program into the Editor, and run the Macro.
EP,XYSWAP Enter the Editor with a blank screen and create a file called XYSWAP for storing your macro. Screen displays this message 1. C,"X"Q" Rename all X's to Q's 2. C,"Y"X" Rename all Y's to X's 3. C,"Q"Y" Rename all Q's to Y's 4. +1 Move to the next line 5. End of the macro 5.> T Go to the top of the file Screen displays this message 0.> L Display the macro on the screen 1. C,"X"Q" 2. C,"Y"X" 3. C,"Q"Y" 4. +1 5.> DONE Exit the Editor and store the macro
EP,PARTFILE Enter the Editor using a part program file called PARTFILE 0.> T Go to the top of the file Screen displays this message 0.> MA,"XYSWAP" Load the macro into the Editor 0.> *M Start the macro running 5.> DONE Exit the Editor and store the macro
The above method takes longer to create than would an internal session macro. However, once it is created and stored, it does not have to be created again. If you are converting several part programs, or if the conversion macros you create are used often, the external macro can be a great time saver. With just two commands you can load and run the macro:
MA,"XYSWAP" *M

Edit Convert

Edit Convert is an expanded form of the Editor which provides you with the following capabilities:
o All the features of the Editor o Expanded set of commands Edit Convert works the same as the Editor in most respects: File selection, edit buffer usage, typing rules, Editor commands, etc. But it does not work the other way around, Edit Convert commands will not work in the Editor. This section provides you with a discussion of Edit Convert and its expanded set of commands. The discussion includes:
o Starting and ending Edit Convert sessions o The purpose of each command o Using edit macros to save you time o Modifying files

Entering Edit Convert

Entering Edit Convert is almost the same as entering the Editor. You can enter it from any page displayed on the screen (if you use keyboard commands), or you may use the "Edit Convert" button located on the File Utilities page. Use "Edit" to enter the Editor, or "Edit Convert" to enter Edit Convert.
The Edit Convert keyboard command is "EC,filename". After entering the Edit Convert command either from the keyboard or from the touchscreen, a series of setup questions will be displayed on the screen. These questions ask you to supply information needed by Edit Convert about your file, which the system needs, but cannot figure out for itself. The screen display will look like the following:
Format (1/2)? Input File: 1=Inch 2=Metric (1/2)? 1=Leading zeros 2=Trailing zeros (1/2)? 1=Incremental 2=Absolute (1/2)? Output file: Same as input file (Y/N)? 1=Inch 2=Metric (1/2)? 1=000.000 2=0000.00 3=000.00 (1/2/3)? 1=Leading zeros 2=Trailing zeros (1/2)? 1=Incremental 2=Absolute (1/2)? Above entries correct (Y/N)? Each question is presented in multiple choice form. The possible answers are displayed in parenthesis, e.g.: (1/2). The cursor first appears next to the INCH/METRIC question under INPUT FILE. There are two acceptable answers for this question, 1 or 2. Type a 1 or 2 and press the RETURN key. The cursor will move to the next question. If you type a number other than the possibilities listed, the computer will ask the same question again and again until you enter a correct response. The first question under OUTPUT FILE asks you if the output file format is to be the same as the input file format. If you want the coordinates of the input and output files to be in the exact same format, answer Y for YES. The computer will skip the next four questions because they are not needed. The last question on the screen is your safety check in case you typed the wrong answer to one of the previous questions. If you type N and press the RETURN key, the computer will erase all of your answers and go through the questions again. If you type Y and press the RETURN key, the computer will begin reading your input file into the edit buffer. As with the Editor, no changes to the file occur at this point, the file is merely read in. After reading, the first 18 lines of the file will be displayed on the screen. The file is now ready for editing with Editor or Edit Convert commands or macros.

Edit Convert commands

There are seven commands unique to Edit Convert. Each of them completely supports Excellon formats 1 and 2. These seven commands are as follows:
o AD - Add offset o CV - Convert o GD - Grid o IO - Incremental offset o N+ - Add or delete sequence numbers o SC - Scale o SW - Swap Axis These commands can be used only in Edit Convert. They will not be recognized by the Editor, NC mode, or Maintenance mode. In addition to these seven commands, all of the Editor commands are available to you, as well as the macro capability. This section will not discuss the Editor commands, because they are described earlier in this chapter. However, you will see examples of how to use Edit Convert commands in macros. All the seven Edit Convert commands, except for CV, have parameters that you can specify with the command. The CV command has no parameters. Instead, it refers back to the options you specified when you entered Edit Convert and answered the setup questions. The Add offset, Grid, and Scale commands will work only with the output file format you specified when entering Edit Convert. This is the selected Excellon format (1 or 2). All of the Edit Convert commands are capable of working on only one block at a time. This block is called the current block, or pointer block. There are no options that allow multiple blocks the way that Editor commands do. There is a good reason for this. These conversion commands are most often used in macros, and the macro command allows you to process multiple blocks, specifying how many blocks are to be worked on. Macros are discussed earlier in this chapter, and Edit Convert macro examples are given later in this chapter.
The details of the seven commands are as follows:
AD,X#Y# Add Offset

Add offset

AD,X#Y#

This command adds an offset to the coordinate in the output file format. You specify the offset in place of # for either X or Y, or both. If you specify an offset for only X or Y, the computer will assume that there is no offset to be added for the other.
Offsets will be entered in the output format (leading zero or trailing zero, Inch/Metric) that you specified upon entering Edit Convert. Decimal points are accepted.
This command can be used to drill the PC board in a different location on the panel to make better use of the material, to move part or all of the pattern, or to correct a mistake that placed the board in the wrong location on the panel.
Example of usage: AD,X015Y01
In INCH mode, this command adds 1.5 inch to all X coordinates, and 1.0 inch to all Y coordinates. This will change the following block
from: X02Y03 to: X035Y04
CV Convert

Convert input to output format

CV

This command converts the current block into the output format you specified when entering Edit Convert. This conversion process includes leading and training zeros, Inch/Metric, Absolute and Incremental.
The CV command must be used before the Add offset, Grid, and Scale commands. These commands perform arithmetic operations on Excellon format (output format) only.
Example of usage: CV
Input file is Metric with trailing zero, output file is to be Inch with leading zero. CV will convert the block
from: X1514Y2579 to: X005961Y001016
GD,# Grid

Grid

GD,#

This command rounds off the X and Y values of the coordinate to the nearest grid value. You specify the grid spacing in place of #. The spacing may be expressed as a value or a fraction (e.g.: 0.3333 and 1/3 are roughly equivalent).
The grid is established at work zero. If you want to establish the grid elsewhere, set the grid at work zero and then add an offset with the AD command.
This command can be used to eliminate spurious extra digits on the coordinates which may be created during the process of digitizing a pattern. This can be especially valuable when the entire pattern is known to be "on grid".
Example of usage: GD,1/4 or GD,0.25
Either of these two commands will round off the coordinate to the nearest quarter inch as follows:
from: X01013Y912475 to: X01Y0125
IO(,X#Y#) Incremental offset

Incremental offset

IO,X#Y#

This command is used when you are converting incremental part program coordinates to absolute, or vice versa. IO allows you to specify the starting value for the incremental offset accumulator, or to display its current value. The incremental offset accumulator is set to zero when you enter Edit Convert.
IO with no parameter allows you to display the current value of the incremental offset as follows:

IO followed by an XY coordinate allows you to preset the incremental offset so that you can control the conversion of the first block from incremental to absolute or the other way around.
When converting to absolute from incremental, each coordinate generated will be equal to the previous value of the incremental offset plus the incremental input coordinate, and then the generated value is loaded back into the incremental offset.
When converting to incremental from absolute, each coordinate generated will be equal to the absolute input coordinate minus the previous value of the incremental offset. The absolute coordinate is then loaded into the incremental offset.
N+ or N- Sequence numbers

Sequence numbers

N+ or N-

Part programs for Excellon machines do not need sequence numbers (block numbers). The Editor adds sequence numbers to a file only when the file is in the Editor. When the file is stored, the sequence numbers are not stored with the file.
But this is not the way it has always been. In earlier days of NC drilling, part programs could have sequence numbers permanently assigned to each block. Some users still prefer to use sequence numbers, which are supported by all Excellon controls. The N+ command is used to add sequence numbers to a file. On the other hand, if the part program has sequence numbers, and you don't want them, the N- command removes them.
Sequence numbers start from 0001. Each block is given the next highest sequence number. If a file contains more than 9999 blocks, Edit Convert will number the 10,001st block as 0001, the 10,002nd as 0002, etc. This means that you will have to use some care in editing large files, because you might have duplicate N-type sequence numbers in different parts of the file.
As soon as you type N+ or N-, Edit Convert immediately adds or removes sequence numbers from each block as it converts the file.
SC,X#Y# Scale coordinates

Scaling coordinates

SC,X#Y#

Sometimes when PC board prints are digitized into XY coordinates, the prints are not to scale. Prints are often made to a larger scale to make them easier to read. If the scale is not adjusted when the digitizing is done, then the created PC board will also be too big.
The Scale coordinates command will correct the coordinates to the correct scale. If you know what scale was involved, you can supply the scale values (factors) in place of # for either or both of the X and Y axes. As each coordinate is converted, the new coordinate is displayed on the screen. It is possible that the X and Y coordinates could each be to a different scale.
As the coordinates are converted, the X coordinate is divided by the value you supply for X#, and the Y coordinate is divided by the value you supply for Y#. For example, if the coordinates were digitized at twice the size of the actual PC board, use a value of two. The coordinate will be divided by two and the new coordinate created by Edit Convert will be to the correct scale.
The range of acceptable scale factors is from 0.0010 to 30.0000 in increments of 0.0001.
The Scale coordinates command will scale down all drilling and routing coordinates and dimensions. This includes all X and Y coordinates, as well as the routing commands I, J, and A.
SW,X+Y+ Swap axis

Swap axis

SW,X#Y#

Under the subject of Editor Macros was an example of how to use the Change command to swap the X and Y axis in a part program. The Swap axis command does the same job, but is more powerful and flexible than the Change command.
The Swap axis command will swap + and/or - signs to create mirror images. In Excellon format, the I and J values in routing do not have to be swapped. You do have to supply the + and - signs to indicate how you want the output file to appear.
Edit Convert will swap the position of the X and Y axes, but leave the coordinate value in place. For example, if you type SW,Y+X+, a block will be changed
from: X4467Y3162 to: X3162Y4467
If signs are being changed, they are changed first before the X and Y swap occurs. As soon as the swap is complete, the new coordinate will be displayed on the screen.

Edit Convert macros

Edit Convert macros operate the same as Edit macros. You can use internal or external macros, and you can create and run them in the same way as with the Editor. The big difference is the commands which can be used in Edit Convert vs the Editor. The Editor will not run Edit Convert commands, but Edit Convert will run the commands used in the Editor. This makes Edit Convert much more powerful.
Examples of Edit Convert macro usage: The section on Editor macros shows you how to create a macro and how to use it. We will not duplicate that information here but we do provide you with examples of Edit Convert macros. As with Editor macros, the possibilities are much more than we can show you here. You will need to experiment on your own to discover the full potential of the macro as it applies to your application. The examples show the prompts (M: or >) which appear on the screen. To the right of the command is a description. This is included as an illustration only and is not part of the command.
Example No. 1 - Creating and running an internal Edit Convert macro to swap the X and Y axes and add sequence numbers.
>MA Create a temporary macro M:SW,Y+X+ Swap axes M:N+ Add sequence numbers M:+1 Go to next line M: End of the macro >MD Display the macro SW,Y+X+ N+ +1 >T Top of the file >*M Start the macro running
Example No. 2 - Creating and running an internal Edit Convert macro to convert Inch to Metric, remove sequence numbers, and scale the Y axis. It is assumed that the setup questions are answered to set up for input in Inch, and Output in Metric.
>MA Create a temporary macro M:CV Convert to output format M:N- Remove sequence numbers M:SC,X1.0Y1.001 Scale the Y axis M:+1 Go to next line M: End of the macro >MD Display the macro CV N- SC,X1.0Y1.001 +1 >T Top of the file >*M Start the macro running