QUICK CODE January 2003

3.28 V ISUAL Q UICK C ODE

Visual Quick Code (VQC) is a graphical editor made to help simplify programming for commonly made, simple
parts. Given a standard part template and a set of dimensions, a program is created.

Quick Start Guide

1. Before starting VQC, if you wish to insert G-code to an existing program, open your program in the
Advanced Editor and place the cursor at the “;” (End of Block) where the new program will be
added.

2. In Edit mode, press the PRGRM/CONVRS key three times to enter VQC. You can also enter VQC
by using the pull-down menus in the Advanced Editor under HELP. After entering you will see a
mostly empty screen with a list of words or short phrases on the right. These are the part catego-
ries.

3. Using the up and down arrow keys, select the part category you want, then press WRITE. Part
templates will be seen in the large square area.

4. Using the up, down, left and right arrow keys, select a part template and press WRITE or press
CANCEL to return to the category selection screen (step 3). Pressing WRITE (on the part tem-
plate) will display an enlarged image of the selected part in the large square area including vari-
ables identifying the part dimensions.

5. Enter the data for the part. NOTE: Z0 will typically be 0, and the other Z values will typically be
negative. R and C values are used to specify the radius or chamfer of a corner.

6. When the last value is entered, the control will open a window diplaying 4 options.

A) SELECT/CREATE A PROGRAM
If selected, another window will open prompting the user to select a program name. Simply
highlight the desired name and press WRITE. This will cause VQC to output to the selected
program. If the program already contains G-code, VQC will output to the beginning before the
existing G-code and will not pass any M30s. The user also has the option to CREATE a new
program by simply entering a program name using ‘O’. Then by simply pressing WRITE again will
cause VQC to output to the newly created program.

B) ADD TO CURRENT PROGRAM

If selected, the G-code generated by VQC will be inserted at the last position of the cursor within a
program before entering VQC. If the program was empty, then any M30s. in the G-CODE section of
the VQC template will be passed into the program. If the program contained anything, then NO
M30s. will be passed.

C) MDI
If selected, the newly created VQC G-code will output to MDI. Note: Anything that may be in MDI
will be overwritten.

D) CANCEL
If selected, the window will close and the focus returns to the parameter list. Note: the UNDO and
CANCEL keys also perform this operation.

Check the program that was created, for example, run the program in graphics mode and check the tool paths.
Verify the tool offsets, and run the preliminary part using reduced feeds.

Note: Tool Nose Compensation may be applied, if so all Tool Nose Compensation
rules will be used, refer to the Tool Nose Compensation section for complete
details.

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V ISUAL Q UICK CODE INTRODUCTION

Starting
You have the choice of either starting from scratch by creating a new empty program; or use VQC to insert
code into an existing program. To insert into an existing program, select the program, enter Advanced Editor
and position the cursor at the “;” (end of block) where you want the new code to be inserted after.

If you choose to start with a new program, VQC will end the program with an M30 (program end and rewind), if
it exists in the template.

VQC will not end the code with an M30 if it is inserted into an existing program. Regardless if there is an M30
in the template (this is to prevent unwanted or multiple M30s).

To start Visual Quick Code (VQC) enter Edit mode then press the PRGRM/CONVRS key three times. Another
way to use the pull down menus in the Advanced Editor under HELP.

The ability to load different templates is useful for users wanting to try templates without the need of making
the template name 9997 or deleting an older template. By pressing the F2 key, a window will open prompting
the user to SELECT a template. The default template name which VQC will attempt to load after power up is:
O9997. If O9997 is not found, a window will open prompting the user to load or select a different template.

After a different template has been selected, VQC will remember the selected template while the machine is
powered up. After the power has been cycled, VQC will switch back to the default template file name: O9997. If
the selected program is not a valid VQC template, the message “No Category” will be shown on the lower left
corner of the screen and the Category List will be empty.

Selecting a Category
Use the arrow keys to select the parts category that most closely matches the desired part and press WRITE.
A set of thumbnail illustrations of the parts in that category will appear. These are the part templates for that
category.

VQC (EDIT) O00001 N00000

G01 CHAMFER & ROUND
G71 OUTER DIAMETER
G71 INNER DIAMETER
BEARINGS & SLEEVES
THREADED PARTS
CHUCK JAWS
G05 AXES MOTION

G01 CHAMFER 1

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Selecting a Part Template

Use the arrow keys to select a template on the page. Pressing WRITE will display an outline of the part and
allow the programmer to enter dimensions and other information to make the selected part. Press CANCEL to
return to the list of categories.

VQC (EDIT) O00001 N00000

DIA = ?
Z1
Z1 = ?
K K=?

DIA1

G01 CHAMFER 1

Entering the Data

The control will prompt the programmer for information about the selected part. The data is not checked for
consistency, so be careful to enter the numbers correctly. Once the information is entered, another prompt
displays asking the user where the G-code is to be placed. There are 4 options within this prompt:

1) SELECT/CREATE A PROGRAM
If selected, another window will open prompting the user to select a program name. Simply highlight the
desired name and press WRITE. This will cause VQC to output to the selected program. If the program already
contains G-code, VQC will output to the beginning before the existing G-code and will not pass any M30s. The
user also has the option to CREATE a new program by simply entering a program name using ‘O’. Then by
simply pressing WRITE again will cause VQC to output to the newly created program.

2) ADD TO CURRENT PROGRAM

If selected, the G-code generated by VQC will be inserted at the last position of the cursor within a program
before entering VQC. If the program was empty, then any M30s. in the G-CODE section of the VQC template
will be passed into the program. If the program contained anything, then NO M30s. will be passed.

3) MDI
If selected, the newly created VQC G-code will output to MDI. Note: Anything that may be in MDI will be
overwritten.

4) CANCEL
If selected, the window will close and the focus returns to the parameter list. Note: the UNDO and CANCEL
keys also perform this operation.

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VQC (EDIT) O00001 N00000

DIA = 2.5000
Z1
Z1 = 1.7500
K K = -0.0500

DIA1

All Data Entered.

Program will be
created now.

Correct (Y/N)

Additionally the program will be put into the Advanced Editor in order to double check the program. Verify the
program by first running it in Graphics mode.

Extending Visual Quick Code

The Visual Quick Code system uses program O09997 to generate the icons and questions that the user sees,
and the G code that is produced. Program O09997 consists entirely of comments. The comments contain
keywords that the Visual Quick Code system understands. Some of the keywords are used to divide program
O09997 into sections. The sections are hierarchical, that is the whole program is divided into CATEGORY
sections, a CATEGORY section is divided into part TEMPLATE sections, and a TEMPLATE is divided into
DIAGRAM, PARAMETER, and CODE sections.

Other keywords are used within sections to set the attributes of the object defined in that section. For ex-
ample, within the PARAMETER section, we might see the following lines:
(LABEL G71 O.D. ROUGHING)
(POSITION [20,6])
The first line defines the label, to put on the visual portion of the screen. The label tells the Visual Quick Code
system to print anything following the keyword "LABEL" on the screen. The second line with the key word
"POSITION" tells the Visual Quick Code where the label will be put onto the screen. The following is a com-
plete list of the keywords used by Visual Quick Code.

Other keywords are used within sections to set the attributes of the object defined in that section. For ex-
ample, within the PARAMETER section, we might see the following lines:
(LABEL G71 O.D. ROUGHING)
(POSITION [20,6])
The first line defines the label, to put on the visual portion of the screen. The label tells the Visual Quick Code
system to print anything following the keyword "LABEL" on the screen. The second line with the key word
"POSITION" tells the Visual Quick Code where the label will be put onto the screen. The following is a com-
plete list of the keywords used by Visual Quick Code.

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LIST OF K EYWORDS

Keyword Definition Section

CATEGORY The beginning of a CATEGORY section
END CATEGORY The end of a CATEGORY section
TEMPLATE The beginning of a TEMPLATE section Category
END TEMPLATE The end of a TEMPLATE section Category
DIAGRAM The beginning of a DIAGRAM section Template
END DIAGRAM The end of a DIAGRAM section Template
LINE Specifies a LINE in the DIAGRAM Diagram
DATUM Specifies a DATUM in the DIAGRAM Diagram
ARROW Specifies an ARROW in the DIAGRAM Diagram
CIRCLE Specifies a Circle Diagram
CW Specifies a clockwise arc Diagram
CCW Specifies a counterclockwise arc Diagram
THREAD Specifies a thread in the DIAGRAM Diagram
PARAMETER The beginning of a PARAMETER section Template
END PARAMETER The end of a PARAMETER section Template
LABEL The LABEL attribute of a Parameter Parameters
NO DECIMAL Sets the NO DECIMAL attribute Parameters
ONE PLACE Sets the ONE PLACE attribute Parameters
TWO PLACE Sets the TWO PLACE attribute Parameters
THREE PLACE Sets the THREE PLACE attribute Parameters
FOUR PLACE Sets the FOUR PLACE attribute Parameters
GCODE The beginning of a G-code section Template
END GCODE The end of a Template section Template

The Visual Quick Code system expects the keyword to appear in the Section column. If the keyword appears
in a different area, Visual Quick Code will ignore it, or produce an error message because it mistook the
keyword for one that it expected, and the text following the keyword did not fit into the Visual Quick Code
pattern.

PROGRAMMIMG V ISUAL QUICK CODE

The selections fall into two groups, categories and parts. The programmer first selects, from a list, the type of
machining that will be used, for example, drill/tap, boring, threading. This is the catagory group. Selecting one
of these categories displays an illustrated group of parts. The programmer chooses from these illustrations the
one that most resembles the desired part. Once chosen the control now prompts the programmer for the
dimensions of the parts. Programming code is generated after the programmer enter the dimensions.

Program O09997 is the Visual Quick Code model. The program consists of several Category sections which
define the categories available to the programmer.

The following is a basic outline of program O9997 using a top-down approach, becomming more and more
specific. This is the way that Visual Quick Code is used. First the user sees a list of catagories. After selecting
a category, the user sees a list of parts. After selecting a part, the user sees what dimensions he or she can
specify, and then the G-code is produced.

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%
O09997
(CATEGORY)
...
(END CATEGORY)
(CATEGORY)
...
(END CATEGORY)
(CATEGORY)
...
(END CATEGORY)
(CATEGORY)
...
(END CATEGORY)
%

Each CATEGORY section in turn consists of several TEMPLATE sections. These sections define which parts
are available to the user once a category has been selected.

%
O09997
(CATEGORY)
...
(TEMPLATE)
...
(END TEMPLATE)
(TEMPLATE)
...
(END TEMPLATE)
(TEMPLATE)
...
(END TEMPLATE)
(END CATEGORY)
%

Each TEMPLATE section consists of a DIAGRAM section, a PARAMETER section, and a GCODE section.
The GCODE section is where the programming code is stored, but is missing some values that are entered by
the programmer, via variables.

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%
O09997
(CATEGORY)
...
(TEMPLATE)
...
(DIAGRAM)
...
(END DIAGRAM)
(PARAMETER)
...
(END PARAMETER)
(GCODE)
...
(END GCODE)
(END TEMPLATE)
(END CATEGORY)
%

CATEGORY Section
The Category section is a collection of Part Templates. The necessary items are a beginning, a name, tem-
plates, and an end. CATEGORY marks the beginning of a Category section, and END CATEGORY marks the
end. All of the templates that appear between the beginning and the end of a category belong to that category.
NAME (your category name) should be the first line in the category section. The entered name will appear in
the list of Visual Quick Code categories (this list appears when Visual Quick Code is first started).

Example:
%
(CATEGORY)
(NAME: Parts With Threads)
(TEMPLATE)
...
(DIAGRAM)
...
(END DIAGRAM)
(PARAMETER)
...
(END PARAMETER)
(GCODE)
...
(END GCODE)
(END TEMPLATE)
(END CATEGORY)
%

Part TEMPLATE Section

The Part TEMPLATE section specifies all the information about a typical part. This includes an illustration of
the part and what variables can be entered to machine the part.

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DIAGRAM Section
The DIAGRAM section is the part of the program that creates the part illustration on the screen. The illustration
can be drawn with lines, arcs, and jagged lines that represent threads. This drawing is both for the thumbnail
sketch and the full-sized illustration. The labels that appear on the full-sized version of the part are specified in
the PARAMETERS section (see Parameters description).

DIAGRAM Coordinates
Each of the elements of the diagram must have a starting point and an ending point. The notation is [X,Y]
where X is the horizontal coordinate and Y is the vertical coordinate. The best way to find out what the starting
and ending points should be is to use graph paper. First sketch, on the graph paper, what is to appear on the
screen. Then pick a point on the graph paper to be the origin, [0,0] (Any point will work, as the diagram will be
scaled to fit wherever it is drawn). You can then determine the starting and ending points of all the lines, arcs
(CW or CCW) and threads.

DIAGRAM Elements
The elements that make up a diagrams are lines, arcs (CW or CCW) and Threads. For each element, the
starting point is specified first, then the ending point.

The format for a line is:

(LINE [X1,Y1] [X2,Y2])

The format for a clockwise arc is:

(CW [X1,Y1] [X2,Y2] r)
where r is the radius of the arc.

The format for a counterclockwise arc is:

(CCW [X1,Y1] [X2,Y2] r)
where r is the radius of the arc.

The format for a circle is:

(CIRCLE [X,Y] r)
Where X and Y are the center of the circle, and r is the radius.

The format for a jagged line to represent a thread is:

(THREAD [X1,Y1] [X2,Y2])

NOTE: Arcs (CW or CCW) may only cover 180 degrees, or half a circle. If an arc of more
than 180 degrees is needed, another arc must be used.

PARAMETERS Section
The PARAMETERS section lists all of the parameters that can be used to customize the standard part. Some
of these would be the physical dimensions of the raw material and the part. Others would be tool and offset
information, feed rates, and spindle speeds.

Each parameter begins with “#”, which tells Visual Quick Code that value followed by the “#” will be the name
for a specific variable. The format is:

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(PARAMETERS)
(#your variable name)
(END PARAMETERS)

After a variable (parameter) has been specified, then any attributes of that particular parameter can be speci-
fied.

The POSITION Attribute

If you wish the parameter to appear in the diagram, you must supply a position. The format is (POSITION
[X,Y]), where X is the horizontal coordinate and Y is the vertical coordinate. These coordinates are relative to
the coordinates specified in the DIAGRAM section. Typically, only physical dimensions of the part will have a
POSITION attribute.

Formatting Attributes
Several attributes are used to modify the value entered by the user. This is so that when the PARAMETER is
used in the GCODE section, it will appear correctly. The Format column in the following table shows what
would result from the G code template X#A, if the user enters 1 when asked for the value of parameter A. If
none of the formatting attributes are used, the resulting G code would be X1.

Attribute Format Description

(NO DECIMAL) X1 The value will appear in the final G-code output without a decimal
point. Can be used for spindle speeds, tool numbers and
offsets.
(ONE PLACE) X.1 Numbers entered without a decimal point are automatically
scaled to tenths.
(TWO PLACE) X.01 Numbers entered without a decimal point are automatically
scaled to hundredths.
(THREE PLACE) X.001 Numbers entered without a decimal point are automatically
scaled to thousandths.
(FOUR PLACE) X.0001 Numbers entered without a decimal point are automatically
scaled to ten-thousandths.
If more than one of these attributes are used with a single parameter, the results are not defined.

NOTE: Do not use more than one formatting attribute for a single parameter.

G CODE Section
The GCODE section is responsible for producing the G code necessary to cut the specified part. Similar to the
previous sections of program O09997, the GCODE section consists only of comments. The comments contain
standard programming code, just as a user would type it into the editor, except that the end-of-block marker (;)
is not used within the comments. The other difference is an extension similar to macro variables: in place of a
numeric value, “#” followed by a letter may be entered. The letter represents the variable name of a parameter in
the PARAMETERS section.

For example, one of the lines might be:

(X#A)
Which means, "X followed by the number entered for parameter A." For example, if the user entered 3.5 for
parameter A, the resulting G-code would be

X3.5;

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Remember, the “#letter” combination can be used anywhere a number would be used; this means in expres-
sions, as well as with simple codes. For example, (X [#A - #B]) is valid, as long as both A and B exist in the
PARAMETER section.

NOTE: Be sure to use the parameter formatting attributes to make sure the G-code
that is produced is valid. For example,” T101.;” is not a valid G-code, because
of the decimal point. So if a line in the G-code section reads (T#E), then
parameter E must have the NO_DECIMAL attribute set.

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