Alphacam V7.5 Release Notes - General
Other Sections
V7.5 Release Notes
Build 7.5.1.165 (Maintenance Release)
Build 7.5.1.158 (General Release)
Build 7.5.0.140 (Distributed Beta Release)
Build 7.5.0.106 (Internal Beta Release)
Alphawindoor 2.0 Release Notes
General Release Notes
New Licensing. 3
Installation. 3
Technical 4
API/Development 5
Extra Cost Options. 8
VBA Add-Ins Removed. 8
New VBA Add-Ins
New Licensing
Alphacam V7.5 uses new software licensing to control which modules and levels may be run.
For more information on licensing, please see the Alphacam V7.5 Licensing document (if applicable), or the Alphacam Quick Start Guide that was shipped with your software.
IMPORTANT: If updating from a version prior to 7.5.1.148 and using a DESkey type dongle, it may be required that your existing license be replaced. Simply follow the same License Request process as was done during the initial V7.5 installation and activation process.
Installation
- KNOWN ISSUE: The version (8.1.0.0) of the Sentinel Network License Manager used by Alphacam conflicts with older versions of the same Sentinel Network License Manager software. Installing this on the same system as an older version can cause other software to stop working.
If an existing version of the Sentinel Network License Manager exists and is being used by any other piece of software, such as the Alphacam Part Modeler (uses version 8.0.2.0), the Sentinel Network License Manager used by Alphacam must be installed onto another system.
- IMPORTANT: DESkey type dongles will no longer be offered and DESkey drivers are no longer installed. However, the new Alphacam licensing system is capable of locking itself to an existing DESkey. The driver installation is provided on Alphacam CD 1, or can be downloaded from the DESkey web site. If these drivers are needed, they must be installed manually after installing Alphacam.
- The install routine no longer asks for the security key type. The necessary drivers for HASP and Sentinel dongles are installed automatically.
- The install routine no longer asks which module level(s) are to be installed. It now asks for only the module type and creates shortcuts respectively; the level is now determined by the license.
- The install routine now sets all required firewall exceptions automatically. There is no longer a need for the user to set these manually prior to installation.
- IMPORTANT (for developers): During installation, previous versions of Alphacam wrote the name and location of the wlsedit.exe (Alphaedit) file to the following registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\wlsedit.exe
Alphacam V7.5 no longer does this. Instead, it writes the name and location of acam.exe (Alphacam) file to the following registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\acam.exe
Technical
- Alphacam V7.5 no longer requires Administrator privileges to run. It is still required for the installation, but not for executing the application.
- New Single Alphacam Executable
Instead of a separate executable file for each of the different modules/levels, there is now a single Alphacam executable – acam.exe. The module and level to be used is now controlled by a command switch within the acam.exe shortcut.
For example, to run the Alphacam Router module, you would use the “/R” switch (e.g., C:\Program Files\ALPHAV75\acam.exe /R).
The Alphacam level to be run is determined by the license being used by the system. If necessary, a specific level can also be specified by attaching the appropriate level number to the module letter within the command switch.
For example, to force the Alphacam Advanced Router module, you would use the “/R3” switch (e.g., C:\Program Files\ALPHAV75\acam.exe /R3). Note that the license must allow the level (or higher) which is being forced.
Alphacam Levels
1 = Basic
2 = Standard
3 = Advanced
4 = Advanced 3D 3-Axis
5 = Advanced 3D 5-Axis
6 = View+
Alphacam Modules
R = Router (Levels 1-6)
M = Mill (Levels 1-6)
T = Turning (Lathe) (Levels 2, 3, 6)
S = Stone (Levels 1-6)
L = Laser (Profiling) (Levels 3, 5, 6)
W = Wire (Levels 2, 3, 6)
C = Alphacad (No Level used for Alphacad)
NOTE: Not all Alphacam Modules utilize all five Alphacam Levels. Attempting to run an Alphacam Module via an invalid Level number usually results in the highest level of that Module being run. This is same as if no level number was specified.
Additional Command Switches (typically for support purposes)
/NoLocalLicense - Do not look for a license on the PC
/NoNetworkLicense - Do not look for a license on the Network
/ReportLicenseErrors - Report all license errors
/ShowLockCodes - Show the lock code for the key (if attached), or the PC if no key is found
- Alphacam software builds are now version based rather than date based. The software version, as well as versions of required DLLs, can be accessed via the Help | About menu item within Alphacam.
API/Development
- IMPORTANT: Nesting Macros and Extensions
AcamNest.dll has a new type library and new methods in the Nesting object. Existing add-ins which references the nesting library must be modified to reference the new nesting type library.
Alphacam Nesting v3.0 Type Library
- Procedure: CreateEventHandler
- Use n.CreateEventHandler instead of New ACAMNESTLib.NestEvents
Dim WithEvents OrderEvent As ACAMNESTLib.NestEvents
Public Sub Init(n As Nesting)
' old
'Set OrderEvent = New ACAMNESTLib.NestEvents
' new
Set OrderEvent = n.CreateEventHandler
n.RegisterEventHandler OrderEvent
- Procedure: CreateExtensionHandler
- Use n.CreateExtensionHandler instead of New ACAMNESTLib.NestingExtension
Dim WithEvents OrderExt As ACAMNESTLib.NestExtension
Public Sub Init(n As Nesting, name As String)
' old
'Set OrderExt = New ACAMNESTLib.NestExtension
' new
Set OrderExt = n.CreateExtensionHandler
n.RegisterExtensionHandler OrderExt
- IMPORTANT: In previous versions, properties were added to the Drawing object to get the interface for the Parametric, Solid and STL add-ins, as a safer alternative to using New or CreateObject or CoCreateInstance. In AlphaV7.5, these properties must be used. This ensures that the correct version of the add-in is used, rather than the most recently-registered one.
Example…
Public Sub WipeSolids()
Dim SF As SolidFeatures
Dim SB As SolidBody
' old
'Set SF As New SolidFeatures
' new
Set SF = App.ActiveDrawing.SolidInterface
For Each SB In SF.Bodies
SB.Delete
Next SB
Set SB = Nothing
Set SF = Nothing
End Sub
- Add-In DLLs are now loaded from the Applications7500 registry key, per the following example:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\LicomSystems\aroutaps\Applications7500
- Running Alphacam from Other Programs
Alphacam can be run from other programs using COM as before, with one difference: the level that is run will depend on the license available, not the name specified in the CreateObject call.
For example, in VB6/VBA:
Dim Acam As AlphaCAMRouter.App
Set Acam = CreateObject("aroutaps.application")
…will run the highest level of Router available, eg ar5axaps (5-axis Router) if a license is available.
If a level lower than the license is required, set the registry entry:
ProgramLevel
…under the key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LicomSystems\Acam\COM
…to a numeric (DWORD) value:
1 = Basic
2 = Standard
3 = Advanced
4 = Advanced 3D 3-Axis
5 = Advanced 3D 5-Axis
6 = View+
Alphacam will set it to zero (use default level) after reading it.
For example, from VB.Net:
Imports Microsoft.Win32
Dim Rk As RegistryKey
Rk = Registry.CurrentUser.CreateSubKey("SOFTWARE\
LicomSystems\Acam\COM", RegistryKeyPermissionCheck.ReadWriteSubTree
Rk.SetValue("ProgramLevel",AlphaCAMRouter.AcamLevel.acamLevelPROUTAPS,RegistryValueKind.DWord)
See …\ApiV7.5\VB.Net\RunAcam on the CD for an example program.
For a C++ example, see …\ApiV7.5\VisualCPP\RunAcam on the CD.
When calling Alphacam from .Net the Alphacam exe may be left in memory due to the way the .NET Garbage Collector works.
To avoid this, add the following when the Alphacam object (e.g. Acam) is finished with:
' The following 4 lines make .NET release the Alphacam object, otherwise Alphacam stays in memory
Acam = Nothing
System.GC.Collect()
System.GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
System.GC.Collect()
Extra Cost Options
- A Dealer license will run all Extra Cost Options. Otherwise, a license is needed for each option.
- Try Before You Buy option is now accomplished via a time limited license.
VBA Add-Ins Removed
- Length of Geometry
- This information is now visible within the Project Manager Property Grid
- Element Properties
- This information is now visible within the Project Manager Property Grid
- Edit Surface Toolpaths
- This can now be done via the Quick Edit feature
New VBA Add-Ins
- Advanced Rotate (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will rotate a selected object to make it horizontal, vertical, or aligned to another geometry or point. A new item is added to the Edit -> Move, Copy pop out menu as well as a button to the Edit toolbar.
- Break at Distance (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will break a path at a given distance, with the option break continuously along the entire path. There is also an option to break into equal segments. A new item is added to the Edit -> Break, Join pop out menu as well as a button to the Edit toolbar.
- Fast Work Volume (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command provides a variety of features to help with Work Volume creation and editing. A new item is added to the 3D menu as well as a button to the 3D toolbar. A new Select Standard Plane toolbar is also created.
- Fill Area with Holes (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will create a matrix of holes within a selected area (closed geo). A new menu item is added to the Geometry -> Special Geometries pop out menu as well as a button to the CAD Geometry toolbar.
- Insert Image (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will insert an image, with proportional dimensions, into the active drawing. A new menu item is added to the File menu as well as a button to the File toolbar.
- Save Solid Bodies to Files (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will create a new file for each solid body (if exists) within the active drawing. A new menu item is added to the File menu.
- Scale Geometry Z Levels (Developed by Licom Italy)
- This command will create scale all previously assigned Z levels for the selected geometries. A new menu item is added to the Edit -> Move, Copy pop out as well as a button to the Edit toolbar.
© Planit 2008
