# Hybrid ATC/Manual Tool Change

**URL:** <https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/hybrid-atc-manual-tool-change/38613>\
**Category:** Feature Request\
**Created:** [May 3, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/hybrid-atc-manual-tool-change/38613 "2026-05-03T17:42:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SamuelBarker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/samuelbarker/32/34838_2.png) [@SamuelBarker](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/SamuelBarker)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/hybrid-atc-manual-tool-change/38613/1 "2026-05-03T17:42:36Z")

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When a tool is commanded that is not loaded in the ATC while in automatic tool change mode the program fails. This is detailed here: [Easy ATC Software Beta for Realtime Controller (Official FAQ) - #27 by enyegaard](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/easy-atc-software-beta-for-realtime-controller-official-faq/38210/27) .

Detecting that a specific tool is not loaded in the ATC and switching to a manual tool change prompt would allow the use of more than 4 tools (edge case, I know) and prevent inadvertent program failure mid-program.

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**Author:** ![SamuelBarker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forum.onefinitycnc.com/samuelbarker/32/34838_2.png) [@SamuelBarker](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/u/SamuelBarker)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.onefinitycnc.com/t/hybrid-atc-manual-tool-change/38613/2 "2026-06-22T19:00:45Z")

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Following up on this — the core of the request shipped in the 1.5.9 ATC release and is working well as of 1.5.14. Tested a file that calls tools not assigned to an ATC slot: at the `Tn M6`, the machine moves to the manual tool-change position and prompts for the swap, then carries on. Exactly what I was after. Thanks for building it.

One gap still open: the manual **swap** command in the UI errors with “tool not assigned an ATC slot” when the requested tool is at ATC 0 / Slot 0, instead of falling back to the same manual-change prompt the M6 path now uses. Would be great to get that parity in the UI commands too.