V12 compatibility

CAD (Design) Software
1

It seems that Vectric Vcarve 12 can’t read a NGC file, at least as far as the toolpaths I have been trying to create in V12. I was taught that a post processor file rhe file extension .ngc was necessary for running a program on Onefinity machines. As I mentioned last weekend, this has given me the error message “This app cant run on this PC.” Is this a compatibility issue between V12 and Windows? What does V12 run on?
Mark

2

Vectric Design files are .crv or .crv3d. These file types can be opened with Vectric.
Vectric EXPORTS gcode with file types .ngc (or various other gcode extensions). You would not open a .ngc in vectric, as it’s gcode.
When trying to ‘open’ ad .ngc on windows, windows will ask what program it should open in as it’s not a known extension to windows. .ngc files are read only on the Onefinity Controller.

1 Like
3

Thanks for the response. OK, I noticed that I was able to run files I had created in Version 11.5 that had the extension .crv. But when I save the toolpaths in Version 12, the files have the extension .ngc, producing the message “this app can’t run on this PC.” If I save the toolpaths as .crv does the Buildbotics translate them to gcode with .ngc extensions? If I have this right, how do I save the toolpaths as .crv files?

Thanks again.
Mark Addison

4

Hi Mark,

I think I better understand your concerns now.

Think of the NGC files as temporary files.

  1. You create them with SAVE TOOLPATH in Vcarve

  2. You send them to the Onefinity

  3. You run them to carve the wood

  4. You delete them

That’s how it usually goes.

But don’t worry, you haven’t lost your work. If you open the Vectric .CRV file, all your tool paths are still there. You can use the SAVE TOOLPATH command again to create a brand new NGC file. You can do this an infinite number of times. Nothing is lost.

It’s just that once created, an NGC file can’t be changed by Vectric software. If you need to change it, you delete it and create a new one.

It would be better if Vectric renamed the SAVE TOOLPATH command to SAVE COPY OF TOOLPATH as GCODE

Mike

1 Like
5

If I understand this properly, I think the issue is with the file extension “.ngc”. I had a similar issue when I upgraded to V12. The newly created gcode from V12 wouldn’t work on the Masso because of the extension of “.ngc”. I think there was a post on here that referred to changing the “.ngc” code to “.nc”. I did this manually for the first time I saved the gcode, but subsequently the files started saving in the .nc codes. Masso doesn’t like .ngc, so the code whould be saved in .nc.

1 Like
6

Kamran,

Thanks for your response. I have suspected that my problem may have something to do with the file extension. The only files that carried over successfully from V11 to V12 were ones with a ,crv extension. I never figured out how to change the file extension either and always assumed I was stuck with what the software gave me when I saved a toolpath. I am using the BuildBotics controller instead of the Masso, but maybe that doesn’t make any difference. I will try changing the extension to .crv and/or .nc and see what happens.

Mark

7

.crv is the vectric design file (if you think of it as a car, the 'design file ending in .crv is the gas going into the tank)

.ngc is the gcode the design file spits out (think of it as the exhaust a car makes after using the gas)

You can’t put the exhaust into a cars gas tank and the car know what to do with it. It only knows and functions correctly when the gas goes in to the tank.

.ngc will never open in Vectric.

You cannot just ‘change the extension’, similar to how you cannot just rename 'exhaust to the word gas, it’s still exhaust and the car doesn’t know what to do with it.

Hope that helps!

1 Like
8

Thanks for your feedback Mike. I think the issue is with either the file extensions or whatever changes came with Version 12, though compatibility is not supposed to be a problem. I will continue plugging away.
Mark

9

I was able to create a design that I saved on my desktop as a .crv file and create a toolpath successfully by paying attention to the file type I was saving and crossing my fingers (difficult thing to do while typing). Thank you all so much for your advice and encouragement. I’ll run the job tomorrow and let you know if there are any more problems. Have a good evening.
Mark

10

Dang! That’s a great way to explain file extensions… (gas and exhaust), I’m going to use that from now on! I usually just explain that it works like a “One Way” street… if it doesn’t work the first time, double back and go down the street again…

1 Like
11

You are absolutely correct. However I was referring to saving the gcode with the file extension of .nc as gcode saved with the .ngc extension would not work with masso. That was my issue. Of course changing the .crv file extension to .nc or .ngc would not open the file. That would be putting diesel in a gas tank.

1 Like
12

Rename the file with the extension .txt, then it can be read by an app such as notebook. When you want to run it change the extension back to .ngc .

1 Like
13

Thanks to all. I’ve fixed the problem by making sure the file I save on my desktop has the .crv extension. I appreciate all of your suggestions.
Mark

1 Like