CL Data Parsing Functions

The CL data parsing functions provide access to the last CL record read by GENER during normal processing, or from within a macro using the TAPERD or $FGET command. Note that the TAPEWT and CLPUT commands will modify the content of the current CL record.

Each CL record contains a header section and an optional data section. The header section consists of three values, which are the CL record number, CL class code and CL subclass code. These can be accessed using the $FCLREC, $FCLASS and $FSUBCL functions. The size and meaning of the data section varies depending on the record class and subclass. The individual arguments can be accessed using the $FCL function; a list of arguments can be accessed using the $FCLS function; the number of arguments is determined using the $FSIZE function.

Note that GENER supports International Standard ISO 3592 CL data. User’s are encouraged to consult this standard for more information on CL data record formats.

$FCL(n)

Extract an argument from a CL record Returns: Any

The $FCL function returns the value of the nth argument of the data portion of the last CL record read.

$FCLINFO([ALL,TOOL|(ID|CLREC),n)][[,start],end])

Generate CL file map Returns: Sequence

The $FCLINFO function can generate a CL file map showing how the manufacturing process is organized into different operations and how the tools are utilized. When $FCLINFO(TOOL) is called the actions are the same as when calling the $FTLTAB function but the returned sequence is as described below. When $FCLINFO(ALL) is specified (default) the scan collects other information about the CL file in addition to tooling information. The $FCLINFO function returns a sequence as follows:

Index:

Description

1:

the number of collected operations

2:

the Cl record number of the first collected operation

3:

the number of collected tools

4:

not used

5:

not used

6:

$TLTAB location of the first collected tool

…:

$TLTAB location of the following tool

n:

$TLTAB location of the last collected tool

For example, if $FCLINFO([ALL]) is called at the start of the program (e.g., from the Machine Startup macro) as follows:

OPTCOUNT=$FCLINFO()

then later, other data can be retrieved on an operation by operation basis by calling:

OPTDATA=$FCLINFO((ID|CLREC),n)

The OPDATA sequence holds the description of the OPTYPE operation located at ID==n in the last searched CL range. The specified number n must be within the range:

1 <= n <= OPTCOUNT(1)

When CLREC,*n* is specified then the function will return the description of an operation OPTYPE found at the CL record n.

The following information for each scanned operation is provided:

Index:

Description

 1:

ID number of the found operation (1,2,...)

 2:

CL record number of the related OPTYPE command

 3:

CL record number of the next operation (0: not found) [1]

 4:

OPTYPE coded operation type (same as $OPTYPE) [2]

 5:

Calculated operation type: 3, 32, 320, 5 [3]

 6:

Cycle type (same as $CYTYPE)

 7:

CL record number of the first cutting motion in operation

 8:

CL record number of the last cutting motion in operation

 9:

Set to 1 of the last cut is followed by RAPID before a tool change [4]

10:

$TLTAB id of the tool active at the first cut [5]

11:

Operation name [6]

Additional comments concerning the above:

[1]

OPDATA(3) This is the CL record number of next OPTYPE found in CL file following the current operation. The number is <0 if there is no following OPTYPE command.

[2]

OPDATA(4) is the type as coded on command and OPDATA(5) is type based on analysis of motions following operation start. The analysis of operation motions continues until the operation type is fully determined.

[3]

OPDATA(5) Type of operation calculated based on the IJK tool axis vector positions: 3-tool axis is parallel to the Z-axis; 32-tool axis vector is not moving but is not parallel to the Z-axis; 320-there are multiple groups of cutting motion, each group has constant IJK but direction may differ between groups; 5-countinuous multi-axis motions has been detected.

[4]

OPDATA(9) indicates if there is a RAPID GOTO between last cut and the LOADTL or GOHOME command.

[5]

OPDATA(10) returns the $TLTAB() location of the tool active in the operation. “Active in the operation” is considered as the tool active at the first cutting motion in the operation.

[6]

OPDATA(11) holds operation name as declared by OPNAME command preceding OPTYPE command.

The recommended usage is to execute OPCOUNT=$FCLINFO() in the Machine Startup macro. Later, as needed, execute OPDATA=$FCLINFO(CLREC,*cln*) or OPDATA=$FCLINFO(ID,*id*). These will retrieve the information for a particular operation.

Some further notes:

1. The use of variable names OPCOUNT and OPDATA in the examples above is arbitrary; any variable names can be used.

2. The $FCLINFO function is not executed when called from a macro that is being processed while look-ahead is active. However $FCLINFO will be executed when called during $FLOOK processing.

3. The OE operation event macro does not run when $FCLINFO processes an OPTYPE command, since $FCLINFO is simply gathering operational information and not actually processing the operations.

4. $TCLINFO uses the OPTYPE command to recognize operations.

$FCLASS( )

CL record class code Returns: Numeric

Returns the class code of the last CL record read. For ISO standard CL files, the record class is a whole number in units of 1000. GENER recognizes the following class numbers:

Class	Description
1000	ISN number identification
2000	Post-processor command
3000	Circular drive surface description
5000	FROM, GODLTA and GOTO motion
6000	CUT, DNTCUT, CUTTER, INTOL, OUTTOL and TOLER commands
9000	UNITS, MULTAX and TLAXIS commands
13000	Error detected when converting CAM CL file is ICAM binary
14000	FINI record (end-of-file)
15000	Unsegmented circular and spline motion

$FCLREC()

CL record number Returns: Numeric

Returns the record number of the last CL record input.

$FCLS([n1 [,n2]])

Extract multiple arguments from a CL record Returns: Sequence

The $FCLS function returns the values of the arguments n1 (start of record by default) through n2 (end of record by default) of the data portion of the last CL record read. The return value is a sequence.

$FEOF( )

Test for end-of-file in CL data Returns: Logical

If the $FEOF function is called without arguments, it tests the end-of-file status of the input CL file. It returns $TRUE if the current CL record is a FINI record and $FALSE otherwise.

Note that this function can be called with an argument to test for an end-of-file on any unit. See the $FEOF function in “File and Directory Functions”.

$FGET(record [,start [,end]])	Search forwards for a matching CL record Returns: Numeric
$FGETR(record [,start [,end]])	Search backwards for a matching CL record Returns: Numeric

The $FGET function searches forward in the CL file and the $FGETR function searches backward in the CL file, looking for a record that matches the one (or ones) defined by the record argument. Either a single record or a sequence of records can be specified. The order of records in the sequence is not important; the search ends at the first CL record matching any of the listed records. A record can be defined either by its Major word, or by using a string regular expression (RE) that is matched against the ASCII representation of the binary record (i.e., as is shown in the run-time Source window). See the $FEDIT function for a description of RE’s.

The search starts at the current CL file record if the optional parameter start is not specified or is specified as 0 (zero). An $FGET search ends at the end of the CL file or the record designated by end if specified. An $FGETR search ends at the start of the CL file or the record designated by end if specified. The functions return the CL record number of the first matching record. If the function returns 0, no matching record was found.

All of the CL file parsing functions can be used to examine the contents of the record. The TAPEWT function can be used to process the record. These functions do not affect the current CL file location.

Examples:

%L01=$FGET({LOAD,LOADTL,TURRET},0,$FCLREC()+20)

will search the CL file for LOAD, LOADTL and TURRET commands, starting at the current record and ending 20 records beyond. %L01 will contain the CL record number of the first command found, or 0 if none were found.

%L01=$FGET('CUTCOM.*ADJUST')

will search the CL file for a CUTCOM command containing the word ADJUST, starting at the current record and ending at FINI. %L01 will contain the first matching CL record number, or 0.

$FGETARG(minor_word)

Find value associated with keyword couplet Returns: Keyword, Numeric or String

The $FGETARG function returns the couplet value associated with a minor word. A value of $NULL is returned if the keyword is not found in the current CL record. For example, if the following CL file record is being processed by a macro:

CYCLE/DRILL,DEPTH,1.25,IPM,20,CLEAR,.15

and a macro command such as

%L01=$FGETARG(IPM)

was issued, the variable %L01 would contain the value 20, which is the couplet value associated with the minor word IPM. If the minor word is NOW was used, the function would return $NULL.

$FGETSB([,start [,end]])

Get stock boundary from CL feed motions Returns: Sequence

This function searches in the CL file for feed motion records and returns a sequence of 6 values defining the CL xyz coordinate minimum and maximum bounds as follows { xmin, ymin, zmin, xmax, ymax, zmax }.

The search starts at the current CL file record if the optional parameter start is not specified or is specified as 0 (zero). The search ends at the end of the CL file or the record designated by end if specified.

An empty sequence { } is returned if no feed motions are found.

For example, the following macro code outputs the workpiece blank dimensions as expected by a Heidenhain Conversational controller:

%L01=$FGETSB(1,0)
IF/$FLEN(%L01).GT.0
  %L02=$FIK(%L01(1:3))
  INSERT/'BLK FORM 0.1 Z !(@X) !(@Y) !(@Z)',%L02(1),%L02(2),%L02(3)
  %L02=$FIK(%L01(4:6))
  INSERT/'BLK FORM 0.2 !(@X) !(@Y) !(@Z)',%L02(1),%L02(2),%L02(3)
ENDOF/IF

Macro processing is not enabled during $FGETSB look-ahead processing.

$FSIZE( )

Size of CL record Returns: Numeric

The $FSIZE function returns the number of arguments in the data portion of the last CL record read. The expression $FCL($FSIZE()) will return the last argument of the CL record.

$FSUBCL( )

CL record subclass code Returns: Numeric

Returns the subclass code of the last CL record input. GENER recognizes the following subclass values associated with the class numbers listed in the following table:

Class	Subclass	Description
1000	n	ISN number
2000	n	Post-processor command major word code
3000	?	Circle drive surface, subclass ignored
5000	3	FROM
	5	GOTO
	6	CONT (Continuation of a GOTO)
6000	0	CUT
	1	DNTCUT
	3	TOLER
	4	INTOL
	5	OUTTOL
	6	CUTTER
9000	2	MULTAX
	9	UNITS
	10	TLAXIS
13000	3	Traditional ARLEM error
	901	Error processing APT-like input
14000	ignored	FINI
15000	4,5	MOVARC
	25	Spline