CabMasterPro User Guide
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    MultiShape
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    Purpose

    Allows you to specify the shape of each hole or tab, created as multiple drill holes at different locations i.e. has one destination point for each copy of the shape.

    Description

    These machinesteps provide a layer and a depth, in the usual way. However the layer is prefixed by a ‘-‘ or ‘+’ character. The minus character indicates this is a notch (i.e. a shaped hole). The plus character indicates this is a shaped tab.

    Rules

    1. There is a point specifying the “centre” of the shape, called “ShapeRef”.
    2. There is then a scaling specified as a pair of numbers, called “ShapeScale”.
    3. There is then a “ShapeAngle”, specifying any rotation to apply.
    4. Finally the shape is placed, putting its “ShapeRef” reference point at a destination point.
      • A MultiShape has one destination point for each copy of the shape.

    Fields

    SecMin The X, Y, Z co-ordinates of the min corner of the section which this machining step is inside.
    SecMax The X, Y, Z co-ordinates of the max corner of the section which this machining step is inside.
    JoinMin The X, Y, Z co-ordinates of the min corner of the section which this machining step is joined to.
    JoinMax The X, Y, Z co-ordinates of the max corner of the section which this machining step is joined to.
    CutSize X, Y, Z contain the values from this component dimcut1, dimcut2, dimcut3 respectively.
    FinishedSize X, Y, Z contain the values from this component dim1, dim2, dim3 respectively.
    PartID A name for this step, init as component name, not sent to DXF usually.
    Layer

    Layer overrides any layer specified in the ShapePoly machinestep, so you can use the same shape both for a tab and a notch, perhaps with slightly different scales to provide a gap. X contains Layername (e.g. -Border)

    The layer name written to the DXF, init as steptype but you should set this to something more meaningful e.g. in EzyNest. In addition, this layer value can be prefixed by + - or ~. The prefix is not sent to the DXF, but is used to indicate notches, where two steps are combined. A + is for combining two steps by adding the paths together. This can extend the outer shape. A - is used for subtracting or creating a notch. And a ~ is for flap donor steps. (See Flaps In Remote Components)

    Group The group name written to the DXF. Default value is ungrouped. Different groups will be nested separately, so for example a DXF with some ungrouped machine steps and some steps in group 10 and others in group 20 will nest as three separate parts.
    ColorIndex The color used in the DXF (usually unused by Machining but very helpful for viewing). Colors are defined by Voloview DXF viewer. (See also DXF Layer Colours):
    • 0 - Black
    • 1 - Red
    • 2 - Yellow
    • 3 - Green
    • 4 - Cyan
    • 5 - Blue
    • 6 - Magenta
    • 7 - Black(Again)
    • 8 - Grey
    • 9 - Brown
    • 10 - Khaki
    • 11 - Dark Green
    • 12 - Steel Blue
    • 13 - Dark Blue
    • 14 - Purple
    • 15 - Dark Grey
    Depth

    Depth overrides any depth specified in the ShapePoly machinestep. This is the depth of the notch or tab. You can also use Refz to offset the shape up and down (not implemented yet). X contains Length (e.g. 16mm). See Specifying the PolyShape MachineSteps.

    ShapePoly

    Defines the poly to be used, either once or repeatedly. X contains Poly/PolyArc array. 

    See Specifying the PolyShape MachineSteps.

    ShapeRef

    XYZ: Gives (Refx,Refy) in the same coordinate system as the shape poly.

    See Specifying the PolyShape MachineSteps.

    ShapeScale

    XY: Used to scale with the reference point as the centre of the scaling. Example (Sx,Sy) is (-0.1,0.1) 

    See Specifying the PolyShape MachineSteps.

    The x-values of points in the ShapePoly are stretched by a factor Sx, and the y-values by the factor Sy.

    ShapeAngle

    Applied to rotate the scaled shape around the reference point by the angle provided, where counterclockwise rotations are positive. X contains the Angle.

    See Specifying the PolyShape MachineSteps.

    Point X,Y co-ordinates.
    ShapeDepthSuppress

    MultiShape has pairs of lines like Point[1], ShapeDepthSuppress[1] etc.

    X: Shape of notch. Y: Depth of notch. Z: Yes means suppress this notch/tab.

    The first shape is specified by ShapeDepthSupress[1].x, and is a poly or a polyarc. Each shape can be a different poly, and a different depth, but all shapes in the list have the same ShapeAngle orientation and ShapeScale scale factors sx,sy.

    RepeatCount X: Whole machine step is repeated this many times. Y: If this is >1, then do a rectangular array of repeats.
    RepeatOffset

    XY: Offset vector between copies (for linear repeats). For arrays of repeats, X is the X offset and Y is the Y offset.

    Example

    Here is a little example of a BorderDeco step repeated in a 3x2 array:

    Repeat Example

    ProfileFolder Folder for QPFs, default BitmapFolder, can be relative.
    ProfileName Name of the profile. The default extension is ".qpf". An array of names is allowed, if defining multiple profile edging.
    ProfileEdging Array of edge treatments. See Edge and Pocket Profile Tutorial : Defining a Profile
    Pocket

    Entry is a yes/no determining whether the area inside the machinestep is to be removed. Applies to contours (closed polylines only).  

    See Edge and Pocket Profile Tutorial : Pocket 



    See Also