Contents

• Top
• Command Line Options
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Configuration File
• Main Window Settings
• Wrap Settings
• Export Settings
• Auto Probe Settings
• General Settings

G-Code Ripper Manual

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Command Line Options

Usage python g-code_ripper-XXX.py [-g file ]
or
g-code_ripper-XXX.py [-g file ]
-c
(or --config_file) 		Configuration file to read
-g
(or --gcode_file) 		g-code file to read
-d
(or --defdir) 		Default open/save directory
-h
(or --help) 		print syntax help to console window.
Example
(Using python script with
preinstalled python distribution) 		python g-code_ripper-XXX.py -g my_file.ngc
Example
(Using precompiled
Windows executable)
 g-code_ripper-XXX.exe -g my_file.ngc

Keyboard Shortcuts

F1 Open the Help dialog box. (There is nothing in the help except a reference back to the web page and my e-mail address)
F2 Opens General Settings Window
F5 Refresh display

Configuration File

g-code-ripper_config.ngc
or
.gcoderipperrc 		When G-Code Ripper starts up the directory in which G-Code Ripper starts in is searched for a file named "g-code-ripper_config.ngc". If the file is found it is read and all of the G-Code Ripper options are set according to the settings saved in the config file. After searching for the config file in the current directory the users home directory is searched for "g-code-ripper_config.ngc" or ".gcoderipperrc" if either of these are found it will be used as the default settings. Only the first config file found is read.

To create a config file with your preferred options for startup just open G-Code Ripper and change the settings to your liking and click the save button next to configuration file in the settings window.

Main Window

G-Code Ripper - Main Window

G-Code Base Operations: This section contains basic operations that are performed prior to any G-Code Operations selected below. The base operations are always applied before the additional operations.
Scale XY Sets the scaling percentage for X and Y axes to be applied to the input g-code file.
Scale Z Sets the scaling percentage for Z axis to be applied to the input g-code file.
Scale Feed Sets the scaling percentage for feed rate to be applied to the input g-code file.
Rotate Sets the angle in degrees to rotate input g-code file.
Origin The origin determines the relative location of the g-code x and y zero location. The current location of the origin is displayed in the display window as a red and green lines. The red and green lines follow the RGB convention Red is the x-axis, Green in the y-axis.
Save G-Code File Base (Button) This button results in saving the g-code with only the option above the button being applied (scale, rotate, origin). Any further options from below or on the right side of the image are not applied.
View Plane: This section contains a variety of view plane orientations only one of the options is active at any time.
G-Code Operations: In this section the additional operations that can be applied to the g-code can be selected.
None No operations are performed in addition to the base operations.
Split The G-Code is split along a line creating two g-code programs that can be run independently.
Wrap One of the G-Code linear axes (X or Y) is mapped to a rotary axis (A or B) for machining on a cylinder.

G-Code Split Properties



Input Field Description
Split X Position X position of the splitting line. (i.e. the line on which the g-code is divided into two parts.) The X position is measured from the origin set in the base operations section.
Split Y Position Y position of the splitting line. (i.e. the line on which the g-code is divided into two parts.) The Y position is measured from the origin set in the base operations section.
Split Angle The angle of the splitting line.
Rotate Black The rotate black setting determines whether one of the two sides of the split will be rotated by 180 degrees. Rotating 180 degrees allows the stock to be rotated 180 degrees in the machine to machine the second half. Doing this process can effectively increase size of designs that can be cut by a given machine.
Save G-Code File-Black (Button) This button saves the g-code displayed as black in the canvas.
Save G-Code File-White (Button) This button saves the g-code displayed as white in the canvas.
Plunge Feed Because the g-code is being split additional cut starts and stops are required. During the additional starts the tool needs to plunge into the stock material. The plunge feed sets the feed rate for these new moves into the stock material.
Z Safe Because the g-code is being split additional cut starts and stops are required. After one of the additional cut stops the tool needs to move to a safe position for rapid movement. The Z Safe setting sets the z position of this z location that is safe for rapid motions.

Wrap Settings



Input Field Description
Wrap Diameter The wrap diameter is the diameter of the cylinder which the g-code will be mapped to.
Y-Axis to A-Axis Map the Y axis positions to the A-Axis
X-Axis to B-Axis Map the X axis positions to the B-Axis
Y-Axis to B-Axis Map the Y axis positions to the B-Axis
X-Axis to A-Axis Map the X axis positions to the A-Axis
Feed Adjust

How feed rates work in Mach2 and LinuxCNC (and others?):

For linear motion (i.e. x,y and/or z motion):
each axis moves at constant speed and all axes move from their starting positions to their end positions at the same time.
For linear motion with rotation (i.e. x,y and/or z motion AND a and/or b motion):
When a rotary axis is included in the movement (i.e. ther is x,y,z motion AND a or b motion) the speed is still controlled by the linear distance to be traveled in x,y,z the A,B motion has no effect on the time to complete the motion.
For Rotary motion (i.e. a and/or b motion without any x,y and/or z motion):
When there is no linear motion the feed rate is interpreted as a angular rate (degrees/min)

Feed Adjust Settings:

Feed Adjust: Scale-Rotary
G-Code Ripper takes all of these scenarios into account and adjusts the feed rate accordingly to make the feed rate consistent when cutting on a cylinder.

Feed Adjust: None
G-Code ripper does not scale feeds in any way. (This is the same a CNCwrapper output)

A note for Mach3 users:
In Mach3 there is a entry (Under Settings (Alt-6)) to set the Rotation Radius using this setting will tell Mach3 how to interpret the feed rates for code mapped to a cylinder of that radius. If you use the Rotation radius you will want to select None for the Feed adjust setting in G-Code Ripper.
Reverse Rotary Axis G-Code Ripper assumes that a positive linear position is always mapped to a positive angular position. If your rotary axis (A or B) is set up such that the positive linear position should be mapped to a negative angular position check this box.
Save G-Code File-Wrap (Button) This button saves the wrapped g-code.
Stock Rounding (Button) This button opens the Stock Rounding window. In the stock rounding window you can generate g-code for making the stock material round using a spiral cut.

Export (DXF, CSV) Settings



Input Field Description
Include Rapid Moves If selected the rapid moves will be included in the exported output.
File Type Select the type of file to be exported

Auto Probe Settings



Input Field Description
Probe X Offset X distance from the tool to the probe.
(if the tool is the probe this should be set to zero)
Probe Y Offset Y distance from the tool to the probe.
(if the tool is the probe this should be set to zero)
Probe Z Offset Z distance from the tool to the probe.
(if the tool is the probe this should be set to zero)
(It is best to keep this value as close to zero as possible to prevent crashing the tool or probe)
Probe Z Safe This is the safe Z height when probing (When the probe is over the work piece).
Be aware of where the tool will be when the probe is at this position to avoid cashing the tool.
Probe Depth Max Depth the probe will travel attempting to detect the work piece.
If the probe travels to this position and does not detect the part an error will occur.
Probe Feed The feed rate for the probe when it is lowering to detect the part.
X Points This is the number of points that form the grid of probe points in the X direction.
Points that are not needed (too far from tool path) are displayed as black in the preview canvas and will not probed.
Y Points This is the number of points that form the grid of probe points in the Y direction.
Points that are not needed (too far from tool path) are displayed as black in the preview canvas and will not probed.
Post Probe This is a text entry field for any G-Codes that should be executed prior to the pause between probing and cutting.
(If you want to swap the probe head for the tool head you may want to raise to a specified Z height (i.e. G0Z5.0)
Controller Set the CNC controller to be used. LinuxCNC and MACH3 are supported. They require different codes for probing etc.

General Settings



Input Field Description
Units (inch/mm) Set the units used by G-Code Ripper to inches or mm. This option affects the displayed units and the units output in the g-code.
Arc Angle When arcs are converted to straight line segments the length of the line segments is controlled by this input parameter. The smaller the angle the more line segments are used to represent any given arc. If the arc angle is set to 1 deg 180 straight lines would represent a circle. At 10 degrees 18 arcs would represent a full circle.
Accuracy This setting is used to determine when two points are in the same location.
XY Arcs to Lines This option forces the conversion of all arcs to straight line segments prior to writing g-code output. This option is included for compatibility with some g-code interpreters.
G Code Header The text that is entered in the G-Code header entry box is added to the beginning of the g-code commands in the G-Code Ripper output file. The commands are interpreted by the CNC machine as entered.
G Code Postscript The text that is entered in the G-Code Postscript entry box is added to the end of the g-code commands in the G-Code Ripper output file. The commands are interpreted by the CNC machine as entered .
Disable Variables Prevent the use of variables in the G-Code output. Variable are typically used for safe height and global feed rate.
Decimal Places XYZ Number of decimal places to use for linear (x,y,z) coordinates when writing g-code output.
Decimal Places Rotary Number of decimal places to use for rotary (a,b) coordinates when writing g-code output.
Decimal Places Feed Number of decimal places to use for feed rates when writing g-code output.
Write All Coords This option determines whether the output g-code writes all of the active axes on every g-code line or only the axes that have changed since the previous motion.
Remove Comments Enabling this option causes G-Code Ripper to write output g-code files with none of the comments from the input g-code file. Otherwise the comments are simply passed through to the new g-code file.
Configuration File Save Button Pressing the save button causes all of the current options to be saved to the default configuration file location. All of the settings in the current session will be recalled the next time G-Code Ripper is opened.


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