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G-code preprocessor/meta-language

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Bertho:
Hi all,

I've been writing G-code for CNC milling a bit, but it is a real pain and gets very messy. Even with subroutines and variables, it gets a real pain when the program gets larger. Looking on the web for a "meta"-language or preprocessor for G-code came up with no real hits that were useful.

Does anybody know of a meta-language/preprocessor for making G-code programs? I am not looking for CAD/CAM software packages. However, I am looking for a structured (context-free) formulation that easily maps to G-code. A language that is writable and readable.

--
Greetings Bertho

MarkL:
Take a look here:

  http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Cam

There are links to G-code generators for a bunch of different source languages that you might feel more comfortable with (C, Tcl/Tk, and python to name a few).

G-code is pretty awful, I would agree, but I hold my nose and write in it anyway.  It's the best way to make the machine do *exactly* what you want.

Bertho:
I did look at linuxcnc and there was nothing there that could satisfy me.

Therefore, I wrote my own meta language: gcmc - G-Code Meta Compiler
It is a script interpreter and a context free grammar using the procedural programming language paradigm. It has complete vector calculation support and lists to trace paths easily.

You can find my meta compiler at http://www.vagrearg.org/content/gcmc

awallin:
You might look at APT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APT_%28programming_language%29

Are you milling PCBs? Is there a good open-source program for producing G-code from gerber-files?

AW

Bertho:
I did look at APT. APT falls is the same category as gcode: archaic. It made my eyes and brain hurt when I saw it.

As said, I solved my problem by writing a language from the ground up.

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