I have noticed the majorly excessive z-axis movements in makercam that others have mentioned. I have also tried to place an .nc file into xyzbot gcode optimizer. it acted like it was doing something but I never saw anything.
I really need to “optimize” my time. This seems unnecessary.
I had one cut today that had 2 identical ellipses. They cut differently. Why doesn’t the z stay down for each simple pass, lower further, etc.? This is a rhetorical question unless of course someone actually has a profitable answer 
What other cam package would anyone recommend? Thanks to all!
1 Like
Fusion360, search other fusion threads for the link to free for hobbyists link, and then use the CAM simulator to preview your cuts in advance of running them…
hope this helps,
2 Likes
@TheMerryYeoman I feel the same way about makercam and that same G code optimizer. I think that that G code optimizer requires a certain file type (not nc)?
1 Like
I’m still working on a CAD CAM package, so while I can’t promise that it will be perfect as soon as it’s working, at least we will have control over fixing things based on your feedback. Expect it to be available as a buggy beta in the next week and a half.
8 Likes
My new computer may never have to have makercam on it!
Admittedly, this is bitter sweet 
!
@bar , remind me. I was so excited about this new program. What did you call it again?
@WoodCutter4 and I might be perfect candidates!
Edit:
I found it … “Maslow Create”! Awesome!
3 Likes
Will Maslow Create be able to integrate with Webcontrol in any way? I don’t know how all that works, just thought it would be cool to have it all in one place 
1 Like
It certainly could, they are both open source and we (the Maslow Community) control both of them so I see no reason they can’t be integrated to some extent. That is a really cool idea.
The tricky part is that Create runs on a web server somewhere online while Webcontrol runs on a server on the Pi so we would have to make them talk (which is totally doable).
What would your dream setup look like?
1 Like
@bar & @WoodCutter4 …
What about incorporating optimizer features in this dream set up?
Maybe I don’t know how things really work but sometimes ideas come from those that haven’t been educated about “impossibilities” 
Automatic part layout and nesting is absolutely in the plan…that’s actually one of the last two things holding up my releasing it. For gcode optimization in my mind that just means making nice clean gcode which doesn’t involve a lot of extra moves so I think that would fall into the category of generating good gcode in the first place so it doesn’t need to be optimized later
5 Likes
That’s what I’m talking about!
Always ahead of the curve!
2 Likes
Oh, I didn’t know that (I’m behind on that topic!). I knew a Pi was involved but assumed Webcontrol was…web server based 
Dream setup. I think it would be cool to have Ground/Webcontrol a seamless part of CAD/CAM software. I realize this is very easy to say and I have no skills to offer to make it happen 
instead of downloading the file and then transferring it to your machine, just click a different tab, or button, in Create and it opens Webcontrol, Groundcontrol or something like it, in that same software and away you go! Is it too crazy to have a web server hosted app write to an arduino via USB?
Maybe it would be an easier first step to have Create simply open your local copy of GC or launch a new browser tab with your Webcontrol URL (url could be set in your Create settings?)?
Can Create have user accounts built into it (seems like that might be complicated and expensive)? Configuration defaults and other custom user settings could be stored there.
3 Likes
if the files are not stores on the server, there is no reason (or really any
way) to connect the two. The Internet based CAM is not going to be able to reach
into your network to push the file to WebControl, so you don’t really gain
anything by trying to get WebControl to reach out to the Internet based server.
That said, there’s no fundamental reason why the CAM portion can’t be copied and
made part of WebControl so that you can just upload the model that you make in
the CAD and let WebControl do the rest (other than the limited performance of a
Pi)
David Lang
2 Likes
I’m interested in how collaboration will work if the files are never saved on
the Internet server. How will different people who are collaborating get the
same version of the file to work on? how will different edits get merged, etc.
David Lang
2 Likes
Noticed that the optimized G-Code from GCODE Optimizer
produces code with lowercase G commands and XYZ Plots which, if you are using WebControl, fails to produce an image on your screen. One might think that there is nothing there to cut. the g-code is there but the lowercase is not recognized. I simply opened the optimized .nc file into notepadd++ and did a find and replace for g,x,y,z and f and made them capitols and walaaaa… now when you upload the new .nc file there is an image…
1 Like
That’s actually kind of a major bug, some machine controllers also choke on lower case. Is the developer still around or has it become abandonware? The bug should be reported
Not a clue if its abandonware, but it seems like it would be a simple fix.
But not if there’s none to do it
I wrote the author of the script a note… and he just suggested I use sed. Nice!