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<h1 class=ChapName>The MDFG</h1>

<h1>General Information</h1>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The Machine Data File Generator (MDFG) is a menu driven 
 program that generates Machine Data Files in ASCII format. These files 
 have a .MDFA extension.</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-P-CNote><p CLASS=Note><span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> 
 Machine Data Files that were created prior to V 10.4 were created in binary 
 format and had the extension .MDF. If you edit a .MDF, it is saved in 
 ASCII format with the extension .MDFA.</p></li>
</ul>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The Graphics Postprocessor Module (GPM) uses the MDF 
 to determine the (machine tool specific) postprocessor output.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>You can use MDFG to create a new MDF or edit an existing 
 MDF. You can also save an existing MDF with an new name after editing.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The MDFG consists of a series of interactive menus that 
 prompt you with the current status (default) of any parameter that might 
 pertain to your machine tool. Some parameters are switches that toggle 
 between two options (usually between YES or NO, or VALID or NOT VALID.) 
 For these switches, the current value is changed by selecting the menu 
 item, causing the switch to toggle to the other value.</p>

<h5>Repeating Menus are not Documented</h5>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>In order to reduce the size of this manual and to assist 
 you in following the MDFG prompts, repetitious menus are not shown. For 
 example, after you select any of the Postprocessor commands, you are prompted 
 through a series of menus to indicate that you wish to make the selected 
 command VALID<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span> Since this process 
 occurs throughout your creation of an MDFG, you will quickly become familiar 
 with the sequence.</p>

<h2><a NAME=menu_struct></a>Menu Structure</h2>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>Once you execute the MDFG, and define the MDF you want 
 to work on, the <span style="font-style: italic;">Generate MDF</span> 
 menu appears with the following options:</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Machine Tool Type</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Machine Tool Coordinate 
 Axes Validity</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Preparatory, Auxiliary, 
 And Event Code Formats</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Machine Tool Motion 
 Control</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Postprocessor Commands</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Listing And Punch 
 Control</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Listing Commentary 
 Data</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Initial Codes</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Run Time Options</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Edit Word Address 
 Character Output Sequence</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Output File Validation</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Print MDF Summary</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>Rename File</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>File/Terminate</p></li>
</ul>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>These options are the major sections of this manual.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The MDFG Operations menu gives you access to all of 
 the options you use to create or modify an MDF. After you define the Input 
 Units, a menu allows you quick access any specific area that requires 
 changing. Therefore, you can make changes or create a new MDF without 
 defining every parameter for a machine tool.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The MDFG uses a caret (&gt;) to show you the current 
 option to change. You can select the option where the caret appears by 
 pressing the Enter (Return on some keyboards) key. If you want a different 
 option, you can enter the option number. This default caret will move 
 as you go through the menu structure. The caret movement can help you 
 go through the entire process of generating an MDF in a logical sequence. 
 The recommended procedure is to follow the default pointers when generating 
 a new MDF or making extensive changes to an existing MDF in order to create 
 a new MDF.</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-P-CNote><p CLASS=Note><span style="font-weight: bold;">NOTE:</span> 
 Certain MDFG options set the validity and defaults of subsequent options. 
 Conversely, options further &quot;down&quot; in the sequence can change 
 previous option settings without warning.</p></li>
</ul>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>There are three types of MDFG menus:</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>A list of selections 
 <span style="font-style: italic;">with</span> current status displayed.</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>A list of selections 
 <span style="font-style: italic;">without</span> current status displayed.</p></li>
	
	<li class=kadov-p-CListBullet><p CLASS=ListBullet>A request to enter 
 specific data along with the current value of that data.</p></li>
</ul>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The value written into the MDF during creation appears 
 as the current status on some menus. The current status is either a value, 
 such as a number or letter, or a word or phrase, such as YES, NO, VALID, 
 NOT VALID, LEADING and TRAILING. You should only select the items that 
 need changing. If nothing needs changing, you can accept the entire menu 
 by choosing Entry Complete.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>The menus that require a value are used to change the 
 current status of options which can accept user defined data. This value 
 usually must fall within a range (e.g., a number between 0 and 100.)</p>

<ul>
	
	<li class=kadov-P-CCaution><p CLASS=Caution><span style="font-weight: bold;">CAUTION:</span> 
 The MDFG sets some values based upon response to data you enter in other 
 menus (e.g., when you define a Machine Type, other defaults are then set.) 
 Also, some of the default values that are written to the MDF are transparent 
 in the MDFG. Therefore, you must be careful when using option 1 through 
 4 on the Main Menu, to follow the default caret sequence.</p></li>
</ul>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>When you select the option Create New MDF<span style="font-weight: bold;">,</span> 
 you should choose each option in the order of the default caret for selections 
 1 thru 8 of <span style="font-style: italic;">Generate MDF</span> menu. 
 When editing an existing MDF you only need to access the menus where you 
 are making changes, because all invisible defaults will be correct for 
 the displayed &quot;current status&quot;.</p>

<p CLASS=Paragraph>If you find postprocessor output that is incorrect for 
 the displayed &quot;current status&quot;, edit the MDF, accessing all 
 selections related to the problem in the default caret order. If problems 
 still persist, submit a problem report.</p>

<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0;">&nbsp; </h2>

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