====== Using RhinoCAM ======
>Advice, tips, tricks and user experiences using the RhinoCAM plug-in.

For support questions about RhinoCAM and RhinoCAM Pro, please go directly to the [[http://www.mecsoft.com/phpbb/|MecSoft support forum]].

[[http://www.mecsoft.com/rhinocam.shtml|MecSoft's RhinoCAM homepage.]]

For tutorials and videos, go to [[http://www.mecsoft.com/SelfTraining.shtml|RhinoCAM tutorials]].

=====Environment variables=====

Environment variables is a Windows feature that allows software manufacturers to configure certain options for the operating environment of their programs.

Create and access environment variables the following way: Right-click **My Computer**, select **Properties**, **Advanced tab**, **Environment Variables**.  Add with the **New** button.  These variables may be placed in the **User** section to have different possibilities for different users, or the **System** section to act globally for all users.

[[http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310519&sd=tech|More info on using Environment Variables.]]

The following variables let you set certain options in RhinoCAM not directly accessible via options from inside the program.

  * **VMILL_HFINISH_LEVELFIRST** - 1/0 - Allows Level first machining in Horizontal Finishing

  * **VMILL_ZTRANS_FFACTOR** - [0.1-1.0] – Scales federates for plunge Z motions between Z levels in 2-1/2 axis operations

  * **VMILL_SORT_PROFILES** – [1/0] – Sorts profiles based on minimum distance to each other if set to 1

  * **VMILL_DORETRACT_TABLEROTATE** – [1/0] - Does retract to toolchange position before performing the table rotate if set to 1

  * **VMILL_BEEP_TYPE** - [0/1/2] 0 – Waveform beep, 1 – computer beep, 2 – No beep

  * **VMILL_LICENSE_HOST** – [IP Address] – Set to IP address of machine that has the network dongle for network licensing

  * **VMILL_DISPLAYTOOLTIP** - [1/0] - Displays a point at the tool tip during simulation if set to 1

  * **VMILL_TOOLPATH_THICKNESS** – [0.1-10.0] – [[rhino:opengl|OpenGL]] thickness value for displaying toolpath using thick lines

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=====Using the user defined tool tab to create custom tools=====

//Question:// How is the user defined tool tab in the tool definition setup used? Is it possible to generate custom profile tools from tool drawings using this feature in RhinoCam?

//Answer:// User defined tools can be created and used in RhinoCAM in 2-1/2 axis profiling operations only. To create a user defined tool follow these steps:

  - Draw the profile of the tool in the XY plane (only to the centerline, i.e. half profile).
  - Make sure the starting point is at 0,0.
  - In RhinoCAM 2.0, select the profile of the tool created in the XY plane from the Rhino menu bar use **File->Export Selected** and save this as a Rhino (*.3dm) file. Make sure that this is the only region in the file before exporting. This file will be the tool profile file. //In RhinoCAM 1.0, save the file as .mrg (using export region in the file menu).//
  - In RhinoCAM 2.0, from the Cutting Tools Browser under the Create/Select Tools menu. Select the **User Defined Mill** tool. //In RhinoCAM 1.0, in the Create/Select Tools menu, select **User Defined Mill tool.//
  - Select a name for the user-defined tool and enter the relevant information and comments. The parameter for the tool diameter should be twice the profile radius. You can also enter a different tool diameter if you need a different size tool. The system computes the tool diameter as twice the largest X coordinate in the tool profile. It will then scale the profile by (input diameter/computed diameter). Example: If the input diameter is same as computed diameter then the scale factor is one.
  - Provide the path to the user-defined tool profile file.
  - Save as a new tool.

Use the tool in 2-1/2 axis profiling operations.

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=====To capture the active window with an image in RhinoCAM=====
ScreenCaptureToFile and ScreenCaptureToClipboard work fine in RhinoCAM to capture the active window with an image of a RhinoCAM simulation. ViewCaptureToFile/Clipboard does not work.

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=====How to display a "Tool Guide" in VisualMill=====
Go in to your registry, open up HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder, scroll down to the //Software// folder and open it. Next find //Mecsoft Corporation// folder and open it. Find the //settings// folder and open it. Find the //DisplayToolAtCursor// reg_dword, double-click on it and change the value data from a 0 to a 1.

Now it will display the tool you have loaded while making a boundary or creating geometry.