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Frequently Asked Questions about AutoCursor
Q. What is the AutoCursor?A. The AutoCursor is a ribbon bar used for selecting and entering coordinate positions. AutoCursor lets you use many different techniques, from directly typing in coordinate positions to "snapping" to many different kinds of entity locations. All of the AutoCursor tools are collected on the AutoCursor ribbon bar, which Mastercam displays whenever you need to specify a coordinate position.
Q. How is the AutoCursor in Mastercam X different from the AutoCursor in version 9 ?A. In version 9 the AutoCursor was an option that could be turned on and off to simplify geometry construction. In Mastercam X, it is a major component that is integrated into most geometry creation functions.
Q. What are the major pieces of the new AutoCursor?A. There are 5 main components:
Q. In version 9 I could just start typing values and Mastercam knew what I was doing. I did not have to type X first to enter an X value.A. Use FastPoint mode to accomplish this. Instead of just starting to enter values, press the spacebar and then enter your values in exactly the same way as in version 9.
Q. Why wouldn’t I want to use FastPoint mode all of the time?A. You can configure AutoCursor settings to default to FastPoint mode. However, using the X,Y, Z fields lets you enter specific values for one or more coordinate axes. You can also “Lock” specific fields so that further mouse movements only happen in the free axes. (You can read about locking fields in the AutoCursor Help topics.)
Q. How do I disable the AutoCursor?A. There are two ways to do this.
Q. Why is the Configuration option valuable?A. It offers you complete customization of what you want Mastercam to “see.” For example, if it is inconvenient to have Mastercam snap to arc quadrants, you can just turn them off and not be bothered by them again.
Q. Does Mastercam X have any new trigger, or "snap-to," points for the AutoCursor?A. The following options are new in Mastercam X.
The following picture shows all of the AutoCursor options.
Other options allow you to:
Q. What are AutoCursor power keys?A. AutoCursor power keys are one-character shortcut keys associated with some of the snap-to point types you can set for AutoCursor. With one keystroke, you can override any other snap-to settings, forcing AutoCursor to snap only to the point type associated with the power key. For example, to force AutoCursor to detect only arc center points, position the cursor in the graphics window and press the Arc Center power key [C]. You enable power keys in your AutoCursor configuration settings.
For more information on AutoCursor settings, see the Mastercam Help.
Q. In version 9 the menu always updated to show me what the AutoCursor was snapping to. What about Mastercam X?A. In Mastercam X all you have to watch is the cursor itself. It is constantly giving you visual cues for which trigger the AutoCursor has detected. Because you can watch the cursor instead of shifting your focus from the cursor to the means you spend less time moving your eyes all over the screen. These are listed for your information in the Mastercam Help, on the Quick Reference Card, and in the Getting Started Guide.
Q. Is it easier to enter relative positions in Mastercam X than in Version 9?A. Using the Relative function is much easier and more powerful
than it has ever been before. Just hold down the [Shift]
key and click to select a position, and Mastercam jumps into a Relative
selection mode, using that position as the basis for the next move.
In the Relative Position ribbon bar, enter X-Y-Z offset coordinates
in the Delta field, or enter a distance (vector length) and angle. Tip: Choose Select ( You can also select the Relative function directly from the AutoCursor ribbon bar:
Q. Can I move the AutoCursor? Where does it go when I undock it? How can I get it back?A. Just like any other toolbar or ribbon bar, you can move the AutoCursor to a different location, or you can undock it by moving it over the graphics window. When it is undocked, it is only visible when a function requiring it is active. To make it visible again, simply start a function, such as Create Line Endpoints, and AutoCursor will reappear in the graphics screen. Drag it back to the toolbar area to dock it again.
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this ribbon bar to activate the Along mode and create a new
entity along an existing entity. To directly access the Along mode,
choose it from the AutoCursor ribbon bar override drop-down list.
