Millcam designer and Lathecam designer on Windows xp

[audio.fi]

Please can anyone tell me if running these on XP is possible ?

I may have asked this before a while back, but have really been unable to do anything with these machines since, and I have a legitimate copy of millcam designer from the school the machines were purchased from complete with keycode file, but still, I cannot get it to work. When I try to install either millcam or lathe cam in XP, it does nothing except 2 aplications show in task manager "setup.exe" and "wowexec.exe". I have tried compatibility mode but this does not seem to make any difference.

Please understand that my reason for wanting to install this software is to be able to design something, then use it to make the g-code so I can then run this code with the old 486 that I am using along with the old dos control software you all helped me with, so it won't be running the machines, just making the code to run in flstep and fanucmd

Can anyone help with this please ?

Thanks.

[bradders]

What versions of Lathcam and Millcam designer are you running ?

The last / latest version of Lathcam and Millcam designer can be downloaded from the link below. Both these work on my XP PC.

http://www.website.denford.ltd.uk/suppo ... -downloads

[Steve]

Hi,

I googled the wowexec.exe as its not a Denford Message.

Here is what it says.

Windows errors related to wowexec.exe?

wowexec.exe is a part the operating system, and supports the use of 16-bit processes within Windows NT, 2000, XP and later version of Windows.This program is important for the stable and secure running of your computer and should not be terminated.We strongly recommend that you run a FREE registry scan to identify wowexec.exe related errors

The message is showing that the MillCAM software is a 16 Bit application. It should be a running tack when MillCAM is Running.

As Graham has suggested I would recomend you download the final version of the MillCAM Designer software. (It is a 16 bit appication but should run on XP)

The software should install from the CD without problem. Then you run the Flash.exe file on the registration disk to licence the application.

[Denford Admin]

You could try to copy the files manually instead of running setup...
This post has some millcam info which may help
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2289

[audio.fi]

Thank you for all the help.

I was able to run millcam designer, but after the successful registration screen, it says something like this :-

"millcam designer was unable to find the Tool speeds and feeds file"

If I press the "ok" button it then continues to load. Is this usual, or is there something missing ?

Also, it appears that the maximum billet thickness is only 10mm (if I set it higher, it goes back to 10mm). Is this normal, and how can I make it bigger because I intend not to use the quick change system (to give extra height under the quill) an use a small milling vise, and material (mainly aluminium), up to about 25mm thick.

As regards lathecam; How can I get/purchase a licence for it as I would very much like to use it to learn on. I realise that it can need either a dongle or licence code. The millcam the school gave me had the licence code version, even though, before I installed this code, it said "dongle not present" at start up, which is exactly what lathecam says. However, lathecam is from the downloads section, so I presume someone should know which it would require.
It's such a shame that they didn't have the lathecam that they obviously did have but could not find, whilst somehow, they gave me 2 copies of millcam, whilst only having one novamill ??

Please can someone help me with this, as I really want to try the lathe much more than the mill.

[Steve]

Hi,

Not sure on your first question

"millcam designer was unable to find the Tool speeds and feeds file"

Did you download the current version and install that?


When you open the MillCAM software the opening window asks you to select the machine type (and metric or imperial)
I suspect you have selected an imperial machine which is limiting your Z depth. Limiting Z to 10" makes sence.

Both LatheCAM and MillCAM are now products that have been replaced but a single licence of the software costs £150 from Denford.
You could still buy a licence of LatheCAM but it is quite restrictive in what can be designed the newer software has much more capability.

We have replaced both products with QuickCAM 2D Design and QuickTURN 2D Design both of which sell for £150.

All the software can be downloaded and installed without having a valid licence file but non of it will run without either a dongle or a licence installed.

This enables us to release software updates on the website knowing that only people with a valid licence can use the software.

[audio.fi]

Hi,

Not sure on your first question

"millcam designer was unable to find the Tool speeds and feeds file"

Did you download the current version and install that?


When you open the MillCAM software the opening window asks you to select the machine type (and metric or imperial)
I suspect you have selected an imperial machine which is limiting your Z depth. Limiting Z to 10" makes sence.

Both LatheCAM and MillCAM are now products that have been replaced but a single licence of the software costs £150 from Denford.
You could still buy a licence of LatheCAM but it is quite restrictive in what can be designed the newer software has much more capability.

We have replaced both products with QuickCAM 2D Design and QuickTURN 2D Design both of which sell for £150.

All the software can be downloaded and installed without having a valid licence file but non of it will run without either a dongle or a licence installed.

This enables us to release software updates on the website knowing that only people with a valid licence can use the software.

Thanks for the reply.
with regard to millcam, yes it is the latest version from this web site, but it seems to be already set on start up to novamill (metric) + steel + the billet size of 170mm x 90mm x 10mm (LxWxH), and if I go into the drop down menu and try to change the sizes, they won't save, even if I change the machine type, or from metric to imperial.
I had to copy the files over to the p.c. so could this be the problem, as I don't seem to be able to install any software that I was given for the machine (for instance, I was given techsoft 2d design), but again, the same thing always happens, wowexe.exe and the start.exe shows in task manager, but nothing happens and nothing is installed. I have tried all combinations of the compatibility wizard but I am getting nowhere. This applies to all the other software I have tried to install, i.e. millcam lathecam .etc. Has anyone any idea what is wrong, as it is obviously something with my machine. It is running windows xp SP2 fully up to date but without SP3.

As regard to quickcam and quickturn; Is there no way to try it out, i.e. say a timed out version, or save disabled version, so I can see how much easier the modern software is to use.
Also, have I got this right then, that any cam software can be used to make parts with the novamill or novaturn, by designing the part in the cam software, which can then output this as g-code which can be saved and then run using the DOS software I have set up in my workshop, i.e. flstep and fanucmd.
The school told me that they were quoted around £2000 to have the machines upgraded to vr spec (not sure if this amount was for each machine or both), as they said some electronic upgrades were required to use the software, which I understand, but, although it may be slower as it is, is it feasable to use the vr software if I purchased it to produce parts in the way I described in the previous paragraph (i.e. without having the machines upgraded) ?

Thanks for your continued help.

[Denford Admin]

Had a quick look on the 'net and it would seem noone really knows the answer, some have found updating IE or XP to SP3 has fixed it while others turned off some other programs which 'may' have been interfering with the setup (eg, Anti virus or a screen grabbing utility)

[Mr Magoo]

I think the normal setup program for MillCam adds an entry to your "C:\Windows\Win.ini" file.

So if you've just copied the files across from another PC you will have to manually add this entry. (try searching for the word DENFORD in your original WIN.INI)

[audio.fi]

Thanks for all the help.

I finally got the both software to install (i.e. lathecam designer and millcam designer), and have now got the serial code for both softwares which has made them both run properly, i.e. they both start, but the lathe cam say it does not have g-code capability. Both the installed softwares were direct downloads from the denford website, (although I did have the original floppies for millcam but didn't use them), so surely these should be capable of this functions. Is there any way to make this feature available for ltahecam or a download that I need, because as I explained, I do not want to run the machines from this software, merely disign the item and then have it make the g-code so I can save it to floppy, and take it to the p.c. that is running the machine (an old 486).
Please can anyone help with this as I really want to learn and this software looks easier to learn on.
Thanks.
P.S. the lathecam says it is ver 1.11

P.P.S. In case anyone gets the same problem as I had in making the software install, I found the problem was that "windows installer" needed to be set to "automatic" (it was set to "manual"). This is found in the services part of administrative tools within the control panel of windows xp. Although it took a while to install, it showed the installer straight away which it did not before.

[Steve]

Please explain further on the

it does not have g-code capability

When does it tell you this?

What is the exact wording?

Does this happen after you have designed the part and then creating G-Code.

When the software loads there is a flash screen explaining who the licence is registered to. Is this coming up with the correct customer?

[audio.fi]

First of all, sorry about the large type size in the last post. This was an accident !!

The flash screen does indeed show the correct registration screen just like the one for millcam, but directly after this, is has a large icon saying something like "no g-code capability" with a big red x. Then when I click the o.k. button, it says something like "this is a demo product with no g-code capability" and to contact denford and the phone number.

Maybe I made the registration file wrongly, but for millcam, I was directed on this forum to make a file called mcd2.ini or to add to this file with the registration code from the floppy, so I did this after installing lathecam which was automatically put in the same folder as millcam i.e. c:\denford.
However, there now existed a file called lcd.ini so I copied the registration code to this file (and then changed the text to read lcd.ini , but then it came up with "dongle not present" as for millcam (before I changed the mcd2.ini file), so I tried changing the text in the file to "lcd2.ini" and changed the name of the file to lcd2.ini and this time it loaded up but without the registration screen (at least not looking the same as for millcam), and then the g-code warning. I then copied some of the other text from mcd2.ini to lcd2.ini and now it loads up with the correct registration screen, but still the g-code warning. Also, before adding the extra text to the lcd2.ini file, the material type in the opening settings screen was blank but now it can be set, so maybe something else need to be typed into this file for it to work. Also, in millcam there is a tab called "make g-code" but this is not present in lathecam.
Sorry for the long text but it is difficult to explain differently.
Thanks for all your help.

[Denford Admin]

On a machine here with Lathcam on, it just has LCD.ini with something like this in it:

Code: Select all

[Settings]
Material Type=Aluminium
Length=45.0
Diameter=25.0
machine=Novaturn (metric)
type=1

[Path Data]
Lcd files=C:\Denford\Data\
gcode files=c:\denford\data\
GNC Name=C:\Denford\Data\GENERIC.GNC

[Feed Rates]
Steel=60.000
Brass=70
Plastic=150
Steel (Inches)=2.3
Wax=350
Aluminium=140.005

[Materials]
Steel=120
Brass=100
Plastic=300
Steel (Inches)=120
Wax=500
Aluminium=170

[Finish Cut]
Steel=0.5000
Brass=0.5
Plastic=0.5
Steel (Inches)=0.02
Wax=0.5
Aluminium=0.5000

[Roughing Cut Increment]
Steel=1.0000
Brass=3
Plastic=4
Steel (Inches)=0.08
Wax=4
Aluminium=0.5000

[Thread Cut Increment]
Steel=0.0600
Brass=0.06
Plastic=0.06
Steel (Inches)=0.008
Wax=0.088
Aluminium=0.0610

[Drill Cut]
Steel=15
Brass=30
Plastic=60
Steel (Inches)=0.6
Wax=70
Aluminium=30.0000

[Thread]
Pull Out Angle=60
Thread Angle=60
Finish Allowance=0.03
XOffSet=1
ZOffSet=5
XOffSet (Inches)=0.04
ZOffSet (Inches)=0.04
Diameter OffSet=0.05
Diameter OffSet (Inches)=0.001

[Thread Lookup]
0=0.25
1=0.4
2=0.5
3=0.7
4=0.8
5=1
6=1.25
7=1.5
8=1.75
9=2.00
10=2.5
11=3.0
12=3.5
13=4.0
14=4.5
15=5

[Thread Lookup (Inches)]
0=0.05
1=0.05556
2=0.0625
3=0.07143
4=0.07692
5=0.08333
6=0.09091
7=0.1
8=0.11111
9=0.125
10=0.14286
11=0.16667
12=0.2
[Flash]
Flash_User=Denford Limited Training Department Site Licence
Flash_Code=RESA-PNAK-GE2C-GYS4

by the way the above is not a working flash code

[Steve]

First of all, sorry about the large type size in the last post. This was an accident !!

It was not an accident! I edited your post as it was the solution to the origional thread and I wanted it to stand out for anyone searching the post.

With regard to the LatheCAM. I understand you have a licence disc for this product? You are not using the licence disc for the MillCAM are you?

It sounds like you do not have a valid licence disc and it is running in demo mode or something?????

If you have the licence disc you should just be able to run the exe file on it and it would then create the correct entry in the ini file.

[audio.fi]

I thought that the licence could be used for either software. As I might have said earlier, they had a novamill and novaturn which I have purchased, but they could only find the software for the milling machine (oddly they gave me two sets of floppies for millcam even though they only had one novamill). Since I knew they must have had lathecam at that time, and the licence said on it that is was indeed for plessington high school (the school it was purchased from), then I expected the licence to work both softwares.
I made a file on my desktop and called it reg denford, then place a copy of the ini file that was on the floppy, and then when installing lathcam (now I found out how to install it), I directed it to the file when asked for in the installation; Once installed, it made the lcd.ini file automatically with the flash code at the bottom (as in the example shown by denford admin), but is says "dongle not present" this time so I guess the licence cannot be used for both. As I am only learning (and don't know if I will be proficient at it), £150 to try it out seems a lot to me, so unless anyone has any other ideas, then I will have to look around for free or low cost software that will heklp me learn.
Thanks for all your help.
P.S. If Plessington did have lathecam, then could they ask for a replacement licence if I rang them and asked them to ring Denford for it, as I was expecting this software when I purchased it, but as yet, they haven't found it.

[bradders]

You need a seperate licence code for both Lathecam and Millcam designer

You will have to take up the software problems with Plessingtons, Denford's are a commercial company and we have to cover our costs to stay in business. If Plessingtons came back to us we would have to make a charge too. I always make the analogie to people who have lost their software / security code, If you had lost your Windows software / security code, i dont think Microsoft would supply them free of charge. The phrase "Buyer Beware" springs to mind.

[Steve]

LatheCAM is an old product and to buy a licence for that would be wrong i think.

Download QuickTurn 2D Design

http://www.denfordata.com/downloads/Qui ... D_v1.9.zip

This product should run in demo mode if you do not have a licence. You could then evaluate it.