outPost is a Cocoa-based NCL toolpath postprocessor for ANSI standard CL (cutter location) files. This is my first real programming project since CS 1 in college, and is considerably beyond that. If anyone finds it useful, that will be very exciting, but otherwise, it's strictly for my own amusement. The fact that i am amused by such things might perhaps be considered a little disturbing, however.
DISCLAIMER:Though i am currently employed by PTC, and though this program was designed with Pro/ENGINEER-generated CL data in mind, it does not use any inside knowledge of PTC's products. Neither is it based in any way on the inner workings of Intercim's GPOST software, which i also work with extensively. if i were copying something from either source, trust me, this wouldn't suck so much. In fact, there are many ways (excluding the ways in which this program doesn't yet work) in which it works very differently. It's designed around Pro/ENGINEER CL data, to produce standard G-Code output, both formats of which are very much common knowledge. So there. Short version: please don't sue me.
As of the latest version, outPost works reliably and predictably, and generates decent-looking G-code. Which is not to say i recommend using it for production (not without some serious vetting of the G-code), but it can generate code with support for most major functions of 3-axis work. Just be sure you know what you're doing before you use it.
Version 1214 is now available, with no new features yet, but a thoroughly redefined, and considerably more logical interface. The function of editing the postprocessor configuration (the document) has been made distinct from the function of using the postprocessor. Everything happens faster. The input and output are now in text views instead of oversized fields. The interface has been updated to not look hideous in Panther. Check the readme for more details.
Downloads:
outPost version 1214 zip file
Source code as a ProjectBuilder project
Read Me file.
i expect to have more time to work on this in the coming months. Look for syntax highlighting in the output, better support for TRANS/ROTATE output, informative help files, and other stuff in the future. The source is presently a nightmare, since there's a ton of stuff that is half-implemented, or implemented and not working, and therefore commented out.
Questions? Comments? Flames? Email me