You can use the
Existing Files page to specify the
Tools and
Feed/Speed options for existing files and change the default
File Location.
When a part is opened in
FeatureCAM:
- The name of the tool crib that was originally used to create the file is saved in the
.fm file. If there is a tool crib with the same name in the current installation of
FeatureCAM, that tool crib is made current. If it does not exist, the last opened crib is used.
- All tools that were explicitly overridden in the part file are copied to the current crib. These tools are temporary and are available only when the current part is open.
- A new crib is created that contains only tools used for that part. This crib contains tools that were overridden and all tools that were automatically selected. The crib is called
<filename>_tools_from_last_save. This crib is temporary and is available only when this part is opened.
- If
Use the tool crib saved with the part document is selected, then this new crib is the active crib.
Note: If you select
Use the tool crib saved with the part document the part is cut with exactly the same tools. We do not recommend this if you are going to make modifications to your part because this small tool crib probably does not have enough tools to cut additional features.
Feed and speed tables are handled similarly.
- When a file is saved, the feed/speed tables for the part's material are saved with the file.
- If
Use the F/S tables saved with the part document is selected, then this new table is used as your feed/speed database.
- If
Use the F/S tables from
FeatureCAM's F/S database is selected, then the existing databases are used.
The
File Location is the default directory for opening, saving, and importing files. If you specifically set the
File Location to a particular folder, then
FeatureCAM starts in that folder whenever you start up
FeatureCAM in the future and
FeatureCAM ignores the
Start In folder that is listed in the shortcut to
FeatureCAM. The starting folder is used when you first open, import, or save a part. But if you navigate to a new folder during your session, then the new folder is used for subsequent opens, imports, and saves.
FeatureCAM uses the idea of a current working folder, which means that if sometime during your session you navigate to some other folder to open a file, then any future opens or saves in that session use the new folder. But the
File Location folder is always used as the starting folder for the next time you run
FeatureCAM.