Manage Tools Files dialog (PartMaker)

Use the Manage Tools Files dialog to transfer tool data between PartMaker and a Master Tools Database file.

To display this dialog, select ToolMinder > Manage Tools Files.

Note: This topic describes how to use the Manage Tools Files dialog. If you require more details about how PartMaker stores tool data in a Master Tools Database file, see More about Master Tool Database files. If your company already has a master tools database file in .csv format, you can modify this file so it works with PartMaker, see Making an existing master tools database file compatible with PartMaker for more details.

The following settings are available:

Master Tools Database File = name-of-master-tools-database-file

Use the settings in this area of the dialog to control which tools in the Master Tools Database file are displayed in the Master Tools list box of this dialog. Having specified which tools you want to be displayed, you can then choose to transfer the tools to the current PartMaker Tools (.tdb) file. To change the order in which the tools are displayed, click the column headers.

File Format — This displays the file format in which the Master Tools Database is saved or loaded (.tdb or .csv).

— Click the arrow to display the split button's menu:

• Open Master Tools Database File — Select this option to display the Open Master Tools File dialog, where you can select the Master Tools Database File you want to open. The tools contained in this file are displayed (according to the display criteria you specified in the Display Tools area of the dialog) in the Master Tools list box.
• Download Vendor Master Tools Database — Select this option to display the Download Vendor Tools Database dialog, where you can select the vendor Master Tools Database you want to download. The tools contained in this file are displayed (according to the display criteria you specified in the Display Tools area of the dialog) in the Master Tools list box.

— Click to display the Save Master Tools File As dialog, where you can select a folder and a filename for the file. If you are:

• Creating a new file, PartMaker saves all of the tools displayed in the Master Tools list box to the Master Tools Database file.
• Updating an existing Master Tools Database file, PartMaker updates the file with any details that have changed since the file was last saved.

Display Tools

• Type — Select the type of tools you want to display. You can display All Tools, or only tools of a certain type, such as Milling or Grooving tools.
• Material — Select an option to specify whether you want to display tools made from any material, or only those tools made from a specific material, such as HSS.
• Location — If the Type of tool selected is Turning, Grooving, or Threading, select an option to specify whether you want to display tools of any location, or only those tools of a specific location, such as Face.
• Orientation — Select an option to display tools of any orientation, or only those tools of a specific orientation, such as Right.
• Shape — Select an option to display tools of any shape, or only those tools with a specific shape, such as Bull Nosed or Tapered Tipped. Applicable only to End Mill, Tapered End Mill, and Rotary Broach tools.

Select Tool Parameters To Display — Use these headers to specify which tool parameters you want to be displayed in the Master Tools list box area of this dialog. To select the parameters you want to use, click the 1, 2 and 3 buttons to display the Select Tool Parameter dialog. If required, you can also apply a range to a parameter. For example for the Tool Diameter parameter, you could specify that you want to display only those tools that have a tool diameter between 0.5 and 1.0.

Buttons for transferring and maintaining tools

Import >> — Click to copy the currently selected tool in the Master Tools list box into the Tool Data list box, so it can be saved in the current PartMaker Tools Data file (.tdb).

Import All >> — Click to copy all the tools in the Master Tools list box into the Tool Data list box, so they can be saved in the current PartMaker Tools Data file (.tdb).

Note: PartMaker copies only those tools from the Master Tools Database file that are displayed in the Master Tools list box. If some tools in the Master Tools Database are not displayed in this list box, it is because they do not match the criteria specified by the options in the Display Tools area of the dialog.

<< Export — Click to copy the currently selected tool in the Tool Data list box into the Master Tools Database list box, so it can be saved in a Master Tools Database file.

<< Export All — Click to copy all the tools displayed in the Tool Data list box into the Master Tools Database list box, so they can be saved in a Master Tools Database file.

Note: The .dxf file for a user-defined tool stored in the Master Tools Database file must be present in the same folder as the .csv file. When a user-defined tool is stored or retrieved using the Manage Tools Files dialog, PartMaker copies the .dxf file for a user-defined tool into the required folder.

Edit Selected — Click to display the Edit Tool dialog for the currently selected tool, so you can edit the tool data if required. The tool may be selected in the Master Tools list box or the Tool Data list box.

Delete Selected — Click to delete the currently selected tool from the Master Tools list box or the Tool Data list box.

Tool Data File = name-of-PartMaker-tools-data-file

Open — Click to display the Open Tools File dialog and select the PartMaker Tools Data File (.tdb) you want to open.

Warning: Opening a .tdb file from the Manage Tools File dialog replaces the Tools Data file that is in use for your current PartMaker job. Autodesk recommends that you should not open a new Tools Data File from this dialog when you are in the process of programming a part, as replacing the current .tdb file could cause incorrect tool references in the toolpaths you have programmed.

Tool Data window — This window displays the tools from the current PartMaker Tools Data (.tdb) file. For each tool, the Tool ID, Tool No, Name, and Type are displayed. Click a column header to change the order in which the tools are displayed.

Dialog buttons

OK — Click to close the dialog. If you have made changes using the dialog, but have not saved these changes to the Master Tools Database file or the Tool Data file (.tdb), PartMaker prompts you to save these files.

Cancel — Click to cancel your changes and close the dialog. If you have made changes affecting the PartMaker Tool Data file (.tdb), PartMaker reverts to the previously saved version of the .tdb file. If you have made changes affecting the Master Tools Database File, PartMaker discards these changes.