Parameters and template pages

You can use parameters to create setup sheets for a project.

Common parameters

There are a number of common parameters that can be used in both setup sheets and macros:

• Project header — Contains the parameters project.* or powermill.*.
• NC Program header — Contains the NC Program parameters entity('ncprogram', ncprogram.Name).*.
• Toolpath page — Contains toolpath and tool parameters such as entity('toolpath', toolpath.Name).* and entity('toolpath', toolpath.Name).Tool.*.
• Summary page — Contains the parameters <summaryrow> or <toolrow>, in addition to toolpath and tool parameters.

Parameters only used in setup sheets

There are a parameters that can only be used in setup sheets. This is due to the nature of setup sheets: they aim to achieve a goal within a single statement. There are also other restrictions:

• You cannot use if statements.
• You cannot re-use variables.
• Every statement is independent and does not flow as it does in macros.
• Statements do not start with the entity(…)syntax.

The following table summarises the differences between the use of parameters in macros and setup sheets.

Note: For more information, click Help > Parameters > Documentation > Setup Sheet Summary.

Parameter	Use in macros	Use in setup sheets
Parameter definition	REAL r = 10	Parameter definition is not supported. You can only use previously defined parameters.
Parameter printing	PRINT “Stepover is ${entity('toolpath', '1').Stepover}”	Stepover is ${entity('toolpath', '1').Stepover}.
Commands	PRINT “Stepover is ${entity('toolpath', '1').Stepover}”	You cannot use commands. The effect of putting parameters between ${} brackets is similar to using the PRINT command. The difference is that only the value is printed, and it is printed to the setup sheet file.
If statements	IF (${error(Workplane)} == 0) { PRINT ${Workplane.Name} } ELSE { PRINT “World” }	Not supported. However, you can use a parameter function to perform simple things which require the same behaviour: ${select(“error(Workplane) == 0”, Workplane.Name, “World”)}.
While, For loops	Consult the macro manual.	No supported. However, the syntax of <summaryrow> mimics looping over toolpaths. <toolrow> mimics looping over tools.

Note: The toolpath header, NC Program header, and summary HTML pages are repeated for each toolpath or NC Program. However, the parameters depend upon the individual toolpath or NC program PowerMill.