Transitioning pre-v12 installations

Technote 215
Date: 05/07
Product: All
Version: v12.x and Up

Problem:
How to you transition customizations and settings from pre-v12.x SmartCAM installations to current product.

All pre-v12 Code Generator, Custom Tool Graphics, JOF, MCL, PCB, etc. files are compatible with later versions. After installing the new version, copy all custom files to the new location, or point your installation to any custom material that can, or should stay put.

For example:

Copy all c:\sm9\mill\mctg files to C:\Program Files\SmartCAM\SmartCAMv14\MILL\MCTG. This copies any special Custom Tool Graphics into the new installation. Where "SmartCAMv14" is the versioned SmartCAM directory, the version number will change.

Copy all c:\sm9\mill\msmf files to C:\Program Files\SmartCAM\SmartCAMv14\MILL\MSMF. This copies all Code Generators into the new installation unless they are located elsewhere.

Check your application.ini file for things that point to custom files and edit your new application.ini file to point to these. The application.ini file can be found in the configuration directory of the installation and is named using the short name of the application you have installed. (amill.ini = Advanced Milling, afab.ini = Advanced Fabrication, pturn.ini = Production Turning, etc.)

The Configuration Directory can be found by opening Help - About. The configuration directory is shown at the bottom of this form.

For example in the old pmill.ini you might find something like this for your custom Icon Bar:

[IconBar]
SetupFile=P:\User\custom.bar
Position=LEFT
Defaults=c:\sm9\SHARED\ICON\ICONBAR.DEF
IconSize=SMALL

Be sure the new one looks like this:

[IconBar]
SetupFile=P:\User\custom.bar
Position=LEFT
Defaults=C:\Program Files\SmartCAM\SmartCAMv14\SHARED\ICON\ICONBAR.DEF
IconSize=SMALL

Or in the old afab.ini for the User Menu pull down:

[UserMenu]
MenuName1= Clamp Check
MenuPcb1= C:\sm9\SHARED\cl_chk.pcb
MenuName2=
MenuPcb2=

Should look like this in the new one:

[UserMenu]
UserMenuName=Diane's Tools
MenuName1=Dynamic Nest
MenuPcb1=C:\Program Files\SmartCAM\SmartCAMv14\SHARED\mover.pcb
MenuName2=Clamp Check
MenuPcb2=C:\sm9\SHARED\cl_chk.pcb
MenuName3=
MenuPcb3=

There will certainly be more, but your older installation is not affected by the new install. Leave your old install running for a time until you are sure that you have transitioned everything.