A post processor is made up of 3 main files, the Machine Definition, the Control Definition, and a PST file. (You will get a PSB file if the post is a custom post.)
The Machine Definition is the machine's kinematics and limit settings. There is other information that can be put in the Machine Definition, but it is done by the post developer.
The Control Definition will have switches that will change the output of the code, for instance, the N numbers and turning on or off the staged tool routines. This is also setup by the post developer and some settings will change the format of the code or the way the code is output, and again is typically setup by the post developer.
The PST and if there is one PSB file is the part that translates the NCI data in Mastercam to G code. This is going to have the logic for how the G code is output and formatted, and edits done to the PST file should be done by the post developer.
When a Machine Definition is loaded into a Mastercam file, it loads the Control Definition, and the PST file. These files have a directory they read from and file names they look for, and if the directory changes, or the file name, the post processor will fall out of sync. If the post processor does fall out of syn, Mastercam will look for the files, or load default files and this can cause a lot of problems. There is a tool for changing the names of a Post Processor, and it will keep the post in sync, but that will not update the toolpath copy of Mastercam files that have the old name of the post processor.
When G code is generated Mastercam goes to the post processor to pull out data for buffers, parameters, and to pre-read the NCI data for the toolpaths. After the NCI data is read once, Mastercam will read it again and with the pre-read data it will generate the G code. It is ideal that the post processor is on the local computer for this reason and in the correct files. If the post is being ran off a network, if there is a slow down in the network speed, or it goes down, the code won't be generated, or could be wrong.
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