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QUICK TIP: Enhanced GCode viewing when posting from Fusion 360
Generate setup, generate toolpaths, simulate toolpaths, and post GCode with one of the post processors from Fusion 360’s extensive library. It’s just that easy (sorta), but what’s next?
Once the GCode file is post processed, it is important to view the file to examine what will happen in the machine. Brackets is the viewer used for Fusion 360 when a GCode file is posted. By default, all of the text is black in brackets. This makes it difficult to understand what are comments, GCodes, and MCodes without examining the file in close detail. As every machinist knows, every second is time they can be running this job on the machine.
On the other hand, some machine shops purchase a different post editor. In Fusion 360, the default editor can be changed to automatically launch that editor when the “post process” command is used inside Fusion 360.
Download this Syntax highlighting extension for brackets. While using this extension the default colors in brackets are shown below.
Red = MCodes
Blue = GCodes
Green = Comments
Purple = Feed Rates & Spindle Speeds
Now check out this video to see how to use this extension in brackets or choose a different default post editor while using Fusion 360.
Comments
drhaefne@rockwellcollins.com
The link for the Syntax highlighting extension for brackets doesn’t seem to be working.
Bryce Heventhal
Hello,
Try it again. I think there was an issue with the site where the file is hosted this morning.
paradocs111@icloud.com
Not sure how to change to custom colors. For example, when I type in purple instead of mediumpurple, save the file and then reinstall the zip I get the same mediumpurple. Am I missing some step? Also what are other colors I can use called. Guess I’m not enough of a computer geek.
Mark
paradocs111@icloud.com
Or perhaps you could just point me to an article that will teach me this.
Bryce Heventhal
Hello @Paradocs111@icloud.com,
The process to change the colors is as follows:
Unzip the attached zip folder to your computer
Browse to the style.css file. Open this file in a text editor (Preferably Brackets because this will auto populate all the colors)
Save the Style.css file
Zip the brackets-gcode-syntax-highlighter folder back up
Drag the newly created zip file back into the extension manager in brackets
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any other help.
CGPM
Hi Bryce, thanks for the tip but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything for me. Win7 Pro computer. I load the zip file as instructed in the video but the text in Brackets is still all black. I tried to check the download file but get a 404 error. I have played with unloading and loading the file but still no luck. Any ideas as to what I am missing?
Bryce Heventhal
Hello CGPM,
Check the bottom right corner of the brackets application. Look at :58 seconds in the video. The corner says “g-code” for the viewing option. Does this read txt?
Best Regards,
CGPM
Yep it says Text. I set it to G-Code and it now works, thank you!
Notes on Autodesk Fusion 360 – A.Quarter.To.Seven
[…] 360 is shipped with a gcode viewer called Brakets. See http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/quick-tip-enhanced-viewing-gcode-files-posting-fusi… See also […]