10-22-24 UPDATE! CNC12 v5.20 has been released Mill, Lathe, Router, Plasma is now available for public testing.

[Thinkin]

Are you guys close to a final release? I need to tackle my long neglected mill project and if I'm going to do this I should get on the latest version.

[suntravel]

Why not use the last Beta and update later? Update is very easy and fast.

Uwe

[grossmsj]

Update is very easy and fast.

LOL!

Just follow the 18 step flow diagram. Steps like "for each of the 14 screen shots you took, re-enter those values by hand", move your macros and art to the new directory, re-edit the HTML for your VCP screen...
Seriously, a great many of us absolutely dread the new installations which is why so many are running out of date CNC12 versions. I respect that Centroid feels it's more important to make meaningful performance upgrades, than make the process of installing them easy for users. But I'm not happy about it.

[RogDC]

Update is very easy and fast.

LOL!

Just follow the 18 step flow diagram. Steps like "for each of the 14 screen shots you took, re-enter those values by hand", move your macros and art to the new directory, re-edit the HTML for your VCP screen...

In the Wizard you can just hit CTRL+P ( if you are running a recent enough version ) the Wizard will take the screenshots for you and create one PDF File of all the Wizard settings.

I beta test the SW and fresh installs are required each time. A little more involved than pressing an update button, but it's really not that difficult to do if your machine parameters and configuration doesn't change between the Wizard PDF and new version of SW. It doesn't take long to do.

I keep a copy of my custom macros and other files that need to be copied from version to version in a separate folder, then just copy those files to the new install directory.

I keep a list in Excel of what files need to be copied from version to version along with a list of macros and changes that I make. ( Just a PSA - This comes in handy for any conflicting macros which may be used on newer versions of CNC12 for new functions that you may have customized before).

Rename your working CNCM folder in case you need to roll back ( I use Working_CNC_12_vX_Date ) for the previous working folder.

And if you find a bug, Keith will thank you. Then you can easily roll back to your previous working version.

As they say, easy peasy.

[suntravel]

I need more than 18 steps to go to my workshop

I must admit I have some training in updates, since I have done almost all betas from 4.6.

For my full customized systems I need less than 30 min.

If I do updates on near standard systems for friends over TeamViewer, job is done in about 15min and the CNCs are running like before with the same tool libs and WCS. Another 45min for some blabla showing them some workflows and within one hour they have an updated CNC and a bit of user training.

So yes, it is not a full automated update, but easy and fast If you do it with some organizing.

Uwe

[grossmsj]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the constructive comments. I also use a script file I got from another CNC12 user and it helps a lot.
I want to be clear that I really love CNC12 and appreciate the constant work Centroid puts in to make this software better. They are incessant in the best way possible!
But this software is way more work to update than anything else I use. Maybe I've gotten 'soft' by having the option to just push a button and the upgrade is done for me. On the other hand, it's just not fair to say it's fast and easy for your average user. The beta testers do it all the time and as you point out, have incorporated macros and other aids to make it easier and faster.
We all see problems that crop up from users that just don't upgrade anywhere close to as often as they should or have problems because they entered values wrong. The whole user experience would be much more pleasant and productive if the process was better automated.

[suntravel]

Update on my Bambu 3D printer is shot and run, but this a not customized system, so easy to update since the hardware is always the same.

Centroid DIY CNC is made for a bunch of different machines/hardware and it can be customized by the machine builder, so IMHO there is no complete automatic way to update. That is something the machine builder must do, and yes you are the machine builder if you build your own custom DIY CNC machine

Uwe

[ShawnM]

I hear ya Scott, I wish it were as easy as upgrading my Vectric software but it's not.

We should understand it's not an UPGRADE, it's a NEW INSTALL. We've become lazy and call it an upgrade or update but it's always a fresh install of a new version of software.

As you know I use a batch file I wrote to copy out all the needed files from the CNCM directory for my custom installs and it really helps speed things up. I'm working on a new batch file for 5.2 when it comes out. Since there are a bunch of new files and folders and some files have been moved to new/different folders there are some changes needed to my batch file. It copies all my custom files and folders to a thumb drive and I then copy that over to the new install. With the "CTRL+P" feature and my batch file it's pretty quick.

I feel your pain though Scott and wish it were more simple for our average Acorn users who dont do this all the time. That said, I have customers who cant tie their shoe and chew gum at the same time so for them it's a shop visit or TeamViewer session for me to help them.

I have a small production router machine that I use to cut aircraft parts that still has 4.82 on it because it's rock solid and works EVERYTIME. I dont have the need to muck that machine up for any reason.

[cnckeith]

Are you guys close to a final release? I need to tackle my long neglected mill project and if I'm going to do this I should get on the latest version.

just posted release candidate #5, please give it a go.

[suntravel]

You will get feedback tomorrow.

Uwe