SmartCAM v12 and up Installation and Configuration Details

Technote 12
Product: All
Version: v12.x - v16.x

Information:
Details about SmartCAM v12.x and above installations.

If you have not done so, please see Technical Bulletin 211 about licensing questions and answers found here:

V12 and up Licensing FAQ

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The SmartCAM configuration uses the Registry to store the installation location, default user files location and the name and location of the main Configuration Settings file (SmartCAMcnc.ini). Listed here are where these items are and a description of what they do.

The SmartCAM Registry entries are located here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SmartCAMcnc

And under this is the version(s) that are installed, for example:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SmartCAMcnc\V14

The keys are:

SCAMRootPath = SmartCAM install area
SCAMUserPath = User default files location
SCAMCommPath = SmartCAM Common Files Path (introduced in v17.0)
UBER_INI = Main Configuration Settings file (INI file)

DO NOT change the name of the UBER_INI file. It must remain SmartCAMcnc.ini

Inside of the SmartCAMcnc.ini file are similar entries found in the [Defaults] section. They are:

SmartCAMPath = SmartCAM install area
SChelpDir = SmartCAM Help files location
CFGPath = User default files location

The following two entries MUST match the keys from the Registry:

SmartCAMPath = Registry key SCAMRootPath
CFGPath = Registry key SCAMUserPath

Some of the important user files located in the SCAMUserPath are:

(app).ini = Application specific Configuration Settings file. There are several path and file entries that affect the application operation in these files. (app) is the application short name - ffm, amill, pmill, aturn, pturn, afab and awedm.

CAMConnection.ini = Configuration Settings file for v12+ CAM Connection. There are many path and file entries that affect the application operation in this file.

??dflt_?.su = Application default files. These store panel defaults for the individual applications when File - Keep Defaults is used. There are two per application - metric and inch. The first two letters of the name indicates the application and the final letter of the name (not the extension) indicates inch or metric. For example, amdflt_i.su is the inch default file for Advanced Milling.

licadm.ini = License Configuration Settings file. Among other things, this contains the products (applications) installed and their keys. The keys in this file are NOT used by the License Key utility (see smartcamcnc.lic for this).

smartcamcnc.lic = This is the file where the actual keys for the different applications are stored. This is accessed whenever the License Key utility or any of the licensed applications are started.

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Example configurations

A single system with multiple users. One set of application defaults for all users

Check the Registry path SCAMUserPath. If this path is not accessible, with full permissions, to all of the intended SmartCAM users, create a directory that is. Copy (or move) all of the contents of the SCAMUserPath to this new directory.

Edit the SmartCAMcnc.ini, (app).ini and CAMConnection.ini files and adjust any of the paths to point to this new directory.

Edit the Registry and change SCAMUserPath to point to this new directory.

A single system with multiple users. Each user with their own application defaults

Map drive letters for each users log-in that points to each users 'private' space (HOMEDRIVE\HOMEPATH for example). Each user should have identical drive letters that point to their private space.

Create a directory in each users private space called SmartCAM.

Edit the SmartCAMcnc.ini, (app).ini and CAMConnection.ini files in the SCAMUserPath and adjust any of the paths to point to this new directory.

Copy all of the contents of the SCAMUserPath to this new directory on each users private space.

Edit the Registry and change SCAMUserPath to point to this new directory.

Remember that should you add or change a product, changes to each of the users private space will need adjusted. For example if you add and license a new product, the (app).ini, ??dflt_?.su, licadm.ini and smartcamcnc.lic files will need to be copied to each of the users private spaces.