Providing and Using Feature Locator Instructions

Probe Toolbox - Feature Locator tab

You can use the Feature Locator tab in the Probe Toolbox to provide the operator with instructions for measuring the current auto feature. You may find this useful if your measurement routine requires some operator interaction in the auto feature measurement (if the operator is working in Manual mode, for example).

To provide these instructions, type textual descriptions, take screen shots of the feature, use pre-existing bitmap images, and use prepared audio files. If the operator displays the Probe Toolbox during measurement routine execution, but prior to the feature's execution, the instructions appear.

To Provide Feature Locator Instructions

1. Click the Feature Locator tab () in the Probe Toolbox.

2. Add audio instructions.

1. • Click the Select Feature Locator WAV icon () next to the Feature Locator WAV File toggle icon () to browse to the .wav file to associate with this auto feature.

   • Click the Feature Locator WAV toggle icon () to enable the playing of the audio file during measurement routine execution.

3. Add a bitmap image. You can either select a preexisting bitmap image or use a screen capture of the current Graphic Display window.

1. • To select a preexisting bitmap file, click the Select Feature Locator BMP icon () next to the Feature Locator BMP File icon (). Browse to the .bmp file to associate with this auto feature. Once you select it, a thumbnail of the selected image appears on the Feature Locator tab.

   • To use a screen capture of the Graphic Display window, click the Capture Feature Locator BMP icon (). A thumbnail of the captured image appears on the Feature Locator tab. This file is indexed and saved in the PC-DMIS installation directory. For example, a measurement routine named bolthole.prg would yield bitmaps named bolthole0.bmp, bolthole1.bmp, bolthole2.bmp, and so on.

   • Click the Feature Locator BMP File toggle icon () to enable the display of the bitmap image during measurement routine execution.

4. Add text instructions. In the Feature Locator Text box, type the textual instructions you want to display.

5. Click Create or OK to save the changes that you made in the Auto Feature dialog box.

To Use Feature Locator Instructions

1. Display the Probe Toolbox during execution. If the Probe Toolbox isn't visible during execution, the instructions do not appear. To display the Probe Toolbox, do the following:

1. • Begin measurement routine execution.

   • Once the Execution dialog box appears, click the Stop button:

1. • Select View | Probe Toolbox to display the toolbox.

   • Click the Continue button to proceed with the execution.

2. View the instructions. The instructions automatically appear on the Feature Locator tab in the Probe Toolbox when PC-DMIS begins to execute the feature:

Feature Locator tab providing instructions during execution

1. • If you enabled audio, click the Feature Locator WAV File icon () as many times as you need to hear the instructions.

   • In addition, you can drag the Probe Toolbox out onto the Graphic Display window and size it as desired.

3. Once the associated feature has been measured, PC-DMIS removes the Feature Locator tab with its instructions from the Probe Toolbox.