Runnig same Program Simultaneously from a network

[[St...]]

Having an issue when running the same program Simultaneously on two or more CMMs and will get the following error message;

"Feature “XN_MAJ_Rad” has not been measured from the Feature List
(as reference is incomplete) but now activated by Characteristics ‘Item 1’.
Do you want to measure it now?"

This will occur on our Contura CMMs and Sheffield CMMs with Calypso Software.

[[De...]]

You cannot run the same program on two machines simultaneously if that program is sitting on the network.

Calypso uses the Measurement Plan Directory to store measured values in the geoactuals folder among numerous other things.

You can run from a network drive fine if you only run from one CMM at a time, but as soon as you go to run the same program from a second machine, the second machine will overwrite the values from the first. Not only will you get errors, even if somehow you didn't your data would be invalid.

If you want to have a program 'vault' on the network, you need to have some sort of system in place to make a local copy of the program that you actually run from.

We use a proprietary system that uses the windows 'robocopy' command to make a mirrored copy of the network directory on the local machine in the inspections folder prior to starting calypso.

This could be managed as simply as making setup people / operators copy the file from the network locally prior to running, or by creating a complex system like the one we use. I believe there is also a system available from Zeiss that will handle something like this.

[[Ri...]]

All you need to do is go into Extras - Settings - Environment - Paths - switch to "Fixed directory for actual values". Make sure to select "Applies for all users". The same for "Default Path for Results Files".

There is no need for Robo-copies or anything like that.

[[To...]]

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This is what I've always believed to be true for this type of scenario.

[[De...]]

I stand corrected.

Although I still can't say I am upset about running from a local SSD rather than a very slow network drive.

I am fairly certain this option was not in existence when we created our system.

I am curious to know what version this was implemented in.

[[To...]]

It's been in there for a long, long time. At least 4.6, which was the version we were at when I started as a trainer, here a Methods 10+ years ago.

I'm of the opinion, when you load the program from the network, it runs locally and if you have the settings described below set, there shouldn't be any network traffic. However, I am open to the correct answer if this is incorrect.

[[Th...]]

Most likely Calypso brings all the relevant data into local memory when a measurement plan is loaded, so a slow network would only be a problem for the initial program load. I don't know what the file sizes look like for those truly giant programs some places have, but ours are on the order of single-digit megabytes overall. You might start noticing slowdown as Calypso writes feature data back to that network location, but as others have already pointed out, there are much bigger problems than write speed to be worried about.

[[De...]]

No that actually makes sense to me now that you made me think about it, actually it would be writing the results that would be slowest, and ironically, we save those to the network.

[[Ja...]]

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I am actually in here on a Saturday doing just that, running the same part on two machines. I had the same issues running one program from a network on two machines at the same time so, as a rule I would avoid doing so unless it was absolutely necessary and then I would save the program locally to get the parts measured and delete the local program when I was done. I am now using Richards suggestion. You will have to log in as Master before making these changes.

[[Ja...]]

I am not having any problems now. I am on version 5.4.

[[Pe...]]

We run three Duramaxes this way on one line - common programs on the network with results stored locally for each CMM.

One potential issue is if the operators have the ability to make and save changes. If the same program is open on CMM-A and CMM-B, and someone makes changes on CMM-A and saves, then someone else makes different changes at CMM-B and saves, the changes from CMM-A will be lost.

We avoid this by running user accounts with limited permissions. Just something to be aware of if you're setting this up for the first time.

[[Ri...]]

Peter,

AutoRun is you friend as well to overcome situations like that.