If you need to edit your #Gcode off the machine, there are many free text editors that you can use. Marc Cronin, from ‪@GCodeTutor‬, helped us find the best one.
It is not uncommon for #CNC programmers to edit G-code off the machine using a text editor on a computer.
While Notepad + provides the basic functions needed to edit your code, it doesn't format the code as some other text editors do.
Let's take a look at some other free text editors that include more formatting options for G-code programmers.
- NOTEPAD ++ (notepad-plus-plus.org/)
This is an upgrade from the standard Notepad + available on all PCs. It contains a lot more useful features for programmers. For example, it allows you to change the format of the text to match your programming language. While G-code is not included in the language library, it can be easily downloaded online and installed.
- ATOM (atom.io/)
Although this is a very good text editor, it is the only editor out of the four compared in the video that doesn't format the G-code.
- Visual Studio Code (code.visualstudio.com/)
VS Code offers a lot of different G-code formatters, from the specific ones for mills or lathes to the more generic ones. This editor is also highly customizable.
- Brackets (brackets.io/)
Just as the other editors reviewed, Brackets allows programmers to download and install G-code extensions.
To learn more about G-code editing or improve your programming skills visit Gcodetutor.com (gcodetutor.com/).
Stay tuned for more #machining videos!
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Recommended CNC programming books:
Fanuc CNC Custom Macros - amzn.to/370yX0P
CNC Programming Handbook - amzn.to/2MPxT9g
CNC Programming Techniques - amzn.to/3aTS4el
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