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Introduction to Vericut Reviewer

The Vericut Reviewer enables you to quickly and easily view, replay a previously processed Vericut Project file. The input to the Vericut Reviewer is a Vericut Review file (.vcreview). The Vericut Review file contains all of the information required to replay the toolpath and machine simulation that was created in Vericut.

The following sections will provide an overview of the features available in the Vericut Reviewer main window.

Vericut File Descriptions

The types of files used by Vericut Reviewer to load and save various types of data are listed below in alphabetical order. See the appropriate section for a description of file contents and formats, and how to open and save them.

Log File

Typical file extension: .log

The Vericut LOG FILE is an ASCII text file that contains information about a Vericut session, such as: names of NC programs processed, errors, warnings, simulated machining times, and other informational messages.

Using the Vericut Logger function, Log file contents can be viewed, printed, or saved under a different file name. For help with interpreting error and warning messages in this file, contact Vericut technical support via our website, just click on the support link.

Click here to see a sample Vericut Log file.

📝 NOTE: In the Vericut Logfile "Cutter Stick Out" column of the Tool Summary Table, in cases where no holder has been defined, or in the case of an APT tool, the "Cutter Stick Out" column will display the length of the cutter instead of the Cutter Stick Out value.

Preferences File

Typical file extension: .prefs

Also known as a "Prefs file", this ASCII text file is automatically saved when you exit Vericut Reviewer and stores such user preferences as:

  • Vericut Reviewer user interface Look & Feel

  • size and locations of Vericut Reviewer windows

  • state of menu toggles in any window that has them, for example: View tab > Axes.
  • filters for Vericut Review File selection windows
  • recent review files opened in Vericut Reviewer.

The Preferences file is unique for each Vericut version and each user, based on your login. The file is named "cgtech_rev_version#_user.prefs" where version# is the current Vericut Reviewer version number. The Prefs file is automatically stored in your home directory and is updated each time you exit Vericut Reviewer. When you run a new Vericut Reviewer version for the first time (no Prefs file exists for that version), it will attempt to use the Prefs file from the previous version.

When users share a machine (or an account), Vericut recommends that each user set a unique CGTECH_USERNAME environment variable to prevent overwriting the Preferences file.

CGTECH_USERNAME — Specifies the user name to include in the name of the Preferences file that is automatically saved when you exit Vericut. This environment variable is recommended to prevent users that share a machine (or an account) from overwriting the Preferences file.

Example of use:

set CGTECH_USERNAME=bob (Preferences file saved => "cgtech_bob.prefs")

To reset Preferences file settings:

Windows Start > All Programs > Vericut Reviewer [version number]> Utilities > Reset Preferences

Review File

Typical file extension: .vcreview

The Review file is a binary file that contains all of the information required to simulate a Vericut Project file. It contains the model information required to display machine, cut stock, tools etc. It also contains the NC program(s) used to cut the part, tool path data, original view settings and a copy of the Log file.

📝 NOTE: Vericut Reviewer files are not upward compatible. They are only compatible with Vericut and Vericut Reviewer of the same version that the reviewer file was created in. Reviewer files created in past versions of Reviewer will not be compatible with the current version of Reviewer.