Ron, it would be very unusual for you to have to get into writing G-code with most of the quality CNC machines available today. The CAM software does all the code for you. Where folks do dive into G-Code is most often in production situations where they want to further streamline something with a macro, to say, make something repeatable without restarting a file, or to change a specific behavior of the machine in a particular situation. I've had my CNC machine since April 2018. I've not written a single line of G-Code in that time period. I've modified a configuration file a couple of times to customize my machine setup and while those files have g-code in them, I was merely changing, adding or subtracting a setup parameter. My Vectric software "writes" all the g-code for every job I run. I just draw pretty pictures, tell what tools I want to use for each required cutting operation along with cutting parameters (all mouse clicks and numbers for measurements), run the toolpaths virtually in the software until I'm happy with the expected end result and then ask the software to write out the cutting file(s). I have learned a very small number of g-code commands that I occasionally use to move the spindle to a particular point, but most often I just use the arrows on my screen or remote keypad to do that visually. "Normal Humans" can do this...no major programming required!
That said, I'm not discouraging you from learning more about g-code. I'm just saying "knowing it" isn't a requirement to successfully and enjoyably use a CNC machine.
Last edited by Jim Becker; 02-17-2020 at 9:29 AM.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...