Have the ability to change the program from English to Metric, not just the reporting

This would be one of those things that would be nice to have but how often do you really have the need?

I had this need just the other week, but it was the first time in many years.

I would echo Jons comment, I'm curious how often this situation arises and so how much this would be used.

Is there an option to issue a thumb down vote?

I like this Idea but would like to add to it. I think they need a redesign for the starting screen.  Large button options for both IN or MM as well as for Online and Offline!!!! Or even separate popup screens that happen before the routines open. I think it would also be great if at least they didn't give you a much bolder obvious option then you could switch from online to offline within the routine as well.

Depends. Shop floor is almost exclusively in inches (English). Probably about 60% of prints inbound (even new designs) are in metric, balance is in inches. To our customers, we want to share results in whatever native unit the print indicates, but on the floor we need inches to report results for the internal customers.

I would also add angle conversion too

Right now I have to have Programming templates for each units and different versions. So, I usually have about four PC-DMIS version templates in inches and four more in metric. So, this feature would reduce the number of templates in half that I will have to maintain.

Most CAD software’s have this capability so why PC-DMIS never did has always made me ask why. 

It blows my mind that this still isn't a thing. 

Perhaps there could be an option in the PCDMIS home screen. (similar to OPERATIONS > MIRROR) you could so OPERATIONS > UNIT > SWITCH UNITS (select program > save as "Program name_inches").

I can not imaging a moment when this is needed.

When you start to program, first check the drawing for the units. Then set to MM or Inches.

The reporting has the option of MM or Inches.

The only thing that I could imaging, is that some people have problems with seeing MM or Inches. In the USA its more inches, so mm's may be hard to see, and in Europe its the other way round.

Well, when I created programs for sheet metal parts some drawings revision changes would be from metric to inches and vice versa. In addition, they wanted the program in the requested units not just the reporting.

What do we want?!

To be able to change the program from standard to metric!!

When do we want it?!

Please now!!

This is the 8th most requested change on the suggestion board and it has been sitting here for 5 years. This is crazy! Please lets get this incorporated!

I posted this on the PC-DMIS 2022.1 Technical Preview with no reply from Hexagon.

Some Suggested features over five years old

02-02-2022, 08:02 AM

Well, here is 2022.1 and still we wait for the ability to change from online to offline (Posted five years ago). Just like print commands when choosing two formats, Then the request to change the routine from inches to metric (Posted five years ago) and so many more requested changes.
Yes, there have been some great improvements over the years. Why is it taking so long to make these other requests.

Change from Online / Offline
Link: https://ideacenter.hexagonmi.com/en/...online-offline

Have the ability to change the program from English to Metric, not just the reporting
Link: https://ideacenter.hexagonmi.com/en/...-the-reporting

Ability to use Multiple Print Commands with different formats. There is a Case Number 00244229 for this as well.
Link: https://ideacenter.hexagonmi.com/en/...ferent-formats

Adding the Measure Now button within the Auto Features.
Measure Now toggle icon (Posted five years ago) that needs better visual aids to help let the user know that the CMM will execute immediately. Add a way to turn on or off globally. This one can destroy a CMM in a hurry. Forget that this button is on, select the OK button, and watch the dollars disappear.
Link: https://ideacenter.hexagonmi.com/en/...ow-toggle-icon

I believe this request (program units conversion) is overly simplistic and ignores:

- The displayprecisions settings in the program and what they would have to change to for equivalency to existing commands or dimensions.

-  That programs may have dimensions in the other unit of measure (an inch program can report in mm and viceversa).

- That a program may read or write nominal or actual data from/to files

- That the CAD also has to transform and any implications on that

- That a program may use variables and therefore the conversion will break it.  One could argue, why would the customer try convert?  Because we give him/her the option to and to break the program.

- Programs may call subroutines, other programs, basic scripts or even data from EXTERNAL commands.

This is a good idea for demos and simple routines.  If the user made the decision to write routine in inches, he/she should live with it and still has the ability to report in either unit and personally I believe that suffices.

If I am looking for a program at high precision code wise, I write in metric and report in inches at the risk of confusing someone else.

Have it pop up with a warning that the software will round off to the nearest 0.0000X) decimal place and we have to live with the consequences.

This is a math software. It should be able to divide by 25.4.

The people who pay for & use this software have been asking about this for years. We should get it.

I can create a list of other software that have this ability. I would be wasting my time because Hexagon knows that there are other software including CMM software that already has this ability.

I live in the US and we see both metric and standard on a daily basis. 

I don't think I would use this function all the time but it would be really helpful when I need it instead of having to reprogram something completely, or having a program that is a mesh of standard features and metric dimensions. 

This is a standard function of most CAD softwares

Check out Pcdmis forums starting at post #17 

Link: inch to metric

There is one possibility. They have already tried and failed.

Thank you for the request, unfortunately, this is not being considered currently due to the significant effort required to make these changes throughout the product against the believed benefit this would provide to the majority of users.

It has nearly been 17 years since this was originally requested. I really wish PC-Dmis would keep up with other metrology software's and other CAD software's in general.

Julian.  This is not a simple task of internal units conversion.  And PC-DMIS is not just a CAD software.  Any changes like this require attention to what impact it would have to existing users and measurement (not just CAD) routines.
Not every CMM programmer uses just CAD,  not all measurement routines have just numbers.  We can have Flow control w/ variables which involve numerical evaluation.  We can have BASIC scripts, Forms, etc, in a routine.  This request is about converting/switching at will the units for pre-existing routine, correct?  Easy to say not easy to implement.  

I agree with you, that is why I said metrology software and CAD software. 

If someone has scripts and variables, etc in their program I think they will be smart enough to make the updates needed.

This is a good solution.

"Perhaps there could be an option in the PCDMIS home screen. (similar to OPERATIONS > MIRROR) you could so OPERATIONS > UNIT > SWITCH UNITS (select program > save as "Program name_inches")."