Example: Building an Expression
In this example, you are going to add the following expression to your custom cycle definition:
depth = start surface - end surface + BREAKOUT_DISTANCE
1. In the Customize Cycle dialog box, place your cursor in the Cycle Prompts list box, click the right mouse button, and select Add Expression from the pop-up menu. The Expression Builder dialog box opens.
2. Type depth in the Expression Name text box and press RETURN. The expression name updates in the read-only text box at the bottom.
3. Select the Reference option.
The First Reference and Second Reference list boxes appear under the Reference text box. The drop-down lists contain the default references,start surface and end surface , as well as all the user-defined references, such asfeed surface, that you have added to the cycle definition. Both list boxes display the initial value in the drop-down list, which is start surface.
4. Select end surface from the Second Reference drop-down list.
The expression in the read-only Reference text box updates. It is now:
start surface - end surface
5. Click 
.
.The expression string, which is displayed in the read-only text box at the bottom of the dialog box, updates. It is now:
depth = + start surface - end surface
6. Select the NC Param option.
7. Select BREAKOUT_DISTANCE from the drop-down list of parameter names.
8. Note that the Plus sign (+) is selected as the arithmetic sign icon (+, –, or *). Click .
.The system adds the selected arithmetic sign and the parameter name at the end of the expression string. The expression string is now:
depth = + start surface - end surface + BREAKOUT_DISTANCE
9. Click 
at the bottom of the dialog box to return to the Customize Cycle dialog box.
at the bottom of the dialog box to return to the Customize Cycle dialog box.The system adds the depth expression to the Cycle Prompts list.