Encountered an Improper Argument

[reals8gy]

Hello,
I run vcarve through parallels on my MAC.
My new MacBook has the M1 chip, so parallels has a new version to try.

I cannot save any designs from vcarve to run on the CNC computer now.
Vectric is citing they don't support vectric be means of windows via parallels and I'm only getting emails of try saving here vs. there.

Can anyone offer any guidance as to this error?
My camaster is down until I can get this error to go away.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

[Charlie_L]

I don't have the answer.

To get started cutting immediately, I would install VCarve on the Windows machine used with the CNC. It is safe. Vectric allows you personally to have it on more than one machine. Plus, it works perfectly. While I have a mac in the house, I do all my design work in the shop with my CNC computer. Never have had any problems.

[rcrawford]

I always hated using Vectric products on my Mac with Parallels.

I agree with Charlie, install V-carve on your WinCNC computer that came with your CAMaster machine and use it there for now. You can have it on two computers.

[DVE2000]

I use VMware to run Win10 on my Mac. I run Aspire on both that and my WinCNC machine. From what I understand, Windows isn’t fully supported on the M1 machines yet.

I have hit a couple bugs with Aspire that only manifest on the virtual machine.

[Jim Becker]

Hello,
I run vcarve through parallels on my MAC.
My new MacBook has the M1 chip, so parallels has a new version to try.

I cannot save any designs from vcarve to run on the CNC computer now.
Vectric is citing they don't support vectric be means of windows via parallels and I'm only getting emails of try saving here vs. there.

Can anyone offer any guidance as to this error?
My camaster is down until I can get this error to go away.

Thanks in advance,
Andrew

Parallels for M1 is just a technical preview...it's not released software and likely pretty incomplete. If you still have your previous Mac with Intel, stick with that for Vectric software until things get sorted out. Virtualization of Windows on M1 is a very difficult and different thing from what's it's been on Intel Macs. Very difficult.

As an aside I've been running Vectric software on my Macs since day one with my Camaster machine for design work. I don't have any issues other than the Magic Mouse's touch surface is "really touchy" in the Vectric software...but not in other Windows applications. I will not be upgrading to an M1 machine anytime soon...

Relative to support...Vectric does look askance at using MacOS and virtualization. It was funny interacting with them at the last camp at McGrew's where there were something like six of us sitting there using Macs during the event. :)

[reals8gy]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I’m taking your advice and will be building out the wincnc computer in my barn, so I can design out there. With 4” of snow on the ground, priority #1 is getting the stove hooked up.

[james mcgrew]

I desighn anywhere, I toolpath at the machine only

[Jim Becker]

I desighn anywhere, I toolpath at the machine only

Me, too...but unfortunately, the OP opted for one of the mew MacOS machines that use an M1 processor chip instead of an Intel chip. That makes it currently impossible to use with Windows in a virtual machines which is required to use Vectric's software. They have not "seen the light" an created a MacOS version for "the rest of us" :) (My ONLY Windows native machine is the WinCNC computer attached to my Stinger II)

[tholland]

Hello - I previously ran VectricPro through Parallels on my Intel Based Macbook Pro, I just upgraded to the M1 Version, Parallels 11 and Windows 10 ARM Prerelease and was experiencing the "Improper Argument" when trying to Open any of my files and/or Save new files --->>> I was able to resolve this by moving all my files to the C:\ drive on the Windows instance of the Virtual Machine. Hope that helps!!

[Jim Becker]

Thanks for that, Tholland. It will probably take a bit more time before Intel software runs "super cleanly" on M1 machines, but it's good that progress has been made in the right direction. It will be a while before I face this because my MBP is a 2019 version and not going to be replaced anytime soon, but I still keep track of what's going on with M chip machines so there will be no surprised when the time does come.

[Jomaryngs]

Close the parallels: In the Terminal, enter (copy and paste): sudo nano/Library/Preferences/Parallels/network.desktop.xml (the nano terminal text editor opens); Enter the administrator password to access the file (the password will not be visible when typing); Find this line <UseKextless>-1</UseKextless>; it can also have a value of 1 and replace any value there with 0 (you need to move the cursor using the keyboard keys, arrows), that is, it should turn out: <UseKextless>0</UseKextless> Press Control + O to request saving, then Control + C and Control + X to close the editor, next, confirm saving the change by pressing Y (do not forget to change the layout to English and press Enter (to check for overwriting, repeat 2-3 points and make sure that the changes have taken effect) Close the terminal and open Parallels, as usual, your virtual machine should boot as on Catalina before. Also, use programs to clear the mac from the cache; I can recommend the best ones I use.