Wireframe>Offset>Chain

[Jim at Gentex]

This is maddening!

Simply trying to offset a chain by 0.005" on an existing 5 axis Curve toolpath to open a slot.
Click on Wireframe>Offset>Chain and the chaining menu opens.
Select the chain, click the green check, CANNOT CHANGE PARAMETERS.

The default offset distance is set to 0.5" and I can't change it.
System tells me the offset is too large. (DUH)

Yeah, I can offset the tool radius just as easily to accomplish the same thing, but I just wasted 20 minutes trying to do a simple task.  
Is this a bug, or am I missing something?

[gcode]

A lame cheat
draw a junk line that can be  offset .5"
Use the offset chain command, select the line and choose a direction
now change the offset amount to .005 and hit the Blue Check ( OK and Create new operation)
Now you can  chain your drive curve and offset it .005

[Jim at Gentex]

Thanks G.

Too bad we need such lame workarounds for something so simple.  :huh:

The job is finished and the part passed inspection, so it's all good. I actually just changed the radial offset of the tool in the Curve parameters and it worked just fine, but I would have preferred to actually offset the drive chain so that it would be obvious that it was moved.  

I will try that workaround anyway, and just mentally file it away for next time.