# Apple Script for converting GRBL code for use with Mach 3

**URL:** <https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/apple-script-for-converting-grbl-code-for-use-with-mach-3/3848>\
**Category:** Everything Lasers\
**Created:** [October 26, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/apple-script-for-converting-grbl-code-for-use-with-mach-3/3848 "2024-10-26T22:03:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WhiteRoomSkis](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/whiteroomskis/32/79_2.png) [@WhiteRoomSkis](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/WhiteRoomSkis)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/apple-script-for-converting-grbl-code-for-use-with-mach-3/3848/1 "2024-10-26T22:03:21Z")

</div>

After a bit of research I have a nice apple script that will convert GRBL laser code generated in Lightburn to code that is useable in Mach 3. It is required that you have M11Px Sx and M10 set up and working in Mach 3. The script was written by Chat GPT as I am not much of a programmer.

You must also manually add the GRBL profile to your LightBurn set up and define your machine in the LightBurn settings.

GRBL uses G0 moves to turn the laser on and off.

This script adds the M10 Command before every G0 move and the M11Px code after every M0 move. Right now I am working on getting the script to read the laser power command from the comment line and write it after the M11Px command. I have not yet been successful in this.

It may also be possible that the Sxx after the M11Px command might not be needed but I have to test this.

Since I am not able to attach the script file I have pasted the entire script below. Feel free to copy and past this into the Apple Script editor. Or if you are a programmer and would like to convert it to a windows format please feel free to do so.

– Choose the file to be modified using the Finder

**set** chosenFile **to**  **choose file** with prompt “Choose a file to modify:”

**set** fileReference **to**  **open for access** chosenFile **with** write permission

– Initialize variables

**set** modifiedLines **to** {}

– Define the text to be inserted

**set** insertLineAbove **to** “M10P2”

**set** insertLineBelow **to** “M11P2 S”

– Read and process the file line by line

**try**

– Read the file line by line

**set** eofReached **to** _false_

**repeat**  **until** eofReached

**try**

– Read the current line

**set** currentLine **to**  **read** fileReference until linefeed

– Check if the line contains “G0”

**if** currentLine **contains** “G0” **then**

– Add M10P2 one line above the G0 command

**set**  **end**  **of** modifiedLines **to** insertLineAbove

**set**  **end**  **of** modifiedLines **to** currentLine

– Add M11P2 S25 one line below the G0 command

**set**  **end**  **of** modifiedLines **to** insertLineBelow

**else**

– Keep the line unchanged

**set**  **end**  **of** modifiedLines **to** currentLine

**end**  **if**

**on**  **error**

– End of file reached

**set** eofReached **to** _true_

**end**  **try**

**end**  **repeat**

– Close the file for reading

**close access** fileReference

– Add M30 at the end of the modified lines

**set**  **end**  **of** modifiedLines **to** “M30”

– Combine the modified lines into a single string with line breaks

**set** modifiedText **to** (modifiedLines **as** _text_)

– Write the modified text back to the file

**set** fileReference **to**  **open for access** chosenFile **with** write permission

**set eof**  **of** fileReference to 0

**write** modifiedText to fileReference

**close access** fileReference

**display dialog** “File successfully modified and saved.” buttons {“OK”} default button “OK”

**on**  **error** errMsg

– Handle any errors that occur

**try**

**close access** fileReference

**end**  **try**

**display dialog**"Error: " & errMsg buttons {“OK”} default button “OK”

**end**  **try**

Let me know your thoughts. If you have any ideas on how to get the script to write the Sxx command from the layer comment line please let me know. I have been trying to get Chat GPT to do this but I’ve not yet been successful.