A numerical control apparatus controls a machine tool including an X axis for moving a turret to which a plurality of tools are attached, a H axis for rotating the turret, and a C axis for rotating a work and not including a Y axis orthogonal to the X axis. The numerical control apparatus includes a unit configured to independently rotate the H axis according to an independent rotation command for the H axis and perform tool replacement during an imaginary Y-axis control mode, the imaginary Y-axis control mode being a mode for converting an X-Y axes movement command in a machining program into a command in an X-H-C coordinate system and for driving the X axis, the H axis, and the C axis in association with one another according to the converted command.

For an improved management of a postprocessor, for machining with a machine tool, a computer-implemented method includes providing toolpath data for machining a workpiece with a tool along a corresponding toolpath. The tool is comprised by a machine tool that is numerically controlled by a control device. Sample machine code is provided. Atrial postprocessor software component for determining machine code using toolpath data is provided. Trial machine code is determined using the trial postprocessor software component and the toolpath data. A sample code architecture of the sample machine code and a trial code architecture of the trial machine code are determined. Characteristics of the sample machine code are determined by comparing the sample code architecture with the trial code architecture, and a new postprocessor software component is determined by incorporating the characteristics into the trial postprocessor software component.