Making Time Lapse Videos with the Ultimaker 3

[zaqi 1]

Hi @Harry Plotter,

 

I can figure it out! thank you!!!! will post the video soon!
 

Best,

Zaqi

[zaqi 1]

Hi @Harry Plotter,

 

I can figure it out! thank you so much for your help! will upload the video soon

Best,

Zaqi

[Smithy 1,145]

It an older topic, but in case someone don't want to use Python 3, it is really easy to "port" it to Python 2. There are only 4 lines to change and it runs well with Python 2.x.

 

Here is a diff of the changes:

7,8c7
< from six.moves import urllib
---
> from urllib.request import urlopen
76c75
<     response = urllib.request.urlopen(imgurl)
---
>     response = urlopen(imgurl)
78c77
<     f = open(filename,'wb')
---
>     f = open(filename,'bw')
81c80
<     print("Print progress: %s Image: %05i\r" % (progress(), count))
---
>     print("Print progress: %s Image: %05i" % (progress(), count), end='\r')

Edited August 30, 2018 by Smithy
Typo

[williamholding 0]

From Windows command line:

set PYTHONPATH=%PYTHONPATH%;C:\My_python_lib

To set the PYTHONPATH permanently, add the line to your autoexec.bat. Alternatively, if you edit the system variable through the System Properties, it will also be changed permanently.

[plexiglass 0]

When I am trying, I got this kind output

 

 

[Fablab_Descartes 0]

Hi all, and thanks @unlimitedbacon for this really nice script ! I managed to make it work without any issue but I'm new to python and I'm wondering how I could add a little pause at the end of the print, which means making a few additional snapshots once the print has ended. Any hint on how I could do that ?

Many thanks.

Tom

[Xiaocong 1]

Hello everyone,

 

I tried this and did all the FFmpeg + python 3.8 and timelapse.py on the desktop, but after pressing enter on command prompt, nothing appears. Is there anything that I missed out?

 

[Guest maht]

22 hours ago, Xiaocong said:

Hello everyone,

 

I tried this and did all the FFmpeg + python 3.8 and timelapse.py on the desktop, but after pressing enter on command prompt, nothing appears. Is there anything that I missed out?

 

 

Seems to work for me using Python 3.5.2, are you able to try that?

[Xiaocong 1]

I managed to get it running on Python 3.8 and am printing now. Thanks for the help!

 

I have 2 more questions:

1) Must the PC be on during the whole duration of the printing?

2) Where will the mp4 file be saved at? I presume desktop if I placed everything on desktop?

 

Thanks in advance! 🙂

[Guest maht]

2 hours ago, Xiaocong said:

I managed to get it running on Python 3.8 and am printing now. Thanks for the help!

 

I have 2 more questions:

1) Must the PC be on during the whole duration of the printing?

2) Where will the mp4 file be saved at? I presume desktop if I placed everything on desktop?

 

Thanks in advance! 🙂

 

Out of curiosity, how did you get it to work in the end?

 

1) The script is running on your PC and listening for the host (your UM3), so yes your PC will need to be on. You could set it up on an external device (e.g. a pi) if you wanted. You would have to install ffmpeg first.

2) Your argument when you run the script will determine where the outfile is saved to. So if you're in a command prompt window, it will save the to the current working directory, unless you specified an absolute path. Looking at your example above it would be: 

C:\Users\HP_Demo\Desktop\xc.mp4

Hope this helps.

[Xiaocong 1]

13 hours ago, maht said:

 

Out of curiosity, how did you get it to work in the end?

 

1) The script is running on your PC and listening for the host (your UM3), so yes your PC will need to be on. You could set it up on an external device (e.g. a pi) if you wanted. You would have to install ffmpeg first.

2) Your argument when you run the script will determine where the outfile is saved to. So if you're in a command prompt window, it will save the to the current working directory, unless you specified an absolute path. Looking at your example above it would be: 

C:\Users\HP_Demo\Desktop\xc.mp4

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks maht!

 

Somehow I believe my python's "PATH" was not mapped so it could not understand my commands. So I tried to map it and it could work after that.

 

Below is a short video of the timelapse test I did!

 

 

Again, thanks for all the help! 😁

[Guest maht]

5 hours ago, Xiaocong said:

 

Thanks maht!

 

Somehow I believe my python's "PATH" was not mapped so it could not understand my commands. So I tried to map it and it could work after that.

 

Below is a short video of the timelapse test I did!

 

 

Again, thanks for all the help! 😁

 

Looks like you're running it on an S5? Good to know it works on that too.

If you're interested I made a fork of this code with a few small improvements. Still a WIP but feedback is welcome.

[Xiaocong 1]

On 5/1/2020 at 5:52 PM, maht said:

 

Looks like you're running it on an S5? Good to know it works on that too.

If you're interested I made a fork of this code with a few small improvements. Still a WIP but feedback is welcome.

I am running it on an S3! and yes it works as well.

 

Oh sure, could you send me the code? I will try it 😃

[Guest maht]

6 hours ago, Xiaocong said:

I am running it on an S3! and yes it works as well.

 

Oh sure, could you send me the code? I will try it 😃

 

Ah, got it. Yes the link to the github repo is posted above, and also in your quote. Click "fork of this code" and it will take you there.

[Xiaocong 1]

8 minutes ago, maht said:

 

Ah, got it. Yes the link to the github repo is posted above, and also in your quote. Click "fork of this code" and it will take you there.

 

Thanks! I will try it and let you know 😃

[Erkan3D 3]

Can I use this with S3?

[robinmdh 100]

On 7/3/2020 at 12:09 PM, Erkan3D said:

Can I use this with S3?

The camera location and the API hasn't changed so I would imagine yes...

[jeffroe 3]

Is there any reason this can't be run on a Raspberry Pi 3 with a decent sized SD card installed?

 

Also, it is something that can be left running all the time, so it creates a new video file every time the printer runs a job (perhaps incrementing the name by one digit)?  Or does it need to be run manually before you start every print job?

[cdrose 8]

Hi everyone,

Does this still work with Cura 5.0?

What's the best solution at the moment with Cura 5.0 to get a timelapse video of our prints?

I do also have a Raspberry Pi 3B+ to hand.

Thanks!

[tomdalton 1]

Hey! I know this thread is FOUR years since last comment, but I wanted to comment for anybody still looking at this.

 

The code still works on Python 3 on an Ultimaker S5 and Windows 11 in late 2022. I downloaded and installed everything today, and it's running beautifully right now.

 

To answer Zaqi's question immediately previous (and four years ago...) yes, I had to do the "pip install" for the requests module, as described several times in earlier posts in this thread. I hope Zaqi found the answer. 🙂

 

I will also echo comments from other places on the Internet -- it would sure be great if this were integrated natively into Cura. We have cameras built into the printers -- why not use them? All people would do is market for you, with this capability!

[cdrose 8]

Trying to run this on a Raspberry Pi 3B+

 

Installed Python 3.11.0

Installed x264

Installed FFMPEG

 

Can't get it to run using "sudo python timelapse.py 192.168.0.39 60 timelapse.mp4"

 

get invalid syntax error on line 80 

Quote

print("Print progress: %s Image: %05i" % (progress(),count), end='\r' )

 

I have already started the print though so could be reason why

Edited December 5, 2022 by cdrose

[catalanostaff 1]

Hello! trying to run this, very new to python in general, but I think I've got it working. I'm trying to follow the instructions, but keep getting issues with the IP address. any ideas? running on windows 11, python 3.12, ultimaker s5

[catalanostaff 1]

UPDATE: I got it!! just had to type "pip install requests" in cmd prompts, and then the full string command worked!

 

quick rundown for anyone still struggling on windows:

 

-download python

-download ffmpeg

-download timelapse.py

-download ultimaker api (unsure if this is required, but just to be safe)

-move python exe, ffmpeg exe, and timelapse.py to the same folder.

(worked for me with just these files, I didn't have to move any extraneous folders or files)

-open command prompt from the start menu

-Navigate to the correct folder in command prompt by copying file path from the top bar in the file explorer, then type: cd <filepath> into CMD Prompt

-type pip install requests to make sure python is up to date and ready

 

Running the script post-install/setup:

-Open cmd prompt

-Navigate to folder by copying the file path and typing: cd <filepath>

-Type command as follows:

python timelapse.py HOST DELAY OUTFILE

Replace HOST text with IP address of printer. 

Replace DELAY text with desired rate of capture, in seconds. 30 will take a photo every 30 seconds, etc.

Replace OUTFILE text with the desired resulting video file name. e.g. timelapse.mp4.

 

-It will wait for the printer to start, and tell you where it’s saving images to the local app folder. -It does take images while setting up print and heating up, and during any pauses in print.

-The computer must stay on and running during entire duration of print, cura does not have to be running at all. 

-Once completed, the video will be saved in the same file location as the code. 

-If it’s not opening in QuickTime, media player, or any other basic players, open in VLC or Premiere and save out again.

Edited December 5, 2023 by catalanostaff
more info for future readers