Cura 4.4 Multiple serious issues with projects

[V3DPrinting 11]

Hi since 4.4 I have a couple of issues linked with the usage of projects (it's my usual way of working).

 

I have created a dummy project with the following materials and settings (dual extrusion with Nylon and PVA)

 

UM3E_Support extrudeur QR 3.3mf

 

First issue

 

When opening the project previously created on Cura 4.4, and updating the materials / profiles, PVA material is declared incompatible with the configuration.

Though is has been created a couple of minutes ago and no changes made to Cura.

 

 

The material have been updated with wrong properties.

This issue appears quite often

 

Second issue

 

Again, opening the same project will load wrong parameters for the material 1 (I didn't made the tests on material 2)

 

 

These settings are in fact the default one for the Generic Nylon from which the custom material has been created.

 

With these two issues, projects are now useless, as you either f...k up the configuration or need to recheck every thing.

 

Too many bugs since 4.3 release ... developers team should concentrate on bug fixing and non regression instead of introducing new features every couple of weeks.

 

[nallath 1,120]

It could also be an issue with the sidebar plugin. I've just tried to load your project twice, and it works as expected.

[V3DPrinting 11]

7 minutes ago, nallath said:

It could also be an issue with the sidebar plugin. I've just tried to load your project twice, and it works as expected.

 

Hi Nallath

 

I just uninstalled the SideBar GUI Plugin and relaunched Cura

 

 

I opened the initial project, updating material / profiles and the issue #2 is still there. My material settings have been reverted to the default generic material

 

 

I've opened the project a second time, with the same results.

 

So the bug seems to be inside Cura project management

 

 

[territerriterri 10]

Hey @V3DPrinting , I'm really sorry about this. 

 

I remember you from Github - I have a feeling this is related to this: https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/issues/6731 because you encountered this issue. Now the 4.4 may be behaving weird because of it. @nallath actually already has a fix for this, but we have to fully test it first. 

 

Is it ok if you send me the 4.3 config folder for now? 

 

Same as @nallath I also cannot reproduce the issue when I load the project file you attach. But - I want to eliminate any upgrade-related issues. Thus, I would like to get your 4.3 config folder to be sure that it's only because of the GH issue 6731. 

 

 

 

[V3DPrinting 11]

Hi @territerriterri

 

I also have the issue you've mentioned. I'm the author of it.

 

I have made a fresh install of 4.3 before making this thread, just importing materials and profiles from my previous 4.3 version. So no upgrade done for that one, then upgraded to 4.4.

 

I don't have anymore the 4.3 folder inline because I am reverting to 4.2.1 at the moment.

 

Here's my 4.4 folder https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y0gdmw76onfw8h4/AACLe6B-PLjHSUYYizYOPWRUa?dl=0

 

I need to restore the 4.3 folder from my TimeMachine backup and will post it right after.

[V3DPrinting 11]

Here's my 4.3 folder https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5oacccf87icomoy/AACS80n5rcVkErecJEK3KORca?dl=0

 

[territerriterri 10]

Thank you, I'm checking it out now. 

[territerriterri 10]

We found the root cause of this issue, @V3DPrinting. 😞 We are looking at this issue now.

[V3DPrinting 11]

Good to know. Thanks

 

For the moment, I've reverted back to 4.2.1 which doesn't have the issue.

[V3DPrinting 11]

@nallath @territerriterri

 

Has the issue been fixed in Cura 4.4.1 ? Or should I wait for 4.5 ?

Thanks

 

[nallath 1,120]

The full fix will be in 4.5, which will be released for beta a week from now. I have made smaller fixes to mitgate the issue in 4.4. So if you want to be really sure, it's better to wait until 4.5

[V3DPrinting 11]

56 minutes ago, nallath said:

The full fix will be in 4.5, which will be released for beta a week from now. I have made smaller fixes to mitgate the issue in 4.4. So if you want to be really sure, it's better to wait until 4.5

Thanks @nallath

[V3DPrinting 11]

@nallath I have finally migrated to 4.5, from my previous 4.2.1 installation

 

The issues are still there, but impact seems to be less.

- a new networked printer is created each time I switch from S5 to UM3E.

- material settings are altered from the saved project (i.e. retraction setting)

 

After removing all the networked printers, reconnecting my S5, quitting Cura, reopening Cura and loading my project, another instance of my networked printer has been created, not connected.

 

 

Removing the  non active networked printer removes all connected printers.

 

Note that reloading a project with the same printer doesn't create a new networked printer.

 

For the material definition: 

First I have saved a my project with the retraction setting set to 6.5 mm 

 

 

Then reloading the project and bam ! The retraction setting has changed, even choosing to update the material.

 

Here's the project file

UMS5_Porte Ecran V3 0.8 x4.3mf

 

Again, the two bugs (some were critical) I've filed from 4.4 hasn't been solved.

Thanks for your feedback

[V3DPrinting 11]

Also numerous networked printer disconnections.

 

Basically the PITA as the 4.4 and 4.4.1.

 

Please Ultimaker Team fix the bugs !

[ghostkeeper 105]

I'm not able to reproduce the problem any more though. Here's what I get when I load your latest project into Cura:

Your temperature and retraction and such have been edited. Those are also the settings it actually slices with and the settings that are displayed in the main settings list.

 

Are you sure you've selected your own material in the material manager to edit settings for, not something like Ultimaker PLA White?

We might also be looking at a bug in the Material Settings plug-in here.

 

We know of a firmware bug that causes network printer disconnections in version 5.4 of the firmware. It happens more often while the printer is printing. There is apparently an infinite loop somewhere in one of the services that keeps rebooting. This takes so much CPU power that other services, like the printer's network API, don't get processing time any more. If the printer takes too long to respond, Cura will assume the connection is broken. You'll also be unable to access the printer via a browser then (by entering the IP address in your address bar).

[V3DPrinting 11]

@ghostkeeper Thanks for the head up.

 

24 minutes ago, ghostkeeper said:

Are you sure you've selected your own material in the material manager to edit settings for, not something like Ultimaker PLA White?

 

I'm 100% sure, I am editing my custom material : Colorfabb PLA White

Quite often, even after carefully saving a project with my own retraction distance (8mm), standby temp (100°C), retraction speed (25), when reloading the project in the day, retraction is set to 4.2 mm, 35 mm/s and standby temp is at 175°C.

 

Exactly the same issues as the bug I've found on 4.4 and 4.4.1.

 

Same bug regarding the disconnections and shadow printer creation. That's my printers connections after half a day working.

 

 

29 minutes ago, ghostkeeper said:

We know of a firmware bug that causes network printer disconnections in version 5.4 of the firmware. It happens more often while the printer is printing.

 

As the firmware is buggy and I don't have any material station or air station, my S5 is still in 5.2.11 and my 2 UM3E are for the moment in 5.2.11.

But I will downgrade the UM3 to the stable version before 5 because of the poor print core auto leveling, as soon I have more printing capacity.

 

 

 

Also from time to time, when loading a project, the material is not loaded, though the profile and parts are. It keeps a material used in the previous project. I am sure I've opened it as a project.

I don't have any logs, too busy at the moment.

 

The only reason I keep the 4.5 instead of reverting back to 4.2.1 is the slicing speed and sending speed to the Cura Connect Host.

But I'm seriously thinking about downgrading too.

 

Again please fix your bugs related to material and projects ! They were said critical but still there after more than 6 months

[territerriterri 10]

wait @V3DPrinting I was able to reproduce your bug with the duplicated printers and I'm talking to @ghostkeeper now about it. 🙂

[territerriterri 10]

With regards to the material with wrong settings, do you remember with which printer type you created that on?

Can you select that printer and then check the settinsg again? 

For example: 

1. I have a cluster of both S5 and UM3. 

2. I sync my config withy UM3

3. I created a custom material with retraction distance of 6.66

4. I save the project file.

5. I load it again (on loading, selecting create new material of override existing doesn't matter) Cura loads a UM3 because that's what's in the project file

6. If I choose S5 on the group, the print settings are the default - because that's for the S5. 

 

7. But if I choose UM3, then I see the settings I modified. 

 

@ghostkeeper 

 

[V3DPrinting 11]

15 minutes ago, territerriterri said:

With regards to the material with wrong settings, do you remember with which printer type you created that on?

Can you select that printer and then check the settinsg again? 

 

No at all, I've created the materials when reinstalling from scratch the 4.2.1 months ago.

 

I know about the fact that the settings are specific to each printer type (and also printcore).

 

The bug is within the same printer type.

I create a project using my custom material with 6,5 mm retraction distance on my S5 then save it.

Reloading the project, overwriting the printer, material and profile definition, the material is often altered and the retraction set to 4.2 mm (which is not standard nor custom for me).

Edited April 21, 2020 by V3DPrinting

[V3DPrinting 11]

20 hours ago, V3DPrinting said:

Also from time to time, when loading a project, the material is not loaded, though the profile and parts are. It keeps a material used in the previous project. I am sure I've opened it as a project.

I don't have any logs, too busy at the moment.

 

I do confirm that this wrong behavior / Bug is present on 4.5 and happens when loading a project based on a different printer than the previous one.

[V3DPrinting 11]

@ghostkeeper` Any update on these issues.

 

On top of them I also have multiple disconnections with Cura 4.5 and strange behavior regarding the networked printer management. It might be linked with this issue, due to shadow printers not properly purged when uploading a project.

 

See the screenshots. I don't have any logs nor time to explain more. Just have a look at the screenshots.

 

After a disconnection I had this message

 

 

Trying to reconnect I had the following

 

 

Weird isn't it ? Another bloody bug in Cura 4.5 !

 

Thanks for your feedback !

 

[V3DPrinting 11]

@ghostkeeper I have upgraded to 4.6.1, but the same bugs are still there :

- material are not loaded properly opening a project (GitHub issue #6626)

- some materials cannot be removed (GitHub issue #6731)

- disconnections

- messing up with the networked printer

 

4.5 and later have optimized tool path compared to 4.2.1, which is stable, that's why I'm not downgrading a second time.

 

So please fix the bugs !

[ghostkeeper 105]

I am not able to fix disconnections or the networked printer not showing up in the list. This is on the firmware side. We haven't been able to reproduce #6626. #6731 has been fixed though.

[V3DPrinting 11]

@ghostkeeper

5 hours ago, ghostkeeper said:

#6731 has been fixed though.

I am not sure, still have the issue with 4.6.1 see my post on GitHub

 

5 hours ago, ghostkeeper said:

I am not able to fix disconnections or the networked printer not showing up in the list. This is on the firmware side.

 

I do not agree at all !

It was perfectly working without ANY disconnection on 4.2.1 see my post from January.

 

In addition, my hardware (printers, firmware, network) is exactly the same with 5.2.11 FW, LAN connection, same Ultimaker cluster. And it's not a WIFI issue as all my printers are wired.

The problem is there since 4.3 release.

 

I have just downgraded to Cura 4.2.1 end of the morning, since no more disconnections.

 

Also the networked printer management is lousy in 4.6.1.

 

If you have a closer look at the sreenshots in my above post from April 30 you will see that, adding a new networked printer, Cura is proposing to connect to Ultimaker-0031dd and in the same popup window saying that the same printer cannot be connected, as it is part of a group ....

 

On top I do confirm that the projects handling issue hasn't been fixed.

Loading a project, specially when involving a printer change often leads to material definition not taken or not fully taken into account.

Which has been described into this post and pointed out to be critical by @nallath` and @territerriterri some months ago

 

In fact the material is one used recently on a printer or shadowed printer ....

Sometimes you need to load the project multiple times in a row to get the right material selected.

 

That makes no point to use a project, creating the dedicated profile maybe more efficient.

 

Please do some thorough testing and fix the bugs.

 

 

 

[Guest maht]

Hello @V3DPrinting, it looks like there's not much resolution to your issue yet. Would it be helpful it we discuss this on a videocall so I can clearly see where the issues are from your side? If we can get some clear reproduction steps, then I think we will be able to debug the issue more efficiently.