Cura not retaining custom start gcode in machine settings

[gbradburn 0]

Greetings,

 

Using Cura 4.3, I am pasting in some custom start gcode for my Ender 3 Pro machine settings. This is for the EZBoard and EZABL auto-bed leveler. The start code was provided by TH3D.

 

If I load a previously saved project the machine settings are lost including the custom start gcode.

 

I would have expected machine settings to be independent of projects. How can I make the custom start gcode persist so I don't lose it when loading a new project?

 

Thanks,

 

Greg.

[tinkergnome 927]

A project file includes the machine settings and by default overwrites your settings when you open it (AFAIK).

It's the whole point of project files that they contain all settings - so you can share it with other users that don't have your printer profile (for example).

 

But there should be an option in the summary dialog to create a new printer profile instead (in the upper right corner). That would leave your existing printer profile alone.

 

[gbradburn 0]

2 hours ago, tinkergnome said:

A project file includes the machine settings and by default overwrites your settings when you open it (AFAIK).

It's the whole point of project files that they contain all settings - so you can share it with other users that don't have your printer profile (for example).

 

But there should be an option in the summary dialog to create a new printer profile instead (in the upper right corner). That would leave your existing printer profile alone.

 

 

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, the options seem to be either to overwrite my current machine settings or else create new machine settings using the settings from the project. It looks like I'm going to have to paste my custom gcode into every old project I load. 

[AbeFM 35]

You could create a hybrid, by importing the one with the file, then taking what you want from yours and pasting it in, creating a 'printer' you like....

[gbradburn 0]

7 hours ago, AbeFM said:

You could create a hybrid, by importing the one with the file, then taking what you want from yours and pasting it in, creating a 'printer' you like....

 

Yeah I get that. The problem is I have several saved .3mf files that I had saved prior to getting the new board the EZABL bed leveler. If I load one of those old projects it will not have the custom gcode I need for the EZABL so I will need to paste it in. I was hoping there was a way I could just have it use the "defaults" for the active machine instead of overwriting the machine settings. 

[AbeFM 35]

It still seems like, if you created said printer (or just update your "normal" one), then select it from the list after loading.

[sunnyguy 1]

I just got bitten by this one. I can't emphasize enough how incredibly deficient this approach is.  I have maybe a hundred existing .3mf files. I want to change the starting gcode I send to the printer on future gcode files I generate. If I open an existing 3mf, it is either going to create yet another superfluous printer (which must be deleted, and the existing one activated again). Or, if I forget to change the setting, it OVERWRITES my modified gcode file, and I start printing subtle junk until I notice. And the same thing applies to material settings??? So any change I make, when I reopen the 3mf, either permanently changes the material definition, or creates a new permanent material. Having to always remember to add a post-filter isn't a great solution either.

 

As a user and as a pro software developer, I am just SHOCKED at this.  Cura must separate the idea of what's in the current project from the presets, so if you open a file, you have only a *temporary* change, just for that project file. That's what happens implicitly with the various settings that you alter for a particular project. If I save it as a 3mf and reopen, everything MUST be exactly the same, and NO permanent settings can be changed. NO SIDE EFFECTS to opening a file. You must take a specific major action to change a setting, as you do now with materials ... update material to match current settings. NOT have it happen sneakily just because you open some random 3mf.   This is a disaster. So much work put into Cura, and a clean botch. Not ready for prime time. 

[Vollesocke 0]

I have the same problem with this. 

How about a third option "Discard". This should ignore any printer settings in the 3mf file. Having to delete dozens of basically duplicate Printers gets old fast.

My current "solution" is to delete any 3mf file on any computer using my printer after a gcode change. I guess after I stop meddling with my start and endgcode this problem will disappear...

 

 

Edited April 17, 2020 by Vollesocke

[Mike8040 0]

Any fix for this bug? I just wanted to open a thread for this. Any plugin that solves the issue?

To say it polite this is the most stupid project management decision I have seen in a software. Creating a massive mount of dublicates of devices to be able to load a project. There is no sane argument for this.

Totally agree with both colleges above. 

 

I did waste a ton of energy and filament because of restarting projects that start with a old start code/UBL mesh or K-factor. Even destroyed a nozzle because I did upgrade bed and clips but the old wipe code was loaded. 

I hope the is a fix because I'm not keen on the slicer alternatives either. 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Mike8040

[lhodics 1]

Cura 4.8.0 looses the modified starting G code that should be retained and used for present and future projects. It should also give the option wether a reopened old project should be updated.

 

Beware the G code is lost only when an old project file is opened. So simply modifying the G code and closing - reopening Cura for checking will not show the problem. This program sucks like hell. Freaking hell. I am shocked that the developers do nothing about it.

[gr5 2,167]

I think you are missing something.  First of all - it's on purpose that when you load an old project file you will see new machine settings (but I don't think you lose the old gcodes - more later).  When someone on the forum has a problem with slicing I usually ask them to save the project file which is great because I get ALL settings including machine settings.  I need Cura to setup the gcodes as they were when the person saved the project file.

 

Now to your issue - I don't think anything is lost.  If you go to the PREPARE tab and to the left of that there should be a machine drop down.  Click that.  You should now (hopefully) have a new machine.  You should have one machine type that has your new gcodes and a new one created from the project file.  Hopefully. 

 

If not then you need to give your new machine a new name - make sure the machine with the gcodes has a unique name different from what the machine was called when you saved the older project file without the new gcodes.

[gr5 2,167]

@lhodics - did you try what I posted?  Did it preserve your machine settings such that now you have both old and new machines each with different settings?

[Tangent 0]

On 1/17/2021 at 12:15 PM, gr5 said:

I think you are missing something.  First of all - it's on purpose that when you load an old project file you will see new machine settings (but I don't think you lose the old gcodes - more later).  When someone on the forum has a problem with slicing I usually ask them to save the project file which is great because I get ALL settings including machine settings.  I need Cura to setup the gcodes as they were when the person saved the project file.

 

Now to your issue - I don't think anything is lost.  If you go to the PREPARE tab and to the left of that there should be a machine drop down.  Click that.  You should now (hopefully) have a new machine.  You should have one machine type that has your new gcodes and a new one created from the project file.  Hopefully. 

 

If not then you need to give your new machine a new name - make sure the machine with the gcodes has a unique name different from what the machine was called when you saved the older project file without the new gcodes.

 

So to put it another way, what you are saying is that any time the Start or End G-Code is changed, the printer should be renamed also. Do I have that right?

 

(Or else your new carefully calibrated settings will be quietly lost. Right? Yeah, another frustrated(and surprised) new user here. I understand the desire to save all settings in the .3mf, but permanently overwriting newer settings isn't 'intuitive' software design. I'll chime in on the side of those asking for an improvement in the handling of this.) 

[gr5 2,167]

I don't know for sure - this is a feature I noticed more than use or understand.  I just know broadly how cura works and so that's my guess.  I don't think you actually have to change the name necessarily but that will help you distinguish your machines - if the names are the same it will be tough to tell them apart.

 

I was hoping one of you who cares would test this out and see.  Personally I don't mess with machine settings as the ones that come from the manufacturer created good working machine profiles.