Make the grid that overlays the build platform transparent?

[Scrabart 0]

I am modifying my Cura UI to use a custom build platform (buildplate.stl) and would like to eliminate the grid that overlays it.

I can modify the size of the grid in the grid.shader, but I cant get rid of the opaque gray overlay.

Any suggestions?

[nallath 1,125]

You can remove all traces of the grid by removing line 219 in buildvolume.py (https://github.com/Ultimaker/Cura/blob/master/cura/BuildVolume.py#L219)

 

[Scrabart 0]

Is that part of a particular plugin?

I dont seem to have that file anywhere in my computers Cura folder structure.

[ahoeben 2,026]

It is not trivial to edit that file on an installed version. At least not as easy as it is when running Cura from source.

[uncle_bob 21]

23 hours ago, Scrabart said:

I am modifying my Cura UI to use a custom build platform (buildplate.stl) and would like to eliminate the grid that overlays it.

I can modify the size of the grid in the grid.shader, but I cant get rid of the opaque gray overlay.

Any suggestions?

 

Hi

 

One (somewhat longer term) solution would be to put in a feature request on Github and wait for it to be implemented.  

 

The alternative (as mentioned above) is to go in and modify the raw source code and then install from that modified source code.

 

If indeed your modified build plate is for general use, I think you would be wise to go with the feature request approach. Much easier to distribute an add on rather than a fully modified version of Cura. 

 

Bob

[JuaniElias 0]

I managed to achieve the desired result by using this grid.shader script in Cura 5.9. This file is located in:
 

C:\Program Files\UltiMaker Cura <version>\share\cura\resources\shaders

 

I suggest youu backup the original grid.shader by renaming it.

 

[shaders]
vertex =
    uniform highp mat4 u_modelMatrix;
    uniform highp mat4 u_viewMatrix;
    uniform highp mat4 u_projectionMatrix;

    attribute highp vec4 a_vertex;
    attribute lowp vec2 a_uvs;

    varying lowp vec2 v_uvs;

    void main()
    {
        
    }

fragment =
    #ifdef GL_ES
        #extension GL_OES_standard_derivatives : enable
        #ifdef GL_FRAGMENT_PRECISION_HIGH
            precision highp float;
        #else
            precision mediump float;
        #endif // GL_FRAGMENT_PRECISION_HIGH
    #endif // GL_ES
    uniform lowp vec4 u_plateColor;
    uniform lowp vec4 u_gridColor0;
    uniform lowp vec4 u_gridColor1;

    varying lowp vec2 v_uvs;

    void main()
    {

    }

vertex41core =
    #version 410
    uniform highp mat4 u_modelMatrix;
    uniform highp mat4 u_viewMatrix;
    uniform highp mat4 u_projectionMatrix;

    in highp vec4 a_vertex;
    in lowp vec2 a_uvs;

    out lowp vec2 v_uvs;

    void main()
    {

    }

fragment41core =
    #version 410
    uniform lowp vec4 u_plateColor;
    uniform lowp vec4 u_gridColor0;
    uniform lowp vec4 u_gridColor1;

    in lowp vec2 v_uvs;
    out vec4 frag_color;

    void main()
    {
        
    }

[defaults]

[bindings]

[attributes]

 

I tried changing the transparency and color values but nothing changed so I went with the more brute approach of just deleting the content of the main() functions because leaving the file it empty or deleting it just crashes Cura so this is the next best thing I guess.

I know nothing of shaders so I don't know why nothing changed after fiddling with the values but this removes the grid completely so I'm happy.

 

Sorry this is 4 years late but it might help someone in the future.

Edited December 29, 2024 by JuaniElias
better approach