Multiple Cura 4.4.1 Stabililty and Usability issues

[orangepeel 3]

Hello, I use Cura to create and submit prints to an Ultimaker 5S, purchased last August.  It is one of about 6 FFF/FDM-type machines we have in an engineering lab at a small US university.  I really like the machine, and it has quickly become our go-to machine, but I am continually having problems with Cura.  I thought about posting this in the Feedback section, but that appears to be more for the UM website.  Please note that despite the issues listed here, we have printed a fairly wide variety of materials and objects, both for student and research use, and like the machine and tolerate the software.  I am using Windows 10, on a new Dell Optiplex 70, with 16 GB Ram, and 256 GB SSD hard drive.  Here are some of the problems I am having, and what I have done to address them so far, with a request for what else we can do.  Note that our systems are locked down, I have to get a computer tech in to do any upgrades to the software.

 

1) Cura crashing at random times.  I updated to Cura 4.4.1 from Cura 4.4 hoping it would help with stability, but recently it seems to be crashing again.  How can I get those to stop?  Cura 4.3 seemed to crash a little more.

2) I have a short-cut on my desktop for Cura, and now, since I have upgraded to a new computer, the software won't always come up when clicking on the icon.  I get the spinning wheel for a few seconds, then nothing.  When I bring up the Task Manager, it shows Cura to be running as a background process.  I had our computer tech look, and initially the problem seemed to just need a reboot of the computer (yes, I should have done that, duh!).  However, the problem is happening again, and still comes back after the reboot.  I went to the folder containing the software, and right clicked on the executable, and found a compatibility checker.... ran it, and the software is kind of running as a Windows 8 package......suggestions?

3) We have repeated problems with the camera on the UM5S not showing pictures, but after reading on this forum, I turn it off, then back on, but that is getting old..... we have had that problem for about 3 months now, off and on.  just did that again today.

4) Now, I leave Cura 4.4.1 opened up on my desktop computer all the time, because of the difficulty to get it to come up as a working program, and not as a 'background" program.  However, now most all the "Monitor" functions don't work:  When I submit a new job over the network, the job gets submitted, but doesn't show up on my top sub-window as having started, sometimes it shows up as queued, but not always.  WHen I first had this problem I would click on the little camera icon, and could actually see the machine starting a new build, but now when I click on it, the whole "Monitor" screen just goes gray until I click again.  WHen I click on "Manage in Browser"  It shows the current and recent print jobs, but not the picture/video from the camera (Update, the camera pic has come back since I turn off/on the UM5S, online, but not in CURA 4.4.1)....Suggestions to fix?

5. It is really iritating to not have a list of print jobs, including the model and profile used, amount of material used, and print time, in CURA.  I understand that I can go online and get some of that, but what if I submit a job by USB?  It seems everyone would want to track their print jobs..... and if you are trying to go back and diagnose problems with a print, having that data would be useful..... am I missing something?  I can't believe such a list doesn't exist somewhere in Cura.

6.  the UM App seems to work sporadically.  If I am at the university, and on the same WIFI network, I can get pictures/video, other places I sometimes get notifications, sometimes not.  I have an app for a Wild Animal camera, for a camera a 1000 miles from me, on a totally different wifi network, and I get pictures from it, video, I can pan and zoom, and with this UM app, it kind of works when I am close enough that I can walk to the machine.  Suggestions?

 

Okay, good enough.... on another note, here is a simple decorative coin, using no top or bottom layers, and only infill, with only single bead-width lines that I have developed.... this is the final result after about 10 iterations.  We will print out a bunch (slightly thicker) to give out to prospective students.  I hope you like it!  

 

Thanks, Larry

 

[gr5 2,172]

Nice gift coin 🙂.

 

Well that's a lot of things to talk about.  I think several of your issues related to the camera and printing over the network are very common.  A lot of people are happier if they use wired network instead of wireless - this reduces the network issues massively but not completely.  Anytime anything related to the camera of cura connect or printing over the network breaks, doing a "cura connect reset" on the front of the printer helps a lot!  This fixes many many network related issues (but not permanently fixed).  Personally I gave up and just use the USB drive to print on my S5.  I recommend you tell your reseller about your network issues as UM doesn't get enough feedback about problems like this and they don't realize how many people are having network issues.  The best way to feedback is through your reseller even though it's frustrating because you won't get much feedback from them.

 

Regarding cura crashing or not launching - you need to figure out where the log file is so that the next time this happens you can grab a copy of that and post it.  DO NOT POST it here - start a new topic please.  You have too many items in this one topic.  Unless a cura developer comes onto this topic, it would be better to start a new one - really you should have started at least 3 topics.  Also look at the log file.  It may provide a very useful hint as to the issue.  I don't think Cura has ever crashed on me.  Well maybe when I had millions of triangles in the STL - don't trust my memory.  Cura crashing is more rare (than these S5 network issues) and probably easier to fix.  Cura may be looking around on your network for a network drive or something unexpected like that which might be causeing the crash. unconnecting all network drives might help (or not).  Again - look for hints in the log file.

 

Oh - and welcome to the forum.  I hope you stay for a while.  🙂

 

[ctbeke 133]

The network problems are quite known by the development teams. Unfortunately (local) networking is hard, and Ultimaker does not have control over the customer network setup. Usually you'll find that connecting printers to Ultimaker Cloud (one by one, not using local grouping of Connect) results in a more stable connection, because we have greater control over the end-to-end connection. We're also working hard to bring all the popular features of Connect into Cloud (including the webcam feed).

 

Regarding the Ultimaker App, it was designed to work with Connect in the local network, with the exception of push notifications, which are available remotely. Alternatively you can use the mobile web interface of Ultimaker Cloud, it works fine on your phone's browser.

[Stefania Dinea 101]

How can network be a problem since i have been using it at home over wifi ever since I got the Ultimaker 3 which was more than two years ago and never had a problem?

 

To be honest Cura started crashing on me since last week and it is really a buzz kill for my printing deadlines. I have to look into that cura log file and how to submit it but I doubt this is network related and I am getting the same random crash sequences.

 

@SandervG can you help us get in contact with the right person??

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by Stefania Dinea

[ctbeke 133]

I was talking about the other points in the original post, not the Cura crashes. But it’s hard to keep track with so many different types of issues in a single thread.

 

With regards to Cura crashes, it would be best to submit an issue on the GitHub repo of Cura with log files attached. Otherwise the devs cannot debug your issue.

[SandervG 1,521]

What @ctbeke said, and either him or @maht would probably be the best people to talk to regarding feedback on our software products. 

[orangepeel 3]

Thank you for all of your comments.  ALso, SandervG, I will try to seperate out some of these. 

 

I will pull the log file and post it where you stated..... 

 

ALso, I found out that I have been doing some posts on this forum with another id..... I thought they both the same...., anyway, thanks again for all the suggestions!  My available time to get on here varies a lot. -ldp

[ShopGeezer 2]

Hi.  After a trouble-free year with several versions of Cura my 4.2 version crashed.  I got it going again and it crashed again.  I read this topic and searched for the log files where they are said to be on the Github link above.  You are supposed to be able to access them in the Cura interface under Help - Show Settings ( no such menu item ), or create them using start-run-dxdiag-save output ( no such function running dxdiag ), or find them in Appdata\Cura\(Cura Version)\Cura.log ( no such entry ).  I searched the whole computer for Cura.log with no result. I am using Windows 10. I think all these references are out of date.  

 

I gave up and upgraded my Cura 4.2 to 4.4.1.  So far things are running nicely.  But just in case, where do I find the log files for Cura 4.4.1 running under Windows 10 (64 bit version)?

[Stefania Dinea 101]

@ShopGeezer - you read my mind with that question - I gave up- I am using the 3.3.1 cura that I had installed on an older pc that I use on vacations 😁

[Guest maht]

Quote

I gave up and upgraded my Cura 4.2 to 4.4.1.  So far things are running nicely.  But just in case, where do I find the log files for Cura 4.4.1 running under Windows 10 (64 bit version)?

 

@ShopGeezer It sounds like you're looking for this:

 

 

Alternatively (in Windows) open an Explorer window navigate to:

%appdata%/cura/4.2

Both of these methods get you to the same place but the first is probably easier.

 

I've used 4.2 in this explanation because that's what you said you were using above, but the method is the same for other versions, too.

 

In that folder, you will find cura.log. Send that to us, it will contain a load of debug info about Cura which we can analyze.

 

Let me know how you get on. The thread is pretty off topic now, so consider opening a new thread for your specific issue.

[ShopGeezer 2]

Thanks a bunch for this info. I will keep it handy in case I need it.  So far 4.4.1 is behaving itself but if I do end up needing help I will start a new thread and post the log file.