Cura 4.1.3 and 5.2.1 just stopped reading G code

[TherealRichCranium 0]

Right up until last night I could open up previous gcode projects. But this morning when I tried, I get the error Print setup disabled. G code file can not be modified in the machine settings box top right. I tried several different files from different devices (shared drive, main drive and CF), none will open. STL files open fine. I thought maybe my computer did an update or something so I loaded the new version of cura on to a completely different computer and I get the exact same issue. 
I am completely at a loss as to how this could happen. Couldn't be viral since some of the CF cards I had files on were only used on the new computer.

I attached a file I used last night and it worked but this morning won't.

Did all my gcode files get hosed at the same time?? How would that even happen? The files on the card can still print in my Ender just fine but I can't open them to do modifications like I did yesterday.

 

Sanding_Wedge_Screw strong.gcode

[Torgeir 248]

Hi @TherealRichCranium,

 

welcome in here.

 

Cura cannot be used to modify/edit a gcode file. If you need to change anything you have to use the source file and make another gcode file of your print object.  You can just view the model's gcode file in order to see how the object look like.

 

Normally you choose the type of files you want Cura to handle, this is done during installation of Cura.

 

Here is the start of your attached file:

--------------------------------------------

 

;FLAVOR:Marlin
;TIME:4394
;Filament used: 2.48502m
;Layer height: 0.2
;MINX:89.616
;MINY:89.593
;MINZ:0.2
;MAXX:130.432
;MAXY:130.412
;MAXZ:43
;Generated with Cura_SteamEngine 4.13.1
M140 S47
M105
M190 S47
M104 S215
M105
M109 S215
M82 ;absolute extrusion mode
; Ender 3 Custom Start G-code
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G28 ; Home all axes
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X0.1 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to start position
G1 X0.1 Y200.0 Z0.3 F1500.0 E15 ; Draw the first line
G1 X0.4 Y200.0 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move to side a little
G1 X0.4 Y20 Z0.3 F1500.0 E30 ; Draw the second line
G92 E0 ; Reset Extruder
G1 Z2.0 F3000 ; Move Z Axis up little to prevent scratching of Heat Bed
G1 X5 Y20 Z0.3 F5000.0 ; Move over to prevent blob squish
G92 E0
G92 E0
G1 F1500 E-7.5
;LAYER_COUNT:215
;LAYER:0
M107
G0 F6000 X95.823 Y95.335 Z0.2

--------------------------------------------

 

I can see you're using Cura 4.13.1 and have an Ender 3 printer.

 

I could open this file in Cura 4.13.1 no problem at all.

 

Am I'm missing something here?

 

Edit: Here is a picture of your model in Cura 4.13.1 showing your model.

         Giving same message as you see.

 

Thanks

 

Torgeir

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by Torgeir
Added text and picture.

[TherealRichCranium 0]

Thanks for the reply.

I have opened these before in Cura to modify the printing parameters, not the object itself. Now I'm really confused because you get the same issue as either my original load of 4.13.1 or the new load/ new computer 5.2.1.  Last night I opened the file several times to play with bed plate adhesion and infill, after I made those changes I could slice it again and it would give me the time and materials estimate. Now nothing.
Is there some setting that makes the Gcode file / printer setup non-editable?
I even tried to first add a completely different printer (ultimaker S5)  and it still has the print setup disabled. Screen shot is the new Cura on my second computer and a completely different file. I can see the object in the object list, bottom left and see how it will look in the preview.

I'm sure it is something simple I did but can't imagine what it is.  

Edited January 3, 2023 by TherealRichCranium

[Torgeir 248]

Hi @TherealRichCranium,

 

well, the only thing I can think about is that the source file is located in the same directory as where the gcode files are stored, or the source files is in the file path when you open a file -and stl is default.

This may look as you open the gcode file, but actually open the stl file, in this case you can of course have both "Prepare and Preview" available and sure here you can edit.

 

My best guess.

 

Edit: Are you sure that you configured Cura to read gcode files, when you installed the new Cura?

 

Torgeir

Edited January 3, 2023 by Torgeir
Added text.

[TherealRichCranium 0]

Both the 4.13 and the 5.2.1 were loaded with the defaults. How would I check / change it to be sure it can read Gcode? It sounds like that must be what changed since I could open projects for the last 2+ years.

[Torgeir 248]

Hi @TherealRichCranium,

 

Aha., you're using to save your objects/models as a project, -then I understand -sorry.

 

A project file end with the extension 3mf, this file contain all info about your model, I'm using this format myself ..

 

So, I think Cura do not know where on the hard disk all of your "nnn-n.3mf" project files are located, -so do a search like "*.3mf" on the disk to find the area with the project files you have.

 

I'll think this is the problem, should have been thinking about this before.

 

Torgeir

 

 

[TherealRichCranium 0]

I didn't find any .3mf files. I may be explaining it wrong.
Starting from an .stl I will open it in cura (both versions I have loaded) Make changes to the machine parameters or not, and slice. It asks to save to disk or removable disk and shows the time and materials estimate, I've done both. It saves as a Gcode file that my printer can use. In the past I could re-open the same .gcode file from either in the cf card or the hard drive and change the parameters like infill etc. then slice it again.  Now every time I open ANY gcode file I get the print setup disabled message in the top right box. I can see the thing on the plate display in "preview" but in "prepare" the plate display shows nothing. The object list on the bottom left does say the file name.

I just tried it again on a fresh file from Thingaverse in case it was my files that got corrupted, I get the exact same issue.

[TherealRichCranium 0]

Looking through all the posts on the net it looks like I shouldn't have been able to re-open ANY gcode in Cura.

This is really strange because I had been until yesterday. I am sure I was and it was a regular part of my toubleshooting print issues. I would save it to the flash card, try to print, see an issue, stop the print, re-open the file directly off the card and make changes to the print setup and re-slice.

Was I just lucky that my software load had a bug and it got fixed? That's a shame because it was nice to be able to just overwrite the filename of the gcode instead of having stl files and gcode files on the same card.

[Torgeir 248]

Hi @TherealRichCranium,

 

this become very strange, however, I'll show you one of my project files that's containing a plastic bearing (nylon) for our dishwasher. This part is made for the upper spin propeller, spraying hot water at 70 deg. Celsius. Using Teluman3D Bridge nylon. I'm using an Ultimaker 2 Ex+ printer for this project.

 

This project file contain my printer type containing all of my last setting (including a picture of the object) for this edition of the object (I've made several to get it right).

 

In here you can just edit any way you want, as change the printer to your type etc.

 

I'll think you have a windows op system, -not Apple ios. ?

 

Have a look at this project file and see if there is any similarity.

 

Here is the file, (.3mf is highly compressed as standard):

 

UM2E_Nylon_ABS_Last_Ver.3mf

 

I'm just wonder.

 

Edit: Forgot how to see what file Cura is working with.

         Go to "Open File" menu, top leftmost menu, then select "open file(s)" and now press "all    Supported files" then you'll see all the file types you can open.

 

 

Torgeir

Edited January 3, 2023 by Torgeir
Typing error, pluss more info.

[ahoeben 1,956]

@Torgeir is right: Cura has never had the ability to reslice a gcode file.

 

Think of it this way: if you slice an apple in 8 slices of equal height, you no longer have an apple but you have apple slices. It is impossible  to take those slices and make - say - 9 slices of equal height out of them. Or at least, you understand how that becomes a mess.

 

To slice the model, Cura needs the geometry. A gcode file does not contain geometry. Theoretically one could put all the gcode together and get something that looks like the original mesh, but much like a stack of apple slices, slicing that again has very messy results.

[TherealRichCranium 0]

Thanks for the help. I never before saved as a project (.3mf) The process to open the dishwasher part was alien to me. I can't tell you how it was I could (?)open gcode(?) in cura, maybe background instances stayed open, maybe paths led to different files... who knows. It seemed too convenient to be able to change printer configuration that easy, but I was going with it.

Going forward I'll just have to save as a project before I slice.