Pulling Printer settings from vendor versions Cura?

[LePaul 328]

Hi,

 

Sadly not all vendors keep pace with the development of Cura and in my instance, I am dealing with Mingda's version, which seems to use 5.3.0.

 

(It would be vastly easier if they just submitted settings to the github/devs so they can be added to the next release.)

 

Anyways, I was able to install their version, which can be found down in the "slicer" link to their product.  In this case, here 

 

The problem is that the program ran once now crashes every time it tries to start.  I notified Mingda and given the "less than inspiring" responses so far, I don't think they have an answer.  I submitted the same thing to the Github but given its such an older version of Cura, I don't know if they can offer a solution.  I did include the error log just in case.

 

Which leads me to this question.  Where in the files created can I find those particular printer profiles/settings?  Honestly, I'd just like to copy that over into modern Cura and resume slicing / printing.

 

Thank you!

[Dustin 146]

You might need to do a clean install of there slicer for it to work and record everything before launching UltiMaker Cura.

Its been known now that some of these 3rd parties dont bother to change the default config folders use by their version of Cura and it gets mashed in with the Default UltiMaker Cura configs and corrupts one or both of the installs. 

[LePaul 328]

4 minutes ago, Dustin said:

You might need to do a clean install of there slicer for it to work and record everything before launching UltiMaker Cura.

Its been known now that some of these 3rd parties dont bother to change the default config folders use by their version of Cura and it gets mashed in with the Default UltiMaker Cura configs and corrupts one or both of the installs. 

 

I'm not sure how to do clean un-install from that version....uninstall and delete the %AppData% folders?

 

When I did have it running, I saved the Project file and tried to open that in 5.7.2   I could only get the part to load, not the machine settings.  Usually I can get the printer settings out that way.

 

Edited Monday at 05:10 PM by LePaul
Typo

[Dustin 146]

Guide for clean UltiMaker Cura install: https://support.ultimaker.com/s/article/1667337561461
No clue if it will work for 3rd party version..

But yea project files from 3rd party versions would not likely work with UltiMaker Cura if they have modified settings around etc.. the settings could be incompatible or not exist in UltiMaker Cura.

[LePaul 328]

41 minutes ago, Dustin said:

Guide for clean UltiMaker Cura install: https://support.ultimaker.com/s/article/1667337561461
No clue if it will work for 3rd party version..

But yea project files from 3rd party versions would not likely work with UltiMaker Cura if they have modified settings around etc.. the settings could be incompatible or not exist in UltiMaker Cura.

 

So what's the best way to get those settings?  

 

I mean, I can load their version of Cura and copy/paste the settings into a Custom 3D printer and rename it. 

 

It's all the settings beyond that I would like to import over.  I was hoping it was something I could cut/paste from a file ?

 

For example, I installed their version of Cura on a different computer.  Here's their printer list.  I would like to find those and move them into Cura 5.7.2

 

 

Edited Monday at 05:56 PM by LePaul
Because iPhone autocorrect is fun

[LePaul 328]

Follow Up 

 

So, to bring up another slicer briefly - I know with Simplify3D I could quick import or export printers amongst other S3D users.

 

Is there a process to Import and Export printers within Cura I haven't found?

 

And, would those settings for each printer, start gcode and such be somewhere in here?  I tried to view in Notepad++ and it's not the right viewer!

 

Edited Monday at 06:06 PM by LePaul

[Slashee_the_Cow 360]

Mingda Cura looks very similar to regular Cura (unlike other manufacturer's forks such as Creality Print). This means it might (unlike Creality Print) just store its printer definitions in a normal Cura format in the normal location.

 

Regular Cura stores its printer definitions in <Cura installation folder>\share\cura\resources\definitions\ but just in case they use more than definition files we want more folders from the resources directory (and it looks like Mingda Cura only has definitions for Mingda printers, so this should be a fairly clean operation).

 

So go to <Mingda Cura installation folder>\share\cura\resources\ and copy the definitions, extruders, meshes, quality, and variants folders to %APPDATA%\cura\5.7\ (and it'll merge those folders in with the ones that already exist in the configuration folder).

[LePaul 328]

2 hours ago, Slashee_the_Cow said:

Mingda Cura looks very similar to regular Cura (unlike other manufacturer's forks such as Creality Print). This means it might (unlike Creality Print) just store its printer definitions in a normal Cura format in the normal location.

 

Regular Cura stores its printer definitions in <Cura installation folder>\share\cura\resources\definitions\ but just in case they use more than definition files we want more folders from the resources directory (and it looks like Mingda Cura only has definitions for Mingda printers, so this should be a fairly clean operation).

 

So go to <Mingda Cura installation folder>\share\cura\resources\ and copy the definitions, extruders, meshes, quality, and variants folders to %APPDATA%\cura\5.7\ (and it'll merge those folders in with the ones that already exist in the configuration folder).

 

Ok this gets me closer.

 

Step One - Found the Mingda folders

 

Step Two - I am looking in the %AppData% folder and I have "Local" , "LocalLow" and "Roaming" .  I only see "cura" and "5.7" under "Roaming".   I have copied over "definitions", "extruders" and "variants'.  My 5.7 didn't have a "meshes" folder so I just copied that folder into 5.7

 

Step 3 - Ran 5.7.2 and I see that the Mingda section now features the printers in their version.

 

 

So it's an awkward process I probably wouldn't suggest to a newbie but I certainly thank you for this method to at least get the data from the failing version into modern Cura!

 

Is there a way I can request these be added into the next version?  These are low budget printers and maybe I can save some novice users some headaches!

 

Also, as asked above, what is the proper process to import a printer profile in Cura?  In S3D we could import and export FFF files.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Slashee_the_Cow 360]

57 minutes ago, LePaul said:

Step Two - I am looking in the %AppData% folder and I have "Local" , "LocalLow" and "Roaming" .  I only see "cura" and "5.7" under "Roaming"

%APPDATA% (if you put it in with the percentage signs like that) should automatically take you to the "Roaming" folder - but you figured it out and that's what matters 🙂

 

58 minutes ago, LePaul said:

Is there a way I can request these be added into the next version?  These are low budget printers and maybe I can save some novice users some headaches!

The feature request form is here.

 

59 minutes ago, LePaul said:

Also, as asked above, what is the proper process to import a printer profile in Cura?  In S3D we could import and export FFF files.

Adding it manually like that is as close to a proper process as Cura has. Which does seem like somewhat of an oversight. In the past I've suggested adding a "printers" section to the marketplace so people don't have to wait for a new version of Cura for a new printer profile to be added but I have no idea if that got any traction.

[LePaul 328]

Thanks for the follow up.

I wish the vendor would make those submissions for new models to be added to Cura builds.

But...it is what it is.

 

I have the form but just not sure how to explain it to them!

[Slashee_the_Cow 360]

Creality are worse.

[LePaul 328]

Yes, I feel bad Cura gets the blame for not having native support for every machine on the planet.  Especially when the vendor doesn't actively contribute the data or even donate modestly to the financial bottom line.