The end of my netbook since Cura 14.03

[zoev89 73]

I guess I reached the end of my faithful netbook. It is a ASUS 1000HE with an Intel Atom N280 with GMA950. This only supports opengl 1.4. I can't use the Layers function anymore. On windows the program was just hanging. On Ubuntu it gave me an error message noting that the glBindBuffer was not available. I looked it up and it is supported since opengl version 1.5. So now I don't have the Layers function anymore. It did work on Cura 14.01. In that version the Overhang function was not working due to missing shaders. I could live with that but not having the layers will be a major drawback.

Up to now I have been very happy with my old netbook, small/power efficient and all the performance I needed. Not anymore. I did quite some work with sketchup and I started using DesignSpark.

Any suggestion on preferred hardware/amount of memory?

 

[mnis 11]

Hm, I also use a subnotebook with Windows7 HomePremium64Bit and Intel GMA950 chipset, everything seems with the latest official version Cura 14:03 to function smoothly. Sure it goes slowly with my beloved and old single-core SuNo, but without further restrictions, I think so.

I start the thingy just for testing...

Loading in Cura a generated GCode file...and the layers are layer by layer, but with gaps appear.

With which version of Windows you have tested?

Are you sure you have the latest INTEL-GMA-DRIVER installed?

I have long not been updated, but possibly a newer OpenGL version is at least simulated in software, so very very slow without hardware support, I think.

And with a freshly loaded STL-file work all view options in Cura properly! But yawning slow ...

Markus

 

[zoev89 73]

Thanks Markus,

I will look into updating the driver, have not updated for a long time (windows xp). Never change a working system helped me lots of times.

Eric

 

[mnis 11]

Hey Eric,

:oops: Unfortunately, I have to correct something:

My subnotebook but has a newer chipset. It is GMA X4500MHD. Somehow I thought the whole time it's GMA950, sorry.

Everything is so fast old, I slowly lose track.

The GMA driver version is: v8.15.10.1892 (OpenGL: v2.1.0)

Yupp, three generations apart (advanced), according to Wikipedia.

But still could be a search for a newer GMA driver be worthwhile, I think.

Markus

 

[drayson 75]

I feel with you as my sony tz31 is also not able to work with 14.03 any more...

Honestly, I'm happy with this subnotebook so I will stay with 14.01 before exchange it.

Really bad that there is this hardware restriction forcing us users to buy new hardware before it has "really" reached it's end...

[zoev89 73]

Hi all,

First of all I don't think it is a deliberate plan. Programming with backward compatibility in mind is a not a simple thing. Cura has its reasons to use performance optimized code. For that you have lots of possibilities to achive your goal. Without realizing it you quickly use something that is not possible in older hardware. The question is how far and how much time do you want to invest in these issues. It usualy starts with a small thing but 2 years from now that small thing is messing up your code al over the place. That part is the time consuming part. I don't know if Ultimaker wants to invest in these issues. For my work I also sometimes need to make changes in code that is well over 10 years old. So i know how nice that is. None the less it is a pitty when you have this well functional machine and can't upgrade it anymore.

[drayson 75]

Hi, just for clarification: with my statement, I had not UM in mind (they do great work and I appreciate that Daid kept the compartibilify for a long time) but the industry in general...

[zoev89 73]

I have been looking into cpu gpu specs and unfortunatly Cura does not state its recommended graphics requirements apart from 2Gb Ram and Pentium 4 or Core 2 spec there is nothing on the graphics. The Atom processor that I am using does have simular or better instruction set as the pentium 4. But that does not specify the opengl that is used. Apparently opengl 1.5 is required but also some form for the shaders which version I don't know. It would be nice to know what to expect and a littlebit of the roadmap. If I am going to buy new hardware I don't want to be faced with new features that require something that I don't have.

Drayson I am glad that I am not the only one (tianks for the feedback), it confirms that it is not due to some stupid missing software update (I also tried upgrading the driver but the intel scanning for updates does not complete it hangs for hours). And yes what is going on with windows XP makes me sick so you are right about the technoligy push.

For example will the intel HD 4400 graphics controller good enough for some time to come. It supports opengl 4.2 on windows and 3.3 on linux. It can use shader model 5.0. Or do I need to used a additional graphics chip AMD or Nvidia? What would be required??

 

[mnis 11]

I Cura looked in the installation path, it seems pretty modular to be constructed. Perhaps the layer view is a separate module, and it is possible to use an older version of it. A version of the previously worked with you. And the other new software components can be used.

Hm, a bit exaggerated think:

- Maybe Daid you can help with this problem.

- Intel GMA driver search manually and not automatic search from the manufacturer (Intel) use.

- OpenGL emulation in Windows? / OpenGL emulators for Windows?

...

Markus

 

[zoev89 73]

I tried the latest driver update from intel. So I have the latest and greatest running but it does not improve the problem... Too bad that didn't work. Actually the driver is quite old (2008 for windows xp I had a version from 2007).

 

[mnis 11]

Attempts Daid to ask if he sees an opportunity, perhaps directly via PN.

Markus

[Daid 306]

No need to PM me, I read the Cura forum section almost every day.

I actually have "old OpenGL" backwards compatibility implemented in Cura. But it's hard to test, as my own laptops do support "VertexBuffers" (which is the most important feature to improve rendering speed)

But it should fall back to old OpenGL1.1 code if VBOs are not supported. See:

https://github.com/daid/Cura/blob/SteamEngine/Cura/gui/util/openglHelpers.py#L130

 

[zoev89 73]

Hi Daid,

Sorry for the late reply I was at the ulti evening..

It seems like that the detection of old hardware does not work. The error I got with linux was the buffer pointer which is used in the new case. Question what has changed between 14.01 and 14.03? I can offer to help since I seem to have the hardware that you don't have.

Eric

[Daid 306]

Can you try this patch:

https://github.com/daid/Cura/commit/fbf92d2b94813df14140236c50e84fb3b55ad388

I just noticed this small mistake.

 

[zoev89 73]

Hi Daid,

I will test it out on Wednesday evening. Is it a matter of changing the .py file in the current cura installation? If that is the case it will be simple. Or do I need to compile something after I have changed the openglHelpers.py in order to get the change in?

Regards,

Eric

 

[Daid 306]

Changing the py file is enough.

 

[zoev89 73]

Hi Daid,

Well change of plan today I can test:

You are my hero. Yep that solved the issue. I can now use the layers function again. Wow Python is tab sensitive. I am a C++ programmer I would have never guessed that. I hope you keep this change in the code for the next release of Cura. Since I patched my version I use that for the time being. Nice that you had this backward compatibility already in the code.

If you need someone to test on 'old' computers I can do that since I have the right hardware. Just mail me.

Mnis:

You can also apply this patch just add one extra tab to the 2 lines of code that Daid pointed out and your system can run again.

Guess I am the first one to have a fix in Cura before having the printer, still waiting.

Regards,

Eric

 

[mnis 11]

Great, another reason less to buy a new computer. :-P

Markus

 

[Daid 306]

Great to hear that it fixes the issue

Yes, python is a bit strange with whitespace, a good editor is essential really (as mixing tabs and spaces is a no-go) but it does guarantee that you indenting is nice.

 

[youngman 0]

Hello all~

Now i can using layer view function in my major PC. Thanks a lots. ;-)

 

[tonycstech 5]

this version makes me sick to my stomach.

Layer preview is weird to a point that i cant tell what gets filled and what gets complitely ignored.

They ignore passed areas and speed up the preview as a result (in theory) but for most objects (not Xtra large prints) i find this feature slowing down rather then speeding up.

In any event, being able to see layers normally is required for large prints.

The only speed up that would be aceptable is to preview a # or layers before curent layer instead of previewing them all and hide some parts

Downgraded to 14.1

 

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

I got used to the new layer view in the meantime.

The only thing I really hate about the layer preview in Cura 14.03, 14.03-test and 14.04-RC1 is the fact that a G92 in my start.gcode makes the uppermost (10?) layers to be shifted. It makes finding slicing errors quite difficult. I would really appreciate a fix for this in the next (test) version, if not done already(?).

 

[Daid 306]

The only thing I really hate about the layer preview in Cura 14.03, 14.03-test and 14.04-RC1 is the fact that a G92 in my start.gcode makes the uppermost (10?) layers to be shifted. It makes finding slicing errors quite difficult. I would really appreciate a fix for this in the next (test) version, if not done already(?).

 

Ah, ok, that's an easy fix. And actually it's very old code that is causing that.

https://github.com/daid/Cura/commit/23a95b897edcae8450c7bdb300512112a93f6c5f

 

[drayson 75]

Seems I have to give it a try too :-)

Undortunately I'm out so can't try it before next week...

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

Ah, ok, that's an easy fix. And actually it's very old code that is causing that.

https://github.com/daid/Cura/commit/23a95b897edcae8450c7bdb300512112a93f6c5f

 

What shall I say? First, it's easy to find if you wrote the code by yourself...

Second, thanks Daid, you're great... It works fine with 14.04-RC1!