Cura 12.07 - Released!

[Daid 306]

I just released Cura 12.07, as you can see I changed the version scheme. It's now year.month, as more open source projects are doing.

You can get it from Cura's homepage:

http://daid.github.com/Cura/

(at the big blue buttons, pick the one for your OS)

Important changes include:

 

• [*:25izcxee]Improved screen layout, so Cura is easier on the eyes and looks less messy. (Thanks to Joris)
  [*:25izcxee] Plate cutter tool in project planner. Even if someone uploaded a multi-part STL, you can still print separate pieces, or use the project planner to print them after each other.
  [*:25izcxee] Improved retraction support, retraction only on jumps now works better then before and no longer skips retraction when going to/from support structures.
  [*:25izcxee] Automated baudrate detection, no more need to fiddle in the settings if you want to mix RepG34 and Cura. Just use the RepG firmware and it works in Cura.
  [*:25izcxee] Speed controls and a terminal in the printer interface
  [*:25izcxee] Pause button in printer interface
  [*:25izcxee] Fixed the "ascii bug" for windows
  [*:25izcxee] Load profile from sliced GCode option (only available if file is sliced with Cura 12.07 or later)

 

Other changes are:

 

• [*:25izcxee]Use project planner to assemble plates, save plates as 1 STL file.
  [*:25izcxee] Better retraction visualisation in GCode preview
  [*:25izcxee] Arduino Mega 2560 Rev3 driver included for windows
  [*:25izcxee] Option to reset profile to default in normal mode.
  [*:25izcxee] Drop stl files into the window to load them
  [*:25izcxee] Min/Max fan speed support, effected by slowdown due to cooling
  [*:25izcxee] Batch run tool, slice a lot of objects after each other with the same settings.
  [*:25izcxee] M0/M1 pause support (in both firmware for UltiController, and USB printing interface)
  [*:25izcxee] Changed comb to move a greater distance inside the model, so combing doesn't scar the outer surface
  [*:25izcxee] Newer start/end code
  [*:25izcxee] More tags to be used in the start/end code to save information in your GCode file
  [*:25izcxee] Removal of the log file (it's no longer needed)
  [*:25izcxee] Default to a 115200 firmware if running Linux

 

Have fun with it! I know you will. I know you just HAVE to download it now. Come and join the Cura side, you cannot resist it! (We have cookies)

[alaris2 1]

I see you're abiding by new EU law and informing users about the cookies - good work Daid

[futurejames 0]

One of the things I really like about this release so far: more control in the Printing window. The starting gcode is a lot cleaner IMO. Testing it right now on a Win7 platform, I'll try it on one of my Linux machines later.

Thanks for all the hard work Daid.

[Daid 306]

You're welcome. The new start/end code is done with community effort on the google groups. And the other printer interface options where long-overdue as I wanted to make them much earlier.

[ian 32]

Daid you are simply the best !!

THANK YOU !!!

Ian

[alaris2 1]

start and end code is definitely better yes.

what's the plans for integrating better slicers and moving away from SF Daid? an interesting comparision of slicers recently from flo suggests kisslicer blows all the others away right now in terms of quality.

[Daid 306]

what's the plans for integrating better slicers and moving away from SF Daid? an interesting comparision of slicers recently from flo suggests kisslicer blows all the others away right now in terms of quality.

Kisslicer isn't free. Slic3r isn't stable. Skeinforge is a bit slow, but not that much slower then Slic3r. My own slicer isn't anywhere near done yet (but the steps that it does it does in lightning speed)

Yes, Skeinforge code base is rotten to the core, but it's the best option I have for Cura.

[alaris2 1]

well it's free in that anyone can download a working version - you don't *have* to have the extra features and not being open source isn't the end of the world for most people. but I take it you're not a fan.

well can others offer to help you finish your slicer? you've probably got enough on your plate already..

[cyclone 0]

Anyone looked at makerbot's MiracleGrue?

-b

[Daid 306]

well it's free in that anyone can download a working version - you don't *have* to have the extra features and not being open source isn't the end of the world for most people. but I take it you're not a fan.

It fails to start on my computer. And you cannot integrate it into an end solution like Cura. It's license also forbids "reverse engineering", which is a bit wide for interpretation, can I look at the resulting GCode to see what makes it better? or is that a violation?

 

well can others offer to help you finish your slicer? you've probably got enough on your plate already..

It's more a proof of concept right now, but if it works then the slicing time is independent from model complexity, as my method is radically different from anything ever made. It's currently only a few 100 lines of python code, and it does not generate GCode yet.

The whole concept evolves around 3D cards an 3D shaders. Which is quite complex :-)

[dinac 0]

Daid, is it possible to sent codes:

stop the head fan,

turn off heating

stop motors

when you press on button - Cancel print ?

Even after turning off the CURA, everything above still active.

EDIT: maybe putting real time clock in print window: like printing started at XX:XX h, ended at xx:xx h , total time xx:xx h ?

[Daid 306]

Daid, is it possible to sent codes:

stop the head fan,

turn off heating

stop motors

when you press on button - Cancel print ?

Even after turning off the CURA, everything above still active.

The cancel button is like an emergency stop, as I do not know why you press "cancel", I rather not send anything too the machine.

 

EDIT: maybe putting real time clock in print window: like printing started at XX:XX h, ended at xx:xx h , total time xx:xx h ?

That would be quite simple.

[dinac 0]

I agree, but after Cancel , there are no chance to resume printing(for that - now there is Pause button), there are no other possibility to do anything with that printed part.

My guess is that 99% using this Cancel button when something goes wrong - in most time that is bad bottom layer or somethng like that.

But if you say it is emergency stop button - then it must stop everything, not just stop printing ... thats my opinion 8-)

maybe i'm wrong

[clark 0]

Hi Daid,

The new version is great, but unfortunately I haven't been able to try out the new printer interface, as I'm not able to connect to the printer with it. While I successfully updated the firmware (I think), whenever I try to connect to the printer, I get the following error in my terminal:

Exception in thread Thread-1:

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/7.2/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 552, in __bootstrap_inner

self.run()

File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/7.2/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 505, in run

self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)

File "/Users/~/Downloads/osx64-Cura-12.07/Cura/gui/printWindow.py", line 437, in PrinterMonitor

line = self.machineCom.readline()

File "/Users/~/Downloads/osx64-Cura-12.07/Cura/util/machineCom.py", line 140, in readline

ret = self.serial.readline()

File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/7.2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/serial/serialposix.py", line 446, in read

ready,_,_ = select.select([self.fd],[],[], self._timeout)

error: (9, 'Bad file descriptor')

While I can read the temperature from the printer, I cannot control any of the motors. (By the way, I'm on Mac OS X). Pronterface works fine (and Cura RC4 did, though I haven't tried it since I upgraded), but it would great if I could take advantage of all of your new features.

-Clark

[Daid 306]

Clark, can you see if it works better if you select an serial port and baudrate in the preferences? The new auto-baudrate detection might be the problem.

[chronoless 0]

Hi, would it be possible to have my ultimaker lay down all the lines making up a box lined up into one direction? So that all the lines go into a horizontal direction (rather than a grid or a diagonal grid)? I know this is usually not what you would want because of strength etc. But I'd like to do a test that requires this .

[Daid 306]

That's currently not possible (unless you hack some files)

[chronoless 0]

That's a quick reply! Thanks . Is there any editor you can recommend?

[IRobertI 520]

If it's just a simple box you need for testing it would probably be easier and quicker if you simply model the box to look like that and slice it with zero infill.

[clark 0]

Thanks Daid, that did it. The new speed controls are an excellent addition.

-Clark

[chronoless 0]

A workaround was to use no infill and very thick walls. Because it's a long rectangular box that worked .

[tachyio 0]

Thanks Daid

Running this on my Mac, for a Printrbot i made using my Ultimaker!

Works well!

[dojan 0]

I have been thinking about posting a list of feature-requests for some time now, but I see you added most of them anyway The most important for me being the retract-on-support, smarter combing, and the min-max fan option. I also like the smarter skirts. Thanks!

One thing still on that list though, is I would like to be able to print the infill and supports at, say, 0.3 mm thickness, inner wall at 0.1mm, and outer wall at 0.05mm. I know about the "skin" option, but it really doesn't cut it for me.

Also, the auto-baudrate option seems to mess things up for me: Only about 1 in 20 times it manages to connect properly. Changing to a fixed baudrate fixes it however. (Linux)

I have started seeing a new bug, but I'm not sure it's related to the new version; When I place an object right in the Home corner in the Project Planner, It will start with that object no matter the order specified, and worse, will not lower to the printbed after the heatup-home-lift z-extrude routine, but will instead start printing the object mid-air.

Also, the project-planer is smart enough to not re-slice a copied object, which is great, but sometimes it hangs on the "it took 20 seconds to export the file" part.

I would love the opportunity to help you locate any of these bugs, if I can...

[Daid 306]

For feature requests and real bugs, it's better to use the github issue tracker:

https://github.com/daid/Cura/issues

That makes it easier to track everything for me.

As for the main feature you want. That is not going to happen. Not because I don't see the use, but because it would be to hard to add. Even the current skin option is sub-optimal IMHO, as it just duplicates the outer-wall lines, it doesn't adjust those to get the correct path for that real height. So it works fine for square boxes, but bad for slopes.

The auto-baudrate is indeed causing problems in Linux. See:

https://github.com/daid/Cura/issues/159

I've done some changes that should help a bit for the next release, but it requires more testing.

When the project planner "hangs" on the 20 seconds, just wait. It is doing something, usually copying around some data, and collecting information. That step could use a bit more feedback, but it has not crashed. It is working behind the scenes.

The "project planner homing" issue could have something to do with the printer hitting the endstops if you place the object very close to the corner. As with the new start code it will move diagonally from the corner of the machine to the first skirt position. If you use the cura printing interface, or PrintRun, you should be able to see a message in the term window then.