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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

One way of working with Profiles, etc

There's a lot of confusion about profiles, processes, and factory files which leads to users losing their precious settings and setting to the point of ditching S3D. So here's how I work,,,,,a way where I have NEVER lost a profile...ever!

Lesson One

First, lets get a few definitions sorted.....

The Workspace:
This workspace is clear...ie I've tidied up my desk! No models, no processes:
Workspace.JPG
This workspace has a model loaded....and a Process loaded from one of the list of Profiles held by S3D:
Workspace_Loaded.JPG
Now, I Imported the model...and Added a profile from the dropdown list in the FFFSettings window by clicking on Add. Here's the FF Settings window...notice I'v highlighted the dropdown:
Select_Profile.JPG
I've now got enough to try a print.........
Last edited by dkightley on Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: One way of working with Profiles, etc

Lesson Two

I've tried a print....and its not come out exactly how I want, so I need to edit the settings; Here's the FFF Settings window after I have made some tweaks to the settings:
Profile_Modified.JPG
Notice, where I have highlighted in yellow, the Profile name now has "(Modified)" after it. This means that the profile I have in my Workspace is now different to the profile held in the list of settings. It does NOT mean that the profile in the list of settings has changed! This is a very important point.

If I wanted to save the changes I have made to the profile in my Workspace to the stored Profile in the list, then I need to update it by clicking the Update Profile button. The "(Modified)" text after the name will go away...indicating that the settings in the Workspace are the same as those in the Profile in the drop down list. In this example, I don't.....so I've left things as they are...and the "(Modified)" text still shows after the name in the drop down list

I can try my print again......and its perfect.

Now....just in case I might want to print this model again using the same Profile settings, I can save everything in the Workspace in a Factory File. Doing so will then allow me to re-load the model...AND the settings I used.....without overwriting any of my standard set of Profiles.
Last edited by dkightley on Sat Apr 03, 2021 9:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
User avatar
dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: One way of working with Profiles, etc

LESSON THREE

I've saved the Factory File for the model in my previous post, so I could theoretically clear down my Workspace...which is what you really should do. But I'm a rebel....and I've not done so!

IU want to print something else....so I've removed the existing model and loaded a new model. I've also deleted the Process...and I did this because I want to load a totally different Profile. I click ADD, select the Profile I want. I get prompted to save the previous Profile and the default settings....and I always answer No to both. Its annoying you get this.....but don't save anything unless YOU want to do the saving!!

I print this second model....and its perfect. Now....I don't really need to save what I have in my Workspace just in case I want to re-print later....but I've always found it a good idea to do so....so I save as a Factory File.

For both of these models, you can tidy up files on your computer and SD card if you use one. Delete the .stl file, the .gcode file, etc. Keep the .factory file safe!
Last edited by dkightley on Sat Apr 03, 2021 10:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
User avatar
dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: One way of working with Profiles, etc

LESSON FOUR

After saving the factory file above, again I could tidy up by removing the model and deleting the Process....so lets do so this time.

I want to print a third item using the default version of the Profile I modified for the first print.

I load the model and add the profile. Notice that this time, the Process I used the first time now no longer has the "(Modified)" after the name...and indeed the settings are the unmodified version.

I've printed the third model...and its okay. This time, I decide not to save a factory file.

I could go on.....but it'l get boring.

I hope this helps to explain how things work......
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
philakapd
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 12:48 pm

Re: One way of working with Profiles, etc

Great information for beginners such as myself.

Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge.

-PD

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