Below is a suggestion and some questions regarding profiles:
I frequently create tweaked profiles to deal with idiosyncrasies of specific prints. I manage these by saving the profiles with the objects ... usually there is a folder for the model, then sub-directories for G-code files and Profile files (since the profiles don't map one-to-one with the g-code. Then I use long names with home-grown conventions to try to keep things straight. This works OK, but gets confusing and complex as the revisions pile up with complex models. It would be nice to be able to discover, after the fact, which profile was used to generate a given gcode, and to understand the lineage of a profile.
Similar issues exist with multiple printers used for one model, each printer having variant g-code and profile files. Perhaps a management system for models/gcode/profiles would help. This seems similar in many respects to software configuration management systems; many of which are complex and confusing, unfortunately. (The problem itself gets complicated very fast and is hard to simplify with tools while preserving the freedom to change configurations and reuse profiles.)
Related to this is a question on the operation of the existing profile system. If I modify a profile on the FFF Settings panel, then save it. What is saved and where? Is the save only effective on the current profile as it exists in the computer memory? Or, does the save push the changed profile out to the file system, as well, so when the profile is used again, the save will be preserved?
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problemchild
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:35 am
Profile Management (feature request)
Last edited by problemchild on Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Profile Management (feature request)
Well to answer this question "which profile was used to generate a given gcode" - each gcode file actually contains the complete FFF profile that was used to generate it in the header. If you want, you can actually open up your FFF Settings, click Import, and you can actually choose a .gcode file to load the FFF Settings from. It is the best and simplest way we have figured out how to keep track of what settings were used to generate what gcode files. And it helps a TON if you want to go back in time to some part you printed 3 weeks ago to remember what settings you used 
When you save your FFF Settings, they go to a couple different locations. For starters, it is saved in the computer memory so that the software knows what settings you chose. It is also saved in your user preferences so that if you close the program and reopen it, the software knows what settings you had used previously. And finally, as you have figured out, if you want to actually save these settings to a third location, you can always export the FFF profile for long term storage.
When you save your FFF Settings, they go to a couple different locations. For starters, it is saved in the computer memory so that the software knows what settings you chose. It is also saved in your user preferences so that if you close the program and reopen it, the software knows what settings you had used previously. And finally, as you have figured out, if you want to actually save these settings to a third location, you can always export the FFF profile for long term storage.
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problemchild
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 11:35 am
Re: Profile Management (feature request)
Thanks for the info about profiles in Gcode files, Clayton.
An editable notes field in the profile might help. Then the user can post his/her own info about lineage and that would be recoverable from the gcode.
To clear up a point, as I understand your answer, it is necessary to export the profile after a save if one wishes to capture the changes in a file without trying to reconstruct history from the Gcode.
We really need to get this stuff documented. Maybe we could start a Google Doc or Wiki and we could all contribute to a user manual. We could start with what's on the website and expand from that. Normally, at this point I would raise my hand and volunteer to be editor, but right now, I'm trying to start a 3D consulting practice. And guess what, I'm actually getting some business! First things first. Sorry.
Rich
An editable notes field in the profile might help. Then the user can post his/her own info about lineage and that would be recoverable from the gcode.
To clear up a point, as I understand your answer, it is necessary to export the profile after a save if one wishes to capture the changes in a file without trying to reconstruct history from the Gcode.
We really need to get this stuff documented. Maybe we could start a Google Doc or Wiki and we could all contribute to a user manual. We could start with what's on the website and expand from that. Normally, at this point I would raise my hand and volunteer to be editor, but right now, I'm trying to start a 3D consulting practice. And guess what, I'm actually getting some business! First things first. Sorry.
Rich
Re: Profile Management (feature request)
Hi,
Clayton your saying:
"Well to answer this question "which profile was used to generate a given gcode" - each gcode file actually contains the complete FFF profile that was used to generate it in the header."
But if you create a gcode out of multiple process there is no FFF generated, see attachment.
Michael
Clayton your saying:
"Well to answer this question "which profile was used to generate a given gcode" - each gcode file actually contains the complete FFF profile that was used to generate it in the header."
But if you create a gcode out of multiple process there is no FFF generated, see attachment.
Michael
