msaine
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 1:29 pm

Factory file vs process exporting?

I found a tutorial on process saving but I can find no information on how to use and the purpose of factory files. Since the license allows two machines is there a way to share setups between them. I typically work on a part at one location and print at another. It would be nice to be able to keep the two machines in sync in case a small change is needed at the printing stsaion. Export and Import seems a bit like sneaker net :) and subject to errors and/or omissions.
brian442
Posts: 1243
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 5:35 am

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

I think they have an article that explains the different file formats in case that helps:
https://www.simplify3d.com/support/arti ... ile-types/
jaystein
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon May 08, 2017 2:31 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

msaine wrote:I found a tutorial on process saving but I can find no information on how to use and the purpose of factory files. Since the license allows two machines is there a way to share setups between them. I typically work on a part at one location and print at another. It would be nice to be able to keep the two machines in sync in case a small change is needed at the printing stsaion. Export and Import seems a bit like sneaker net :) and subject to errors and/or omissions.
The Factory file is to save all of the settings in S3D. The gcode is for the printer.
msaine
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 1:29 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

So the simple way to sync two machines is to store a factory file from one and load it to the second machine? It's a shame there is not a more transparent/background way to do this but I can live with this way. Something like a external shared file with process settings but I guess that is not all inclusive. Is there a way to have the software load a designated factory file at startup?
jfkansas
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:12 am

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

I store all my factory files in a Microsoft One Drive (cloud storage), there are others also. It works if I am at home on my PC or at work with a Mac. Everything auto syncs almost instantly.
jfkansas
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 2:12 am

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

msaine wrote:So the simple way to sync two machines is to store a factory file from one and load it to the second machine? It's a shame there is not a more transparent/background way to do this but I can live with this way. Something like a external shared file with process settings but I guess that is not all inclusive. Is there a way to have the software load a designated factory file at startup?
And no way to to load a specific factory file. I just open up a similar object and save as, then open the new STL. I then make any model specific changes, then export print file.
Jeff_Birt
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:08 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

jfkansas wrote:
msaine wrote:So the simple way to sync two machines is to store a factory file from one and load it to the second machine? It's a shame there is not a more transparent/background way to do this but I can live with this way. Something like a external shared file with process settings but I guess that is not all inclusive. Is there a way to have the software load a designated factory file at startup?
And no way to to load a specific factory file. I just open up a similar object and save as, then open the new STL. I then make any model specific changes, then export print file.
I'm not sure I follow the issue here. The 'process' is the print settings. You can create all the processes you want and set any STL you want to use the process you want. The 'process' system is designed to allow you have a 'main' process name for each machine and then you can set up separate settings (a complete sub process) for each type of filament, quality, etc. I sometimes will make a copy of a process when I want to mess around a lot with different settings but I just as easy create a new material type. The only draw back I have come across so far is that my first layer settings tend to be different if I have the raft turned on vs. not. Right now I have a profile named 'MakerBot 2X - Raft' and 'MakerBot 2x' to distinguish the two but this could also be done with the material type drop down by setting up a material type for 'PLA - Raft'. 'PLA - No Raft', etc.

The 'factory file' is your STL models, their layout on the build plate PLUS the profile. Thus your profile settings are saved with the factory file.

You can 'export' a process form the 'File' menu and then import it on another machine. This is a bit clunky as the profile is stored in the Registry which is silly. My suspicion would be that they wanted to keep folks from trying to directly edit the profile in a text editor and potentially mess things up.
msaine
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 1:29 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

Maybe I am just being dense but the way I understand this is "processes" are stored in the registry. If so then the second machine does not have access to them. Second machine being a laptop at one location and first machine being a desktop at the print location. There is little to no description to the factory file mechanism. It seems that it is probably what I want. I am assuming that S3d loads the last factory file accessed on start up but this is not clear. If so that is the solution, use a common factory file on the cloud for both machines. Is this correct? or am I still missing something? Are changes to the current factory file in use stored on exit or is an explicit save required?
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dkightley
Posts: 2405
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:09 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

No, its not you being a little dense! There are two "things" that have names that are similar that are both stored "behind the scenes"..and can both be saved and loaded!

Allow me to try and clarify this muddle......

When you are running S3D and are assembling something to print, you are viewing the "temporary workspace" ( to give it a name I can refer back to). Within your "temporary workspace" you can load Models and Processes. Now...if you close S3D down, all of what is held in your "temporary workspace" is saved "behind the scenes" (in the registry on Windows...the equivalent on other OSs). When you start S3D, whatever is in the "behind the scenes" is loaded so you have what you had before. Load a factory file....and whatever is in your "temporary workspace" will be overwritten, however you may be asked if you want to save to a factory file first....depending on what actions you have recently taken. If you create or save a factory file, then all your models & settings are save in a file you choose the name of. This file is referred to as a factory file.

Now....hoping you're still with me....

When you add a Process....or edit an existing process, from within the settings page, there is the facility to either load settings from an existing Profile, or to save the current settings to either an existing or new Profile. These Profiles are.....like the "temporary workspace" data....stored "behind the scenes"....and you can only see what Profiles exist by using the dropdown. Now....if you want to save your print settings in a safe place of your choosing (eg a file), you can save the settings for a Profile to a file...referred to as a .fff file. Note that at any time, you can import these settings back from file.

So....going back to your question re two machines....

You can set up a print job on S3D on one computer and create a factory file for that print. This factory file can then be loaded into S3D on another computer and used, etc.....and in theory saved back to the factory file for loading and using on the first computer. As a separate thing....you can create the perfect setting for a Process for your printer on one computer.....and if you want to transfer it to your other computer, save the settings to a Profile, then export the Profile to a file to transfer to the other computer. On the other computer, open the Profile page and import the Profile from file. You can now use tht process on the second computer.

If that way seems messy, another way would be to save a factory file from the first computer, load it into the second computer....and then save or update the Profile on the second computer.

I hope I've not lost you......I did say things were messy!!!!

And just to illustrate how "messy", I got the names Process and Profile mixed up three times when I first created the post....and had to edit it twice! Three times now I've added this comment! ;)
Doug Kightley
Volunteer at the National Tramway Museum http://www.tramway.co.uk
Railway modeller and webmaster at http://www.talkingtgauge.net
msaine
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 1:29 pm

Re: Factory file vs process exporting?

I just wish that the "behind the scene" was saved to an external file and not the registry. It would greatly increase the versatility for sharing, but would open up possible abuse by others if the sharing was a group thing. It would also open up a shared file conflict thing and I know even Microsoft hasn't handled that well in the past, sigh. Can't please everyone but an option to save the behind the scene stuff to a file (either local or cloud) would allow users to choose where this info is preserved.

Thanks for your explanation though. It would be a good thing to be pinned to to a newbie help file somewhere.

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