Better support for the Flashforge Finder
Posted: Fri Dec 06, 2019 11:04 am
I have a Flashforge Finder and while it has it's weaknesses the build-in LCD preview of a model is awesome! Since Flashprint on Linux does not like most of my STL files from either OpenSCAD or when downloaded I decided to try Simplify3D. While the G-Code generated by S3D for the Finder works and gives good printing results there are 5 things that bothered me:
I found an option to "search network printers" but my Flashforge Finder is never found I guess, it does not show up on the connection list at all even after 30 minutes! This automatically means that it's impossible to upload directly from S3D over wifi as there is no way to manually enter the IP address.
Then there is the USB connection which does kind of work....sometimes. When it shows up I can connect to the printer and the gcode is uploaded but no way to change the filename first. After a couple of print's my file list on the LCD was full of "print-xxxxxx.gcode" files which I had no idea of what they are since there is no preview image. But the worst thing is that when connected over USB Simplify3D crashes when I shutdown the printer!! That sounds like a bug to me and should just not happen at all! Also the "live preview" during the print does not work but I guess that is more a firmware issue of the printer not sending the updates requested with M27 (i think it was)
For myself the dremel fileformat is an acceptable workaround and I might just use a few scripts to rename and upload over WiFi automatically. It might also be nice to have method to change the colors and angle of the preview image, since sometimes the details are not visible in the tiny image because of the low angle.
- No preview image on LCD
- No remaining time indication during the print
- No option to set the address of my network printer!!!
- No Wifi upload after slicing
- USB works only sometimes..and S3D crashes when I shutdown the printer from the LCD screen!!
I found an option to "search network printers" but my Flashforge Finder is never found I guess, it does not show up on the connection list at all even after 30 minutes! This automatically means that it's impossible to upload directly from S3D over wifi as there is no way to manually enter the IP address.
Then there is the USB connection which does kind of work....sometimes. When it shows up I can connect to the printer and the gcode is uploaded but no way to change the filename first. After a couple of print's my file list on the LCD was full of "print-xxxxxx.gcode" files which I had no idea of what they are since there is no preview image. But the worst thing is that when connected over USB Simplify3D crashes when I shutdown the printer!! That sounds like a bug to me and should just not happen at all! Also the "live preview" during the print does not work but I guess that is more a firmware issue of the printer not sending the updates requested with M27 (i think it was)
For myself the dremel fileformat is an acceptable workaround and I might just use a few scripts to rename and upload over WiFi automatically. It might also be nice to have method to change the colors and angle of the preview image, since sometimes the details are not visible in the tiny image because of the low angle.