I exported some fff files because I had to do a reset all files because my S3D was crashing. I was surprised to learn the fff files don't appear to really store all of the process information, but instead seem to be some sort of placeholder and you must load a factory file which will access the fff file to recreate the full profile. Everything for startup codes to even nozzle diameter would not load until I loaded a previously save factory file that used the appropriate process.
Bizarre file handling in S3D. Always been my main complaint with the software.
Re: Exported fff files
Are you sure you exported the right thing? Because if you open a FFF file in a text editor (as I have had to do entirely too many times...) you'll see all the profile information right there in XML format...
Re: Exported fff files
dorsai3d wrote:Are you sure you exported the right thing? Because if you open a FFF file in a text editor (as I have had to do entirely too many times...) you'll see all the profile information right there in XML format...
I'll check but when I imported the fff file, started a new process and selected the imported (newly appeared) process from the drop down menus, it didn't alter any of the fields from the previous process I had loaded. And all my special codes and what not that I had created were gone.
It wasn't until I loaded an old factory file that used that exported process before I did the reset all files command, that I got all my old settings back. Essentially the import of the fff simply allowed the old factory file to load without an error because the process existed. But starting from scratch if I didn't have models using that old process I would have no way of recreating it.
Re: Exported fff files
Sounds more like a firmware definition to me... Factory files don't throw an error if you load them without having the profile that they were made with, since they contain all the profile info as well. But if you load a profile/factory file that's missing a custom firmware definition, then it will throw an error message.
If it is a firmware definition, then of course it won't change anything, because that's not a profile. A profile references a firmware definition.
If it is a firmware definition, then of course it won't change anything, because that's not a profile. A profile references a firmware definition.
Re: Exported fff files
dorsai3d wrote:Sounds more like a firmware definition to me... Factory files don't throw an error if you load them without having the profile that they were made with, since they contain all the profile info as well. But if you load a profile/factory file that's missing a custom firmware definition, then it will throw an error message.
If it is a firmware definition, then of course it won't change anything, because that's not a profile. A profile references a firmware definition.
No I am talking none of the process settings were save in the export and subsequent import. None of the settings from nozzle diameter to layer height to startup scripts.
I haven't checked in recent versions, but in the old days if you attempted to load a factory file that attempts to call a process that doesn't exist you got an error.
Obviously I am very confused about the file handling of S3D. A seemingly simple thing seems to be overly complex to me. A complete mystery as to what is saved and what isn't and where. It shouldn't be this complicated. I don't think I am stupid but perhaps I am.
Re: Exported fff files
One thing perhaps to be aware of is that when you export the FFF file, it exports the saved profile, so if you see (modified) next to the profile, it won't be exported as is because the changes to that profile haven't been saved. It would be exported as it was whenever the last time you hit "Update Profile".
I can say for 100% certain though, that exported FFF files definitely contain all the profile information. Could you also be looking for processes? Because processes have a profile selected, but are a transient thing that are specific to a print, and are only saved in a factory file.
I can say for 100% certain though, that exported FFF files definitely contain all the profile information. Could you also be looking for processes? Because processes have a profile selected, but are a transient thing that are specific to a print, and are only saved in a factory file.
Re: Exported fff files
dorsai3d wrote:One thing perhaps to be aware of is that when you export the FFF file, it exports the saved profile, so if you see (modified) next to the profile, it won't be exported as is because the changes to that profile haven't been saved. It would be exported as it was whenever the last time you hit "Update Profile".
I can say for 100% certain though, that exported FFF files definitely contain all the profile information. Could you also be looking for processes? Because processes have a profile selected, but are a transient thing that are specific to a print, and are only saved in a factory file.
Yes I see that now. It seems like a totally bizarre way of doing things. I guess the way I think and what seems logical to me is completely counter to how the S3D team sees things. Their approach to files in general is really a mystery to me, pretty much at every point in the software. I don't even understand why you need to export processes to begin with when doing a reset. Why in the world would any software delete user altered or created files is a totally bizarre thing to do.
Re: Exported fff files
Well, if you're talking about "reset all settings," then it would do exactly that and even pops up a warning about that. If you're using processes to manage your profiles/printers though, you're going to have a bad time...
Re: Exported fff files
dorsai3d wrote:Well, if you're talking about "reset all settings," then it would do exactly that and even pops up a warning about that. If you're using processes to manage your profiles/printers though, you're going to have a bad time...
Well the software crashes from time to time (3 times over the last two years for me) and the reset all is all that seems to fix it. I did look at the fff file in excel and it does have all the data. However if I start a new file, load a new process and select an exported/imported profile, none of the data I want appears, in terms of startup codes etc. It only appears if I load a factory file that had those settings the way I wanted them before the reset all. Then I can update the exported/imported profile and it will now show the data the way I want it when I start a new file. It's nuts. It's like a handshaking thing between the factory and the profile settings are stored in multiple places and don't synch up right away. It's obvious I have no idea what the file system is doing and I am really dumb. But it just makes no sense at all to me, and never will.
