Losing communication

[jimc]

i hear ya. while i am not fully versed with linux i do have my one printer running on a pi which is running linux. never have an issue there or with the mac. its always that damned windows lol.

the exact process

Sheesh...

Forgive me for ranting, but this has gotten absurd.

Pronterface and Linux Just Work™, with zero drama, if what you want to do involves sending G-Code to a 3D printer.

I run the model through Slic3r on the upstairs PC (the one with The Comfy Chair), toddle downstairs, fire up the M2, load the G-Code file from the file server into Pronterface, hit Print, and away it goes. An hour or two or three later, it's done. That's as exciting as it gets, ever.

Over the last five years, I've used half a dozen combinations of PCs and Linux flavors with two 3D printers, with exactly none of the aggravations you folks keep working around. Right now, there's old Dell laptop and Linux Mint connected to the M2 and various Arduino projects; everything stays plugged in all the time, because that's the way USB is supposed to work.

I get PCs from Dell's off-lease refurbished outlet, where the most recent desktop box set me back $200 delivered: Intel Core i3, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB drive, and a legit copy of Win 7 Pro that never sees the light of day. Laptops run about that much, maybe a bit more for a fancy screen.

Linux Mint / Slic3r / Pronsole are all Free Software: install 'em on as many PCs as you need, network them as you want, use them as you like. Software updates are free, bug fixes are nearly instantaneous, you can actually make a difference by reporting problems directly to the developers.

Yes, you'd have to (re)learn a few things to install & use Linux, but after that It Just Works... and you could get on with printing stuff, rather than putzing around with magic rituals.

OK, rant off...

[Pekish79]

I use octoprint after i started with USB mostly because i moved the printer in another room on the lower floor

octoprint per se is not that easy to set up there is always something not working when u set up the wireless thing but after that i installed the cam and some led lights all from Raspberry-pi and it was (difficult) but fun

at the same time is not harder then deal with a 3d printer there too you need to figure out few line of codes M201 and M204 and few others

Honestly speaking 3d printing the all experience is for people old school that like to understand and mess up stuff


my advice really get a Raspberry-pi 30$ work even better then a old laptop 200$
obviously the Rasberry-pi need some accessory like a 8gb micro card 15$ a cable to plug it to the electricity probably u have it but anyway is other 10-15$ (you need to make sure to have at least 2V or 2.5V) a wireless usb if u need to go wireless a cam if u want to use it with the cam (i suggest the native cam if you go wireless as too high resolution will slow down your network i really lowered it modifying the code as well native was 640x480 i lowered at 320x240 as i like it real time but i dont want to take too much band (i even lowered quality from 80% default to 60%)

anyway my advice get a PI you will have fun working it out learn something and will work perfectly
(and the all package for a working octoprint is around 99$)

[SouthSideofdaSky]

yes, even though your printing from sd card, if you dont pull the plug and you lose communication then the print will still stop. pull the plug and the print will always finish. are you totally losing communication or is the printer just freezing? are you running windows 10? windows 10 has usb com issues and will cause the printer to stop in the middle of a print every single time.

Actually what is happening, is that the computer is registering that it is getting unplugged. I hear the usb unplug and replug sound. When it does that while printing from usb the printer stops and S3D gives an unable to open port error. I have to then go to the control panel and disable and re-enable the com port for it to work again. When it does it while printing from the sd card it keeps going so I assume it is just like unplugging it.

Have you tried different USB cables? Maybe you have a faulty/flaky cable. I know you said in your very first post that you tested it but maybe...

Other than that I'm out of ideas other than trying a different interface/OS like Ed and others are suggesting. It essentially is not a problem for me anymore as performing the steps I outlined in my last post consistently works for me.

[swbluto]

Find the offending program that holding your port open and kill it. Program manager will let you do this. If you don't figure out which program is holding the port (I'd imagine it might have a name like "s3d.exe". If you're using makergear's awful software, it'll be called something like "magic conveyor belt"or some such.), you could use Process Explorer to figure it out. But, if you can't figure out which program is holding the port hostage, I have my doubts you can figure out how to use Process Explorer, so best of luck.

[MagicEngineer]

you could use Process Explorer to figure it out. But, if you can't figure out which program is holding the port hostage, I have my doubts you can figure out how to use Process Explorer, so best of luck.

Wow, What a dickish thing to say. I am so glad there is someone so intellectually superior to offer help to us low-tech hillbillys.

[ednisley]

makergear's awful software

I thought MakerBot was the one with Conveyor in the back end of their MakerWare slicer / printer stuff.

I admit to not having bought any of that train wreck for quite a few years, though.

[Spotopolis]

If you're using maker gear's awful software, it'll be called something like "magic conveyor belt"or some such…

MakerGear makes hardware. Nothing you are referring to came from MakerGEAR. If you are going to rudely point fingers, at least point them in the correct direction.