Changes

When opening the application you will see a grey bar at the top of the window. Select 'Connect to a Printer'. If you have connected to this printer before, you should be able to select it from the list in the pop-up window (which will disappear after selection), and it will appear in the grey bar of the application's screen. To complete the connection process, select 'Connect' in the top left corner.

If you are unable to connect for any reason - ensure that your printer is turned on and connected, select 'Connect to a Printer', toggle edit mode, select the 'Edit' link next to your recently added printer, and double check the settings.

If it is not your first time connecting a printer, this will bring you to a list of printers that you have previously set up with the computer. Connect your printer via USB cable and turn it on. Select the printer you wish to connect to.

== Printing a 3D Object ==

To print a 3D object using MatterControl, you'll first need an object to print. Press the 'Add' button, either at the bottom of the Queue or near the top of the application. A file dialog will open allowing you to select a .STL, .AMF or .GCODE file. Once you've selected a file, it will be added to your Queue and available for printing.

To begin a print, check to make sure that the bed is clear, then press 'Print'. You can pause or cancel a print by selecting 'Pause' or 'Cancel' once the print has begun. After a print has finished, you can choose to reprint the object or select 'Done' to remove it from your print queue.

== Managing the Queue ==

You can add objects to your print queue individually or you can select multiple files in the file dialog that appears once the ‘Add’ button is clicked. You can drag and drop single or multiple files into your queue at any time. You can remove individual files within your queue by clicking the 'Remove' button on a queue item, or by selecting a queue item in edit mode and then selecting the 'Remove' button at the bottom of your queue. Alternatively, to delete your entire queue at once, you can navigate to the ‘Queue’ menu in the bottom of the queue and select ‘Remove All’.

'''See also:''' [[Queue]]

== Previewing an Object ==

You can preview a part at any time by clicking on the part's icon - an automatically generated silhouette of the part as it will appear from the top looking down. Clicking the part's icon will open the preview window. If available, a rotatable, zoom-able 3D representation of how your part will be printed will appear in the 3D View. Certain types of files (such as pre-generated .gcode files) cannot be previewed in this way. For more information, visit [[3D View]].

'''See also:''' [[3D View]], [[Layer View]]

== Temperature and Movement Controls ==

Outside of printing you may want to manually control some of the functions of your printer. To access these controls, select the 'Settings' button and select 'Controls'.

'''See also:''' [[Controls]]

== Automatic Bed Leveling Controls ==

When selecting the 'Options' tab,under 'Hardware Settings' there is a section titled 'Automatic Print Leveling'. Here, we can actuate the Automatic Print Leveling feature. This walks you through a process where your printer becomes pre-calibrated at its most level so that, with every print thereafter, the printer will correct itself in such a way that every print will always be level. You can read more about this feature in-depth, as well as watch videos of it working, on the [[Bed Leveling]] page.

'''See also:''' [[Options/Software Print Leveling]]

== Tuning Adjustment Printer Controls ==

While printing, the Tuning Adjustment meters allow you to adjust the speed of the extruder as well as the amount of filament being extruded. This can be helpful if you realize mid-print that the extruder is moving too fast for the filament to stick or if not enough filament is being extruded. These are the only settings you can adjust during a print; otherwise, you have to cancel the print, adjust the settings, and start over.

'''See also:''' [[Controls/Tuning Adjustment]]

== Settings ==

Slicing is the process of turning your digital 3D model into instructions that your 3D printer can use to print an object. In MatterControl slicing is done on an 'as-needed' basis based on your current slicing settings. To modify your slice settings, click on the 'Advanced Controls' link and select 'Slice Settings'.

'''See also:''' [[Settings]]

== Show All Settings / User Level (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) ==

From the 'Settings' screen, a drop down box allows for selection of the printer user level. These levels are Basic, Standard and Advanced.

For clarification on any of the extra settings, select 'Show Help', which will have a short description under every one. For further clarification, check out these slice settings articles:

'''See also:''' [[Settings#Settings Level Menu]]

== Customization ==

You can change the accent color to match your preference by selecting 'Options' under the 'Settings' tab in the top right corner of the main screen.

'''See also:''' [[Options/Theme]]