Difference between revisions of "Custom Printer Profiles"

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−	__NOTOC__Are you building your own printer? Do you need to create a customized printer profile? MatterControl can easily help you out with just a few quick steps - check out our new guide!	+	<div style="float:right;">__TOC__</div>
−	Making MatterControl an intuitive, easy to use 3D printing software solution has been the central goal of the MatterControl development team since its inception. That’s why we work directly with printer manufacturers to preload their optimal print settings into a drop-down menu to get you up-and-printing on the most popular makes and models in just a few clicks.	+
−	But what if you’ve built your own printer, or you are an advanced user and want to create a custom profile? To show some love to these innovative users, we've created this step-by-step guide on how to integrate a custom printer profile into MatterControl.	+	== Who is this page for? ==
−	== Step 1 ==	+	*Users who have their own custom printers and want to create profiles for them in MatterControl so they can use the functionality of the program as if the profile was packaged with the program
		+	*3D printer manufacturers or users who want to create a profile for their printer(s) so they can send them to the development team for inclusion in MatterControl so all users can benefit.
−	[[File:Cp1.png|right]]Navigate to the “PrinterSettings” folder in your MatterControl package	+	== Create a .printer file ==
−	Below are the locations of the “PrinterSettings” folder on different operating systems	+	In version 1.6, profiles are stored in a 'MakeModel.printer' file containing default values set to the specs of your machine for all settings used in MatterControl. Instead of having separate configuration files for default settings, material, and quality presets (as was the process in previous versions of MatterControl), all of your settings will now be contained in this single .printer file.
−	{|	+	If you haven't already, [[Downloads|download MatterControl]] and install. Open the program and follow these steps to create a profile:
−	|-	+	<br clear=all>
−	| '''Windows''' ||  || <code>C:\Program Files (x86)\MatterControl\StaticData\PrinterSettings</code>	+
−	|-	+	=== Create a new printer ===
−	| '''Mac''' ||  || <code>/Applications/MatterControl.app/Contents/MonoBundle/StaticData/PrinterSettings</code>	+
−	|-	+	[[File:cp1.png|right]]Navigate to the 'Printers…' drop down menu and choose the 'Add New Printer…' menu item.
−	| '''Linux''' ||  || <code>/usr/lib/MatterControl/StaticData/PrinterSettings</code>	+
−	|}	+
−	Once you’ve located the “PrinterSettings” directory, create a new folder and name it “Custom Manufacturer." Now go into the “CustomManufacturer” folder, create a new folder and name it “CustomPrinter."
	<br clear=all>		<br clear=all>
−	== Step 2 ==
−	Navigate to the “OEMSettings” folder and open the Settings.json file	+	=== Select Make and Model ===
−	Below are the locations of the “Settings.json” file on different operating systems:	+	[[File:cp2.png|right]]Once the 3D Printer Setup Wizard appears select a Make and Model and click 'Save & Continue’. The generic 'Other / Other' profile is provided as a good base to build off of, but any profile will work.
−	{|	+	NOTE: If you are a printer manufacturer with existing profiles in MatterControl it might be easier to select your previous printer in the setup wizard and make adjustments from there. It is not necessary to do so, however, and you can base your new settings off of any existing printer in MatterControl regardless of Make and Model name.
−	|-	+
−	| '''Windows''' ||  || <code>C:\Program Files (x86)\MatterControl\StaticData\OEMSettings\Settings.json</code>	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''Mac''' ||  || <code>/Applications/MatterControl.app/Contents/MonoBundle/StaticData/OEMSettings/Settings.json</code>	+
−	|-	+
−	| '''Linux''' ||  || <code>/usr/lib/MatterControl/StaticData/OEMSettings/Settings.json</code>	+
−	|}	+
−	Open the Settings.json file and add “CustomManufacturer” to the PrinterWhiteList.	+	<br clear=all>
−	[[File:Cp2.png]]	+	=== Navigate to SETTINGS ===
−	Now when you open up MatterControl and attempt to add a printer, you will see your custom printer appear in the Make and Model drop down menu.	+	[[File:cp3.png|right]]From the QUEUE, click the 'Settings & Controls' button to show the SETTINGS pane.
−	[[File:Cp3.png]]	+	<br clear=all>
−	== Step 3 ==	+	=== Show all settings ===
−	Create the default settings file for your custom printer.	+	[[File:cp4.png|right]]Navigate to the SETTINGS pane and choose the Advanced view from the [[Settings#Settings_Level_Menu|Settings Level Menu]].
−	In the same window that you just viewed your custom printer, select “Other” for Make and “Other” for Model and then click the “Save & Continue” button.	+	<br clear=all>
−	[[File:Cp4.png]]	+	=== Edit printer settings ===
−	The next window will prompt you to select a baud rate, but you can click Cancel. Once you are back at your list of printers, select the Other Other printer that was just created.	+	[[File:cp5.png|right]]Choose all default settings for your printer. At the very least, your profile should have the following settings specified:
−	[[File:Cp5.png]]	+	*[[Settings/Printer/Connection/Description/Printer Name|Printer Name]]: 'Make Model' is the standard naming convention.
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Connection/Details/Baud Rate|Baud Rate]]
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Print Area/Size and Coordinates/Bed Size|Bed Size]]
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Print Area/Size and Coordinates/Print Center|Print Center]]
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Print Area/Size and Coordinates/Build Height|Build Height]]
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Print Area/Size and Coordinates/Bed Shape|Bed Shape]]
		+	*Any applicable setting under [[Settings/Printer/Features|Features]]
		+	*Any applicable [[Settings/Printer/Custom G-Code|Custom G-Code]]
		+	*[[Settings/Printer/Extruder/Extruder X/Nozzle Diameter|Nozzle Diameter]]
		+	*If more than one extruder, [[Settings/Printer/Extruder/Extruder X/Extruder Offset|Extruder Offset]]
−	Now you can navigate to your Settings page in MatterControl and enter settings that are specific to your custom printer. The most important settings will be hardware specifications such as nozzle diameter, number of extruders, filament diameter etc..	+	<br clear=all>
−	[[File:Cp6.png]]	+	[[File:cp6.png|right]]Please note that starting in version 1.6 a blue overlay will appear on a setting when you change it.
−	[[File:Cp7.png]]	+	<br clear=all>
−	After you have settings that you are happy with, click on the “Options...” dropdown and select the “Export” menu option.	+	=== Presets ===
−	[[File:Cp8.png]]	+	[[File:cp7.png|right]]Once you have default settings specified, set up any desired presets for materials or quality.
−	Once the file dialog window opens, rename the “default_settings.ini” to “config.ini” and save it to the “CustomPrinter” folder you created earlier.	+	==== MATERIAL ====
−	== Step 4 ==	+	Click the MATERIAL drop down menu and select 'Add New Setting...'
−	Create the setup.ini file so that you can connect to your printer	+	<br clear=all>
−	Open up a text editor and enter the information shown in the picture below:	+	[[File:cp8.png|right]]Enter a name you would like to be displayed for the preset and choose the settings to specify.
−	[[File:Cp9.png]]	+	An orange (or purple or green if you've [[Settings/Printer/Features/Hardware/Extruder Count|specified more than one extruder]]) overlay will appear on a setting when it has been specified as a material preset.
−	If you have a different baud rate set in the firmware on your printer, set it to that value. Save this file as ‘setup.ini’ and place it in the “CustomPrinter” folder that was created earlier.	+	Once you are satisfied with your choices close the MATERIAL presets editor.
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
		+
		+	==== QUALITY ====
		+
		+	[[File:cp9.png|right]]Click the QUALITY drop down menu and select 'Add New Setting...'
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
		+
		+	[[File:cp10.png|right]]Enter a name you would like to be displayed for the preset and choose the settings to specify.
		+
		+	A yellow overlay will appear on a setting when it has been specified as a quality preset.
		+
		+	Once you are satisfied with your choices close the QUALITY presets editor.
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
		+
		+	=== Export Printer Profile ===
		+
		+	[[File:cp11.png|right]]Click the 'Profile…' drop down menu and select the 'Export' menu item.
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
		+
		+	[[File:cp12.png|right]]Export as MatterControl profile
		+
		+	Select the MatterControl export option and click the “Export Settings” button
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
		+
		+	[[File:cp13.png|right]]Name Printer Profile and Save
		+
		+	In order to make the process easier on our end it would be great if you could use the following naming convention for the .printer file (MakeModel.printer)
		+
		+	<br clear=all>
−	Congratulations...it’s a new printer profile!  Whenever you open MatterControl, it will now discover and interact with your profile from the drop-down menu.  If you’d like to tweak any of your settings down the line, simply return to the “CustomPrinter” folder and repeat the process, entering in your new settings.	+	=== Submit Your Files ===
−	Happy printing!	+	Once you have your .printer file (which now contains all settings and presets) please email them to your MatterHackers representative or support@matterhackers.com and we can complete the integration into MatterControl.
	[[Category:How-to]]		[[Category:How-to]]
−	[[Category:Incomplete]]

---

Revision as of 11:39, 28 November 2016

Who is this page for?

• Users who have their own custom printers and want to create profiles for them in MatterControl so they can use the functionality of the program as if the profile was packaged with the program
• 3D printer manufacturers or users who want to create a profile for their printer(s) so they can send them to the development team for inclusion in MatterControl so all users can benefit.

Create a .printer file

In version 1.6, profiles are stored in a 'MakeModel.printer' file containing default values set to the specs of your machine for all settings used in MatterControl. Instead of having separate configuration files for default settings, material, and quality presets (as was the process in previous versions of MatterControl), all of your settings will now be contained in this single .printer file.

If you haven't already, download MatterControl and install. Open the program and follow these steps to create a profile:

Create a new printer

Navigate to the 'Printers…' drop down menu and choose the 'Add New Printer…' menu item.

Select Make and Model

Once the 3D Printer Setup Wizard appears select a Make and Model and click 'Save & Continue’. The generic 'Other / Other' profile is provided as a good base to build off of, but any profile will work.

NOTE: If you are a printer manufacturer with existing profiles in MatterControl it might be easier to select your previous printer in the setup wizard and make adjustments from there. It is not necessary to do so, however, and you can base your new settings off of any existing printer in MatterControl regardless of Make and Model name.

Navigate to SETTINGS

From the QUEUE, click the 'Settings & Controls' button to show the SETTINGS pane.

Show all settings

Navigate to the SETTINGS pane and choose the Advanced view from the Settings Level Menu.

Edit printer settings

Choose all default settings for your printer. At the very least, your profile should have the following settings specified:

• Printer Name: 'Make Model' is the standard naming convention.
• Baud Rate
• Bed Size
• Print Center
• Build Height
• Bed Shape
• Any applicable setting under Features
• Any applicable Custom G-Code
• Nozzle Diameter
• If more than one extruder, Extruder Offset

Please note that starting in version 1.6 a blue overlay will appear on a setting when you change it.

Presets

Once you have default settings specified, set up any desired presets for materials or quality.

MATERIAL

Click the MATERIAL drop down menu and select 'Add New Setting...'

Enter a name you would like to be displayed for the preset and choose the settings to specify.

An orange (or purple or green if you've specified more than one extruder) overlay will appear on a setting when it has been specified as a material preset.

Once you are satisfied with your choices close the MATERIAL presets editor.

QUALITY

Click the QUALITY drop down menu and select 'Add New Setting...'

Enter a name you would like to be displayed for the preset and choose the settings to specify.

A yellow overlay will appear on a setting when it has been specified as a quality preset.

Once you are satisfied with your choices close the QUALITY presets editor.

Export Printer Profile

Click the 'Profile…' drop down menu and select the 'Export' menu item.

Export as MatterControl profile

Select the MatterControl export option and click the “Export Settings” button

Name Printer Profile and Save

In order to make the process easier on our end it would be great if you could use the following naming convention for the .printer file (MakeModel.printer)

Submit Your Files

Once you have your .printer file (which now contains all settings and presets) please email them to your MatterHackers representative or support@matterhackers.com and we can complete the integration into MatterControl.