OctoPrint-GPX

An OctoPrint plugin for MakerBot (prior to 5th gen) and clones.

It uses GPX to translate gcode to s3g underneath OctoPrint in the communications layer.

GPX is a Gcode Postprocessing to X3g tool written by WHPThomas. Gcode is a language for describing toolpaths in 3d printers which is derived from the gcode used in CNC machines. X3g is an extension to the s3g protocol which was named for the Sanguino v3 which was in use at the time as the bot's controller.

This plugin requires brand new hooks that are in the 1.2.0 version of OctoPrint. As of this writing, 1.2.0 has been officially released, but the OctoPi image doesn't yet include it. If you pick up a recent nightly it should be there or if not, it's relatively easy to update.

Caveats

I've only tested this on one config: Raspberry Pi set up via the OctoPi image FlashForge Creator Pro running Sailfish 7.7

Installing

1. Start with OctoPi: Get your Raspberry Pi up and running by following the instructions on OctoPi

2. Update OctoPrint to at least 1.2.0 if it isn't already. Instructions are in the OctoPrint wiki FAQ. From here (1.2.0) on out, it'll be even easier because you can use the builtin softwareupdate plugin right from the browser.

   source ~/oprint/bin/activate
   cd ~/OctoPrint
   git pull
   python setup.py clean
   python setup.py install
   sudo service octoprint restart
   

   Don't forget to refresh your browser.

3. Get the GPX plugin. You get plugins by using the Plugin Manager in OctoPrint.

   • Open a browser to octoprint (http://ipaddress/) and login
   • Choose "Settings" from the top bar
   • Click "Plugin Manager" on the left side
   • Click the "Get More..." button
   • Find GPX in the list and click "Install"
   • Restart octoprint (if you're using OctoPi: System.Restart from the menu bar)
   • Refresh your browser

4. Set some settings.

   • Like step 4, get to Settings
   • Click "GPX" on the left nav
   • Choose your printer type and gcode flavor, leave the rest on default

5. Try connecting Choose a port and baudrate. I don't have AUTO working yet. 115200 works on my bot.

Known issues

• Upload to SD doesn't work. It can't work directly because SailFish removed that feature to save bytes. Probably a good call since who wants to wait for 115200 baud when you can just plug the SD card into your PC. Google Groups Post I'm working on FlashAir support
• Can't delete SD files for a similar reason
• I really wouldn't recommend printing directly from the gcode file rather than an x3g on the SD card. Besides Sailfish recommends against anything but SD, there's also the fact that this is fairly new code and you wouldn't want a communications glitch to ruin your print several hours in. And I expect one. More than likely pretty quickly, but worst case, just before the build is done. Although lately I've been doing all my printing directly from OctoPrint for testing this plugin and so far, so good.
• Upload to OctoPrint and then print works with .gcode, not with .x3g. The GPX layer converts the gcode to x3g when you print from OctoPrint. I need to figure out a way to make the UI more graceful about this. To review: If the destination is OctoPrint and let it drive: .gcode. If the destination is the SD card and let the bot drive the print: .x3g.

Plan

I was thinking for my next project, possibly, to start an OctoPrint plug-in that will talk to the FlashAir SD card directly bypassing the motherboard on the the bot.

The GCode viewer can't follow along the build on the SD card because it doesn't have a good way to understand where the bot is in printing an x3g file. I'm thinking about this one. Perhaps we can use the number of commands processed to line something up. I have the printer reporting current position back to OctoPrint every second or so now, so theoretically it could follow along-ish on z-change, but it'd be guessing about the pacing in between. It'd require a new hook or something in OctoPrint.