Quote Originally Posted by EagleSeven View Post
No, the slicer software sends G-code commands to printer, thru the USB port !
( .stl to slicer and G-code to printer, that's all that's Needed, Not .x3g )
While it may be transparent x3g translation, my flash forge / powerspec / makerbot replicator 2 in fact does not understand gcode - this is why you can't use OptoPrint without a translator. Now, the console in s3d will take the gcode you type in, but it's translated before it's sent to the printer. x3g is, from what I understand, a binary format for the text based gcode, simular to how the old Intel 8051AH Basic and Apple II computers use to translate commands (like PRINT or GOTO) into a single binary character that was translated to and from the text counter part at what we would call now the presentation layer.

As for having multiple pc's, that is definatley an option, but it's not something I want to hassle with - too many points of failure. SD card printing has a higher reliability index than printing from a PC and can easily be managed remotely.