# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > RepRap Format Printer Forum > MakerFarm Forum >  Upgrading to Marlin  Ver 1.0.5-R2 (Auto-leveling)

## old man emu

I'm a little bit scared of making a mess of upgrading my firmware to Ver 1.0.5-R2 so that I can employ auto-leveling. I have watched Zennmaster's videos and downloaded his instructions from his blog, but I am wondering if there are any traps that I should be aware of while I prepare my Configuration.h file for flashing.

Can anyone put my mind at ease, please?

Old Man Emu

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## Roxy

If you fail miserably...  You can always reload the original firmware!   But it really isn't that hard to get a CONFIGURATION.H file correct with your parameters.   And with that big Red Kill switch, you can stop bad things before they happen.

You are going to like the auto_bed_leveling!   It makes things so easy.

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## RobH2

OME, don't be afraid of playing with firmware. As far as I know, you can't "brick" anything. I experiment with Arduino a lot and have uploaded many, many sketches (programs) to them. It's not like a camera firmware where they scare you saying that if something goes wrong you may have to send it to Canon or Nikon. If it fails, just fix the offending line of code and sent it back in. It's really easy. 

So, given that, I ordered the parts today. I'm jumping in with you. Zennmaster's video is good, clear and useful. I'll have parts by later next week so if you are having trouble, I might be able to help you as I configure mine. This looks like a great upgrade and I'm excited about it. Not sure why I waited so long to do it as it's less then $20.

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## Roxy

> This looks like a great upgrade and I'm excited about it. Not sure why I waited so long to do it as it's less then $20.


Actually...  Less than $8 in parts.    You can get the servo from China with shipping on eBay for $5.00 and the switch for $1.25.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SG90-9g-...item1c3e618b8f

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## RobH2

Yea, I saw that too. I just wanted to do the project before August...lol.... Waiting for the "slow boat from China" can get frustrating. I spend more in a couple of beers at happy hour than the difference so I just ordered them from US suppliers.

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## beerdart

Happy Hour? I like happy hours..

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## old man emu

I'll take a deep breath and jump in. Who needs safety cages when you swim with Great White sharks?

OME

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## ciutateivissa

> Can anyone put my mind at ease, please?


The way I did the upgrade was to copy the "old" configuration.H file into a text editor (e.g. Wordpad) and printed the whole file out then. I´ve marked the changes I did previosly in red and after flashing the new firmware on the arduino I went through the "new" configuration.H step by step and changed it to my settings. This was a save route for me, at least for the first time I´ve updated.

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## RobH2

> Happy Hour? I like happy hours..


Yea, where were you.... it was $3 draft night...

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## RobH2

> The way I did the upgrade was to copy the "old" configuration.H file into a text editor (e.g. Wordpad) and printed the whole file out then. I´ve marked the changes I did previosly in red and after flashing the new firmware on the arduino I went through the "new" configuration.H step by step and changed it to my settings. This was a save route for me, at least for the first time I´ve updated.


That's a good way to handle it. Sometimes it's nice to see the entire file as a document so you can get a feel for it.

You can also take advantage of "commenting" in the sketch and use double "//" (without the quotes). Anything after    //    will not execute.  You also use   /*    and    */    to start and end blocks to text to comment it but it's not as easy to find as what I prefer to do. What I do so I can easily find my notes is this:

///////////////////////////////////// My Notes - START ////////////////////////////////////
///////You can also type in here what you actually did and why ////////////////////////

Code
Code
Code

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//////////////////////////////////// My Notes -END ///////////////////////////////////////

Then I can later scroll the file and look for my big fat commented lines. It eats up a little space and makes the file a tiny bit larger but for these size files it's no problem.

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## Roxy

I typically save a pristine copy of the distributed code base....   And then make my changes to a copy.   With a visual diff tool, it is easy to see where you have made changes and to cross those changes over to a new version of the code when it shows up.

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## old man emu

Dr Luigi did send me a copy of his new Configuration.h file. I will make use of // ......// and record what I have done. I know that changing this code is easy compared to other coding systems, it is just a bit daunting when you do it for the first time.

OME

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## Roxy

> Dr Luigi did send me a copy of his new Configuration.h file. I will make use of // ......// and record what I have done. I know that changing this code is easy compared to other coding systems, it is just a bit daunting when you do it for the first time.
> 
> OME


The good news is you should only have to mess with the values in the Configuration.h file.  And anything that is wrong (like an axis moving the wrong direction or the calibration of an axis being off) will be pretty easy to spot.

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## RobH2

Ok, I've completed the auto leveling modification. It took longer than I thought is would and I too followed Zennmaster's videos. However I am stuck. I can't figure out how to reset my "home" position to the back right corner of my glass. Zennmaster leaves you with the X0 Y0 Z0 at the center of the bed from when you calculate the probe offset. He say's we'll come back to this and correct it but then he never does. An exhaustive web search leaves me empty handed. Where in the configuration.h file to I modify the "home" position? I can't seem to find the right spot. 

So far though, I love auto leveling. Once I get it going I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I even tested it by raising my glass up on the front about 10mm and then auto leveling. It read it perfectly and I'm sure if I were to have tried, it would have printed perfectly on that sloped glass. 

I have 3 different substrates for printing on, Garolite, window glass and borosilicate glass. Each is slightly different in thickness. This is going to make it so nice. Not to mention, the gap changes when I print on tape or on purple glue or on hairspray. I was constantly making micro-adjustments to compensate for those. No more though. 

Thanks for lighting the fire under my butt OME. You da' man...

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## Roxy

> Ok, I've completed the auto leveling modification. It took longer than I thought is would and I too followed Zennmaster's videos. However I am stuck. I can't figure out how to reset my "home" position to the back right corner of my glass. Zennmaster leaves you with the X0 Y0 Z0 at the center of the bed from when you calculate the probe offset. He say's we'll come back to this and correct it but then he never does. An exhaustive web search leaves me empty handed. Where in the configuration.h file to I modify the "home" position? I can't seem to find the right spot.


The original Auto_Bed_Leveling did not handle Z-Probes in negative X & Y space very well.  As most people have it, I had my origin in the front left.   And the only easy place to put the Z-Probe on my extruder was on the left side.   So, to work around that problem I made these changes to Configuration.h.   This put the origin at the back right:

*Changed from:*

#define INVERT_X_DIR false    // for prusa i3 set to false, x endstop should be on the left
#define INVERT_Y_DIR false    // for prusa i3 set to false, y endstop should be in the back and opposite the y-motor

*to:*

//Roxy switched the orientation of the bed such that the origin is at the back right.
//this makes it necessary to invert the X and Y axis directions to keep the part from
//being mirrored.  The X & Y home direction stayed the same even though the direction
//flipped because the home direction was still towards a minimum value.

#define INVERT_X_DIR true //false    // for prusa i3 set to false, x endstop should be on the left
#define INVERT_Y_DIR true //false    // for prusa i3 set to false, y endstop should be in the back and opposite the y-motor




> So far though, I love auto leveling. Once I get it going I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I even tested it by raising my glass up on the front about 10mm and then auto leveling. It read it perfectly and I'm sure if I were to have tried, it would have printed perfectly on that sloped glass.


Yes...  Agreed...   But now you need to add the http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ed-G29-command

The Bed Topology Map that it provides is very useful.  With that, you can (quickly) get the bed so level the Auto_Bed_Leveling is hardly doing anything.   And...  You get to pick the number of probe points at print time instead of being hard committed to a number.




> I have 3 different substrates for printing on, Garolite, window glass and borosilicate glass. Each is slightly different in thickness. This is going to make it so nice. Not to mention, the gap changes when I print on tape or on purple glue or on hairspray. I was constantly making micro-adjustments to compensate for those. No more though. 
> 
> Thanks for lighting the fire under my butt OME. You da' man...


Oh!  One more thing.  Of course you know this, but you need to move your X & Y end stop switches to the opposite sides.    OR...  You can set them in Configuration.h to be MAX locations and tell it to _home_ in that direction.   It is cleaner to just physically move the switches, but you can do it with just Configuration.h settings.

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## RobH2

Roxy, thanks. I implemented most of the above.

I now have a new issue. Pronterface does not extrude. The head follows the path but the extruder does not function. In Cura all works so I know that my Wade extruder is functioning well. I printed a 5mm step torture test in Cura and it came out beautifully. However if I load the same file in Pronterface, no extrusion occurs. 

I've never seen this before. Any ideas?

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## Roxy

> Roxy, thanks. I implemented most of the above.
> 
> I now have a new issue. Pronterface does not extrude. The head follows the path but the extruder does not function. In Cura all works so I know that my Wade extruder is functioning well. I printed a 5mm step torture test in Cura and it came out beautifully. However if I load the same file in Pronterface, no extrusion occurs. 
> 
> I've never seen this before. Any ideas?



Can you hit the manual extrude button in PronterFace to get it to move the extruder?    I would be tempted to pull the old, working Configuration.h and the new one into a DIFF program and make sure none of the extruder stuff got touched.    But the fact it is still working in Cura is strange!

Another thought... Cura allows you to save the GCode it generates.  Can you save it and use PronterFace to send it to the printer?    Does the extruder work if you do that?  Because if so, that probably implies the problem isn't PronterFace but instead the Slicer program you are using with PronterFace.

  Is it possible you have the nozzle too close to the bed?  In other words, you have the wrong Z-Offset specified and the nozzle is so close it can't let any plastic out when using the non-Cura GCode?

What ever the problem is, I can believe it is perplexing!  But the fact it is working in Cura drastically limits how bad the problem can be!!!!   :Smile:

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## RobH2

Here's the GCode from Pronterface that does not extrude. Can anyone see anything that could be causing this? The E steps are in there. I think that's the extrusion code. 

///////////////////////  Begin Code ///////////////////////////
Connecting...
start
Printer is now online.
echo: External Reset
Marlin1.0.0
echo: Last Updated: Jun 19 2014 17:17:44 | Author: (NVision4D, 8 i3 Prusa Autolevel config)
Compiled: Jun 19 2014
echo: Free Memory: 3529  PlannerBufferBytes: 1232
echo:Hardcoded Default Settings Loaded
echo:Steps per unit:
echo:  M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z4000.00 E989.70
echo:Maximum feedrates (mm/s):
echo:  M203 X250.00 Y250.00 Z2.00 E22.00
echo:Maximum Acceleration (mm/s2):
echo:  M201 X9000 Y9000 Z20 E10000
echo:Acceleration: S=acceleration, T=retract acceleration
echo:  M204 S500.00 T500.00
echo:Advanced variables: S=Min feedrate (mm/s), T=Min travel feedrate (mm/s), B=minimum segment time (ms), X=maximum XY jerk (mm/s),  Z=maximum Z jerk (mm/s),  E=maximum E jerk (mm/s)
echo:  M205 S0.00 T0.00 B20000 X20.00 Z0.40 E5.00
echo:Home offset (mm):
echo:  M206 X0.00 Y0.00 Z0.00
echo:PID settings:
echo:   M301 P22.20 I1.08 D114.00
echo:SD card ok
Extruding 2.000000mm of filament.
Setting hotend temperature to 245.000000 degrees Celsius.
Setting bed temperature to 65.000000 degrees Celsius.
Slicing Y:\______3D Printer Models\Torture_Test_Bridge\5mm_Calibration_Steps.s  tl
Slicing Slic3r_x64_0.9.9/slic3r.exe Y:\______3D Printer Models\Torture_Test_Bridge\5mm_Calibration_Steps.s  tl --output Y:\______3D Printer Models\Torture_Test_Bridge\5mm_Calibration_Steps_e  xport.gcode --load C:\Users\Rob\AppData\Roaming\Slic3r\print\PET+_RH7  .ini --load C:\Users\Rob\AppData\Roaming\Slic3r\printer\PET+_R  H7.ini --load C:\Users\Rob\AppData\Roaming\Slic3r\filament\PET+_  RH7.ini
=> Processing triangulated mesh

=> Generating perimeters

=> Detecting solid surfaces

=> Preparing infill surfaces

=> Detect bridges

=> Generating horizontal shells

=> Combining infill

=> Infilling layers

=> Generating skirt

=> Exporting G-code to Y:\______3D Printer Models\Torture_Test_Bridge\5mm_Calibration_Steps_e  xport.gcode

Done. Process took 0 minutes and 1.650 seconds

Filament required: 46515.9mm (307.2cm3)

Loaded Y:\______3D Printer Models\Torture_Test_Bridge\5mm_Calibration_Steps_e  xport.gcode, 7285 lines
46515.8501854 mm of filament used in this print
The print goes:
- from 77.71 mm to 108.28 mm in X and is 30.57 mm wide
- from 73.71 mm to 104.29 mm in Y and is 30.58 mm deep
- from 0.00 mm to 25.10 mm in Z and is 25.10 mm high
Estimated duration: 126 layers, 0:41:13


/////////////////////////// End Code  //////////////////////////////////

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## Roxy

46 ---METERS--- of filament needed for this print????
And your printer can do that in 41 minutes????

I would like to be jealous of the speed of your printer...  But clearly something is wrong with your setup for the Slicer!!!!

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## RobH2

Yes, the manual Extrude button works in Pronterface.

Yes, if I save Cura GCode and just open that in Pronterface, it works.

No, nozzle is fine. Even if it were blocking the port off, I'd still see the big gear on the extruder turn. 

To make matters worse, KissSlicer works well too. Pronterface is just misbehaving now all of a sudden after my update and auto-leveling mods. 

I'll pull the old configuration.h and compare it to the new one to see if something got changed that was not supposed to.

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## RobH2

> 46 ---METERS--- of filament needed for this print????
> And your printer can do that in 41 minutes????
> 
> I would like to be jealous of the speed of your printer...  But clearly something is wrong with your setup for the Slicer!!!!


If it weren't sad that would be funny. KissSlicer says 0.9 meters. That's about right. Maybe that's a clue to what's going on. If the extruder is trying to extrude 46 meters and print that fast maybe the extruder gear is moving but so slowly that I'm not detecting it visually? Sound like a Star Trek episode.

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## Roxy

> If it weren't sad that would be funny. KissSlicer says 0.9 meters. That's about right. Maybe that's a clue to what's going on. If the extruder is trying to extrude 46 meters and print that fast maybe the extruder gear is moving but so slowly that I'm not detecting it visually? Sound like a Star Trek episode.


Actually...  If you try to make the stepper motors move faster than they can...  They just sit there.   And that is very fast from the time and length it claims.   

And because you can save the Cura GCode and use that in Pronterface...  It is the Pronterface interface to Slicer that seems to be the issue.

I always run Slicer separate from PronterFace.   But I'm pretty sure Slicer is using bad numbers.   I don't think this has anything to do with your Configuration.h file.

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## RobH2

I compared the configuration.h files and saw nothing odd. There was one line that I changed though to test it. 

#define DISABLE_INACTIVE_EXTRUDER false //disable only inactive extruders and keep active extruder enabled

The default was 'true' 

I only have one extruder but maybe Pronterface is thinking my only extruder is inactive. If I ever have a dual extruder setup I'll revisit this line. Also, if this does not correct Pronterface, I'll revert it.

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## Roxy

My suggestion would be to bring up Slicer by itself.   Go to Help/Configuration-Wizard and start fresh.   Just enter the few things you need like temperatures, bed size,  and filament size.   Slice the .STL, save the GCode and see if PronterFace can do that.    But some how, Slicer is trying to extrude way too much stuff!   

I don't know how parameters get passed from PronterFace to Slicer.  That is kind of why I'm suggesting just use Slicer by itself.  But I think when PronterFace fires up Slicer, Slicer uses some saved settings.   So if so, it is those settings that are wrong.   (And part of why I'm thinking it might make sense to go through the Configuration Wizard to get good settings)

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## RobH2

> Actually...  If you try to make the stepper motors move faster than they can...  They just sit there.   And that is very fast from the time and length it claims.   
> 
> And because you can save the Cura GCode and use that in Pronterface...  It is the Pronterface interface to Slicer that seems to be the issue.
> 
> I always run Slicer separate from PronterFace.   But I'm pretty sure Slicer is using bad numbers.   I don't think this has anything to do with your Configuration.h file.


I'm not sure how to do that. I need to get better with those sort of things. I always open Slicer from within Pronterface to make adjustments. It opens in a seemingly separate interface. I'm never sure how much it talks back to Pronterface so I'm always double saving setting changes. I've never been sure that making the change in the Slic3r window updates anything automatically in Pronterface unless I save and close the Slic3r interface. 

I also have Pronterface with Skeinforge embedded. I'll try that to see if it malfunctions. The more I use Skeinforge the more I get used to it and the less intimidated I am by it. But, for quick things, I always defaulted to Cura in the past. In the last few months though, I began to use the Pronterface/Slic3r interface more and more and it was becoming my "go-to." 

I'll do more experiments. Once I solve it I may know how to fix Repeitier-H. It's always acted like Pronterface in that the head would move but it would never extrude. I like the look of Repetier-H but have never gotten it to print. 

To be honest, the most beautiful prints I've ever gotten came from KissSlicer. I just like printing via a USB connection instead of carrying the SD card over. I know that if my computer hiccups that I'll lose the print, but I just like printing from the computer. If KissSlicer ever gets the ability to connect to the printer, all the other will be moot for me.

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## Roxy

If you bring up Windows Explorer...  Drill down from 'My Computer' to the C: drive.  Then Program_Files (x86)  and then into Slicer.   You should see a Slicer program there.   You can double click on that to bring it up by itself.

Oh!  Wait....    So if you bring up Pronterface, you can do Setting/Slicer_Settings.   That will bring up Slicer by itself so you can mess with it.   At that point you can do Help/Configuration_Wizard

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## RobH2

> If you bring up Windows Explorer...  Drill down from 'My Computer' to the C: drive.  Then Program_Files (x86)  and then into Slicer.   You should see a Slicer program there.   You can double click on that to bring it up by itself.
> 
> Oh!  Wait....    So if you bring up Pronterface, you can do Setting/Slicer_Settings.   That will bring up Slicer by itself so you can mess with it.   At that point you can do Help/Configuration_Wizard


Ok,  that's what I do. So, I'm doing it correctly. 

I did just open Pronterface/Slicer and slice again. I got 46 meters of material reported in GCode. I opened up Pronterface/Skeinforge and it reported 4620mm. Big difference. I'm going to uninstall Pronterface/Slicer and reinstall it.

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## Roxy

> I did just open Pronterface/Slicer and slice again. I got 46 meters of material reported in GCode. I opened up Pronterface/Skeinforge and it reported 4620mm. Big difference. I'm going to uninstall Pronterface/Slicer and reinstall it.


Even 4.6 meters sounds like a huge amount for something that small???

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## RobH2

Just to report in since we got off track and this is supposed to be about the Auto-Leveling mod, I'm printing a part that takes the full print envelope (in x and y) and the first layer that went down is spectacular. I seem to always get a squiggly first layer and kind of deformed areas. It never affected the part but it was unsightly. I did all kinds of experiments with flow rate and filament diameter tweaks and a host of other things and could never quite get it to look nice. Even as carefully as I manually leveled my bed with the screws on the corners of the bed, I guess I just could never get it perfect. Now it's perfect and it shows. 

I'll stop gushing about Auto-Leveling soon but for now I can't help myself.

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## Roxy

Yeah...   It is easy to forget...  But that is what I felt too...    I was impressed with how nicely the first layer goes down!

But I'm not so sure all this chit chat back and forth was 'off topic'.   That is part of the Upgrade process.  Not everything goes smoothly!

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## RobH2

> Even 4.6 meters sounds like a huge amount for something that small???


FYI, I can't test it yet because I have a 7 hour print running in Cura but I deleted my old Pronterface and downloaded the newest version dated March 2014. I launched it and it reports 467mm of filament for a 19 minute print. That seems about right. I'll test it later but I'm hopeful that this solves it and that the old version became corrupt somehow.

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## RobH2

Well, I'm having some trouble getting Pronterface reinstalled. I've downloaded and followed all the instructions here:  http://replicatorwarehouse.com/pronterface/   and rebooted. Uninstalled and rebooted three more times, each time with a fresh copy. In-between I used CC Cleaner to remove stray files.   I run a pretty clean machine so I don't think it's a conflict. 

When I launch Pronterface and import an .stl I get the following message:

ERROR] Failed to execute slicing software: 
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "printrun\pronterface.pyc", line 1577, in skein_func
  File "subprocess.pyc", line 711, in __init__
  File "subprocess.pyc", line 948, in _execute_child
WindowsError: [Error 2] The system cannot find the file specified

Has anyone experienced this and found a solution for it?

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## old man emu

Have you loaded the Python software?

OME

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## Roxy

> Have you loaded the Python software?
> 
> OME


Both PronterFace and Slicer need a suitable Python interpreter installed.   I wouldn't have thought doing the uninstall of Pronterface would have taken the Python environment out along with it???   

Right now I'm searching my system for subproces.pyc to see where that is located.  (If it is part of Python or part of Pronterface)  ....

 Directory of C:\Program Files\Cygwin\lib\python2.7

10/02/2013  10:38 PM            41,249 subprocess.pyc
               1 File(s)         41,249 bytes

It is part of Python....   You need to go install Python!!!!

*UPDATE:*

This is interesting...   I wonder if you just have a $PATH variable screwed up.   Because you do have that same file in Cura's environment also???   Oh well...  Doing a clean install of Python will probably get things fixed up.

 Directory of C:\Program Files (x86)\Cura_14.03\python\Lib

05/05/2014  01:06 PM            40,716 subprocess.pyc
               1 File(s)         40,716 bytes

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## RobH2

Yes, Python is installed. I upgraded it from 2.6 to 2.7 and the install went well with no errors. I too searched for subprocess.pyc and found it in my Cura directories only. If I didn't have Cura installed I would not even have it on my system. That seemed kind of odd. I hadn't thought to check my Path statement. I'll do that. 

As you know, Pronterface really isn't an install. It's just a folder and all the dependent files are supposed to be right there (well, except the Python files). So when I uninstalled Pronterface, I just deleted the existing directory, downloaded the newest version and plopped that directory on my drive. 

This is an odd one. I've uninstalled, rebooted and reinstalled both Python and Pronterface three times now and each reinstall has gone flawlessly. Maybe someone else who has had this issue will read it and has solved it. 

I'm kind of stuck right now. I can use Cura. It's fine. I can use Slic3r too. I just can't use Pronterface. What I like most about Pronterface that no other slicer has is the nice 'Jog' controls. I really like them. I had also created custom buttons in Pronterface that extend and retract the probe. I also had buttons set up to do my G28 and G29 commands.

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## Roxy

Do you have a spare machine?   It might be helpful to just try to get PronterFace going on a totally different machine and see what happens?

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## RobH2

> Do you have a spare machine?   It might be helpful to just try to get PronterFace going on a totally different machine and see what happens?


Yes, should have thought of that. I have 7 other machines. Will give that a try.

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## ciutateivissa

> I'm kind of stuck right now. I can use Cura. It's fine. I can use Slic3r too. I just can't use Pronterface. What I like most about Pronterface that no other slicer has is the nice 'Jog' controls. I really like them. I had also created custom buttons in Pronterface that extend and retract the probe. I also had buttons set up to do my G28 and G29 commands.


If you like the button of Pronterface, why don´t use the ones in Cura? You can chose in your preferences in Cura if you want to use basic settings or Pronterface UI. On top of that we have customized our Cura 14.03 and Cura 14.06 with additional Pronterface options...

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## RobH2

> If you like the button of Pronterface, why don´t use the ones in Cura? You can chose in your preferences in Cura if you want to use basic settings or Pronterface UI. On top of that we have customized our Cura 14.03 and Cura 14.06 with additional Pronterface options...


Thanks for that. I'll have another look at Cura 14. I was having a lot of issues with it and was sticking with Cura 13. I've uninstalled all slicers and Python and am reinstalling everything. I'll try Cura 14.xx again.

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## RobH2

Good news is that I have Cura running and can print with it. The latest version is not causing me issues like the release before it. It's nice to have the Pronterface control interface but it's missing some of the best features of Pronterface like "motors off" and "custom buttons." I'm going to keep it in my back pocket but will continue to try to get Pronterface running properly. 

Uninstalling and reinstalling "everything" slicer related did not solve my issue with Pronterface though. I have not tried a different machine. I must be a conflict so I really need to find it on this machine. Even if it worked on another machine, and I'm sure it would, I still need this machine to be able to run it. I'll report back with my efforts in case someone else ever gets this problem. I'll eventually solve it.

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## Roxy

I think it would still be helpful to get it installed and working on a different machine.   Then you will know all the software pieces required and where everything is expected to go.   Then when you repeat that on the sick machine, you might get some indication of what is going wrong.

But to each his own....

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## ciutateivissa

> Good news is that I have Cura running and can print with it. The latest version is not causing me issues like the release before it. It's nice to have the Pronterface control interface but it's missing some of the best features of Pronterface like "motors off" and "custom buttons."


Just for the case you would like to have enhanced funktionalities in CURA: http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.p...terface/page-2
 This is almost all you have in Pronterface and you can tweak it yourselves.

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## RobH2

> Just for the case you would like to have enhanced funktionalities in CURA: http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.p...terface/page-2
>  This is almost all you have in Pronterface and you can tweak it yourselves.


Nice 'ciutateivissa' , very nice. That's what I needed. I do like Cura, don't get me wrong. It was just previously devoid of all of the creature features I liked in Pronterface. I did search for plugins and mods/upgrades for Cura and could not locate any. This is what I could not find on my own. Thanks. 




> I think it would still be helpful to get it installed and working on a different machine.


SOLVED: Good news. I've solved it. It was staring me in the face the whole time and I got so distracted by looking under the hood and tearing the motor apart that I just kept missing it. Within Pronterface under 'Settings/Options/External commands' I kept seeing the 'Slice Command' and 'Slicer options command' as just executable parameters and not a path. I misread this because the line read "Slic3r_1.0.1/slic3r.exe $s --output $o". I did not have any folder on my machine named "Slic3r_1.0.1" so I just assumed it was a parameter for the 'printrunconf.ini'  and not a path. The forward slash should have given it away but not being well versed in python, I thought that it might just be 'python' syntax. So, I ignored it. 

Then in desperation, I just started tweaking everything I could. I changed the line to read "Slic3r/slic3r.exe $s --output $o" instead of "Slic3r_1.0.1/slic3r.exe $s --output $o". Because, I do have a folder named "Slic3r". That didn't work so I opened the 'External commands' again and saw that the change did not hold and had reverted back. So I changed my 'Slic3r folder (in my installation directory) to be 'Slic3r_1.0.1'. I was hoping that no other component needed to see it named 'Slic3r' but what the heck. Well, it worked and it worked perfectly.

Now I had to figure out why it was not holding my changes. So, I found 'printrunconf.ini' under C:/Users/Rob. I changed that to 'printrunconf.ini.old' and relaunched Pronterface. It created a new .ini and when I went to 'External commands' the correct folder name was there, "Slic3r". Now I went back to my install directory and changed the folder 'Slic3r_1.0.1' back to 'Slic3r' , closed Pronterface and relaunched. It held. Now all I had to do was to configure my custom buttons again. I've included screen shots of them and the 'External commands' page for reference. 

I searched for hours on the web to find a solution for this. I guess it's so obvious that on one felt like writing about it. Should anyone else have a myopic attack and miss the obvious like I did, I hope this post helps you. It took 1.5 days out of my life. Now I'm going sailing....no more 3d printing for me this weekend. 

pronterfacesettings.jpg

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## Roxy

I'm glad you got it figured out.  But if Slicer was in the wrong location, why did it slice and how did Slicer decide to use 44 meters of filament to make that piece?

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## RobH2

I don't know what was causing the calculation error. It appeared to be a factor of 100. It only affected that, it didn't seem to cause any actual print errors. 

It's not that Slic3r was in the wrong location, it was that Pronterface was adding characters to the default Slic3r folder name and path. Once I was able to change the Pronterface .ini so it pointed to the proper Slic3r folder name (can be anything you want apparently, as long as they match) everything was instantly ok.

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## Roxy

Which leaves just one question:  How did it get screwed up?

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## RobH2

I'm not sure but I have a guess. It's the only thing I can think of right now. I deleted the original problematic files so I can't verify this but I have an idea. 

Pronterface reported a few times that it could not write to the .ini file. I was printing and all was well so I ignored it. The next day, I had the issue. I think maybe the .ini became corrupt and it pulled it's backup .ini that is there also. Maybe the backup .ini had or picked up the wrong folder name for Slic3r and so began the odyssey. My machine has been healthy and well maintained so I don't think it's a sign of impending disaster on this machine. At least I know how to fix it now should it occur again. It's crazy how far out of the way I went to fix it before realizing what the issue was. But, it's all a learning process and it's all good.

But, before I go let me circle back to post #1 in this thread, how's the Autoleveling going OME? Is it working well for you?

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## old man emu

I'm flat out like a lizard drinking at the moment. This week my car and my motorcycle come up for re-registration, so I have to get them inspected for roadworthiness, then go to the DMV to pay $1300 for registration fees and compulsory Third Party Injury insurance. Then the landlord ended the lease on our house, so we are looking for a new place and also packing our goods and chattels in preparation for the move. Most of my workshop equipment is now in cartons.

Our daughter-in-law, who lives with us, went interstate for a family Christening, so we are 24/7 babysitters for a 19 month-old.

Then my son, his pal and I bought an old Land Rover 4 x 4 to restore, so Sunday was spent seeing if we could get it started and driving. We are going to strip it to the chassis and restore it from there.

I had the chance today to check the endstop switch wiring and diagram the correct set up. After dinner tonight I hope to go out to the workshop to finalise the wiring.

Then I've got to have a few stiff drinks to get the Dutch courage to attack the Marlin update.

I also want to design a special funnel to use to fill the gear box of my bike with oil so I can print it when I get time.

And if I get a chance, I might have a bath!!

OME

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## Roxy

> Then I've got to have a few stiff drinks to get the Dutch courage to attack the Marlin update.


My advice is you do it stone cold sober....

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## RobH2

Bath? You don't have time for a bath, you have too much work to do....lol... !!!

Man, you are one busy guy these days. No problem. Check in when the dust settles...literally....

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## old man emu

Tick:  Roadworthiness inspections completed
Tick:  Confirm new residence
Tick:  Cancel design for oil funnel for motorbike (I'll use an empty honey bottle)
Tick:  Worked out how to wire the probe and endstop switches. Assembled and tested. Soldered all together. Job done
Tick:  Ablutions completed

Still to do:
Consume copious amounts of Dutch courage an attack Marlin update
Find somewhere to store my tools, Christmas decorations, spare motorcycle, part stripped 4 x 4.

OME

When a 2-year-old is cutting his molars, nobody in the house gets any rest. So I've attacked the Marlin update. I hope it's right! - OME

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## RobH2

Ok, autoleveling gurus, I have a question. I can't figure out the best way to check my gap now that I have autoleveling. What is happening is that I use gcode to find all of my offsets for the servo switch to the head and upload them to my RAMPS. But, it's off a bit. My gap is too tight. So I have to do a small tweak of the 'Z' offset, upload and start all over. 

I can't figure out what gcode I can use to do autoleveling (or 'Home') and then issue a command to take the print head to the surface as if preparing to print so I can check the gap, the gap that's being set in the configuration.h file. The only way I can do it is wait for a print to start and then stick a piece of paper under the head really quickly and see if it has the proper friction. 

What I'd like to do it issue 'Home' (G28) and then issue something to send the head to the bed so I can check the gap. Two quick steps. The way I'm doing it now is really tedious.

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## Roxy

You can issue a G28 followed by a G29.   Then move the nozzle to the center of the bed and send a M114 to the printer.   It will tell you what it thinks about the coordinates.
You can manually (with Pronterface???) move the nozzle down closer to the bed until you have just the right gap.   And issue another M114 to see what the printer thinks the gap is.   

Using that information, you can shift your Z_OFFSET to be very accurate.

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## RobH2

Yes, I use G28 and G29 all the time in Cura. What you suggest is that I do. It's very tedious. I just wanted a way to 'Home' and then send the head directly to what it thinks is zero. 

Ok, I've figured it out. I guess my machine was malfunctioning. I kept  using a G1 and it wasn't working. I reset a few times and now it works  fine. 

I just use a 'G1 Z0' and my head moves to the offset in 'configuration.h'  Thanks "me" for helping me solve this...    :Smile:

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