# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > RepRap Format Printer Forum >  Printing a mirrored copy when not trying to

## Johno

Hi all
As the title suggest I'm having a problem with printing a mirrored copy of the file I send to pronterface.
The file seems to leave cure ok but once I pick it up in pronterface its not appearing in the File window (but I get the script that on the right had side and that's how I've peen printing)
 This has been working ok for me then 5 hours into a print I realised it had printed a mirror image of what I thought id sent. What have I done wrong?

When moving each axis via pronterface it moves in what I assume is the right direction Y+ moves the bed away from me Y- towards me X- left X+ right z+ up and z- down.
Cheers
Johno

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## Roxy

Is this a new (to you) printer?   You can change this in your Configuration.h file.

If your origin is at the front left of the bed, those directions will produce a mirror image.

You can flip the direction of any axis by just toggling the value of these #define's



```
// Invert the stepper direction. Change (or reverse the motor connector) if an axis goes the wrong way.
#define INVERT_X_DIR true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR true
#define INVERT_Z_DIR true
```

Also, if you put this together as a kit, it is possible you plugged your wires in backwards on the motors.   A lot of people prefer to unplug, rotate 180 degrees and re-plug in the motor cables instead of rebuilding the firmware.

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## Johno

Thanks Roxy
It is a new kit that I put together 
I think if someone as incompetent as me where to mess with code Id do more harm than good, wouldn't even know where to start. My motor leads only go In one way, Looking from the top they're coloured Blue Red Green Black. I just pull the leads and replace them Black Green Red Blue on the motor end? And is it just the X axis I do this on?

Pic shows home position
WP_20151230_09_51_16_Pro.jpg

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## Roxy

That is a nice looking printer.   It depends on your motors and such.  But a lot of times there is a socket on the motor for the cable to plug into.  And also one on the controller board.   

Ask your vendor for the source code to the printer.   Part of the license agreement (where they get to use the firmware for free) is they have to provide it.     Once you have the firmware, it really isn't that big of a deal to get Arduino installed and to rebuild the firmware.    If you can't flip the wires without butchering things, we can flip it in software.

What happens when you flip the X motor wires with the Y motor wires?   Where does it home?   Which way does the bed go for +X, -X, +Y and -Y ?    It may be you have the X & Y motor wires reversed???  (You would want to flip the end stop wires too!!!)

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## Johno

I set out at 0830 all bull headed and determined to resolve the issue, now at 1604 I'm doing a test print, It wasn't till the wife got home I actually sat back and thought about what I was doing, still some of the stupid pointless things I tried (Including dismounting the Z motor and mounting it the other way "That was a low point in pointless ideas) did mean I locktited some stuff and soldered some wires Id previously butchered.
 Controller Board connector is a different size to motor connector so I pulled the pins and swapped them that way at the motor end (x only)
So by doing the 30 second job of flipping 4 wires has taken me all day but it looks as though its worked, yeh the x home is now on the right so I've gotta find a limit switch mount for it but at least I'm printing the right way round.
So cheers Roxy you've been an absolute star

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## LuckyImperial

> "That was a low point in pointless ideas"


Made me laugh. Glad you got it working and that's a nice looking rig. Don't hesitate to come back with quality questions. 

I'm gonna plug Slic3r while I'm typing here...lots of control there.

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## Roxy

> I'm gonna plug Slic3r while I'm typing here...lots of control there.


I like Slic3r....  Alot!!!!   But I wish they would quit adding features and spend some time making it stable.   It crashes all the time for me.

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## Johno

Thanks LuckyImperial, I'll have lots more questions but I'm not sure they'll be quality ones :Big Grin:

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