# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > FlashForge Forum >  Cura with Flashforge Creator Pro?

## Joymaker

I'm trying some alternatives because ReplicatorG is cranky and VERY slow to generate gcode.

Has anyone got Cura working?  I'm getting errors like this:

Changing monitoring state from 'Offline' to 'Opening serial port'
Connecting to: /dev/cu.usbmodemfd121 with baudrate: 115200 (fallback)
Connected to: Serial<id=0x1064b85d0, open=True>(port='/dev/cu.usbmodemfd121', baudrate=115200, bytesize=8, parity='N', stopbits=1, timeout=3, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False), starting monitor
Changing monitoring state from 'Opening serial port' to 'Detecting baudrate'
Trying baudrate: 250000
Send: M105
Unexpected error while reading serial port: SerialException: 'device reports readiness to read but returned no data (device disconnected?)' @ machineCom.pyo:_readline:516
Changing monitoring state from 'Detecting baudrate' to 'Error: SerialException: 'device reports re...'
Connection closed, closing down monitor

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## Mjolinor

Repg does not generate Gcode. I use Cura and then RepG to convert it to X3G file.

It is all I use.

Cura will not talk to your printer at all.

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## ffvader

slic3r is free and decent.
simplify3d cost but is better.

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## Sebastian Finke

> Repg does not generate Gcode.


RepG *does* generate g-code.

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## Sebastian Finke

Easiest alternative for FF creator series printers is Makerware.

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## Mjolinor

> RepG *does* generate g-code.


Well my repG calls either Skeinforge or Slic3r as a G code generataor. I can't see any options anywhere for repG to generate it.

Mind you I tend not to update things once they work so maybe it does now.

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## curious aardvark

don't think repg has been updated for a decade or two :-) 

I honestly couldn't stand how slow it slices. 

But makerware is reasonable. 

During the period I was waiting for a 3D printer I tried most of them and liked cura the most. 
But simplify3d is hands down the best and if you print more than one thing a week - it's well worth the money.

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## Sebastian Finke

> Well my repG calls either Skeinforge or Slic3r as a G code generataor. I can't see any options anywhere for repG to generate it.
> 
> Mind you I tend not to update things once they work so maybe it does now.


RepG is, to my understanding, a front-end for Skeinforge and (a very ancient) Slic3r. So yeah, it can export both g-code and x3g. 

I only used it to access settings in the firmware and do the dual nozzle calibration. Oh yes, and I use it to convert g-code output from Slic3r to x3g when I play around with Slic3r. Its not really good for anything else...

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## Sebastian Finke

> don't think repg has been updated for a decade or two :-) 
> 
> I honestly couldn't stand how slow it slices. 
> 
> But makerware is reasonable. 
> 
> During the period I was waiting for a 3D printer I tried most of them and liked cura the most. 
> But simplify3d is hands down the best and if you print more than one thing a week - it's well worth the money.


About a decade is right. 

Makerware is ok, although really not that quick. The prints it outputs are great though. One thing I don't like is that it seems to run out of memory pretty quick.

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## warkmal

Don't use cura to talk directly to the printer. The thing that doesn't read gcode directly is your printer. Makerbots and clones use x3g protocol. Use cura to do the slicing and then use gpx or RepG to convert the gcode to x3g for the SD card. You'll particularly need to get the start and and gcode to be correct for your printer.

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## Joymaker

> Don't use cura to talk directly to the printer. The thing that doesn't read gcode directly is your printer. Makerbots and clones use x3g protocol. Use cura to do the slicing and then use gpx or RepG to convert the gcode to x3g for the SD card. You'll particularly need to get the start and and gcode to be correct for your printer.


I understand x3g for the SD card.  But i don't use an SD card (yet), I use a direct connection.  Can't see the virtue in handing an extra bit of hardware from one machine to the other unless I needed to take the computer somewhere else.  So does your comment still apply?

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## Joymaker

> don't think repg has been updated for a decade or two :-) 
> 
> During the period I was waiting for a 3D printer I tried most of them and liked cura the most. 
> But simplify3d is hands down the best and if you print more than one thing a week - it's well worth the money.


Aardvark, you have convinced me.  I was teetering on the edge and now I'm going for Simplify3d.

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## warkmal

> I understand x3g for the SD card.  But i don't use an SD card (yet), I use a direct connection.  Can't see the virtue in handing an extra bit of hardware from one machine to the other unless I needed to take the computer somewhere else.  So does your comment still apply?


Yes, still applies.  The printer itself doesn't understand gcode directly over the wire or from an SD card.  You can only use printer hosts that understand and send x3g protocol (ie not Cura).

At higher speeds you'll get better results from the SD card because you'll avoid pauses due to serial communication interruption (even 10ms pauses are sufficient to cause a zit on your print).  You can avoid passing it back and forth by using a FlashAir and putting things on the SD card wirelessly.

That said, these days I mostly print from OctoPrint running on a Raspberry Pi connected to the printer via USB and upload gcode directly to that.  But that's because I want to put as many hours on my plugin as possible for testing purposes.

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## Joymaker

When I tried using Makerware it just kept saying "Connecting..." forever.  Console log showed that it was correctly seeing and identifying the printer.  Is there some simple trick to this?

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