Explanation for different options under settings menu

[Roob0481]

Does anyone have a rundown of the Utilities settings on a FFCP ? Some I've been able to look up some (hope those are right), but a few I'd like to know their purpose. Any info would be much appreciated.
General Settings:

• Extruder Hold (OFF/ON)
• Check SD Reads (OFF/ON)
• P-Stop Control (OFF/ON)
• Serial I/O (USB/Vart1)

Enable Steppers/Disable Steppers

Thank you for any knowledge able to give.

[Bobbler]

Extruder Hold - it keeps the extruder motor from being disabled by command "M103" and is of use for 3MM extruders - source - http://www.makerbot.com/sailfish/releases
Check SD Reads - sounds like it does an error check against what was received - http://jettyfirmware.yolasite.com/v73-v43.php#crc
P-Stop - looks to be so you can add an external trigger to stop the printer via hardware - http://jettyfirmware.yolasite.com/v74-v44.php#pstop

[curious aardvark]

steppers on/off - does exactly what it says.
If you have the motors on - the carriage will be rigid and you won't be able to move it around by hand. Plus the motors tend to get a bit warm :-)
With it off, the motors are only on when printing or 'jogging'. So the carriage moves freely and the motors don't get hot.

[Roob0481]

Extruder Hold - it keeps the extruder motor from being disabled by command "M103" and is of use for 3MM extruders - source - http://www.makerbot.com/sailfish/releases
Check SD Reads - sounds like it does an error check against what was received - http://jettyfirmware.yolasite.com/v73-v43.php#crc
P-Stop - looks to be so you can add an external trigger to stop the printer via hardware - http://jettyfirmware.yolasite.com/v74-v44.php#pstop

"steppers on/off - does exactly what it says.
If you have the motors on - the carriage will be rigid and you won't be able to move it around by hand. Plus the motors tend to get a bit warm :-)
With it off, the motors are only on when printing or 'jogging'. So the carriage moves freely and the motors don't get hot."

Thank you both for taking a little time to drop some knowledge on a fresh rookie.

[Bobbler]

No problem Roob, TBH I haven't found a need to change any of the settings I commented on so far - though I do only tend to print right from USB personally and have no need of the other 2 settings that I have found.

[Roob0481]

No problem Roob, TBH I haven't found a need to change any of the settings I commented on so far - though I do only tend to print right from USB personally and have no need of the other 2 settings that I have found.

Same here, I just couldn't take not knowing anymore. Especially if they happened to be something that could've improved prints. Thanks again.

[AmyInNH]

Is there any manual that says what all the settings are? I just got a Creator Pro, my first printer, and am leery about pushing buttons as it doesn't seem to have intuitive behavior.

I ran bed leveling and upon completion ("ok"), much to my surprise, the bed sat there, right under the extruders. Then I prepared for the test print, the calibration box. I loaded the filament and as I prepared the sample calibration box gcode and moved the x3g file to the SD card, the filament oozed out and pooled up and around the extruder.

Also, no documentation under ReplicatorG's Help/Offline Documentation. Would anyone know where this file should be? The error message on the console says "Could not load offline documentation."

[Roob0481]

Is there any manual that says what all the settings are? I just got a Creator Pro, my first printer, and am leery about pushing buttons as it doesn't seem to have intuitive behavior.

I ran bed leveling and upon completion ("ok"), much to my surprise, the bed sat there, right under the extruders. Then I prepared for the test print, the calibration box. I loaded the filament and as I prepared the sample calibration box gcode and moved the x3g file to the SD card, the filament oozed out and pooled up and around the extruder.

Also, no documentation under ReplicatorG's Help/Offline Documentation. Would anyone know where this file should be? The error message on the console says "Could not load offline documentation."

When you did the bed leveling was it through Replicator G or did you access directly through the menu on the LCD screen on the printer? I would load filament prior to leveling. I would load filament, level, and then do whatever test print you'd like.

[curious aardvark]

yep and don't use rep-g.
use makerware dektop : http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...-x86-computers

And you should also calibrate the printer with the bed and extruder temp the same as they willl be when printing. All things expand when hot - and while it may only be a tiny amount - we're dealing with 100ths of a millimetre in 3d printing - so it matters :-)

Manuals - they would be great. I believe we can blame Apple for the dearth of manuals in current technology.
They were the first to release gadgets with download only software and no manual. Then Everybody else jumped on the bandwagon.

The number of times I go to a clients house and they've got a tablet that's going back to the shop - because they don't have the foggiest idea how to use it and you don't get manuals with them.
Something as simple as an e-manual on the front page with a caption: click me first.

But alas no. Steve jobs most likely has a new circle of hell dedicated to him where irate customers line up to beat him senseless with old style printed manuals :-)

[AmyInNH]

I leveled the bed via the LCD. If you load the filament first, isn't that going to make one heck of a mess oozing plastic with a paper sliding around underneath it? And possibly set the paper on fire?

Now there's a pool of plastic stuck to the extruder. I take it I'm going to have to lower the bed manually and turn on the extruder's heat to get this off. And I'll be guessing my way through it with the LCD. I'd be fine with that if there were no way to damage the machine but the original instructions that came with it, a simple walkthrough, says yes you can damage the machine.

So, how much time do you have between load filament and test print? Following the original instructions, it said load the filament/turn on the extruder heat, then prep your object for printing. Not really, if the filament's oozed out and globbed onto the print bed.

When you did the bed leveling was it through Replicator G or did you access directly through the menu on the LCD screen on the printer? I would load filament prior to leveling. I would load filament, level, and then do whatever test print you'd like.