Toshiba Flashair SD Card Mapped in Windows

[EagleSeven]

But why worry about it, if 'It Works' !
And it 'Does Work Great' with Real, modern computers, printers and software!
Try it, you will Like it !

I forgive you for being insulting !

[Mjolinor]

Sorry, I missed the bit where I was insulting. If you perceive that I was then you are mistaken. Do not make the mistake of education being insulting. Not knowing something is not a crime it is simply not knowing something, no one knows anything until they learn it or are told it.

Relying on things working that are outside the specifications is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when dealing with technology. It is the reason for standards being specified to death, this allows us to makes planes that fly, cars that are safe and a whole host of other things that are everywhere. If they are correctly designed then they are not expected to work outside the specification of the parts within.

There are examples of things designed outside the spec and the problems that occur because of it. Probably the most recent being the balancing scooters that are bursting into flames from China. They fail because they work even though they are not designed correctly and when they get a few charges under their belt the batteries become unbalanced and they have no protection circuitry. I hope you do not believe that "they work so they are OK" is a reasonable statement there.

[EagleSeven]

The "file type" is not a limitation in the method used for printing, it's a limitation of the printers firmware, actually I wouldn't even call it a limitation, its more like a specification, which is a non issue because S3D converts to .x3g automagically...

The printer's firmware will accept .stl files, from slicer, if sent thru USB, but will Not from SD.
( I only know for sure about the CTC printer, I assume other similar printer makes are the Same)

.stl now seems to be the Standard file type,
and if you are Forced to first convert all .stl files to .3xg files,
before sending them to printer,
I would call that a 'Limitation' !

[ServiceXp]

I'm pretty sure you really mean .x3g right...?

[EagleSeven]

Yep, Something 'Strange' Like That !

[AlbertZeroK]

I have 4 flashforges set up like this. It works ... kinda, I have issues with big files. The best thing I can think of is to not use mapped drives, but rather, dump the gcode 3xg files into a single directory and write a script to load the last written file to a network path - this keeps windows from accessing the drive when the printer is printing - which I think is a very valid concern - if the sd card is tied up talking with windows, the 3d printer controller may have an issue reading.

In the end, I'll likely write a program to manage printing - then again, I'll likely roll my own solution with a combination of optoprint controllers and flashair cards and a windows program to roll it all together - so I can manage afleet of printers.

[EagleSeven]

I have 4 flashforges set up like this. It works ... kinda, I have issues with big files. The best thing I can think of is to not use mapped drives, but rather, dump the gcode 3xg files into a single directory and write a script to load the last written file to a network path - this keeps windows from accessing the drive when the printer is printing - which I think is a very valid concern - if the sd card is tied up talking with windows, the 3d printer controller may have an issue reading.

In the end, I'll likely write a program to manage printing - then again, I'll likely roll my own solution with a combination of optoprint controllers and flashair cards and a windows program to roll it all together - so I can manage afleet of printers.

Yes, I can see that it can get really complicated trying to use one computer for multiple printers !
I think I would rather get small computers, to have one for each printer, on a network ?
With printers and computers connected thru USB.
They have computers now that will fit in your hand , that are Not very expensive,
only need space for small monitor and keyboard for each computer.

[ServiceXp]

I have 4 flashforges set up like this. It works ... kinda, I have issues with big files. The best thing I can think of is to not use mapped drives, but rather, dump the gcode 3xg files into a single directory and write a script to load the last written file to a network path - this keeps windows from accessing the drive when the printer is printing - which I think is a very valid concern - if the sd card is tied up talking with windows, the 3d printer controller may have an issue reading.

In the end, I'll likely write a program to manage printing - then again, I'll likely roll my own solution with a combination of optoprint controllers and flashair cards and a windows program to roll it all together - so I can manage afleet of printers.

Interesting, I've not run into any problems with big files yet, but I've only completed 9 or 10 prints using this method. At what size and what problems are you seeing with this mapped drive method? How long have you been using this method?

I just thought of a test to see what locks, if any, the firmware is placing on the files being used. I suspect there are no locks and hence the possibility of problem, just not sure of what those problems are. I've written/deleted both files and folders while the machine was printing, and rebooted the machine with the mapped drive, also let it sleep and have not seen any disruptions in the printer. I have not however messed with the current file being printed.

[ServiceXp]

Interesting, I've not run into any problems with big files yet, but I've only completed 9 or 10 prints using this method. At what size and what problems are you seeing with this mapped drive method? How long have you been using this method?

I just thought of a test to see what locks, if any, the firmware is placing on the files being used. I suspect there are no locks and hence the possibility of problem, just not sure of what those problems are. I've written/deleted both files and folders while the machine was printing, and rebooted the machine with the mapped drive, also let it sleep and have not seen any disruptions in the printer. I have not however messed with the current file being printed.

OK so after a bit of testing/experimenting this is what I've discovered. There are no file locks (at least none that Windows 10 honors) being placed on the current file being printed. Small files (not sure of the size breakpoint here) are completed loaded into memory, and can be deleted from the SD card after the print starts. This worked for the files under 1meg I tested.

Files over 10 megs:
1) there are no file locks (at least none that Windows 10 honor) being placed on the current file being printed.
2) Renaming the file, then renaming back does not effect printing.
3) Renaming the file and leaving it for 10 seconds does not effect printing.
4) Coping and pasting the same file that is being printed does not effect printing.
5) Renaming the file and leaving it causes the print to fail. (as would be expected)
6) Deleting the file after print has started causes the print to fail. (as would be expected)

All-In-all, fairly robust all things considered. It would be nice to have some file locks, but......

[Darsonval51]

16gb Flashair ordered.