Software bugs in FlashPrint

[MadBoat]

Hi all,

I was surprised at christmas with a 3d printer (a Dreamer), and I'm beginning to futz with it now. I am having some serious issues with the default software FlashForge distributes on this OS (its a fresh windows 7 installation). I am able to print a design, but I can't do any on-the-fly modifications to the .stl design I downloaded, like scale or rotate or any of that; none of the buttons that control any of that show up in my GUI, and there aren't menu options to control this stuff. The software is still usable, but just barely.

I would open a support case to FlashForge about it, but they're also not impressing me with their level of software competence. Things like, they mis-spelled "Print" in the registry settings in the first installer I downloaded (although they seem to have fixed that in a subsequent version), and their webpage-based method for requesting support is broken, in I.E. and in Chrome. That seems like a long hard road.

What I am hoping is that I can use 3rd party software to interface with the printer, which seems to work just fine. Can someone make a suggestion? Or am I stuck with this software?

Jason

[Mjolinor]

To change the drawings you need a drawing package, not a printing package. Some of the printing packages will allow rotate / move / scale but really it isn't a problem if they don't though I don't think I have seen one that doesn't. Worry not, you will soon tire of other people's STLs anyway.

Stick with it and do some drawings of your own, it is a lot more rewarding.

[MadBoat]

Mjolinor

I know I can make the changes that I'm talking about in a drawing package; I pushed out a few designs with OpenSCAD and even printed one on a makerlab's makerbot. But their makerbot software had very simplistic design modification commands, above and beyond the changes that you can do in a drawing package. The dreamer's documentation shows screenshots that look very similar to what their makerbot software had as well, but I am not getting those icons in my version of FlashPrint.

And you're right, this wouldn't be a big problem, except I offered to share this with my co-workers, and if they're going to hand me anything to print, they're going to hand me .stls, so it would be nice if I could scale them to the size they want. Also, yntil I get the buttons working, I think I'm stuck using the right extruder, and using ABS, which is also a pain.

Jason

[Graham]

Flashprint does not support any modification to the model other than scale and positioning.
I think the reason that you do not have the menu items, etc. is the video card on your PC. Mine works fine on Win 7 32 with low performance on board video and 64 bit with a very big video card but it will not work in my Virtualbox machines which incompletely emulate Open GL.
If you are using a real operating system (i.e. not virtual) check the video settings on your display adapter. Try increasing display memory, etc. (in BIOS setup)
Graham

[MadBoat]

Graham

That's quite possible. I will test this theory and get back to you.

Jason

[mikenmel08]

Just get Simplify 3D and save yourself a lot of Time and Headache.....$140 VERY WELL spent.......Do all your Work in S3D then just use Flashprint to actually print your item....Of course i would make sure your machine would run it first....

[MadBoat]

Graham

You put your finger right on it. Thanks much

Jason